British Baby Names

Name Musings: October 2017

 


 

It's Halloween. The nights are drawing in, red and golden leaves pave the ground and there is a chill beginning to draw in. So, before we welcome November, here is a reflection of some of the names which have caught my attention this month. 

 

Oviya

Perhaps it's the similarity to top English favourite Olivia, but Oviya has been crossing my mind as a usable exotic choice. The name is Indian and apparently means "(resembling a) beautiful painting."

 

Levina

When I look through 19th century records, Levina is a name which always jumps out at me. Also found as Lavina, Lovina and Lavena, on the surface it looks like a variant of Lavinia, but the truth is that Levina was in good use from the 16th century, before Lavinia took off, and even in the 17th and 18th centuries, Levina was more common. 

More likely, Levina represents a later form of the Old English name Leofwynn (leof "dear" + wynn "joy") which survived as Lewena/Levena into the 14th century. 

 

Neus

Much of October's news has focussed on the events in Catalonia which coincided with my parent's 40th wedding anniversary. In a roundabout link, the best man at their wedding is now a citizen of Barcelona and lecturer at the University of Barcelona who has lived there for decades. One of the interesting name stories he once told me is of how, under Franco, Catalan names were not allowed to be registered on birth certificates. Though parents used the Catalan form at home, legally the names were in Castilian Spanish. His partner is Neus -- the Catalan word for "snow" -- but spent much of her life having to write the Spanish Nieves on documents. She legally changed it to Neus as soon as the ban was lifted. 

 

Ferran

Another Catalan name which I've been musing over is Ferran, a Catalan and Aragonese form of Ferdinand. It dates back to the Middle Ages in Spain, and can also be found as a British surname (also from Ferdinand). With it's two syllables and -an ending, Ferran has all the credentials of a stylish name. 

 

 

Riacus

This term's topic for history is the Romans in my class. I'm in my element, not least because of all the great names I come across. Particularly interesting for me are the native British names (Celtic) than are left to us in a Latinised form. Riacus is one of these names which actually feels pretty usable circa 2017. It comes from an inscription from Vindolanda by Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland and is most likely composed of the elements ri:go- "king" and the suffix -ako. 

 

Aki

Rolling on a thousand years and my last find comes from the Domesday Book of 1086. Aki is clearly a Norse name (one man is even called "Aki the Dane") and most likely a diminutive of a name containing the element *anuR "forefather, ancestor." 

 

 

October also sees an end to Series 2 of ITV's historical drama Victoria. In one of my rabbit hole searches, I discovered that Lord Alfred Paget (who features as a character in the series), in real life, had an interestingly named brood of children:

Victoria Alexandrina (1848-1859)
Evelyn Cecilia (1849-1894)
Arthur Henry Fitzroy (1851-1928)
Alfred Wyndham (1852-1918)
George Thomas Cavendish (1853-1939)
Gerald Cecil Stewart (1854-1913)
Violet Mary (1856-1908)
Sydney Augustus (1857-1916)
Amy Olivia (1858-1948)
Alberta Victoria (1859-1945)
Almeric Hugh (1861-1949)
Alice Maud Honoria (1862-1925)
Alexandra Harriet (1865-1944)
Guinevere Eva (1869-1894)

 

I hope you all have a safe and happy Halloween!

 

 

UK Birth Announcements 23/10/17 - 29/10/17

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 Alexander

Arthur Thomas

Ben Lawrence (Chloe Louise)

Blaize (Cooper & Khan)

Bobby Michael (Annabella Michelle)

Clayton Grant John (Summer-Rose & Teddy)

Connor James (Jack William)

Cooper James (Clark Alastair)

Edward Arthur George "Eddie" (Isadora Prudence Grace "Dora" & Rafe Christopher Hawkins) - Name Help post here. 

Harvey David

Jack Edward

Jack William

Jackson Eli (Mackenzie Willow)

Jacob Hopps

Joseph James (Olivia)

Leo Oliver Phillip

Michael John (Daniel Harry)

Murray Alexander

Noah James

Ralph Adam

Rupert Charles Peter

Samuel Charles

Sidney James

Sonny Jamie (Caiden Paul & Alba Marie)

Stanley Arthur Roy

William Blade (Harley Joe & Madison Alice)

 

Girls:

Anna Rose

Cerys Olivia (Keira Jane)

Clara Marion

Elise Marie (Benjamin Robert)

Evelyn Elizabeth Maxwell

Fleur Mabel

Hannah Margaret (Madison Valerie)

Harriet Francesca

Henrietta Julia Raffles (Sophie Anne Frances & Felicity)

Imogen Alexandra (Zach James)

Isabella Marie (Corey John & Harry Peter)

Isla Anne

Kenzi Jai

Lilly Grace

Martha Grace Connie Jean (Hope)

Rose Christabel Lucy

Sophia Louise Grace

 

Twins:

Aryan & Avani

 

 

Name of the Week: Margot

 

 

Origin:

Margot is a diminutive form of Marguerite, the French form of Margaret, which was composed of the shortened form Marg and the Old French diminutive suffix -ot.  Both Margaret and Marguerite derive from the Latin name Margarita which ultimately derives from the Greek margarites "pearl."  The homophone Margaux, used as an alternative spelling of Margot, is taken from the village of Margaux in France which lies in the Haut Médoc winemaking region in South West France, and is particularly famous for the Château Margaux wine. From the 15th century, the wine produced here was known under the names Margou, Margau, Margous and Margose.*

Usage:

Margaret was one of the most successful names in medieval Europe, borne by several queen consorts, in England, Scotland, France, Denmark and Navarre, and several saints.  The most famous of these was the, seemingly apocryphal, 5th-century saint, St Margaret of Antioch (or Margaret the Virgin-Martyr), whose veneration was extremely popular particularly in England (where more than 250 churches are dedicated to her) and in France.  St Margaret was also the patroness of childbirth and pregnant women. Given the perilous nature of medieval childbirth, St Margaret was commonly evoked during this time, and it isn't difficult to imagine that many grateful mothers named their children in honour of her after a safe delivery. The importance of St Margaret during childbirth is distinctly demonstrated by historian Helen Castor in her BBC series Medieval Lives: Birth, Marriage, Death: As Marguerite was prolifically used in France, the -ot diminutive-ending Margot was undoubtedly used as a familiar form, but how common it was is difficult to tell. One of the most famous medieval Margots in popular culture is "La Reine Margot": Marguerite de Valois (1553–1615), queen of France and of Navarre.  However, this nickname was invented by Alexandre Dumas who titled his first novel on the Trilogy of Valois, La Reine Margot in 1845. A Margot la Gantière and Margue la Crespinière can be found in the 1292 Census of Paris.* It can also be found twice in the first half of the 15th century in Paris* and four times in the latter half of the 15th century in Choisy.* These are only a handful of examples, but that is often the case with diminutives when a formal (often Latinised) form was most commonly used on paper records. As a report from The Academy of Saint Gabriel points out, "Although we only have a few examples of Margot in period, it was probably available for most of [Middle Ages]. It may not have been at all common, but our sources are spotty enough that we really can't tell."*  Margot isn't visible in records in Britain during this period, however. The Normans brought Old French as the official language to England and so the diminutive ending -ot was also common in British names. Instead of Margot, though, Magot and Megot were used instead.  There is one example of Margot in Britain that I can find in Conway, Wales in 1560* but this is in a minority.*  By the 19th century, we see Margot in increasing use as a standalone name in France. It was rather uncommon, however, and was seemingly much more used as an actual nickname than records suggest. For example, in 1910 — when Marguerite ranked #3 in France — Margot alone was #490.  The same situation can be seen in Britain. Margot came into more established as a standalone name in the 19th century as birth records in England and Wales show:   Margot Margo 1840s: 1850s: 1860s: 1870s: 1880s: 1890s: 1900s: 1910s: 1920s: 1930s: 1940s: 1950s: 1960s: 0 births 0 births 1 birth 0 births 2 births 32 births 74 births 179 births 142 births 362 births 365 births 391 births 227 births 1 birth 1 birth 1 birth 1 birth 1 birth 2 births 2 births 7 births 7 births 54 births 120 births 100 births 102 births Margot saw a boost in 1894 when it began to be registered more regularly. It does not seem coincidental that 1894 was the year that socialite Margot Tennant — later Margot Asquith, Countess of Oxford and Asquith (1864–1945) — married Home Secretary Herbert Henry Asquith.  It slackened off in use in the first half of the 1900s, seeing a boost again in 1908 when Asquith became Prime Minister — an office in which he served until 1916. Margaret was in the top ten in each decade from 1500 to 1954 (and #1 in 1924, 1934 and 1944), finally slipping to #39 by 1964 and out of the top 100 by 1974, so several of these many many Margarets may have been known as Margot.  Several famous Margots were formally Margaret. Margot Asquith was born Emma Alice Margaret; British actress Margot Bryant (1897–1988) was registered Kathleen Mary Margaret and ballerina Margot Fonteyn was formally Margaret Evelyn. This, more than anything, shows us that actual data for the popularity of Margot is misleading, as it was actively used as a nickname, while Margaret was written on birth records. The spelling Margaux wasn't registered until 1976 which we can attribute to American fashion model and actress, Margaux Hemingway (1954–1996). Hemingway was given the name Margot Louise, but changed it to Margaux when she found out that she was named after the wine, Château Margaux, which her parents were drinking the night she was conceived.  Margaux first ranked in France's top 500 in 1984 at #421 but was in the top 50 by 1991.  click to enlarge From 1996 to 2009 in England and Wales, Margot, Margaux and Margo were all below the top 1000 each year.  In 2009, Margot rose to #879 (38 births) and saw a gradual rise thereafter.  It jumped up to #415 (104 births) in 2014 and #273 (178 births) in 2015.   Margaux and Margo both picked up more momentum in 2014 and are both, too, on a steep upward curve currently.  In 2016, Margot ranked #186 with 293 births in England and Wales. Margaux was #955 (38 births) and Margo was #994 (36 births).  In France, both Margot and Margaux have ranked in the top 60 since 1994. In 2015, Margaux ranked #32 and Margot ranked #47.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Margot Asquith, countess of Oxford and Asquith (1864–1945), socialite, author and wife of Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith. * Margo Scharten-Antink (1868–1957), Dutch poet. * Margot Bryant (1897–1988), British actress. * Margo Lion (1899–1989), French chanteuse, parodist, cabaret singer and actress. * Margot Pardoe (1902–1996), British children's writer. * Margot Lander (1910–1961), prima ballerina with the Royal Danish Ballet. * Margot Bennett (1912–1980), Scottish screenwriter and crime author. * Dame Margot Fonteyn de Arias, DBE (1919–1991), British ballerina. * Margaux Hemingway (1954–1996), American fashion model and actress. Contemporary: * Margot Marsman (born 1932), Dutch swimmer. * Margo Guryan (born 1937), American singer/songwriter. * Margo MacDonald (1943-2014), Scottish politician. * Margot Kidder (born 1948), is a Canadian American actress and activist. * Margo Martindale (born 1951), American actress. * Margot Franssen (born 1952), Dutch-born Canadian entrepreneur and activist. * Margo Stilley (born 1982), American actress and writer. * Margot Boer (born 1985), Dutch speed skater. * Margo Harshman (born 1986), American actress. * Margot van Geffen (born 1989), Dutch field hockey player. * Margot Robbie (born 1990), Australian actress.  Literature and Other Media: * La Reine Margot, 1845 novel by Alexandre Dumas. * Margot Beste-Chetwynde, a fictional character in Evelyn Waugh's novel Decline and Fall (1928). * Margot Mary Wendice, a fictional character in the 1954 Alfred Hitchcock film Dial M For Murder. * Margo Leadbetter, a character in the British sitcom The Good Life. * Margo Gru, a character in the Despicable Me franchise. * Margo Channing, a character played by Bette Davis in All About Eve (1950).

Variants:

Margo, Margaux

Pronunciation:

MAR-gō [key]

Possible  Diminutives:

Maggie

Sibling Names:

Ottilie     Elodie     Alba     Sylvie     Honor     Beatrix  Jasper     Felix     Jonah     Rex     Oscar     Sebastian

Name Lists:

Ripe Renovations

 

If you like Margot you may also like:   Cecily, Clementine, Juno, Lois, Olive, Primrose, Lyra, Orla, Ines, Alix

Thanks to Freya for requesting this name.

 

Name Help: A Sister for Eva

Sarah is due soon with her second child -- a sister to join Eva Beatrice.

Sarah writes: "(My husband) is Dutch and I was born in Holland. We have one daughter, Eva Beatrice, and we chose this name firstly because we liked it but also because it translates well in Dutch. I am now expecting my second daughter and am struggling to think of names that may work in both countries that are elegant, pronounceable and not too pretentious.  

If there was a translatable Dutch/English name that would be very interesting. Otherwise traditional and slightly unusual British names are perfect.

 

Names on my list so far are:

Lily

Hazel

Vera

Mila

Emily

Florence

Madeleine

Otillie

Flora

Clementine / Clemmy

Verity

Jemima / Mimi 

Cecily

 

My current shortlist has evolved recently to be:

Georgia

Lily

Mila

 

Eliminated names for various reasons including existing family and friends usage are:

Katherine, Saskia, Charlotte, Lucy, Aurelia, Cara, Connie, Leonie, Alice, Sarah, Maria, Sophie, Katy, Georgina, Mia."

 

※    ※    ※    ※

Eva Beatrice is such a gorgeous name - simple, sweet yet elegant and grand at the same time. It can seem a challenge to match such a wonderful pairing

 

Annabel – As sweet and elegant as Eva with a polished style. Annabelle is #61 and Annabel #158 in England and Wales (combined spellings puts it around #48) which means it is traditional but not super popular in Britain. Annabel (this spelling) is also currently #279 in the Netherlands which means it is at least familiar to many Dutch parents. 

Lena – A sleek vintage gem with a feisty edge. Lena has been a top 100 favourite in the Netherlands since 2011. It is just below the top 100 in England and Wales which puts it in the Goldilocks spot of not too hot, not too cold. 

Luna – In a similar vibe to Lena is nature-inspired and mystical Luna. An ancient Roman goddess, a poetic favourite, and used as a given name in Britain since at least the 16th century. It is #65 in the Netherlands and #78 in England and Wales. 

Esme – French chic combined with Scottish heart, Esme has a long history of use in Britain and currently ranks at #35 in England and Wales (just five steps below Eva). In the Netherlands, the French spelling Esmee is preferred, where it ranks #37 (Esmée is #126). 

Lydia – A sweet Georgian favourite with a heritage dating back to ancient Rome. It's #100 in England and Wales and #462 in the Netherlands. 

Livia – Borne by Roman royalty, Livia is a chic twist on popular Olivia. It's only #372 in England and Wales but #115 in the Netherlands. 

Elodie – Akin to Ottilie, Emily and Cecily on your list, Elodie is a sleek French import with ancient Germanic roots. It doesn't rank in the top 500 of the Netherlands, but is #166 in England and Wales. 

Lara – A sleek and petite name which makes a bold statement. Lara is a name that not only comes from Roman mythology but also brings to mind the heroine of Doctor Zhivago. It ranks #118 in England and Wales and #70 in the Netherlands. 

Rosa – A feistier take on sweet and fragrant Rose, Rosa has been used in Britain and across Europe since the early Middle Ages -- first as a variant of Hrodohaidis "famous kind" and later for the flower. It ranks  #70 in the Netherlands and #189 in England and Wales. 

Rosalie – Ranking at #80  in the Netherlands, lovely lyrical Rosalie (at #352 in England and Wales) fits the criteria of a "traditional and slightly unusual" British name. 

Gwen– A sweet but sassy pocket-powerhouse. Gwen has an ancient Celtic past with links to Welsh mythology. It ranks just below the top 100 in Wales (though is uncommon in England at #768) and is perfectly translatable into Dutch. It currently ranks #216 in the Netherlands.  

Felicity – At #97 in England and Wales, Felicity is a charming British virtue name with links back to Roman mythology. Though Felicity does not rank in the top 500 in the Netherlands, Feline ranks at #49. 

Eliza – A vintage twist on perennial royal favourite Elizabeth which, like Eva, has just a hint of sass. Both Elizabeth and Eliza rank just below the top 200 in the Netherlands, though both are pronounced differently than they are in Britain. 

Stella –Magical and mysterious but also proper and elegant. Stella ranks at #343 in England and Wales and #138 in the Netherlands so translates well in both languages. 

Clara – A sweet vintage choice which dates back to ancient Rome and took on new life in the Regency era. It ranks at #88 in England and Wales and, while it doesn't rank in the top 500 in the Netherlands, Yara, Lara, Mara and Zara are all in the top 200.

Tess / Tessa – A great candidate as a traditional and slightly unusual British name. Tess and Tessa derive from the ancient name Teresa with a literary twist thanks to Tess of the d'Urbervilles. Both Tess and Tessa are below the top 500 in England and Wales, however, both are currently in vogue in Holland. Tess has ranked in the top 20 for nearly a decade (currently #2) and Tessa follows at #76. 

Dulcie – Sweet and charming with a hint of pluckiness. Dulcie (meaning "sweet") has been used in Britain since at least the 13th century. It is an uncommon traditional in Britain, currently ranking #585. It does not rank in the top 500 of the Netherlands, though, with Lucy at #166, I don't think it would be too troublesome. 

Madelief– As lovely Madeleine is on your list, I can't conclude this post without mentioning this adorable Dutch name which means "daisy." Personally, I think Madelief is perfectly usable in Britain as a first name even though it is extremely rare here, or it would make a fantastic middle name. Actress Joanna Page (of Gavin & Stacey fame) named her daughter Eva Madelief.  

 

I hope this has been helpful. Best of luck with choosing the perfect name. 

 

UK Birth Announcements 16/10/17 - 22/10/17

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:

Albert Richard

Daniel Thomas Crawford (Benjamin Charles Dawson)

Douglas Stewart (Jack James & Hannah Jayne)

George James Richard

Harvey Doyle (Molly & Louis)

Henry Alexander (William Thomas)

Henry Joshua

Jacob Andrew (Lilly & Chloe Elizabeth)

Laurence Alfred Douglas 

Leo Fredrick Alexander

Logan Oliver

Magnus Charlie (Ruairi Samuel)

Montague George

Oscar Gabriel de Trasenster

Robert Alan (Ella May)

Scott Andrew (Amy Rachel)

Sebastiano Peter

Tobias Carlo (Max & Jonah Lewis)

Toby Dean (Alvin)

 

Girls:

Alice Marguerite 

Amber Mae

Amelia Rose

Amelie Susan 

Araminta Daisy (Felix Hugo Godfrey & Montague Francis "Monty")

Cassia Mary (Otis Damian)

Charlotte Grace Edith

Clara Joy (Austin)

Edina Frances Elizabeth (Hector John Chancourt)

Ella Ruby Maeve (Eva Grace Raye)

Esme Olivia (Madison Eve)

Gabriella Rose Katharine (Arthur Cuthbert Philip)

Isabelle Alexandra (Olivia Victoria)

Merran Louise (Keir Andrew)

Rebecca Elizabeth 

Sophia Olive (Ella & Alex Henry)

Zara Eilidh (Holly Georgia & Amber Grace)

 

 

Name of the Week: Bartholomew

 

 

Origin:

Bartholomew is the Anglicised form of the Latin Bartholomeus, itself from the Greek Bartholomaios, which in turn was a Hellenised form of the Aramaic Bar-Talmai ("son of Talmai").  The element bar is the Aramaic word for "son." Talmai is an Aramaic given name in the Old Testament (borne by a King of Geshur and a son of Anak). Talmai derives from telem "furrow, ridge" and so is therefore thought to refer to a ploughman or husbandman.  Saint Bartholomew was one of the Twelve Apostles, mentioned in the Synoptic Gospels (the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke), but not in the Gospel of John. As the bar ("son of") in Bartholomew is patronymic, it is often assumed that it was actually a surname. Traditionally, Bartholomew is associated with the apostle Nathaniel, who was introduced to Christ by Philip. Notably, Nathaniel and Philip appear together in the Gospel of John (while Bartholomew is not mentioned at all), while Philip and Bartholomew appear in the Synoptic Gospels (where Nathaniel is absent)

Usage:

The cult of Saint Bartholomew was popular in the Middle Ages and mentions of the saint pre-date the Norman Conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Saint Guthlac (673–714) was closely associated with Saint Bartholomew, indicating the saints early veneration. Legend has it that Guthlac was tormented by demons, but was rescued by Saint Bartholomew.* Queen Emma (985-1052), purchased the arm of Saint Bartholomew from the Bishop of Benevento for Canterbury Cathedral in the 1020s* which further strengthened the Saint's cult.  No fewer than 165 ancient churches and hospitals were dedicated to Saint Bartholomew in England. One of the most famous of these was St Bartholomew’s Hospital in Smithfield, London, which was founded in 1123 by Rahere (d. 1144), an Anglo-Norman priest and a favourite courtier of King Henry I. Henry I granted a charter for a fair which was held on 24th August – St Bartholomew’s Day (Bartlemas) – from 1133 to 1855. Bartholomew's Fair was a big event and grew into the country’s largest cloth fair and London’s biggest annual jamboree. From 1604, it was controlled by the City of London and opened every year by the Lord Mayor.* Redmonds calculates Bartholomew to have been the 38th most popular name from 1377-1381. Given the small size in population, this equates to a small percentage, making it a fairly uncommon name. However, the name was in consistent usage and garnered several vernacular and hypochoristic forms including Bertelmew, Bertlemey, Bate, Bart, Batt, Bett, Bartle and the diminutives Bartelot (Bartlet), Barty, Batey, Batkyn and Battin/Batten.  The common use is also attested by the surnames Bartholomew, Berthelemy, Bartie, Bates, Barts, Betts, Bartle, Bartlett, Bateman, Barson, Battison, Battie and Battock among many.  The steady usage continued into the 17th century, as we can see from Smith-Bannister's rankings below: 1538-49: #24; 1550-9: #29; 1560-9: #22; 1570-9: --; 1580-9: #42; 1590-9: --; 1600-9: #34; 1610-9: #50; 1620-9: --; 1630-9: --; 1640-9: #44; 1650-9: #46; 1660-9: --; 1670-9: --; 1680-9: --; 1690-1700: --.  It also ranked #40 in Elizabethan era Norfolk and was still #40 in the Restoration period.  By the mid-19th century, Bartholomew was still in uncommon but steady usage, as birth rankings in England and Wales show: 1850: #141 1860: #163 1870: #167 1880: #206 1890: #246 1900: #235 The name declined over the course of the 19th and 20th century. It was still in regular use, but by the 1960s it averaged around ten births per year.  Since 1996, Bartholomew has consistently ranked below the top 1000 in England and Wales, though it has ranked in every year (i.e. 3 births or more) except in 2013.  Its highest rank was #1052 (13 births) in 1997.  In 2016, Bartholomew ranked #2335 with 9 births.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Bartholomew of Farne (died 1193), English Hermit and saint. * Bartholomew of Braganca (c.1200–1271), Italian Dominican friar and bishop. * Bartholomaeus Anglicus, Franciscan encyclopedist of the thirteenth century. * Bartholomew of Lucca (1227–1327), historian. * Bartholomew of Brescia (d. 1258), Italian canonist. * Bartholomew of San Concordio (1260–1347), canonist and man of letters. * Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere (1275 – 1322), English soldier, diplomat, Member of Parliament and nobleman. * Bartholomaeus Parvus (d. 1333), known as the Apostle of Armenia. * Bartholomew Albizzi (d. 1342), Franciscan hagiographer. * Bartholomew Rinonico (d. c.1401), Franciscan chronicler. * Bartholomew Columbus (1461–1515), cartographer, brother of Christopher Columbus, founder of Santo Domingo. * Fra Bartolomeo (1472–1517), Tuscan Renaissance artist. * Bartholomew Dias (died 1500), Portuguese maritime explorer, first European to sail round the Cape of Good Hope. * Bartholomew Gosnold (1571–1607), English lawyer, explorer and privateer. * Bartholomew Sharp (c.1650–1702), English pirate. * Bartholomew Roberts, "Black Bart" (1682–1722) infamous Welsh Pirate. Contemporary: * Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople (b. 1940), current Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. * Bartholomew "Bart" Freundlich (b. 1970), American film director. Literature and Other Media: * Bartholomew Fair: A Comedy, a play by Ben Jonson (1614). * DC Comics superheroes the Flash (Bartholomew "Barry" Allen) and Impulse (Bartholomew "Bart" Allen II). * Bartholomew Cubbins, fictional hero of two books by 'Dr. Seuss'. * Bartholomew, character in Disney's The Great Mouse Detective. * Bartholomew J. Simpson, character from The Simpsons. * Bartholomew, Earl of Shiring, character in Ken Follett historical novel The Pillars of the Earth. Portrayed by Donald Sutherland in the TV series.

Variants:

Bartholomaios (Biblical Greek), Bartholomeus (Biblical Latin), Barthélémy (French), Bartholomäus (German), Bartolomeo, Bartolo (Italian), Bartolomé (Spanish), Bartolomeu (Portuguese), Varfolomei, Varfolomey (Russian), Vartolomej (Serbian), Bartolomej (Croatian, Slovak)

Pronunciation:

bar-THOL-ə-myoo [key]

Possible diminutives:

Bart, Bartie, Bert, Bertie, Bram, Bret, Tol, Tolly, Theo, Thom

Sibling Names:

Tabitha     Hadassah     Judith     Salome     Moriah     Gwendoline  Zebedee     Abraham     Silas     Quentin     Humphrey     Cosmo

Name Lists:

Medieval Favourites   Terrifically Tudor   Gorgeously Georgian   Quirky Biblical Names   Multi-Syllabic Names  Disney Names

 

If you like Bartholomew you may also like:   Barnabas, Ebenezer, Zechariah, Jedidiah, Cuthbert, Emmanuel, Balthazar, Edmund, Elnathan, Ambrose

Thanks to Catrin for requesting this name.  

 

UK Birth Announcements 9/10/17 - 15/10/17

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:

Bertie Timothy John

Charles Timothy Spencer

Enrico Arnold

Felix Arthur FitzGerald

Frank Morten (Silvi Myfanwy & Stanley James)

Frederick Alexander (Oliver Gabriel)

Harland Francis

Jack Rory (Callum George)

James Francis (Christopher John)

Joshua North (Alana, Kyla & Alexa)

Kian James 

Leo Jackson 

Leo Walter Langdon

Ludwig Guy Helgardt (Letitia Milly-Maria & Cecilia Aletta Mary)

Max Samuel Toby

Milo James

Oliver James

Oscar Henry

Oscar Theodore Brian 

Rory William George (Robert Rafe Guy "Rafe")

 

Girls:

Alice Katharine Benetta (Henry George Alexander "Harry")

Alice Marie Raphaelle

Amelia Esme

Beatrice Kitty Aurelia (Isabella Coco Rose & George Barnaby Edward)

Cecilia Annabel (Jemima Mary & Harriet Emily)

Chloe Elizabeth 

Dorothy Rose

Evelyn Rose

Everly Noelle 

Isabella Nancy Rose (Frederick James Sam)

Isla Rose (Maya & Darcie)

Lainey Grey

Lana Ivy

Lily-Rose Henrietta

Louisa Astrid (Harvey Hanson)

Matilda Alice (Elliott)

Olivia Annie Una

Penelope Rose

Rebecca Elizabeth

Rosie Ann

Savannah Ula (Olivia Alexandra)

Sienna Shân

Verity Pearl Victoria (Eden Rose Catherine & India Faith Frances)

Willow Kathleen

 

 

 

Brief Hiatus

 

I'm off to Snowdonia for a week on a school residential, so there won't be any post on the blog for a while. Apologies if you've emailed me recently and I haven't got back to you yet -- I've been making my way through my inbox. Expect a reply from me next week. 

 

Thanks,
Elea 

 

Name Help: A Sibling for Malcolm

 

Canadians Lauren and James are expecting baby #2, a brother or sister for their son Malcolm James, and are looking for name inspiration. 

Lauren writes: "Malcolm is from the Scottish king and the James is my husband's first name. For our next child, I'm pretty set on the girl's first name of Eleanor (from Eleanor of Aquitaine who was a total bad ass) that I picked out when I was pregnant the first time. I wouldn't mind some guidance on a middle name option and would prefer a one-syllable Rose? Mae?

Of more concern though is a suggestion for a complimentary boys name. My husband and I have thought about Patrick but I'm still not sold on it.  The runner-up right now is Alistair but my husband's not a fan. 

I really like historical names. When we were pregnant the first time I looked for baby names by searching through lists of UK monarchs.  It doesn’t have to be a royal name, but I do like names that have been around 800+ years. For middle names, the history factor is not as important but rather something that works.  Ideally, I would like a name that everyone is familiar with (not explaining how to spell it every time) but still not super popular.

Names we have eliminated for boys:

Robb/Robert - Robb is my mother-in-law’s maiden name so is both my husband’s middle name and his brother’s first name

Richard - I like the name Richard but I’m not sure I like it as a little kid name and I hate how it shortens to Dick

Alexander - a family name that I like but I’m not sure it works with our long last name

Duncan -  I quite like this name but a close cousin already took it

Any name starting with the letter B - I currently have three nieces who are named Brynn, Blaire and Briana so would like to avoid B names."

 

 

※    ※    ※    ※

Patrick and Alistair are both fantastic names – especially with Malcolm. But, sometimes, however perfectly a name fits, it just doesn't sit right. The good news is that there are plenty of other fantastic options which work equally well. 

I must confess that I have limited knowledge of popularity of names in Canada, so have used the 2015 data from British Columbia as a general guide. 

And, Eleanor! Well, what can I say really? I'm totally biased, but I really do think its a fabulous name and has always served me very well. 

 

Boys:

Alick – Alexander is a family name; Alistair is a Scottish form. If Alistair doesn't quite cut the mustard, how about the short form Alick? Alec is the more common spelling, but Alick feels a little bit more substantial as a standalone name, which has been used on its own since at least the 19th century. 

Dominic – The sounds of Patrick combined with the debonair smoothness of Alistair. Dominic is a stately, historic name which has been born by popes and saints (balancing Malcolm's saintly and kingly heritage) that also feels down-to-earth and friendly. 

Lachlan – A fabulous Scottish name with bags of modern appeal but with an ancient heritage. It started life as a Scottish name for a Scandinavian -- literally a "loch lander" -- and quickly established itself as a given name. It was particularly notable in Clan MacLean and Clan Mackintosh in the Middle Ages. In BC in 2015, it shared a ranked with Patrick at #194. 

Arthur – Also sharing the same rank as Lachlan and Patrick is kingly Arthur -- a name of myth, legend, and chivalry. As well as heroic, Arthur also feels quaint and homely. Henry VIII's elder brother was Arthur, Prince of Wales, and so was the reigning King Arthur England almost had. 

Angus – A distinguished yet friendly name borne by Pictish and Irish kings. In Irish myth, Aengus was the ancient god of youth and poetic inspiration. 

Fergus– A stylish Gaelic name meaning "man of courage" which was popular in medieval Scotland and Ireland. 

Russell – Both a medieval nickname meaning "little red one" and the once common name for a fox. There is evidence that Russell was once used as a given name in the Middle Ages, and it was famously the surname of the aristocratic Russell family, Dukes of Bedford. 

Harvey – An Old Breton name meaning "battle worthy." It was brought to Britain by the Normans and was popular in the Middle Ages. As knightly as Richard but with a vintage twist. 

Magnus – A Late Latin name meaning "great" which has been borne by Scandinavian kings and long popular in Scotland alongside Malcolm. If you don’t mind that shares initial with Malcolm, the two make a very handsome pair, or you can shorten it to adorable Gus. 

Rhys – Malcolm is to Scottish royalty what Rhys is to Welsh royalty. A strong, brisk name (meaning "ardent, enthusiastic") which has a modern sound but thousands of years of history and heritage. Rhys ap Gruffudd (Lord Rhys) is a national hero in Wales and he is just one of the many many medieval princes to bear the name. 

Griffin – Gruffudd (Griffith) is another great princely name in Wales which has been borne by many a hero. Griffin was an anglicised form and was actually pretty popular in its own right in Tudor England. 

Douglas – A sturdy-reliable with a sweet charm, Douglas is a Scottish clan name which has been used as a given name since at least the 16th century. Clan Douglas was one of the most powerful families of the Kingdom of Scotland and eventually became the Earls of Douglas. 

Hector – A fantastically heroic name thanks to the hero of Troy who was known for his virtue and bravery. So heroic was Hector that he became one of the Nine Worthies in the Middle Ages, and his name was also given to an Arthurian knight. Hector has had long use in Scotland as an Anglicised form of the Gaelic name Eachann. Hector Boece (c. 465–536) was a notable Scottish historian, famous for writing the Historia Gentis Scotorum (History of the Scottish People).

Hamish – A handsome and kingly Scottish form of James which would mean both boys would share a name linked to their father's. 

Gavin – The medieval form of Gawain – the gallant and loyal Arthurian knight – which has long been used in Scotland. It ranked at #66 in BC in 2015 making it not too popular, but definitely stylish. 

Cormac – Dashing and bold, Cormac is an ancient kingly name from Ireland. Heritage and style wrapped in one. 

 

Girls:

Eleanor Jane – A simple and sweet name with plenty of strength and backbone. So many notable women (real and in fiction) have borne the name from including royalty and saints. 

Eleanor Alice – Like Jane, Alice also marries charm and gentility with determination and strength. In the Middle Ages, troubadours often sang of the beautiful "Fair Aelis"  and it has been borne by several princesses. 

Eleanor Lucy – A sweet and saintly name with a hint of sass. Lucy has been a staple since the Middle Ages. 

Eleanor Gwen – A charming Welsh name which has ancient roots and a hint of magic. Gwen alone means "white, fair, blessed" and has a heritage so ancient that it was attached to several Celtic deities. From Gwen came the lyrical Gwenhwyfar (the fair queen Guinevere of Arthurian legend) and the medieval Welsh name Gwenllian which was popular among Welsh royalty. 

Eleanor Grace – Rose, May/e and Grace may be the standard go-to middle name for girls, but that doesn't make them any less lovely. Grace has a long history of use (it was popular in Tudor England) 

Eleanor Mary – A name of queens and saints and many a literary heroine. Mary is a sweet staple which no longer feels overused. 

Eleanor Ivy – A short and sweet floral which packs a punch. Ivy has a lovely Victorian heritage and vintage charm. 

Eleanor Maeve – If Mae takes your fancy, how about Maeve, a great warrior queen from Irish legend much akin to Boudicca, as well as real early Irish princesses. 

Eleanor Tess – A pocket-sized literary gem with packs a punch. Tess has a plenty of substance, strength and style. 

 

 

 

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

 

UK Birth Announcements 2/10/17 - 8/10/17

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:

Alexander Frederick Charles

Alistair Henry (Ryan & Georgia Olivia)

Aubrey Andrew Lionel

Benjamin Alexander (Joshua Andrew "Josh")

Charlie Matthew 

Edward Sebastian Stanley (Harry Sebastian Nathan)

Freddie Arthur Ashby (George Edward Livsey)

Henry Wolfe (Evelyn & Pandora)

Isaac Steven (Harry)

Luke James David (Skye Ann)

John Allan "Johnny" (Olivia Eleanor)

Magnus (Lachlan & Innes)

Mason David

Max Alexander (Amelia Rose)

Max Robert (Luca David & Joey Russell)

Oliver James Peter

Rory Arthur Joseph

Rory David (Annabelle, Bryce Maximus & Jackson Paul)

Rory William

Theo Peter (Freddie, Tommy Peter & Ellis Peter)

Theodore Dennis Glynn

 

Girls:

Arielle Francesca (Hope Caroline, Amelie Marie & Lucia Therese)

Athene Pia Holly (Orlando)

Beatrice Edith (Phoebe May & Esme Susan)

Bella Ettolie (Livvy Ellen)

Cleopatra Frederica Madeline (Electra Amalia Bartholomea)

Clover Mary

Elizabeth Alice

Emma Luminara

Freya Lily Anne (Thomas George Paul)

Georgette Judith

Harriet Grace

Kimberley

Lola Harper

Poppy Jayne

Valentina Elise (Hera Ivy)

 

Twins:

Ace & Atlas

Eloise Alexandra & Henry Windham Rowland