British Baby Names

Name of the Week: Jacob

 

 

Origin:

Jacob is an anglicised form of the Hebrew Ya'aqov, a name which appears frequently in the bible and was most notably attributed to one of the great Jewish patriarchs.  In the book of Genesis, Jacob was the son of Isaac and the grandson of Abraham. He was given the name Israel, and thus he is the patriarch of the Israelites, as his twelve sons were the progenitors of the Tribes of Israel.  There is some debate about the etymology of Ya'aqov (Jacob). The meaning put forward by Genesis is "hand on the heal," referring to the fact that he was born holding his brother's heel. If so, it would relate to the Hebrew yad "hand" and aqeb "heel." By extension, aqeb also figuratively means "circumvent, overreach, deal craftily, supplant" (i.e. to trip someone up by the heals) in reference to Jacob supplanting his brother in their father's affections and his inheritance.  However, like his father's name, Isaac, Ya'aqov is likely an abbreviation of a Canaanite theophorus name such as Ya'aqob'el "may God protect."* In Greek, Ya'aqov became Iakobos (Ιακωβος) which was then transliterated into Latin as Iacobus (Jacobus) and, in Late Latin, Iacomus (Jacomus).  Jacobus became Iago in Spanish, Jacques in French and Jacob in English, while Jacomus became Jaime in Spanish and James in Old French and English. When the King James Bible (1611) translated the Latin bible into English, Jacob (Jacobus) was used in the Old Testament and James (Jacomus) in the New Testament.

Usage:

Partly thanks to its being attached to one of the most notable Jewish patriarchs, by the 1st century BC, Jacob was one of the the most popular Jewish names, and in Britain, the name has always been common among the Jewish community. Intriguingly, Reaney and Wilson point out that the medieval surnames Jacob, Jacobs and Jacubs are not Jewish in origin, citing an early pre-Conquest example of an ecclesiastic.* The Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England (PASE) also has record of a subregulus (vassal ruler) named Jacob who is cited on a charter dated 963-971.  After the Conquest of 1066, the popularity of Jacob is incredibly hard to determine. Official records were Latinised, and Jacobus was used as the Latin form for both Jacob and James (this was long before the Jacobus-Jacob/Jacomus-James distinction made in the King James Bible of 1611).  James is regarded as being the most common vernacular form of the two, partly thanks to the the cult of St James the Great, one of the twelve apostles who became the patron saint of Spain and whose cult was focused at Compostela in Galicia-- one of the most important pilgramage centres in medieval Christendom. The Spanish Jaime (the Spanish form of Jacomus), therefore, may have been more influential in Britain than Jacob as the vernacular of Jacobus thanks to the saint's popular cult.The earliest recorded pilgramage from England to Compostela is in 1148 and by the end of that century instances of the name James appear in British records -- a Jam' de Sancto Hylario is mentioned in a Northamptonshire charter of 1173-6, and James, son of Lambin is mentioned in the Loudoun Charters in Scotland (1162-1190). Of the 440 churches named "St James" in England, 414 are dedicated to St James the Great. In the second half of the 16th century, many Old Testament names come into fashion, including Abraham, Isaac, Nathaniel and Benjamin, and it is here that we start to see Jacob being used more independently from James as a distinct name.  In Smith Bannister's rank of top 50 names from 1538 to 1670 in England, Jacob didn't reach the top 50 until 1590: 1538-49: --; 1550-9: --; 1560-9: --; 1570-9: --; 1580-9: --; 1590-9: #50; 1600-9: --; 1610-9: --; 1620-9: --; 1630-9: #38; 1640-9: --; 1650-9: --; 1660-9: #37; 1670-9: #44; 1680-9: #37; 1690-1700: #39.  Jacob was further bolstered in the 17th century by the Huguenots. It was a popular name among French Protestants at this time and brought over by the many thousands of French refugees who settled in England.  The name was well used across the 19th century in Britain, but gradually began to decline over the course of the century as Old Testament names fell out of fashion in favour of medieval Norman and Celtic names.   Data from the Surname Atlas (click to enlarge) Data from the 1881 census shows that it was -- when looking at the population per 100,000 people -- evenly spread across England and Wales, but little used in Scotland, except for Orkney and Shetland.  Jacob was in the top 100 England and Wales throughout the 19th century, but had dropped out in the turn of the 20th century: 1850: #48 1860: #55 1870: #70 1880: #85 1890: #92 1900: #109 1904: *out of top 100* Jacob remained outside of the top 100 through most of the 20th century, until the 1990s, but was still in some moderate use up until the 1970s as Leslie Dunkling's sample for boys named Jacob in every 10,000 births show: 1900 1925 1935 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990   3   2   1    2    -    2    2   -   -    -   12   48 By 1994, Jacob was back in the top 100 having at the rank of #35. This is a significant rise, as it wasn't in the top 100 at all ten years previously. The short form, Jake, was even more successful, having risen to #18 in the same year.  Up until the late 2000s, Jake was the more popular form, but from 2008 it began to decline in use, while Jacob took a steep upward curve.  Up until this point, Jacob had been slowly and steadily rising each year but saw a marked increase in 2010 when it went from #18 (3214 births) to #12 (4308 births) -- an increase of over one thousand births. The following year, in 2011, it was in the top 10 at #7 and rose again to #5 in 2012 and #4 in 2013 and 2014.  This rise not only coincides with the rise of the next wave of alternative Old Testament such as Noah and Isaac, replacing 90s hot favourites Daniel, Joshua, Samuel and the like, but it may also be in some consequence to the Twilight series.  Late 2009 saw the release of Twilight: New Moon, the second film in the series and one where Taylor Lautner's character Jacob Black really come to the fore in the heartthrob role. The film was a huge success, as was the following film in 2010. During this period, the name Bella also saw a marked increase in use, which further points to Twilight-influence.  In 2015, Jacob ranked #5 (4850 births) and Jake ranked #34 (2013 births) in England and Wales. In 2016, Jacob ranked #11 in Scotland (287 births) and #7 (173 births) in Northern Ireland.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Anund Jacob (b.c. 1008), King of Sweden. * Jacob van Maerlant (c. 1230/40 – c. 1288/1300), notable Flemish poet. * Jacob Cats (1577–1660), Dutch poet, humorist, jurist and politician. * Jacob van Ruisdael (1628-1682), Dutch painter.  * Jacob Hübner (1761–1826), German entomologist. * Jacob Grimm (1785–1863) , a German philologist, jurist, and mythologist. * Jacob Brønnum Scavenius Estrup (1825-1913), Danish Prime Minister. Contemporary: * Jacob "Jake" Gyllenhaal (b. 1980), American actor. * Jacob "Jake" Hoffman (b. 1981), American actor. Literature and Other Media: * Jacob Marley, character from Dickens' A Christmas Carol. * Jacob Black, werewolf character in the Twilight series. * Jacob Gallagher, character on TV soap Emmerdale. * Jacob "Jake" Moon, character on TV soap Eastenders.

Variants:

Jacques (French), Iago (Spanish, Welsh), Yago (Spanish), Giacobbe, Jacopo (Italian), Jakob (German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Dutch, Slovene), Jago (Cornish), Jaakob, Jaakoppi, Jaakko (Finnish), Jakov (Macedonian, Serbian, Croatian), Yakov (Russian), Jakub (Polish), Jacó (Portuguese)

Pronunciation:

JAY-kəb [key]

Possible diminutives:

Jake, Jakey, Coby, Jace

Sibling Names:

Eva     Sophie     Grace     Emily     Lily     Isabelle  Luke     Noah     Ethan     Oscar     Joseph     Samuel

Name Lists:

Terrifically Tudor   Gorgeously Georgian   Royal Names of Europe   Names from the Brontes   Dickensian Names

 

If you like Jacob you may also like:   Caleb, Joshua, Daniel, Lucas, Nathan, Joel, Matthew, Isaac, Benjamin, Reuben

Thanks to Freya for requesting this name.  

 

Name Help: A Sibling for Oscar

 

Emma is expecting her second child -- the gender a surprise -- to join her son Oscar.

They are currently considering:

Finlay
Orlando
Rupert
Lucas
Zachary

Olivia
Maribel
Isabella
Freya

Emma writes: "I also like Logan and Leo but cannot use these as our friends are using these names. 

Names we have eliminated from our list:
Raphael - too hispanic and does not go with Oscar.
Isla and Sofia - too popular but like the feminine names."

 

※    ※    ※    ※

You have a great list to choose from already. I think any of the names on your list would work well with Oscar. But, to give you a fresh set to shake up your list, here are some equally lovely names which I think would also work well:

 

Girls:

Phoebe – A perfectly feminine name which is familiar but never feels ordinary. 

Lila / Lyla – If you love the sound of Isla, but it feels too popular, why not consider similar-sounding Lila/Lyla? It's chic and sleek, familiar but not at all commonplace. 

Maya / Mya – Beautiful and exotic Maya (or Mya/Maia) packs an elegant punch. Similar to Freya in sound with the romantic style of Sofia. 

Ivy – Short, sweet and floral. Ivy is just as lissom and fashionable as Isla but not nearly as popular. 

Violet – Or how about the equally fragrant Violet? Sharing Isla's long vowel and Olivia's breezy 'v', in a botanical twist. 

Aria – Isla, Sofia, Olivia...Aria is the natural sister name to this group. Pretty, mellifluous and stylish. 

Sienna – The same exotic, feminine appeal of Sofia and Isabella can be found in this Italian-inspired feminine choice. 

Thea – Combine the sounds and styles of Sofia and Freya and elegant Thea comes to the fore. 

Penelope – Like Isabella, Penelope is a lengthy feminine choice with a gentle elegance. 

Juliet – A quintessentially romantic name. Not at all common, yet universally recognised and admirable.  

Annabel – Isabella and Maribel make your list, so how about sweet Annabel, derived from the Latin amabilis meaning "lovable." Alternatively, another -bel name to consider is Mirabel -- this time derived from mirabilis "wonderful, marvellous, glorious."

Arabella – Another lovely and lyrical 'bel' name that is elegant and just a little bit feisty. 

 

Boys:

Arlo – With the stylish -o ending in both Orlando and Leo, Arlo is a lively and bold choice. 

Hugo – Hugo shares the same fashionable dapper and friendly style as Oscar, with charm and heritage. 

Reuben – Combine the sounds of Rupert and Logan, and add in the Biblical charm of Zachary, and you get amiable Reuben. 

Roman – Stately and stylish Roman makes a great gentlemanly pair with Oscar.

Stanley –  The sweet friendly vibe of Finlay combined with the old-school charm of Rupert. 

Harvey  – Another name that feels both homely and refined with a vintage charm is lovable Harvey. 

Jasper – Smooth and cool, Jasper has the same suave style as Oscar, Rupert, Orlando and Lucas. 

Milo – That stylish -o ending again in a perfectly happy package. 

Rory – A fun-filled name with a great Gaelic heritage to compliment Oscar. 

Felix – With the same great combination of s and k sounds that Oscar has, Felix is equally debonair and amiable. 

Isaac – Another name that echos the fashionable s/k sound with a great Biblical heritage and charm.

 

I hope this has been of use. Good luck with the name choosing!

 

 

UK Birth Announcements 29/5/17 - 4/6/17

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:

Arthur Charles Lavallin

Arthur James Christophe

Ethan David (Erin Louise)

Fergus Isaac Ward

Joel Alexander

Magnus Owen John

Rollo Ralph Cavendish

William John (Gracie, Anna Rose & Bethany Hope)

 

Girls:

Beatrix Daisy

Charlotte Elizabeth

Chloe Olivia

Clemency Jane Frances "Clemmie" (Edward Blaise "Ned", Beatrice Mary "Bea", Christopher Ambrose Richard "Kit", Josephine Alice "Posy" & Mary Assumpta)

Eden Rose "Edie" (Reuben George)

Eleanor Annabel Grace (Beatrice Elizabeth Joanna)

Elizabeth Anwen "Beti"

Jenny Jean

Kitty Marie (Connor, Annie & Minnie)

Lucy Jane

Molly Joyce

Olivia Marie (Katie)

 

Twins:

Ambar Leigh & Luca Thomas

 

Name of the Week: Theodora

 

Origin:

Theodora is the anglicised form of the ancient Greek name Θεοδωρα (Theodora), and the feminine form of Theodore/Theodoros, composed of the elements theos "a god" and doron "gift."

Usage:

The masculine form, Theodoros, was a well used name in the Classical and Hellenistic periods of Ancient Greece, ranking in the top 20 in the Aegean islands and Cyprus, Attica, The Peloponnese, Western Greece and Magna Graecia, Central Greece and Macedonia. It was also borne by several notable ancient Greeks including the 6th century BC inventor Theodorus of Samos, and 5th century mathematician Theodorus of Cyrene.   The feminine form was less common in Antiquity, but it was #20 in Macedonia and Thrace, and #31 in The Peloponnese, Western Greece and Magna Graecia according to the LGPN database.  When the early Christians of the Byzantine Empire cleverly reinterpreted the meaning of the name from the Pagan "gift of the god(s)" to the Christianised "gift of God," Theodora took on a new life.  Not only has it been borne by several early Christian saints, but by a multitude of Byzantine empresses and princesses. One of the most famous of these was Empress Theodora (c. 497-548), wife of the emperor Justinian I who reigned 527–565. She was a woman of great intelligence and political acumen, who became Justinian's chief advisor. Hers was a real rags to riches story. She was undoubtedly the most powerful woman of her age, carving a path for herself in a masculine world, and she is now considered a saint by the Orthodox Church.  Her importance and influence can be seen in this clip from the third programme of The Ascent of Woman, written and presented by Dr. Amanda Foreman: Another notable Empress Theodora (c. 815–c. 867) was the wife of Theophilos who acted as regent for her son after her husband's death and brought an end to iconoclasm. She, too, is also venerated as a saint.  Its prevalent use among early saints and empresses of the Eastern Christian Empire meant Theodora was continued through the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Russian form Feodora (or Fyodora) was notable among the Russian aristocracy, and also German nobility. Fyodora Alexeevna (1674–1677) was a daughter of Tsar Aleksey Mikhailovich of Russia,  for example, and Princess Feodora of Leiningen (1807-1872) was the elder half-sister of Queen Victoria -- the queen gave the name to her youngest daughter Princess Beatrice as a middle name and it continued among Victoria's descendants. Theodora came into use in Britain in the 16th century, but it was always uncommon. By the 19th century, its use was steady and regular, but never common enough to make the top 200, as we can see from its ranks in England and Wales: 1850: <#300 1860: #233 1870: #265 1880: #245 1890: #243 1900: #264 It is interesting to note, however, that Dorothy (which has the same elements as Theodora, only in reverse) was consistently in the top 100 during this period, reaching #20 in 1890 and #8 in 1900. The short for Dora also ranked within the top 100 from 1880 onwards.  During this century, Theo can also be found in use for both boys and girls, indicating that Theo not only developed as a short form of Theodore, but also Theodora.  By the mid-20th century, Theodora was still in regular use, but had nevertheless declined, from 53 births in 1900, to 28 in 1920, 5 in 1940 and 10 in 1960.  click to enlarge From 1996 to 2011, Theodora was consistently below the top 1000 in England and Wales (with the exception of 2000 and 2001 when it was #897 and #992 respectively). In 2012, it rose #955 (38 births). This was the year that Robbie Williams welcomed his daughter Theodora Rose "Teddy," and may be one reason why the name rose again to #750 (52 births) in 2013.  2013 was also the year that Oz the Great and Powerful was released in cinemas, featuring Mila Kuniz in the lead role of Theodora, so it is perhaps not surprising that the name peaked at #516 (82 births) in 2014.  In 2015, Theodora ranked #708 (56 births) in England and Wales. In 2016, it ranked #798 (3 births) in Scotland but did not rank at all in Northern Ireland.

Famous Bearers:

History: * 5 Saints, including:   - Saint Theodora, 2nd-century Christian martyr and saint.   - Saint Theodora of Alexandria, 5th century Eastern Orthodox saint.   - Saint Theodora of Arta, 13th century Empress of Epirus * Flavia Maximiana Theodora, 3rd century, daughter of the Roman Emperor Maximian and second wife of the Emperor Constantius I Chlorus. * Theodora of Emesa, 5th-century Neoplatonist. * Empress Theodora, wife of Byzantine emperor Justinian I, considered a saint by the Greek Orthodox Church. * Theodora of Khazaria, 7th-century empress, wife of Justinian II. * Theodora, wife of Theophilos, 9th-century Byzantine empress.  * Theodora, wife of Romanos I, 10th-century Byzantine empress. * Theodora, Byzantine 10th-century Byzantine empress, daughter of Constantine VII, , wife of John I Tzimiskes. * Theodora Porphyrogenita, Byzantine empress who ruled 1055-1056. * Theodora Palaiologina, 13th-century Byzantine empress, wife of Michael VIII Palaiologos. * Theodora of Trebizond, empress regnant from 1284 to 1285. * Theodora Cormontan (1840–1922), Norwegian American pianist, music publisher and composer. * Theodora Kroeber (1897-1979), American anthropologist and author.  * Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark (1906–1969), elder sister of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. * Theodora Keogh (1919-2008), American novelist. Contemporary: * Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark (b.1983), daughter of King Constantine II of Greece and Anne-Marie of Denmark. * Theodora Richards (b. 1985), American model and daughter of musician Keith Richards. Literature and Other Media: * Theodora, character in film ''Oz the Great and Powerful.'' * Theodora Lynn, main character in 1936 film "Theodora Goes Wild." * Theodora 'Teddy' Altman, character on TV's "Grey's Anatomy.' * Theodora, an opera by Thomas Morell. * Theodora "Theo" Dane, character in book "Ballet Shoes"

Variants:

Theadora; Teodora (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Romanian, Polish, Serbian), Feodora (Russian)

Pronunciation:

thee-ə-DOR-ə [key]

Possible  diminutives:

Thea, Theo, Teddy, Dora, Dori, Thora, Theda

Sibling Names:

Alexandra     Cecily     Verity     Philippa     Antonia     Henrietta  Benedict     Edmund     Rafe     Dominic      Felix      Sebastian

Name Lists:

Upright Elegance

  

If you like Theodora you may also like:   Leonora, Tabitha, Isadora, Rosamund, Primrose, Cassandra, Penelope, Josephine, Hermione, Gwendolyn

Thanks to Prue for requesting this name.