British Baby Names

Name Musings: May 2017

 

 

Having now watched the original BBC 1990 series of House of Cards, I've also recently started watching the modern America reboot version. The original is set in post-Thatcher Britain c.1989, while the new version is transported across the Atlantic into the modern world. But it's the change in names that I have found interesting, even while the characters themselves are, for the most part, very similar in story-arc/personality. 

Francis Urquhart has become Francis Underwood; his wife Elizabeth is now Claire, intrepid reporter Mattie Storin has been transformed into Zoe Barnes; right-hand man Tim Stamper is now Doug Stamper, cheeky-Irish chappy Roger O'Neill has become Pennsylvanian Peter Russo and his put-upon girlfriend Penny is now Christina.

For the most part, these name changes work. A 30-something Roger from Pennsylvania living in Washington in 2013 just doesn't work, though I'm perplexed why Elizabeth needed to change. I was a little sad at the change from Mattie to Zoe, as part of the original character's arc was that she was a woman with a man's name (someone even says "I thought Mattie was a man") in a male-dominated world, and this works for her and is commented on. They still allude to Zoe's similar gender struggle, but with no tie to the name. An update like Casey or Andi would have worked better for me. 

 

Foster

It was a relief to finally finish my research into the top 200 names in England and Wales in 1850, even though it was a wonderful delve into historical records. I had to cut off somewhere -- 200 might even seem a bit profligate -- but even then, there were so many interesting names that got cut off just below the #200 line: Elvira, Asenath, Euphemia, Virtue, Newton, Silvanus, Orlando, Price... and Foster at #222. 

Combining the sounds of top 20 favourites Freddie, Oscar and Oliver, and adding the fusty charm of Chester, Foster is a surname that has great potential as a given name. The surname itself is fascinating and has multiple origins: a shortening of Forester -- a keeper of a forest; a woodworker; or a scissor maker. It currently ranks at #2707 in E&W. 

 

Hedley

As I started with the top 200 in 1900 and worked backwards, it was also interesting to see which names that ranked in the later decades, weren't "on the map" in 1850. One absence that is particularly noticeable is Hedley, which ranked #150 in 1860, #175 in 1870, #188 in 1880, #172 in 1890 and #157 in 1900, but wasn't registered at all in 1850. 

The reason for this is that the name Hedley came into use as an honour-name thanks to one man: Hedley Vicars, a British Army officer who was killed in action during the Crimean War in 1855. The Memorials of Captain Hedley Vicars was published in 1856. It had a large circulation and was even translated into French, German, Swedish and Italian.

Between 1840-1855, only 23 babies were registered with the name in E&W. In 1857, the year after the memorial was published, the name was registered on 30 boys. This usage continued (as we can see from the rankings above), with many boys being given the name "Hedley Vicars" as both a first and middle name. The name saw a revival in popularity during the Boer War (1899-1902) when honour-names and war-hero names became fashionable. 

Not only does Hedley have a great surname-style in the vein of popular Harley, Finley and Riley, but it also makes a great throw-back heritage option. 

 

Cherry

My little sister, Miranda, is getting married next April! So much excitement, including getting to go wedding dress shopping. We went to the the lovely Bea's Bridal Studio in Harbury on Saturday and were assisted by a wonderful and very helpful member of their staff named Cherry. 

As soon as she introduced herself, I was immediately struck by how well her name suited her obviously sunny and bubbly personality, and wondering why we don't see more Cherrys around.

Cherry was at #1392 (13 births) in E&W in 1998, and gradually rose to its peak of #583 (69 births) in 2011, which was most likely thanks to the many lighthearted BBC documentaries made by presenter Cherry Healey in 2010-2011 including Cherry Has A Baby, Cherry Goes Drinking, Cherry Gets Married and Cherry's Parenting Dilemmas.

Cherry has since declined to #1362 (24 births) in 2015 but could also be used as a fruit-inspired nickname for names such as Bianca, Stella, Florence, Annabella and Victoria, which are all varieties of peach. 

 

Osric

Actor Osric Chau caught my eye this month. Well, not so much the Canadian actor himself (not that he doesn't seem like a perfectly decent chap), but more his fabulously unusual name. According to IMDb, his father is from Hong Kong and his mother from Malaysia, and yet he sports a long-forgotten Old English name (from os "a god" and ric "power, rule, authority") which was once borne by many an Anglo-Saxon king. 

Perhaps his parents were inspired by literature, as Osric is used as the name of a courtier in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet.

 

Lunève

While on one of my regular rabbit-hole-name-searches, I came across this post on a French pregnancy and baby forum and was immediately struck by Lunève -- a combination of fashionable Luna and Eve. It's extremely rare even in France, and the comments on the forum are mixed, but most label it as poetic, mysterious, magical and feminine. I agree!

  

Harlan

This month, American website CafeMom posted a list entitled "21 Forgotten but Handsome Baby Boy Names From the Roaring '20s" where they took a sample from this post from Laura Wattenberg at babynamewizard. There are some fabulous names on the list, which I enjoyed skimming through (even though the slideshow format drives me ABSOLUTELY UP THE WALL!!!). To save your frustrated clicking, here are all the names from the post:

Boys: Giles Lawton Warner Denver Hardy Boyd Jules Kermit Orin Regis Wallace Truman Alvin Conrad Edison Florian Harlan Mack Newell Rupert Sumner

Girls: Fern Avis Millicent Opal Zenobia Margery/Marjorie Harriet Petra Adele Delta Bette Althea Clarice Iola  Maida  Roma Virginia Josefina Geneva Vita Eloisa

(Credit goes to my FB friend Geri who had the patience to click through them all. I gave up clicking after four)

Some of these names are very different to contemporary British choices. Warner, Truman, Regis and Kermit feel charmingly American to British ears. 

Harlan is the name that particularly stuck out to me. In the US, it was an honour name -- much like Hedley here -- after Supreme Court justice John Marshall Harlan (1833-1911). Historically, it has been rare as a given name in Britain, despite its surname origin. The variant Harland was always more common as a given name, and even that was always extremely uncommon. 

And yet, Harlan fits perfectly with current British trends. It's a surname; two syllables; has the fashionable 'ar' sound and the trendy -n ending. And, as Harley and Harvey are #52 and #50 respectively, there seems to be definite room for Harlan to rise above its current position in E&W of #656. 

 

 

Video: Rapidly Rising Boys' Names

In this video, I'm taking a look at ten boys' names below the top 100 in England and Wales which are on a steep incline in popularity. Could any of these be future top tens?

Names discussed in the video:

Arlo - #102
Albie – #107
Eli – #119
Ralph – #122
Ezra – #127
Lincoln – #129
Hunter – #133
Parker – #142
Rupert – #143
Grayson – #172

 

 

UK Birth Announcements 22/5/17 - 28/5/17

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 Mac

Cillian Thomas

Denny Desmond

George Robert Charles (Thomas Edward)

Hugo Montgomery Benjamin "Monty" (Ophelia Darcey Caroline)

Jake John (Emily Ann)

Joseph Luke

Kit Wilfred Lorimer (Murphie)

Matthew James

Montgomery Aubrey Oliver (Harry Charles George)

Oliver Thomas Arthur (Joshua Richard Brian & Alexander Keith Albert)

Ollie Noah (Harry Oscar)

Oscar Dean

Ralph Christian Curtis (William Ernest Hugh)

Robert Colin James (Maren Rose Joy)

Rory Michael (Zachariah Frankie)

Thorfinn William (Alyssa & Jack)

 

Girls:

Ania Mai (Bobi Gwyn)

Charlotte Millie (Annabelle Olivia)

Ella Doreen (Amelia & Zara Janice)

Emily Grace (Mia)

Freya Rose (Phoebe)

Haidee Rose

Isabella Florence Mary (Edward David John)

Jessica Amy (Ethan Theo)

Lara Rose

Mara Kay Elsie

Matilda Poppy

Phoebe Margareta Rose (Abraham & Edward Orlando John)

Sophia Emily (Sienna Grace)

Willow Elizabeth

 

Twins:

Jessica Lily Margaret & Annabelle Rose Mira

 

Name of the Week: Mason

 

Origin:

Mason is an English occupational surname, in use since the 12th century, denoting a stoneworker: a person skilled in cutting and shaping stone. The English name derived from from the Old French masson, maçon "stone mason." In the Middle Ages, masons were highly skilled craftsmen who combined the roles of architect, builder, craftsman, designer and engineer. They are responsible for some of Europe's greatest buildings, frequently used in the building of castles, churches and cathedrals, and their skills were in high demand. As craftsmen, masons belonged to a guild, but because of their nomadic lifestyle — moving to where the work was — the stonemason's guild was an international one and eventually evolved into the fraternal Society of Freemasonry, now known commonly as "Masons."

Usage:

Like most surnames, we can find Mason used as a given name in Britain in the 16th century, often used in honour of a godparent or a family member. It wasn't uncommon for children to be given their mother's maiden name as a given name, and sometimes children born outside of marriage (especially in rural areas) were given their father's surname as a first name so that paternity was - quite literally - labelled. Data from the 1881 census ranks the surname Mason at #74 in Britain. In terms in numbers, the surname was most common in England, but per 100,000 people, we can also see pockets of use in Scotland and Wales. The use of Mason as a given name is broadly in line with the areas where the surname was most common, and particularly notable in the North of England. Data from the Surname Atlas (click to enlarge) Mason was used consistently as a given name in the 19th century in England and Wales, but it was never especially common. It became rare in use in the early 20th century, picking up at the end of the century 1840s: 55 births 1850s: 62 births 1860s: 62 births 1870s: 66 births 1880s: 61 births 1890s: 47 births 1900s: 46 births 1910s: 31 births 1920s: 21 births 1930s: 14 births 1940s: 18 births 1950s: 19 births 1960s: 68 births 1970s: 72 births Mason was a natural successor to Jason — in the top 100 from 1864 until 2002 — and fits in perfectly with the fashion for two-syllable ends in -n names, as well as surnames-turned-first names: a style very much adopted from America.  Abby at Appellation Mountain points out that S.E. Hinton novel Tex (published in 197 and adapted as a movie in 1982) may have been an influence, given the books' success. (click to enlarge) In 1997, Mason hit the top 100 in America at #89, while it ranked #131 (295 births) in England and Wales and #226 (10 births) in Scotland. By 1999, Mason had joined the top 100 in England and Wales at #99 (511 births) and had more than doubled in number by 2005 when it ranked #60 (1087 births). It's rise was steadily but determinedly progressive until it reached its peak in 2013 at #27 (2724 births), falling slightly to #29 (2470) the following year.  Mason didn't reach the top 100 in Scotland until 2007 when it ranked #91 (74 births). It rose quickly, however, and soon eclipsed the success the name had in England and Wales, reaching #17 in 2012 and peaking at #11 in 2013 and 2014.  Across the English-speaking world (Britain, America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand) Mason has seen a peak from 2011 to 2013 and is now showing signs of decline. Whether this decline will be as steady as its rise, or whether the name will plateau lower down the rankings in consistent sturdy usage, remains to be seen.  In 2015, Mason ranked #31 (2263 births) in England and Wales, #8 in Canada and #6 in New Zealand. In 2016, it was #17 (256 births) in Scotland, #20 (100 births) in Northern Ireland, #4 in the United States and #21 in Australia.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Mason Chamberlin (1727–1787), English portrait painter and one of the founding members of the Royal Academy. Contemporary: * Mason Williams (b. 1938), American classical guitarist, composer, writer and poet. * Mason Jennings (b. 1975), American pop-folk singer-songwriter. Literature and Other Media: * Mason Lockwood, character in The Vampire Diaries. * Mason Evans, main character in film Boyhood. * Mason Turner, character on Australian soap Neighbours. * Mason Greyback, character on Wizards of Waverly Place. Celebrity Babies: * Mason Gooding (b. 1996), son of actor Cuba Gooding Jr. * Mason Wilkerson (b. 2006), son of actress Melissa Joan Hart. * Mason Richardson (b. 2007), son of singer Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys. * Mason Disick (b. 2009), son of TV personalities Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick. * Mason Evan Smith (b. 2011), son of singer Ne-Yo.

Variants:

Mayson, Maison

Pronunciation:

MAY-sən [key]

Possible diminutives:

Mace

Sibling Names:

Paige     Scarlett     Mila      Harper      Ava      Sienna       Blake     Harley     Dylan     Carter     Lennon     Ashton

Name Lists:

Lively Lads    Occupational Surnames

 

If you like Mason you may also like:   Jenson, Harrison, Layton, Greyson, Jackson, Hunter, Dexter, Brody, Bailey, Fletcher

Thanks to Jenna for requesting this name.  

Top 200 Most Popular Names in England and Wales in 1850

 

Below are the compiled rankings for the most popular births in England and Wales in 1850 from the England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915. 

Disclaimer: It should be noted that the data is not without its flaws. Births were originally recorded by a registrar (in their own handwriting) which were later written up into the register. Some names are invariably recorded incorrectly and it is impossible to know where the mistake was made. Also, I have been compiling the ranks myself, and while I have endeavored to record the number of names as accurately as possible I am also liable to human error. This, however, should not affect the rankings very much overall.
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The Top 200 names in England and Wales in 1850: 

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 63 65 66 67 68 68 70 71 72 72 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 81 83 83 85 86 87 87 89 89 89 92 93 93 95 96 97 97 99 100 101 102 103 104 104 106 107 108 109 110 110 112 113 114 114 116 117 117 119 120 121 121 123 123 124 126 126 128 128 128 131 132 133 134 135 136 136 138 138 138 141 142 142 144 144 146 147 148 149 149 151 151 153 153 153 153 157 157 157 157 161 161 163 163 163 166 166 168 169 169 169 169 169 169 169 176 176 176 176 180 180 180 180 180 180 186 186 186 186 190 191 191 193 193 193 193 193 198 198 198

William John Thomas George James Henry Charles Joseph Robert Edward Richard Samuel Alfred Frederick David Arthur Walter Edwin Benjamin Francis Albert Daniel Isaac Peter Harry Stephen Edmund Frank Tom Michael Matthew Herbert Abraham Alexander Mark Frederic Andrew Philip Jonathan Christopher Evan Jesse Hugh Joshua Lewis Ralph Josiah Jacob Eli Reuben Patrick Owen Amos Elijah Moses Job Enoch Sidney Fred Martin Cornelius Anthony Ernest Jabez Levi Luke Joe Ebenezer Adam Jeremiah Sam Nicholas Aaron Oliver Timothy Nathaniel Edgar Emanuel Leonard Noah Griffith Jonas Allen Ephraim Nathan Elias Ambrose Caleb Dennis Rees Solomon Rowland Horace Ellis Abel Louis Phillip Isaiah Roger Simeon Paul Ben Morgan Simon Sydney Lawrence Augustus Clement Bernard Morris Wilson Squire Sampson Archibald Theophilus Israel Ezra Seth Dan Gilbert Horatio Jonah Humphrey Miles Silas Elisha Maurice Hiram Joel Uriah Wright Percy Vincent Reginald Septimus Enos Harold Allan Felix Johnson Mathew Bartholomew Theodore Austin Edmond Adolphus Smith Robinson Absalom Valentine Jenkin Lionel Harrison Howard Hubert Matthias Cuthbert Giles Shadrach Wilfred Hartley Jim Douglas Ezekiel Jasper Llewellyn Wallace Lot Arnold Denis Donald Gabriel Howell Samson Titus Abram Hezekiah Laurence Walker Christian Harvey Julius Oswald Stanley Watkin Marshall Oscar Spencer Thompson Watson Godfrey Zachariah Dick Esau Llewelyn Obadiah Percival Alan Nelson Nehemiah

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 82 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 103 105 106 106 106 109 110 111 112 113 113 113 116 116 116 119 120 121 122 123 124 124 125 127 127 129 130 131 131 133 134 135 136 136 138 139 139 141 141 143 143 143 146 147 148 148 150 150 152 153 154 154 156 157 157 157 157 161 161 161 161 161 161 167 167 167 170 170 172 172 172 172 176 177 177 179 180 180 180 180 180 185 185 187 187 189 189 191 191 191 191 191 196 196 196 196 200 200 200

Mary Elizabeth Sarah Ann Jane Emma Eliza Ellen Margaret Hannah Emily Martha Alice Harriet Maria Louisa Fanny Charlotte Caroline Catherine Frances Isabella Anne Lucy Amelia Susan Esther Rebecca Susannah Eleanor Matilda Clara Agnes Julia Catharine Harriett Anna Rachel Lydia Sophia Susanna Betsy Ruth Selina Grace Kate Annie Helen Nancy Henrietta Phoebe Rose Betsey Jemima Betty Edith Priscilla Laura Jessie Rosa Bridget Amy Dorothy Dinah Lavinia Rhoda Ada Rosina Harriot Georgiana Adelaide Phebe Barbara Florence Hester Christiana Ellin Rosanna Marian Leah Georgina Naomi Miriam Isabel Rosetta Rachael Kezia Mercy Janet Angelina Thirza Augusta Letitia Harriott Joanna Helena Bertha Sally Deborah Jennet Johanna Sabina Teresa Gertrude Theresa Cecilia Phillis Bessy Abigail Celia Marianne Katherine Nanny Flora Prudence Annis Olive Patience Diana Marion Winifred Clarissa Dorcas Gwenllian Agness Constance Judith Arabella Hephzibah Elinor Adah Honor Selena Amanda Rosannah Lois Pamela Adeline Cordelia Margery Blanche Ellenor Keziah Kitty Zillah Josephine Emely Emmeline Katharine Margaretta Tabitha Annette Lavina Charity Victoria Eunice Jessey Mahala Rosena Tamar Bessey Faith Hellen Jenny Lettice Tryphena Drusilla Edna Levina Elenor Honora Bessie Elisabeth Lizzy Olivia Lucretia Ellinor Margarett Marie Dora Emeline Gwen  Juliana Millicent Cecelia Rosamond Kathleen Mildred Adela Christina Cicely Georgianna Leonora Louise Myra Beatrice Maud Penelope Philippa Blanch Joan Thomasin

                                            Statistics compiled by Eleanor Nickerson at britishbabynames.com
                                                     No unauthorised copying without credit or permission.

.

These rankings are incredibly "top heavy". Far more so than today. There were over 50,000 boys named William or girls named Mary in 1850. Compare that to the mere 6941 boys named Oliver and 5158 girls named Amelia in 2015 and we can see that the difference is massive -- especially when we take into account the smaller population size back in 1850. 

In 1850, 226,944 girls and 260,775 boys were given a name in the top 20.

However, only 57,954 girls and 38,885 boys were given a name that ranked between #21- #200.

So, while it's tempting to imagine a bevy of Victorian children running around with the names Tryphena, Hephzibah, Ursula, Watkin, Hezekiah and Shadrach, these were very much in the minority in a world dominated by William, John, Mary and Elizabeth. 

The top six names for both genders remains unchanged from 1850 to 1860. However, what is most notable is how much higher Old Testament names -- Moses, Jabez, Emanuel, Jonas, Solomon, Elisha, Thirza, Deborah, Dinah, Judith -- ranked in 1850 compared with later decades, while the likes of Percy, Harold, Herbert, Ada, Beatrice and Maud, were yet to catch on as they did by the end of the century. 

 

 

UK Birth Announcements 15/5/17 - 21/5/17

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:

Albie Sean (Max John Mark)

Archie Anthony

Archie Charles Wilbur

Archie Mac

Arthur Hector Gilfillan

George Robert (Freya Elizabeth)

Humphrey George Alfred (Arabella Florence Lydia & Henrietta)

Jet Kemsley

Johannes Alfred Mark

Joven Singh

Jude William

Lachlan William

Max George

Oliver James

Oscar Dean

Percy George

Rex William Charles

 

Girls:

Aamiya Louise

Amber Joy "AJ"

Anaïs Clementine Miya

Anya Mae (Ella Ann)

Ayda

Clementine Jane Constance

Cressida Elizabeth (Wilfred David)

Eliza Mai

Fearne Elizabeth (Eva Siobhan) -- mother's maiden name is Fearns

Georgia Kay (Harry)

Isla Rose

Jessica Rei (Penelope Louise "Penny" & Philippa Helen "Pippa")

Leonora Olympia Rose (Ophelia Grace Scott)

Luna Rose

Matilda Grace (Elliot & William Andrew)

Rachel Anna (Euan Joseph & Kirstin Sarah)

Rebecca Catherine

Sadie Elizabeth (Isobel Florence)

 

Twins:

Theo John Moritz & Zara Marie-Louise

 

Name Help: Bilingual Spanish-Scottish Name

 

Grace writes:

"I am British (Scottish) but my boyfriend is Spanish. We want a name for our child-to-be (boy or girl) that will work in either language in terms of easy-pronunciation (neither set of grandparents speaks the other language).  However, the names we have found are all very common in both countries (e.g. Anna, Emma, Sofia for girls), which we would really rather avoid.  We are looking for the usual mythical beast - the unusual, beautiful, but accessible name!  Is there anything you could suggest?  (I should note that we have considered and dismissed Alba for girls already!)"

I asked Grace what names she would choose if pronunciation/accessibilty wasn't an issue, and she could just pick whatever she personally wanted. Here was her reply:

"You know we have been so focused on trying to find names that might work in either language that we've ended up with the lowest common denominator, rather than thinking initially about what names we just like for themselves! [...] Ideally we would love to find some name suggestions that are really not that common, but would be easily pronounced by friends and relatives in Spain and in the UK.

My boyfriend likes:

 

Boys

- Alfonso (I'm not keen on this as reminds me of The Fonz)

- Fergus

 

Girls

- Marta (my boyfriend has a Spanish friend with this name in London where she tends to be called 'Martyr')

- Elena (we have heard a lot of pronunciation variations)

- Harriet

 

I like:

 

Boys

- Duncan

- Struan

 

Girls

- Rowan (I grew up with this pronounced the Scottish way: Row, rhyming with cow).  NB: My boyfriend does not like the more transferable variant Rowena

- Mary "

※    ※    ※    ※

 

I can see the main dilemma here -- a lot of the names you really love (which are all great choices!) don't fit your ideal of being recognisable/easily pronounced in both English and Spanish. I've given the issue a lot of consideration, and here are four options I think you can go with. 

 

Option 1: Spanish/common-language names which are easily accessible in English. 

For this option I have gathered a group of names which are either Spanish, but familiar to English speakers, or names that are pronounced commonly in both languages. There is a wide pool of names that fit this group, but I discounted several, as I felt they were too much of a deviation from the names you both prefer: 

Silvia – The Spanish form of Sylvia which is easily adopted into English. For me, Silvia has the exotic elegance of Elena, coupled with the antique charm of Mary and Harriet. 

Ines – The Spanish form of Agnes which English-speakers are generally quite familiar with. In Scotland, it could be confused with Innes (though I grant Scots with the intelligence to be aware of both), but, on the other hand, you can also see Ines and a nod to this Scottish counterpart.

Mireia / Mireya – Mireia is the Catalan form of the French Mireille meaning "to admire." Mireya is the Spanish spelling (and easy for English-speakers to pronounce), though the spelling Mireia is more common in Spain at the moment. 

Valentina – This beautiful Spanish choice is a classic across Europe, and we Brits are perfectly comfortable with its lilting syllables. 

Anabel – This Spanish form of Annabel(le) has absolutely no trouble in English. And the best part -- Anabel may be the Spanish spelling, but Annabel takes its origins from Scotland. [It was used in Scotland from the 12th century as a form of Amabel ("lovable")]. The Spanish spelling/Scottish name would be a nod to both heritages. 

Adela – Adela is in the same vein as Elena in terms of sound and style, but it is more comfortable on English tongues. 

Clara – Coupling the vintage style of both Marta and Mary is sweet Clara, frequently, but not excessively, used in both Spain and Britain. 

Marina – Another marrying of both Marta and Mary can be found in the lovely Marina, which has equal heritage in both English and Spanish. The pared down Mara is also equally known in both languages. 

Nora – With the English Eleanor and Spanish Leonor, it is little wonder that Nora is found happily in both languages.

Rafael – Raphael is the preferred English spelling, but Rafael is just as easily understood. More uncommon than Daniel, Samuel and Michael but with just as much heritage. 

Ruben – Again, this isn't the most common English spelling, but it isn't unusual here. Ruben is lovely common-language Biblical choice which matches the two syllable -n ending of Struan and Duncan. 

Andres / Ander – Andrés is the Spanish form of Andrew, which I don;t think is too hard for English speakers. Alternatively, there is Ander: the Basque form.

 

Option 2: Embrace the difference.

Next are a group of names which are found in both Spain and Britain, but with slightly different pronunciations in each. I always marvel at bilingual children, and how easily they switch between the pronunciations of cognate words like “hospital” and “regular” with no trouble at all, not worrying that the same spelling can have two different pronunciations. For these, I say, why not embrace the difference and enjoy that one name can have two identities in both Spanish and English:

Miren – Miren is the Basque form of Maria, but can also be found in Scotland as one of the many form of Mirren. 

Iris – Sweet Iris is botanical like Rowan and as homely as Mary. Thanks to its origins in Greek mythology as the goddess of the rainbow, it is used in both Spain and Britain with two equally pleasing but distinct pronunciations. 

Aurora – Another name from mythology is Aurora, the Roman goddess of the dawn. 

Gerard – This Germanic name is used in both Spain and Britain. Gerard has gained a Scottish flavour thanks to Gerard Butler, but it is also a Catalan name. 

Ferran – Ferran is a Spanish name, more specifically the Catalan and Aragonese form of Ferdinand, with roots which go back to the Middle Ages in Spain. But as it is also a British surname (also ultimately from Ferdinand), I can easily see it sitting alongside the likes of Rowan, Struan and Duncan. The Spanish name and British surname are pronounced slightly differently, but that just adds to its appeal for me. 

Felix – Like Fergus, Felix is a dapper name which had pan-European appeal. 

Hector – This name is both quintessentially Scottish and Spanish at the same time. The history of the name is a great one and has long been linked to valour and virtue. 

Saul – Somewhere between Alfonso and Struan sits Biblical Saul, a name which is known and used in both English and Spanish. 

Joel – In a similar vein to Saul is gentle Joel. 

Gabriel – With all the stately homeliness of Fergus, Gabriel is well known and used in both Spain and Britain. 

Bastian – This European short form of Sebastian has a slick sound with a style between Alfonso and Duncan. 

Gregor – Gregor is a sturdy Scottish name, but given that Spain has Gregorio, I don't think this form would translate badly into Spanish. 

 

Option 3: Two names for the price of one.

This one is the most controversial of the options, but it is actually my favourite. 

One thing I find interesting about Spanish (something I noticed when I studied it at A Level) is that it is quite common for Spanish media to translate English names into Spanish. While British newspapers print “King Felipe VI of Spain” (not King Philip of Spain), Spanish newspapers say “Reina Isabel II del Reino Unido” rather than “Reina Elizabeth”.

Type in Jorge Alejandro Luis into Google, and you will go straight to Spanish sites about Prince George of Cambridge.

Personally, if I had Spanish relatives, rather than have them struggle over Eleanor, I would absolutely love it if they called me by the Spanish version – Leonor. Two lovely names instead of one? Absolutely! Yes, please.

So, here’s my thought. Why not have an “English” name (presumably the one on the official certificate), but make it clear to the Spanish relatives that you are happy for them to use the Spanish form of the name when you are in Spain. There are lots of lovely English/Spanish translations to choose from:

Mary = Maria, Marisa
Beatrice = Beatriz
Martha = Marta
Helen, Helena, Eleanor = Elena
Constance = Constanza

Arthur = Artur(o)
Ralph = Raul
Roderick = Rodrigo
Francis = Francisco

There are tons more. These are just a few of my favourite,

 

Option 4: Throw the rule book out!

If Struan, Fergus, Mary or Elena are where your hearts truly lie, I say go for it! 

Even without different languages to contend with, many names get mangled. You wouldn't believe how many fellow Brits get befuddled by Eleanor! Sometimes it is unavoidable. 

Plus, thanks to the internet and the media, the world is getting smaller, and the pot of names gets deeper. I've met a little blonde-haired blue-eyed Diego without a drop of Spanish blood, while Dylan, Oliver and Chloe all rank in Spain's Top 60. 

 

I hope this has been of use. Best wishes with the name hunting. 

 

Video: Rare and Usable "B" Names

A new video for this week. "B" names which are very rare (outside of England and Wales top 1000), but are similar to currently popular names.

Names discussed in the video:

Beckett
Bowen
Bay
Bardan
Bastian

Briar
Bellamy
Bayla
Betsan
Bethia

 

 

UK Birth Announcements 8/5/17 - 15/5/17

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:

Alfie James (Reece, Rheanne, Lily Mae & Ruby Ellen)

Brody Bruce

Edward Jeremy "Ted" (Alfred Frank)

Felix Culvinor Musgrove (Hugo)

Frederick James Sam

Harry David Alexander (Charles Hugh Beresford & Iona Elizabeth Treharne)

Hector Robert Melvill (Thomas Peter Wavell & Camilla Mary Bradshaw)

James William (Sophie May)

Kade Willis

Liam John (Noel Robert Iain)

Malek Zakaria Wafic (Farrah Rosemary Antonia, Tarek Wafic & Teymour Wafic Eskandar)

Mason Lee

Maximilian François

Oliver Alastair Eyvind (Harry Michael Eyvind)

Oliver John

Oscar Charles

Ralph Richard (Pippa Dorrie)

Theo Andrew

Wilfred Sonny

Zachary Connor

 

Girls:

Adaline Rose

Alexandra Helena Elizabeth Ottilie

Alice Grace (George Albert)

Brennan Mhairi (Margaret)

Charlotte Victoria

Eliza Sahara Rose 

Emily Elizabeth

Florence Anne

Freda Beatrice

Harriet Grace

Heidi Henrietta (Lola, Bella and Ruby Christi Mae)

Iona Fabregat

Kate Amelia

Louisa Munro (Sophie)

Olivia Francesca (Stanley Jack)

Phoebe May

Robyn Grace (Thomas Stephen)

 

Name of the Week: Ellen

 

Origin:

Ellen started out as the English vernacular form of Helen in the Middle Ages. The name derives from the Greek Ἑλένη (Helene), the meaning of which is much debated by scholars.  Ἑλένη is identical to the Greek ἑλένη (elene) meaning "torch, corposant"* and certainly it has been associated with this word since antiquity and interpreted as meaning "the shining one." Furthermore, Helen's name was closely associated with that of the sun god Helios. Some scholars believe that Helen's name derives from the European root *svarana "the shining one," (from which ἑλένη (elene) also derives) and that she may once have been an Indo-European sun goddess.** Bettany Hughes points out that Helen is often described as shining or radiant in ancient sources.* It may be, however, that rather than the sun, Helen's name was a corruption of Selene, the divine personification of the moon. Conversely, the Greek σεληνη (selênê) "moon," perhaps also ultimately derives from the same Indo-European root as ἑλένη (elene) -- "to shine, to beam."** In the Middle Ages, Helen and Helena were commonly recorded in a Latinised form Elena, and so Elene/Ellen became the standard vernacular rather than Helen itself. As a surname, Ellen not only derives from the first name Ellen, but, in some cases, from the Old English ellen "elder tree," therefore "dweller by the elders." The Old English ellen actually had two meanings. Not only did it mean "elder (tree),"** but also "strength, power, vigour, valour, courage and fortitude."**

Usage:

The Latin Helena was introduced to Britain by the Normans, though its use in Europe is thanks to the Greek-born Empress Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine the Great, who was revered for her Christian piety and influence in the promotion of the Christian Church via her son. She is known now as St Helen of Constantinople. She was popularly venerated in Britain where she was, from the Middle Ages, believed to be the daughter of the mythic King of Britain, Cole of Colchester, thereby giving Britain a link to Constantine the Great and the Roman Empire. Some of this legend may be thanks to confusion with the 4th century Welsh Saint Elen, who, legend has it, was the Romano-British wife of Macsen Wledig (Magnus Maximus), the 4th-century emperor in Britain, Gaul, and Spain, and had a son named Constantine.  It is interesting that Helen was little used in the Middle Ages, yet Ellen (Elene) was quite popular. George Redmonds' survey of 1000 names from ten English counties 1377-81, ranks Ellen at #10 which he categorises as "Popular." This is because Helen was systematically recorded as Elena in Latin records and Ellen became the vernacular.  Ellen was so well used that it formed the surnames Ellen, Ellens, Elleyne, Ellin(s), Ellings, Elen, Elin, Hellen(s) and Hellin, though some of this is due to the Old English habitational surname meaning "dweller by the elder trees" (see Origin, above).  Ellen also gained the diminutive form Ellot/Ellota which still survives in the surname Ellett.  Ellen remained in the top 20 throughout the 16th and 17th century, only dipping slightly towards the end of the latter century, as we can see from Smith Bannister's rank of top 50 names from 1538 to 1700 in England: 1538-49: #18; 1550-9: #12; 1560-9: #18; 1570-9: #15; 1580-9: #17; 1590-9: #16; 1600-9: #14; 1610-9: #17; 1620-9: #17; 1630-9: #17; 1640-9: #17; 1650-9: #19; 1660-9: #21; 1670-9: #22; 1680-9: #21; 1690-1700: #20. By the time of the 16th century, Helen and Ellen were used interchangeably, However, Helen and Helena gradually became used in their own right, and separately from Ellen, over the course of the 16th century. Smith Bannister, for example, lists Helen separately in his rankings (above). Ellen remained the dominant form while Helen ranked between #22-40 from 1550 to 1670. To add to the confusion, Ellen was often used interchangeably with Eleanor, which also ranked within the top 20. Through the 18th century Ellen remained very consistent. In Dunkling's top 50 rankings for England and Wales it was #21 in 1700 and still #20 in 1800.  The name was a top 10 favourite in the 19th century -- peaking in 1870 at #5 -- and gradually declined at the end of the century. It remained in the top 100 for the first half of the 20th century, but by this point was on a steep decline, as we can see from its ranks in England and Wales: 1850: #8 1860: #7 1870: #5 1880: #9 1890: #10 1900: #15 1904: #19 1914: #24 1924: #41 1934: #72 1944: *out of top 100* 1954: *out of top 100* 1964: *out of top 100* 1974: *out of top 100* 1984: *out of top 100* 1994: #89 During the 1990s (perhaps thanks to the four generation rule), Ellen had a gentle re-surge in popularity, peaking at #63 (929 births) in 1996. Its top 100 revival lasted only a decade, however, and, as the name started on its decline, its final year in the top 100 was 2002 when it ranked #98 (481 births -- almost half the number six years before in '96).  By 2011, it was #258 (189 births) and had dropped down to #366 (124 births) by 2013.  It has been much more popular in Northern Ireland, where it is still in the top 100. It peaked in 2002 at #28 (112 births) and has gradually declined since.  In 2015, Ellen ranked #384 (119 births) in England and Wales, #361 (10 births) in Scotland and #90 (28 births) in Northern Ireland.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Ellen Carter (1762-1815), British artist. * Ellen Anckarsvärd (1833-1898), Swedish feminist. * Ellen Terry (1847-1928), British stage actress. * Ellen Key (1849-1926), Swedish feminist writer and suffragette. * Ellen Willmott (1858–1934), British horticulturalist. Contemporary: * Ellen Burstyn (born 1932), American actress. * Ellen Barkin (born 1954), American actress. * Ellen DeGeneres (born 1958) American comedian, actress, and talk-show host. * Ellen Pompeo (born 1969), American actress. * Ellen Muth (born 1981), American actress. * Ellen Page (born 1987), Canadian actress. Literature and Other Media: * Ellen Ripley, main character in Alien (1979). * Ellen Robillard O'Hara, character in the 1936 novel Gone With the Wind and 1939 film.

Variants:

Elene, Ellin, Elin, Elen, Elyn, Ellyn (English), Elin, Elen (Welsh), Elaine (Medieval French)

Pronunciation:

EL-ən [key]

Possible  diminutives:

El, Nell, Ellie, Nellie, Nelly

Sibling Names:

Jane     Susannah     Mary     Catherine     Frances     Sarah  John     Laurence     George     Michael     Patrick     Andrew

Name Lists:

Medieval Favourites   Terrifically Tudor  Gorgeously Georgian   Victorian Darlings   Tennyson Names   River Names

  

If you like Ellen you may also like:   Annie, Martha, Samantha, Lillian, Ada, Caroline, Alice, Margaret, Esther, Lucy

Thanks to Gwen for requesting this name.