British Baby Names

Name of the Week: Seren

 

 

Origin:

Seren is a Welsh name, taken from the vocabulary word seren "star." The word was adopted as a given name in the mid 20th century. Prior to that, an obscure Welsh name Saeran was borne by an early Welsh saint. Little is known of St Saeran other than he was the son of Geraint Saer of Ireland. Sear meant "carpenter, wright, artisan" in Old Welsh. With the diminutive suffix -an Saeran essentially meant "Sear the younger." Serin is also the name of a small European finch, closely related to the canary. The scientific name Serinus serinus is thought to derive from the French name for the canary, serin, which itself is thought to be a corruption of the Latin citrinus "lemon-like (coloured)".

Usage:

Despite being the name of an early Welsh saint to whom a church is dedicated in Llanynys, Denbighshire, I can find no evidence that Saeran was ever used as a given name in Wales or Britain in general.  Seren itself was first registered in England and Wales in the late 1940s. It was rare at first but gradually increased in usage by the 1990s as birth registrations in England and Wales show: 1940s: 1 birth 1950s: 6 births 1960s: 13 births 1970s: 14 births 1980s: 57 births Middle names (such as Seren Thomas in 1988 and Seren Anthony in 1989) suggest that, initially, it was a unisex name. Since 1996, Seren has ranked five times for boys in England and Wales: 1997 (3 births), 2001 (6 births), 2002 (3 births), 2005 (3 births) and 2013 (3 births). [To rank, a name needs 3 births or more that year]. click to enlarge By 1996, Seren had become an established name -- particularly in native Wales -- ranking #539 (46 births) overall. It first hit the top 100 in Wales in 1997 at #90 (37 births). In England that year, on the other hand, it only ranked #1237 (14 births), giving it a combined rank of #520.  Over he following decade, Seren raced up the charts, particularly in Wales but also as well in England though not as dramatically.  In 2007, Seren reached #7 (222 births) in Wales and #328 in England [#156 combined]. It peaked in 2009 at #3 (256 births) in Wales, and at #149 (335 births) in England in 2013.  In 2014, Seren ranked #11 (142 births) in Wales and #161 (326 births) in England [#119 combined.  In Scotland, Seren ranked #236 (17 births) in 2015.

Famous Bearers:

Contemporary: * Seren Haf Gibson (b.1988), Welsh glamour model. * Seren Bundy-Davies (b. 1994), Welsh track and field sprinter Other: * Seren Gomer, the first Welsh-language weekly newspaper. * Seren Books, a Welsh publishing house.

Variants:

Seran, Serin

Pronunciation:

SE-rən [key]

Possible  longer forms:

Serenity, Serena, Seraphina

Sibling Names:

Freya     Carys     Mali     Eleri     Nia     Lois      Dylan     Lucas     Max     Rhys     Elis     Cai

Name Lists:

Cosy Celtic

  

If you like Seren you may also like:   Megan, Sienna, Ffion, Elin, Aderyn, Briallen, Eirys, Rhian, Fearne, Bethan

 

Thanks to Amy for requesting this post. 

'Twas Ever Thus: What's vogue in the 1930s?

 

 

The following article appeared in the Falkirk Herald on Wednesday 24 May, 1939 and the Western Daily Press on Saturday 27 May, 1939 on both their "Feminine Reflections" pages.  

 

Though fashions in children's names change with passing years, it must be admitted that the vogue for Victorian names is, and has been, very popular recently. Apparently, although young mothers are not keen on Victoria, they are delighted with Caroline, Laura and Ann.     To-day's fashion in names differs in one important respect from that of the Victorian era. Victorian babies were blessed with three or four names. Nowadays, one is enough; two abundant.       Many mothers are calling their little daughters Sally; but few know that this means a lady of possession. Perhaps a lucky omen.                                IRISH INFLUENCE     Irish blood in the family is a good excuse for such pretty-sounding names as Kathleen and Eileen; for boys, Patrick and Brian.      Ian and Douglas, both very familiar just now, hailed from Scotland originally.      Christopher has been much employed since Mr A. A. Milne's verses gave it a fillip. Crispin was the unusual name chosen for the grandson of a peer.      Romantic mothers choose such attractive names as Tristan for a boys, and Guinevere for a girl.     Sometimes a devotional flavour creeps into a name, such as Cecilia.      And all the names of the apostles are certainly lavished on little boys these days -- with Peter leading.                               ANOTHER APOSTLE     John is another great favourite. Those parents who have an eye on the future, and who want something important for their offspring are choosing John, if not Roderick, Roger or Kenneth.     William, David, Anthony and Arnold all have a good native sound about them, and many new Georges and Stephens have been registered lately.      Hugh should express a thoughtful personality.      Grace is a quaint, yet nor a "date"-able name. Neither is Amelia and Rebecca. There have been occasional Phoebes lately; but this is not a name many mothers are instantly attracted to; given a striking personality it would be distinctive. But not otherwise.                              THESE ARE UNUSUAL     Hermione and Marda are unusual and worth considering that is if the parents have not decided on Margaret, which always pleases, or Mary or Elizabeth for their baby girl.      Few daughters are likely to object to Catherine later on -- but they might to Maude, which is enjoying a sudden "come-back."     Isobel is one of those soft-sounding names handed down from the middle-ages which mothers are finding particularly attractive. And a bright eyed baby was christened Lucinda a few weeks ago.     Whether the daughter will thank her parent for this name in years to come remains to be seen. But who can tell? So long as a child is not given some utterly eccentric name the future is not likely to bring regrets. After all, if there are a million Marys in the next generation, the complaint of a single Mary that she doesn't like her name is not likely to win much sympathy.                                                        Falkirk Herald                                                        24 May1939

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UK Birth Announcements 18/4/16 - 24/4/16

A round-up of names from birth announcements announced in British newspapers in the last week.

Sources include a national paper (The Telegraph) and a broad range of local newspapers from across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Sibling names are in brackets. 

 

Boys:

Archie James

Arthur Mark William (Jake Thomas Edward)

Bode (Abel)

Campbell Drew

Corran Dary

Dara James (Shay Joseph & Charlie John)

Edward James Turquand

Frederick George Holland

Frederick Victor Alfred (Molly Elizabeth Jane, Archie Edward Hector & Wilfred)

Freddie Alastair James (Hugh & Cleo Joanna)

George Alexander Stewart (Jessica Elisabeth)

Hamish Derek Arthur (Hollie Eloise)

Harrison Mark (Harley James)

Henry Rory

Jack Christopher

James David

Joe William (Ollie & Ryan)

Joshua James (Jessica Mary Alice)

Luca Wilson

Milo Sebastian Edward (Maximilian Oliver Hamlyn)

Noah Edward

Noah William (Zachary Albert)

Oscar Henry Thomas

Raphaël John Francis

Rupert Thomas John

 

Girls:

Alexa Kimberley (Summer Fiona)

Alexandra Clare

Alice Ava

Audrey Lorna (Isla Eluned)

Awel Lois (Leah & Megan Elsi)

Cecily-Rose Agnes (Frankie & Bibi)

Eliza Anderson (Ewan Robert)

Elsie

Ffion Lily (Iestyn)

Francesca Rose (Alexandra Beatrice & Jemima Antonia)

Freya Hope

Honor Ophelia

Isabelle Caroline Susan

Ivy Elizabeth

Katie Martha (Holly Marion & Aoife Rose)

Lucy Louise (Finn Steuart)

Millie Jennifer Grace

Niamh Louise

Olivia Lexi Annabel (Emilia Sienna Elizabeth)

Phoebe Isla

Ruby-Mae

 

Name of the Week: Laurence

 

Origin:

Lawrence and Laurence are English forms of the Roman nomen Laurentius meaning "of Laurentium." Laurentium was an ancient city in Latium about sixteen miles from Rome. Most likely the name derived from the Latin laurus "bay laurel tree." In ancient Greece and Rome, the leaves of the bay laurel were made into crowns and placed upon the head of a victor in either a competition (athletic or artistic/poetic) or a martial commander. Thus, the laurel became associated as an emblem of victory.

Usage:

Laurentius was a well established Roman surname, and some bearers are still known to us today. Most notably is Lawrence of Rome (d. 258) or Saint Lawrence, a 3rd century deacon of Rome who was martyred during the persecution by Emperor Valerian in 258 when he presented the poor of the city when commanded to offer up the treasures of the church. He is one of the most widely venerated saints in Christianity and a patron of the city of Rome. The name can not be found in use in Anglo-Saxon England apart from Saint Laurence of Canterbury (d. 619), the second Archbishop of Canterbury. No doubt named after Lawrence of Rome, he was an Italian monk who accompanied Augustine on his mission to Christianise the Anglo-Saxons and later succeeded him as archbishop. The veneration of Saint Lawrence of Rome became widespread after the Norman Conquest -- perhaps bolstered by St Laurence of Canterbury -- and over two hundred churches were dedicated to him in England.  In a study of 1000 names from 10 counties from 1377-81, Redmonds calculates that Laurence held a rank of #21. This use led to a multitude of diminutive forms including Laurie, Lawrie, Lowrie, Larry, Lorry, Law, Low, Larkin and Lorkin. Alongside Lawrence/Laurence, many of these diminutive forms became surnames alongside Lawrenson, Lawson, Lowson, Lawes and Lorie.   The diminutive Lorkin is perhaps one reason why Laurence was used to render the Irish name Lorcán into English. The Irish saint Lorcán Ua Tuathail (1128–1180), Archbishop of Dublin is also known by the English rendering Saint Laurence O'Toole.  Laurence never reached the heights of extreme popularity within the top 10 but it was enduring throughout the following centuries, as can be seen by Smith Bannister's top 50 frequency tables from 1538-1700: 1538-49: #18; 1550-9: #25; 1560-9: #36; 1570-9: #27; 1580-9: #27; 1590-9: #42; 1600-9: #36; 1610-9: #37; 1620-9: #46; 1630-9: #38; 1640-9: --; 1650-9: --; 1660-9: #42; 1670-9: --; 1689-9: --; 1690-1700: 39. It was the 17th most common name in Elizabethan Norfolk and 34th during the Reformation. Leslie Dunkling also ranks Laurence at #37 in 1700 and #48 in 1800.  By the 19th century, Lawrence had taken precedence as the more common spelling as we can see from their individual rank in the latter half of the century.    Lawrence Laurence 1860 #96 #167 1870 #81 #157 1880 #78 #134 1890 #70 #112 1900 #70 #104 In Scotland, Lawrence ranked #61 in 1900 while Laurence was #69. Both spellings stayed in the top 100 until 1950, ranking #76 and #84 respectively, after which it fell out.  In England and Wales, both Lawrence and Laurence ranked in the top 100 until 1924. Laurence at that time ranked #100 and fell out after. Lawrence (at #62) remained for another two decades, falling below after 1954 when it ranked #77.  Since 1996, the two spellings have been very closely matched. Up until 2000, both were just within the top 200; since they have both maintained a steady rank within the top 400.  In 2014, Laurence ranked #359 (116 births) and Lawrence ranked #395 (103 births) in England and Wales.  In Scotland in 2015, Lawrence was #470 (6 births) and Laurence #529 (5 births).

Famous Bearers:

History: * Saint Lawrence of Rome (d. 258), deacon of Rome and Catholic saint. * Lawrence I (d.511), bishop of Milan. * Saint Laurence of Siponto (d. c. 545), bishop of Siponto. * Saint Laurence of Canterbury (d. 619), second Archbishop of Canterbury. * St Laurence O'Toole or Lorcán Ua Tuathail (1128–1180), Irish Catholic Saint. * Brother Lawrence de la Résurrection (d. 1691), a Carmelite monk. * Laurence Sterne (1713–1768), Irish novelist and an Anglican clergyman. * Lawrence Hargrave (1850-1915), Australian inventor, explorer, astronomer, engineer and aeronautical pioneer. * Thomas Edward Lawrence CB DSO "Lawrence of Arabia" (1888–1935), British archaeologist, military officer, and diplomat. * Laurence Olivier (1907–1989), British actor and director * Laurence "Laurie" Lee (1914–1997), British poet and novelist. Contemporary: * Laurence Fishburne (b.1961), American actor. * Lawrence Brownlee (b. 1972), American opera singer. * Laurence Fox (b.1978), British actor. Literature and Other Media: * Lawrence Boythorn, a character in Charles Dickens' Bleak House (1852)

Variants:

Lawrence; Labhrainn (Scottish), Laurent (French) Lorenzo (Italian, Spanish), Labhrás (Irish), Lorens, Lars (Scandinavian), Laurens (Dutch), Lavrentios (Greek), Wawrzyniec (Polish), Vavřinec (Czech)

Pronunciation:

LO-rəns [key]

Possible diminutives:

Laurie, Lawrie, Larry, Lorry, Lance, Lol, Lal, Lanty, Lonny, Larkin, Lorkin, Lars, Enzo, Lenz

Sibling Names:

Iris     Josephine     Lois     Vivienne     Arabella     Verity  Toby    Sebastian     Ivo     Edmund     Maximilian    Angus

Name Lists:

Vintage Names   Upright Elegance  Medieval Favourites  Terrifically Tudor   Gorgeously Georgian    Victorian Darlings   Dickensian Names   Disney Names

 

 

If you like Laurence you may also like:    Theodore, Gabriel, Julian, Ralph, Alastair, Fraser, Arthur, Hamish, Jonathan

 

Thanks to Clementine for requesting this post. 

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UK Birth Announcements 11/4/16 - 17/4/16

A round-up of names from birth announcements announced in British newspapers in the last week.

Sources include a national paper (The Telegraph) and a broad range of local newspapers from across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Sibling names are in brackets. 

 

Boys:

Alex Edward

Alexander Paul

Alfie Jeff (Callum & Aaron)

Archie Edward (Patrick & Emily)

Archie Hereward George (Ottilia Rose & Wilfred Hector Valentine)

Basil George (Douglas Charles & William Frederick)

Caspar Alexander (Geordie Robert)

Corran

Daniel Oliver

Domhnall

Duncan Iain (Rachel)

Dylan Danny (Bradley & Finley)

Frederick Leonard (Margot)

George Vijay

Hector Arthur Iain (Harriet Catherine Ann) 

Henri Atticus

Herbert Henry McMillan

Hugo Rufus (Zinnia Kitty & Hector Rasmus)

James Paul

Jaye Stevie

Joey Blaise

Johnny Raymond (Lee Jason)

Judd John Thomas (Kian)

Max Peter Kelson (Sophie Louise Cathrew & Hugo Alan Kelson)

Murray David William (Kirsty Anne & Holly Julia)

Olly Andrew John

Ryan Timothy James

Samuel Benjamin Brook (Amelia & Herbert)

Samuel James (Joseph Robert & Jack Thomas)

Theodore Gabriel

Thomas Robert (Alexander Ramsay)

William John (Charlie Callum & Jack George)

 

Girls:

Abigail Jane "Abby" (Megan & Lucy)

Anna Claudia

Annabelle Elizabeth Mary

Cara Rose (Erin Louise, Myah Grace & Amy Georgia)

Charlotte Elizabeth Mary

Chloe Elizabeth Robyn (Zara Maisie Joanne)

Emilia Grace (Bertie Alexander)

Emma Olivia

Erin-Rose Mary

Esme Daisy Rose (William Christopher Roger)

Evelyn Mary

Evelyn Rose

Iona Elizabeth

Lila Rose

Maisie Faye

Maisie Margo

Neeve Sharda (Dylan)

Olivia Esme (Maya Elise)

Phoebe Hester Rosemary (Clemency Isla Jane)

Pippa Louise (Darren, Hayley & Milly)

Poppy Florence (Joseph Graham)

Rebecca Lindsey (Joshua Dean)

Sofia Grace Kelson

Summer Jade

Stella Felicity (Jimmy)

Zoe Elizabeth (Megan Rose)

 

Twins:

Charles Alexander & Grace Elizabeth

 

Name of the Week: Esme

 

 

Origin:

Esme (or Esmé) was first borne by Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox (1542-1583). His father was Scottish-French nobleman John Stewart, 5th Lord of Aubigny -- brother of Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox, grandfather of James I/VI and Regent of Scotland between 1570 and 1571 -- and his mother was Frenchwoman Anne de la Queuille.  Ostensibly, Esmé derives from the Old French (and now obsolete) verb esmer "to esteem, to value, to appraise." Many linguists argue that, from an early date**, esmer (from the Latin aestimāre "to estimate, value, weigh, appraise") became conflated with the Old French amer* (from the Latin amare "to love, to like") which later both became aimer "to like, to love" in Middle (and modern) French.*  To add further weight to this homophony between esmer and amer, E.G.Withycombe points out that within the Stewart family, Esmé was sometimes spelled Aymie, suggesting that it was originally intended as a form of the well used French name Aimé/Amé which was most certainly from aimer "to love, to like." Esmée is a French feminine form of Esmé. However, Esmé was being used for girls from at least the 17th century in Britain. Rather than appropriation of Aimé/Esmé, these cases were most likely variant spellings of the obscure medieval feminine name Ismay which appears to be of native Celtic origin.

Usage:

Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox (1542-1583) was brought up in France. His mother was French and his father was a Scottish nobleman who held the title of the 5th Lord of Aubigny. At the age of 37, he travelled from France to the Scottish court of the young James VI of Scotland. He became an immediate favourite with the king and was created Earl of Lennox, on 5 March 1580, and then Duke of Lennox on 5 August 1581. Scots noble Sir James Melville, described Esmé as being "upright, just, and gentle."* The Duke of Lennox named one of his sons Esmé, who later became the 3rd Duke. Thus, the name Esmé passed through the aristocracy.  Examples of baptisms for boys named Esmé can be found in Scotland, England and France from the 17th century though they are rather rare. At the same time, there are also a few examples of girls baptised with the name, such as Esyme Chester in Cambridge in 1631; Esme Pope in Devon in 1666 and Esmay Kelley in London 1699. The latter spelling in particular suggest that Ismay was the source of these names.  In the 19th century, Esme became mainstream in Britain, as births per decade in England and Wales show (see below). For the most part, the majority of the births in the latter half of the 19th century were female, though it still continued to be used for boys as well. For example, the 1871 census lists 17 males and 5 females; on the 1891 census there are 21 males and 113 females.  1840s: 3 births 1850s: 4 births 1860s: 7 births 1870s: 17 births 1880s: 132 births 1890s: 345 births 1900s: 898 births 1910s: 1626 births 1920s: 2523 births 1930s: 1409 births 1940s: 570 births The boost in births in the 1870s coincided, perhaps coincidentally, with a rise in the name Esmeralda which may have been a factor in Esme's popularity for girls. Another influence may have been the popularity of the numerous novels by Esmè Stuart, the pseudonym of English writer Amélie Claire Leroy who published novels between 1876 and 1920. The name reached a peak of popularity in the 1920s which is supported Dunkling's data for the number of children registered with the name Esmé in every 10,000 births in England and Wales over the 20th century:  1900 1925  1935  1950  1955  1960  1965  1970  1975  1980  1985  1990     2    8     8     -     2     -     -     -     1     -     1    - Despite this growth, the name never reached the top 100 in either England and Wales or native Scotland in the 20th century. Since the turn of the century, Esme has been on a rapid rise for girls in Britain. It is now almost exclusively female in use, having not ranked in either England, Wales or Scotland for boys since 1996.  In England and Wales, Esme rose up steadily, reaching #100 (555 births) in 2008. In six years that birth count has more than doubled, ranking #50 (1151 births) in 2014. When all spellings are combined, however, it ranks #31.  In Scotland, Esme reached the top 100 in 2013 at #93 (53 births), rising to #77 (69 births) in 2014 and #57 (87 births) in 2015.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox (1542–1583), favourite of James I/VI. * Esmé Stewart, 3rd Duke of Lennox (1579–1624), son of the above. * Esmé Stuart, 2nd Duke of Richmond, 5th Duke of Lennox (1649–1660), grandson of the above. * Esme Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Penrith (1863–1939), British diplomat. * (Saville) Esmé Percy (1887–1957), British actor.  * Esme Melville (1918–2006), Australian actress. * Esme Langley (1919–1991), British writer (pseudonym Ann Bruce).  * Esme Irwin (1931–2001), British women's cricket player Contemporary: * Esmé Raji Codell (b. 1968), American author. * Esmé Bianco (b. 1982), British model and actress. * Esmée Denters (b. 1988), Dutch singer. Literature and Other Media: * Esmé, a character in the short story For Esmé – with Love and Squalor (1950) by J.D. Salinger. * Esme, a character in The Recognitions (1955) by William Gaddis. * Esme Cullen, a character in the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer. * Esme Weatherwax, a witch in the Discworld series by Terry Pratchet. * The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox (2006), a novel by Maggie O'Farrell. * Esme (1919), a portrait of a woman by British artist William Clarke Wontner.

Variants:

Esmée (French), Esmae, Esmay, Esmai, Esmie, Ezmai, Ezme, Ezmay

Pronunciation:

EZ-may; EZ-mee [key]

Possible  longer forms:

Esmeralda, Emerenz, Emerenziana

Sibling Names:

Thea     Bella     Isla     Phoebe     Ivy     Darcy  Arlo     Arthur     Leo     Reuben     Jude     Milo

Name Lists:

Ripe Renovations   Short and Sweet

  

If you like Esme you may also like:   Alba, Elsa, Orla, Maeve, Elsie, Arabella, Lacey, Iona, Lila, Eadie

 

Thanks to Cara for requesting this post. 

UK Birth Announcements 4/4/16 - 10/4/16

A round-up of names from birth announcements announced in British newspapers in the last week.

Sources include a national paper (The Telegraph) and a broad range of local newspapers from across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Sibling names are in brackets. 

 

Boys:

Aubrey

Bertie James (Oscar Charles)

Brodie William Alexander (Benjamin Lewis Lauchlan "Ben")

Bruce William Jozef

Charles Patrick

Dylan William

Edmund Jocelyn

Edward Michael

Elis Padrig (Eila Mackenzie)

Ellis John 

Ernest David Ian (Robin Adam John)

George Blakeley

George James John (Amelia Jennifer Sarah & Harry James David)

Hadley

Hari Mohan Robert

Harrison Walter Lorne (Archie & Millicent)

James Robert John (Freya)

James Thomas (Oliver Geoffrey)

James William Hugo (Willow Patricia)

Magnus Alexander Claud

Matthew Stuart

Max Andrew Buchanan (Molly Henrietta Buchanan)

Michael McInroy (Peter David)

Murray David William (Kirsty & Holly Julia)

Oliver Frederick (Charlie)

Oliver Rhys

Riley John Spencer

Theo Oliver Stafford

Thomas Hugh James (Charles Alexander Iltid "Charlie" & Harry Donald Michael)

William David Gerald

Zac Thomas

 

Girls:

Alice Nissa (Hugo James & Francis Hadrien "Hadrien")

Amelia Frances

Anna Janice

Claudia Rose (Lila Beatrice)

Esme Jane (Alice Rose, Tessa May & Mamie Grace)

Gwenno Lowri (Ifan Rhys)

Lexi Marie Kaitlyn (Maxwell David Craig Philip)

Lilia Amelia (Lacey Ava)

Lily Georgina (Reuben Bazyli)

Lucy Linda (Amy Elizabeth)

Lucy Maria (Oliver John & William Edward)

Olivia Jayne

Olivia Mia (Jayden David)

Payton Elizabeth (Maisie-Ann)

Rose Clementine (Blake Patrick)

Sophie Jane Margaret Samara

Victoria Elise (Evelyn Kate)

 

Twins:

Ava & Erin

Georgiana Elizabeth & Jonty Oliver Roger 

 

Name of the Week: Ivo

 

Origin:

Ivo is an old Germanic name, derived from the Proto-Germanic *iwo- "yew" or possibly the Gaulish ivos "yew." Either way, both ultimately derive from the same source: the Proto-Indo-European route *ei-wo- "yew." The same element appears in several ancient names including the Greek Milo/Milon, Norse Ivar, Scottish Ìomhar, Irish Éber, Roman-Celtic Eburus, Welsh Ifor, and also in the places Iona, Jura and York to name a few. Such propensity demonstrates the importance of the yew tree to ancient people.  The yew is an evergreen tree which are incredibly hardy. It takes a long time to grow, but is extremely long-living. Hedges of yew trees grow back quickly and even a fallen branch can grow roots to form a new tree. These rejuvenating qualities led them to be associated with rebirth, renewal and steadfastness. As well as being strong, the yew wood is also flexible, making it perfect for the English and Welsh longbows which were so effective in battle.   Ivo is also a Slavic hypocoristic form of Ivan, which is itself the Slavic form of John.

Usage:

Ivo can be found in Germany as early as the tenth century* but is most likely much older. It was Latinised as Ivonis/Yvonis and developed in Old French into Ives/Yves and Ivon/Yvon. The name was brought to Britain by the Normans, where it was added to native cognate choices such as the Anglo-Saxon Iva/Ifa, Welsh Ifor, Norse Ivar and Scottish Ìomhar. It even became conflated with the Scottish Ewan and Welsh Owain (Yvain/Ywain), which possibly share the same root.  Ivo Taillebois (d 1094) was a powerful Norman nobleman who was Sheriff of Lincolnshire. Loyal to William the Conqueror, Ivo Taillebois led an army which besieged the Isle of Ely and captured the rebel leader Hereward the Wake. Yvo de Vesci (b. 1040) was a wealthy landowner who was given Alnwick castle by King William II. Through him, the name Ivo passed down the aristocratic Vesey family.  There are several other examples of the name in British nobility from the 10th century onward. The People of Medieval Scotland database has 39 citations for the name between 1093-1314.  During this period, the feminine form Iva also came into use, developing into the diminutives Ivotte, Ivett and Ivetta. The surname Ivatt likely comes directly from this, though it may have also developed directly from Ivo itself.  The name was also borne by two medieval saints. Saint Ivo of Chartres (c. 1040–1115) was the Bishop of Chartres and an important canonist. Saint Ivo of Kermartin (1253–1303), known as "Advocate of the Poor," was a Breton priest who is considered the patron of Brittany, lawyers and abandoned children.  Despite its early use, neither Ivo or Ivon survived beyond the 15th century, unless it was conflated with Ivor or Ivar.  In England and Wales, use of Ivo as a given name gradually increased over the 19th century. Some of this increased usage is perhaps attributed to the Victorian love of all things medieval and the revival of medieval favourites such as Ethel, Maude, Alice, Alfred and Edwin. Dundee Evening Telegraph - Saturday 16 December 1882 Another influence was Ivo Bligh, 8th Earl of Darnley (1859–1927), a British nobleman who was also the English cricket captain in the first ever Test cricket series against Australia in 1882, making him a national treasure (see image right).  Births per decade in England and Wales: 1840s: 4 births 1850s: 4 births 1860s: 23 births 1870s: 32 births 1880s: 79 births 1890s: 89 births 1900s: 103 births 1910s: 77 births 1920s: 53 births 1930s: 32 births 1940s: 20 births 1950s: 13 births 1960s: 26 births Another namesake, and perhaps the reason why the name spiked in the early 1900s, is General Sir Ivo Vesey (1876-1975) who served in the Second Boer War 1899-1902 (known to have created many Boer-battle namesakes), where he was wounded in the Battle of Colenso.  By the 1940s, Ivo was mostly confined to the upper classes in Britain. Of the 13 Ivos who appear in the England and Wales Birth Index from 1950-1959, five are listed on The Peerage website.  Since 1996, Ivo has seen a little more usage in England and Wales, rising from #2020 (5 births) in 1996 to its peak of #977 (29 births) in 2012. In 2014, Ivo ranked #1117 with 24 births.  Since 1974 in Scotland, Ivo has only ranked in once in 2000, 2001, 2013 and 2014 and twice in 2005 (#656) and 2010 (#800). It did not rank at all in 2015.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Saint Ivo of Chartres (c. 1040–1115), Bishop of Chartres and an important canonist. * Ivo Taillebois (d 1094) was a powerful Norman nobleman. * Yvo de Vesci (b. 1040), prominent Norman nobleman. * Ivo de Grandmesnil (d. 1101), English crusader. * Saint Ivo of Kermartin (1253–1303), patron of Brittany, lawyers and abandoned children. * Ivo Bligh, 8th Earl of Darnley (1859–1927), British noble, parliamentarian and England cricket captain. * Ivo Andrić (1892–1975), Nobel prize winner, Serbo-Croatian writer. Contemporary: * Ivo Malec (b.1925), Croatian composer and conductor * Ivo Watts-Russell (b.1954), British musician and producer, founder of 4AD record label * Ivo Stourton (b.1982), British author. * Ivo Rodrigues (b. 1995), Portuguese footballer. Literature and Other Media: * Dr. Ivo Robotnik, the main antagonist of the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series. * Ivo Salvini, main character in Federico Fellini's last film The Voice of the Moon, played by Roberto Benigni.

Variants:

Yvo, Ive, Ives, Ivon; Yves (French)

Pronunciation:

Ī-vō [key]

Possible longer forms:

Ivan, Ivano, Ivanhoe

Sibling Names:

Flora     Hebe    Aurea     Beatrix     Romola     Astrid  Aidric     Rex     Hector     Rufus     Maxim     Alban

Name Lists:

Slim Softies   Slickly Continental   Short and Sweet

 

If you like Ivo you may also like:    Ludo, Inigo, Dante, Alden, Otto, Felix, Jago, Everett, Arlo, Benedict

 

Thanks to Ella for requesting this post. 

Name Help: A Sister for Fraser James

 

 

Joanne and Mark are expecting their second child soon; a sibling for their son Fraser James. Joanne writes:

"Fraser is from my side of the family who are Scottish and we love his name. It was an easy choice, so we were spoiled last time around! This time we need a girl's name for our baby.

Our current joint list of possible names is:

 

Phoebe – we both like it quite a lot, but  there's no real love for it, and it seems to be getting quite popular.

Nancy – more a choice of mine than Mark's, but both happy enough with it.

Felicity – both quite like this, but not keen on the obvious nicknames and particularly dislike Flick.

Robyn – we both love Bobbie, not so much Robyn, and think Roberta is a bit fancy.
Eliza/Elizabeth – I prefer Elizabeth but Mark thinks it sounds 'dumpy'.

Josephine – like Josie, but not so much the long version.

 

Rejected names:

Annie – my favourite (save for maybe Isla) Mark thinks it sounds a bit feeble/girly girly and has vetoed it.

Isla – we both LOVE this name, especially with the Scottish connection and it has a similar sound to Fraser, but it's just too popular we think.

Beatrice – Mark's favourite. I'm not at all keen. To me it's one of the real granny-vintage names that are a bit trendy.

Megan/Lucy/Chloe – all used recently by friends/family. Quite liked Megan.

 

I think we both want a name that isn't too floral/pretty-pretty, and that will grow up well.  We'd also both like to avoid anything too popular (one of the things we love about Fraser is that here in England we don't encounter any others of Fraser's age). From my own point of view, I'm not too keen on the 'trendy' vintage names like Beatrice, Evelyn, Florence, etc."  

 

※    ※    ※    ※

Hmmm... an interesting dilemma. You want a non-frilly name that isn't popular or trendy but your current favourites suggest you aren't particularly a fan of outlandish or particularly unusual names. The classic names you are drawn to (Josephine, Elizabeth, Beatrice) can be seen by the other as "frumpy" or "granny-vintage", and the vintage diminutive-style names (Nancy, Annie, Josie) are bordering on "girly-girly." Those names that you have found that are in the sweet spot between the two (Phoebe, Isla, Eliza) are unfortunately rather popular -- precisely because they are in that illusive sweet spot that most parents are looking for.

What I love about Fraser is that it is a strong and traditional heritage choice that is uncommon, but not outlandish or too unusual. Isla seems like the perfect compliment, although the only draw back is that it is no longer uncommon. Phoebe is far less common and compliments Fraser's traditional-yet-modern, not too outlandish vibe. 

In the choices below, I've tried to keep in mind the perfect balance that Fraser strikes and emulate that in a girls' name, using your current favourites as a starting point.

 

If you like ______, you might like:

Isla:

Aila – Aila is a Scandinavian name which is pronounced eye-la, just like Isla. Aila is a form of Helga and therefore derived from the Old Norse heilagr meaning "holy, blessed". Similarly, Ayla is a Turkish name meaning "halo of moonlight" which is also pronounced eye-la. 

Orla – An anglicised spelling of the medieval Gaelic name Orflaith. The name is made up of the elements ór "gold" and flaith "sovereign, person of nobility" and is most commonly given the meaning "golden princess." Orla is in the same sweet-spot as Fraser: Gaelic heritage, easily accessible but uncommon in use. 

Iona – Isla is a lovely island which has a lovely sound. So too is Iona, a name taken from the beautiful Isle of Iona. It is a familiar name yet doesn't even rank in England's top 300. 

Vaila – Another pretty Scottish island name is Vaila (VAY-la), an island in Shetland. It is a rare name -- mostly confined to baby girls born in Shetland -- but it is remarkably accessible and stylish.

Alba – A sleek and stylish choice, very close in sound to Alba. It has equal Scottish heritage, being the Scots Gaelic name for the country. As an added bonus, Alba is outside of the top 100. 

Phoebe:

Hebe –  Take the 'P' off Phoebe and you get Hebe, a sweet ancient Greek name, borne by a goddess, meaning "youthful." Given their equal Greek routes and similar sound, it is remarkable that Hebe remains rare outside of the top 2000. 

Esme – Though Esme (or Esmee/Esmae) derives from the Old French word for "loved, esteemed," its use as a given name actually originates in Scotland in the 16th century. Like Phoebe, it is feminine, without being too frilly.

Breagha – A Scottish name, derived from the Scots Gaelic brèagha "beautiful." It is pronounced BREE-a -- fairly intuitive -- and posing no more spelling explanations than Phoebe, Isla or Fraser. 

Nancy/Annie/Josie:

Marnie – Quirky and stylish with a vintage edge. Like Nancy, it is feminine with a fiesty edge. 

Sadie – Another vintage doll which is more sassy than soft; more feisty than frilly. 

Lois – Echoing Josie's syllables is sleek and spare Lois which packs a feminine punch.

Pippa – A zippy diminutive name, which (like Nancy and Annie) stands perfectly well in its own right. It's accessible but uncommon, feminine but not too girly. 

Felicity:

Verity – Another virtue name which shares Felicity's bouncy ending. It has the advantage of ranking below the top 300 in England and has a number of nickname options including Eva, Evie, Vivi, Vettie and Reva. 

Amity – An even rarer virtue name woth the same -ity ending is Amity, meaning 'friendship'. 

Calista – The same 'lis-t' sound in Felicity can be found in the ancient Greek name Calista meaning "most beautiful." It is a rare name, but easily accessible with potential nicknames Callie, Calla, Cassie, Clia, 

Penelope – The same syllable pattern and classical heritage found in Felicity -- and similar sounds to Phoebe -- can also be found in stylish Penelope. The name alone may be a little grand for your tastes on its own, but the sweet nicknames Penny, Poppy, Polly, Ellie or Nell make it more accessible. 

Megan:

Bethan – A pretty Welsh diminutive of Elizabeth, ranking below the top 400. It is easy to spell, non-frilly but just a little bit different. 

Mirren – Both Mirren and Merren are Scottish forms of Miriam. Like Fraser, Mirren in a top 100 staple in Scotland, yet is little used south of the border. 

Seren – A sleek and stylish Welsh name with the pretty meaning "star."

 

Getting to Bobbie:

You both love Bobbie, but Robyn and Roberta just aren't cutting the mustard. Here are some other suggestions to get to Bobbie as a nickname:

Bryony – Bryony (or Briony) is a floral name that is non-frilly. Uncommon but not outlandish. 

Bronwen – Welsh Bronwen is a feminine choice with backbone. 

Ebony – Smooth and decorative ebony makes for a chic nature name; it's short 'BO' sound lends itself nicely to Bobbie.

Isobel – Not only is Isobel considered the Scottish form of Isabel, it's 'ob' middle name makes it an ideal longer form for Bobboe. 

 

Other Suggestions: 

Lana – Sleek and chic, Lana is a shortform of Slavic Svetlana. In a similar vein is Lara, a shortform of Larisa. 

Lena – A popular Eastern European short form of Helena which is stylish and spare.

Leila – A stylish Arabic name meaning "night" that was the subject of an ancient love story. Found in the spellings Leila, Layla or Laila. 

Eden – The mythical heavenly garden in the bible is gaining more use as a given name today, though it is still relatively uncommon. Its stylish bell-tones sit nicely between Isla and Phoebe. 

Astrid – Off the beaten track is the ancient Norse name Astrid. In terms of popularity, it sits in the uncommon but not outlandish bracket at #486 

Briar – Similar to Bryony, Briar is a frills-free botanical choice that is very rare but not at all peculiar. 

Maeve – A short name that packs a punch. Maeve has a pretty  girly sound, yet has the namesake of a bold warrior queen of Irish legend. 

Bonnie – If you like Bobbie, perhaps you would consider Scottish heritage choice Bonnie? Meaning "pretty" it strikes the same familiar-yet-uncommon-Scottish chords as Fraser

 

 I hope this has been useful. Best wishes with the name choosing. Please keep us updated.