British Baby Names

Name Musings: May 2018

  

 

Most of the name-sightings from this month are thanks to celebrities and the new, creative or resurrected names they've been choosing. If you follow the blog's Facebook page then you'll already be up-to-date with many of these celebrity birth announcements, from Delilah-Rae and Elise-Rose to Miles Theodore and Cassius Ashley. Below are some of my favourites.

 

Ennis

At the beginning of May, actress Kirsten Dunst and actor Jesse Plemons welcomed their first child - a boy. Just over a week later it was revealed what they had named him Ennis Howard Plemons. 

Ennis is an Irish surname derived from inis meaning "island" or 'meadow along a river'* making it a relative of the Scottish Innes. It has an old-school style about it. Part retro Denis and Boris, part revived modern Ellis and Lewis. 

In England and Wales, Ennis has always been uncommon, though it did reach a high point of #2335 (9 boys) in 2016. It has also occasionally ranked for girls also:

 

Axel

Also at the beginning of May came the announcement that footballer Gareth Bale and fiancée Emma Rhys-Jones welcomed their third child and first son together whom they have named Axel Charles Bale, a brother for Alba Violet and Nava Valentina. Sticking with the 4-letter, vowel-to-consonant ratio theme, Axel strikes the same stylish Continental note as his sisters' names. 

The name Axel is the Old Swedish form of Axelen, itself the Old Danish form of the Biblical name Absalom meaning "father (is/of) peace."

Since 1996, Axel has been steadily rising in England and Wales. Up until 2004, it consistently had between 12 and 19 births per year but has seen more of a marked rise since 2010 when it reached #706 (43 births). It reached #362 in 2016 with 128 births.

 

Hart

The day after little Axel's name was announced, Australian model Miranda Kerr announced that she had given birth to her second son (her first with husband Evan Spiegel) whom they have named Hart Kerr Spiegel.

Hart is named in honour of Evan's grandfather, Hart H. Spiegel, a prominent San Francisco lawyer. He joins older half-brother Flynn Kerr Bloom (whose name also honours a grandparent). 

Not only does Hart have an honour name, just like his brother, they both also share a cool short-but-sweet swiftness with a surname style.

The name Hart has multiple meanings. Not only is it reminiscent of the word 'heart', it is also a vocabulary word in English referring to a stag, giving it a cool nature vibe. The surname Hart derives from the Old English heorot "hart, stag" via the Middle English hert. A famous bearer is Hart Crane (1899-1932), the American poet, who was born Harold Hart Crane. Hart was his mother's maiden name and which he adopted as his pen name. 

Hart can also be viewed as a short form of the Germanic name Hartmann, composed of the Old High German words harti "hard, strong" and mann "man." 

Hart is very rare in Britain and has only ranked in the official data of England and Wales (needing more than two births to qualify) once since 1996: in 2014 when three boys were registered with the name. 
Despite this, I think Hart has bags of potential to rise. It is brief and swift, surname-style, contains the fashionable 'ar' sound and has links to nature. Win win! 

 

Marvel

The next May celebrity to be announced was a girl! Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy fame announced on 14th May that he and partner Meagan Camper welcomed a daughter whom they have named Marvel Jane Wentz. She joins Pete and Meagan's son Saint Lazslo Wentz and half-brother Bronx Mowgli Wentz (Pete's son with Ashlee Simpson). 

Love it or loath it, Marvel works as an edgy name on several levels. Firstly, it is a vocabulary word that is both a noun and a verb. The noun refers to "a wonderful or astonishing person or thing" and the verb means "to be filled with wonder or astonishment."*

Then there are the Marvel Comics which have recently had massive success as a series of films made by Marvel Studios -- the most recent of which was Avengers: Infinity War.

One character from the comics who is yet to appear in the films (though we know she will, and will be played by Brie Larson) is Captain Marvel alias of Carol Danvers who is pitted as one of the most powerful Marvel characters. There are hints that it is this Marvel that Pete and Meagan were thinking of when he writes in her birth announcement that "she’s already ready to takeover the world."*

Marvel has some small usage in England and Wales but has never had more than 4 babies in any given year. In 2003 it was given to 4 girls (#3594) and it was given to 3 boys in 2007, 2008 and 2014, and 4 boys in 2012 (#3987).

Marvel may have been used more than this chart suggests as only names with 3 or more births are given. In some years, 1 or 2 children may have received the name.

 

Zalie

Not a celebrity birth, but the celebrity-inspired name, Zalie came to light this month with the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle -- now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. 

Zalie Warren was one of Meghan's bridesmaids alongside Princess Charlotte, Florence van Cutsem, Rylan Litt, Remi Litt and Isabel Veronica "Ivy" Mulroney and pageboys Prince George, Jasper Dyer, Brian Mulroney and John Mulroney. 

Zalie, aged 2, was the youngest of the bridesmaids. She is the daughter of Jake and Zoe Warren and the goddaughter of Prince Harry. Jake is a close friend of Prince Harry -- they attended Ludgrove preparatory school and Eton College together and Jake himself is one of Diana, Princess of Wales's godson. 

Zalie has a twin sister named India. When interviewed by the Daily Mail shortly after their birth, Zoe said, "There's no particular inspiration behind the names. We just really liked them." 

Zalie is a very uncommon name (it has not ranked at all in the official data of England and Wales since 1996), but one that I have come across before in Times and Telegraph announcements (such as here in 1997) indicating its upper-crust appeal. [India has long been a Times and Telegraph favourite]. 

It is difficult to pin point the origin of Zalie. Most likely it was coined based on sound and its similarity to names like Sadie, Zelie and Millie. There are birth records for Zalie dating from 1872 for both boys and girls in England and Wales. Most of the 19th century examples are male, from London, and often Jewish families from Poland or Russia. In some cases, it has been used as a diminutive for Azalea, in others I have found it used as a nickname for Israel. Sometimes, Zalie could be from Zali, a Polish diminutive of Sarah. 

The pronunciation is also unclear. For British actress and playwright Zalie Burrow, it is pronounced ZAY-lee.

 

 

So which of these celebrity-inspired names do you think will rise? Well, I think they all have a good chance of getting more usage and exposure, but I doubt Ennis or Marvel will go mainstream. Axel and Hart however, I think have a lot of potential.

 

UK Birth Announcements 21/5/18 - 27/5/18

 

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 Thomas

Ashkan (Arianna)

Charlie Denys

Dexter Basil

Edward Anthony Fraser

Edward Arthur William

Ezra William Scott (Ruby Violet)

Hector Peter Frederick (Arthur Robert William)

Henry William Charles

Jude Jackson (Bobby)

Lucas John (Ethan Michael & Ryan James)

Oliver Alex

Rohan 

Zachary Paul Edward

 

Girls: 

Alice Joanna (Bethany Carol)

Athena

Aubrey Ava

Bethany-Rae 

Caitlin Olivia

Charlotte Dorothy (Isabelle Lesley Jean)

Francesca Sofia

Margaret Anne Rose

Mia Elizabeth Grace

Mollie Victoria Tara

Nancy

Poppy Jemima Rose (Benjamin "Benji" Richard Welby)

Ruby Grace

 

 

Name of the Week: Vincent

 

 

Origin:

Vincent is the anglicised form of the Latin name Vincentius, derived from the Latin vincens (accusative vincentem) meaning "conquering, winning."

Usage:

Vincentius was well used by early Roman Christians and several saints bore the name including three 4th century saints, one 5th century and one 7th century saint.  Of these, the earliest, Saint Vincent of Saragossa (died 304), had a wide cult veneration, beyond his native Spain and into France in the Middle Ages. Significantly, Castres became an important stop on the international pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela when the relics of Vincent were transferred to its new abbey-church from Saragossa in 863.  The island of St. Vincent in the Caribbean was also named after Vincent of Saragossa by Christopher Columbus, because the island was discovered by Europeans on 22 January, St. Vincent's feast day. In England, Vincent came into use around 1200. One Vincent is recorded in 1189 in the Surveys of the Estate of Glastonbury Abbey; a Vincentius appears in the 1206 Curia Regis Rolls of Norfolk; Vincent de Winchecumbe is listed in 1207 in the Pleas and Assize Rolls of Oxfordshire and Vincent de Culeham is on the Curia Regis Rolls of Berkshire in 1212.  It was certainly used well enough to create the surnames Vincent, Vincett, Vinsen Vinson and Vinsun in the 13th century, not long after the given name was introduced.  In Smith Bannister's rank of top 50 names from 1538 to 1700 in England, Vincent only appears in one of the sixteen decade rankings: just scraping in at #50 in 1590-9. For all the other fifteen decades of top 50 rankings, Vincent fell below.  This shows us that Vincent remained in constant use through to the Early Modern period, but was never especially common.  The French Roman Catholic priest, Saint Vincent de Paul (1581–1660), founded the Vincentian Order of the Sisters of Charity in the 17th century. According to E.G. Withycombe, this "increased its use in Roman Catholic countries" alongside the veneration of Saint Vincent Ferrer (1350–1419). click to enlarge By the 19th century, Vincent steadily began to rise in England and Wales. Data from the 1881 UK census (see image, right) shows that it was little used in Scotland or Wales, but was mostly used in England.  1850: #133 1860: #131 1870: #129 1880: #124 1890: #106 1900: #103 1914: #91 1924: #78 1934: #85 1944: #94 1954: #87 1964: #72  click to enlarge By 1974, Vincent had fallen out of the top 100 in England and Wales.   Since 1996, Vincent has seen a steady rise in England and Wales. From #245 (117 births) in 1996, it reached #195 (225 births) in 2006 and has been in the top 200 consecutively for the last five years.  The short form Vinnie has also seen a rise. From not ranking at all in 1996, it hit the top 500 at #406 (64 births) in 2003 and was #184 (305 births) in 2016.  In 2016, Vincent ranked #156 (380 births) in England and Wales, but regionally ranked highest at #123 in the South East and #142 in the East.  Vincent also ranked #264 (17 births) in Scotland in 2017 and #281 (6 births) in Northern Ireland in 2016.

Famous Bearers:

Saints: * Saint Vincent of Saragossa (died 304), deacon and martyr, patron saint of Lisbon and Valencia. * Saints Vincent, Orontius, and Victor (died 305), martyrs who evangelized in the Pyrenees. * Saint Vincent of Digne (died 379), French bishop of Digne. * Saint Vincent of Lérins (died 445), Church father, Gallic author of early Christian writings * Saint Vincent Madelgarius (died 677), Benedictine monk who established two monasteries in France. * Saint Vincent Ferrer (1350–1419), Valencian Dominican missionary and logician. * Saint Vincent de Paul (1581–1660), Catholic priest who served the poor. * Saint Vincent Pallotti (1795–1850), Italian ecclesiastic. History: * Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), Dutch Post-Impressionist painter. * Vincent Massey (1887-1967), Canadian lawyer, diplomat and 18th Governor General of Canada. * Vincent Apap (1909-2003), Maltese sculptor. * Vincent Price (1911-1993), American actor. Contemporary: * Vincent "Vince" Gill (born 1957), American country music singer, songwriter and musician. * Vincent D'Onofrio (born 1959), American actor, director, producer, writer, and singer. * Vincent "Vince" Clarke (born 1960), English musician, part of Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Assembly, Erasure, VCMG. * Vincent "Vinnie" Jones (born 1965), British actor and former footballer. * Vincent Cassel (born 1966), French actor. * Vincent Regan (born 1966), British actor. * Vincent "Vince" Vaughn (born 1970), American actor. Literature and Other Media: * Vincent Crummles, a character in Charles Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby. * Vincent Vega, a main character in the film Pulp Fiction. * Vincent Corleone, a character in The Godfather Part III. * Vincent "Vinnie" Patterson, character  from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, 1997-2002, played by Ryan Kwanten.

Variants:

Vincenzo (Italian), Vicente (Spanish, Portuguese, Italian), Vinzenz, Vinzent (German), Wincenty (Polish), Vikenti, Vikentiy (Russian), Vissente (Sardinian), Vikentije (Serbian), Bikendi (Basque), Vicenç, Vicent (Catalan), Vinko (Croatian), Vincenc (Czech)

Pronunciation:

VIN-sənt [key]

Possible diminutives:

Vin, Vince, Vinnie, Vinny

Sibling Names:

Georgina     Edith     Constance     Esther     Marnie     Katherine  Patrick     Anthony     Maximilian     Wilfred     Sidney    Xavier

Name Lists:

Vintage Names  Victorian Darlings   Dickensian Names

 

If you like Vincent you may also like:   Winston, Calvin, Tristan, Francis, Leonard, Vincent, Clement, Laurence, Andrew, Edmund

Thanks to Adrienne for requesting this name.  

 

Celtic Guest Blogs at Nameberry

 

For those who are fans of Celtic names, here are three posts I've written for Nameberry where I've analysed the most popular British Celtic names in their native countries:

Top Welsh Names in Wales

Top Scottish Names in Scotland

Top Cornish Names in Cornwall

There are no Ceridwens or Morags here; these are the names which represent the most popular in 2016 and 2017 in their homelands. 

Seren and Dylan in Wales; Isla and Lewis in Scotland and Tristan and Jennifer (or Elowen) in Cornwall coming out top may not be surprising, but there are lots of gems lower down like Awel, Dyfan, Marsaili, Sorley, Sennen and Lerryn. 

 

UK Birth Announcements 14/5/18 - 20/5/18

 

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 Paul (Darcie Jean)

Alfred Henry Bluett (Elsa Rose Macfarlane)

Austin James Michael

Bertie William George (Arabella Edith Rose)

Charlie Frances Phillip (Finn Patrick Anthony)

Charlie Thomas

Cornell Jai

Ezra Gabriel (Isaac Benedict

Finn William MacCallum (Eliza Caroline Irene & Fergus Henry Richard)

Frederick James Hamilton

Jack Lucian Saxton

Lucas Arthur (Alice Elizabeth)

Noah Gordon (Zoey Esther)

Oliver Michael Carno (Benjamin Alexander Simon)

Robin Alexander Louis (Cora Andie-Jaye)

Roland Albert (Walter Owen)

Thomas Alexander Rupert (Henry George William)

Wilfred Arthur William (Olivia Rose & James Henry)

 

Girls: 

Anna Elizabeth

Ava Jessica (Emily Rose)

Beatrice Eleanore Audrey (Rupert Anthony Michael)

Evangeline Olive Tuppence "Jelly" (Elizabeth, Sophia Catherine, Florence Daisy & Benedict Mark Tiberius)

Florence Jane Rebecca

Freya Briony (Olivia Florence)

Katherine Dorothy Margaret (Arthur James Smylie)

Louisa Jane (Evelyn Elizabeth)

Nia Felicity India (Morgan & Tey)

Ottilie Alice Robin

Primrose Mabel (Chester Lucas & Jasper Hadley)

Thalia Grace

Violet Sophia Roma

Willow Sophia

 

Twins:

Kai Levin & Letitia Kristina (Logan Kian) - mum and dad have initials L & K. 

 

Name of the Week: Royal Wedding Special 2018

 

Hip hip hooray! It's the wedding day of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle — the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex! 

To celebrate (in true British patriotic style), today I'm going to delve deeper into the names of the happy couple. 

 

Prince Harry's full name is Henry Charles Albert David. 

Henry is a name borne by no fewer than eight kings of England; Charles honours his father; Albert was the first name of his great-grandfather (Queen Elizabeth's father, George VI) and David was one of the names of King Edward VIII — and the name he was known by in the Royal family. 

 

Origin:

Though, in the Prince's case, Harry is used as a diminutive of Henry, it was originally Henry's standard English vernacular form. 

The name started out as the Old High German name Heimerich, composed of the elements heim "home" and rīhhi "ruler". It was Latinised as Henricus, from which came the French Henri. The Normans brought Henri with them to Britain where it was pronounced "Harry" or "Herry" in Middle English.

By the 19th century, Harry and Henry had distinct pronunciations, and Harry was being used as a diminutive of both Henry and Harold. There are, however, still parts of Britain today where the local dialect turns Henry into "Herry" or "Harry."

 

Usage:

As Harry was the standard English vernacular form of Henri/Henry, it is rarely found in written documents. The great number of surnames derived from it however, such as Harris, Harrison and Parry, attest to its usage. Henry's medieval petform Hal, and its diminutive Halkin, also preserves Harry's 'a'. 

For Harry's popularity then, we need to look at Henry. Redmond's popularity ranking, puts Henry at #6 in England from 1377-81 and Smith Bannister's popularity rankings have it consistently ranking between #6 and #11 from 1538 to 1700. [For more information see the Name of the Week post on Henry]. 

By the 16th and 17th century, Harry has more of a presence in written documents, and was beginning to see more use in its own right — most likely as Henry began to develop a separate pronunciation — though the two were still closely linked.

Data from the Surname Atlas (click to enlarge)

Harry's popularity was very consistent in the 19th century. Mostly, it sat happily in the top 20 in England and Wales, ranking #25 in 1850, #18 in 1860, #16 in 1870, #18 in 1880, and #15 both 1890 and 1900.
It also ranked #38 in Scotland in 1900. 

Data from the 1881 census (right) shows that, although Harry was in good use in Scotland and Wales, most of its usage was in England. 
Its popularity per 100,000 people shows that it was also very evenly distributed across England.

It is fair to say that, as it was so extremely popularly there, Harry became a quintessentially English name. No wonder Harry was listed alongside Tom and Dick in the well known phrase meaning 'men in general'. 

The fate of both Harry and Henry were very similar in the 20th century. 

 

click to enlarge

In 1904, Harry was #18 in England and Wales, while Henry was just above at #17. Both saw a steep decline, and by 1954 Henry was #84 and Harry was clinging on to #100. After that, both names fell out of the top 100.
In Scotland, Harry ranked #68 in 1950, but had also fallen out of their top 100 by 1975. 

This is not very surprising. By the 1960s Harry had moved into the "old man name" category. In 1958, for example, rock and roll star Harry Webb changed his common old-fashioned name for the much more edgy "Cliff Richard". The men born in Harry and Henry's turn-of-the-century height were, by that time, the First World War veterans, and quite literally the "grandfathers" of the young generation.

 

From not ranking at all in the top 100 at all in 1984, Harry had miraculously leapt to #30 in 1994. The reason almost certainly lies with the birth of the Prince Harry in September 1984. 

Harry was steadily rising in England and Wales in the 1990s and this rise was further helped by a famous British wizard named Harry Potter. the first book of which was published in 1997 and the first film was released in 2001. 

click to enlarge

In 1996, Harry ranked #17 with 4434 births. By 2001, 5662 boys were given the name (#6) and 6143 by 2009 (#3). It reached the number #1 spot in both 2011 and 2012. 

In 2012, 7168 boys were given the name, ranking at #1.

In Scotland, Harry was also on the rise. It ranked #58 in 2005, #43 in 2007, #30 in 2009, #9 in 2011, #8 in 2012 and #10 in 2013 with 299 births.  

After ranking at #3 in 2014 and 2015 in England and Wales, in 2016, Harry moved up again to #2 with 5284 births. 

 

 

Meghan's full name is Rachel Meghan Markle. She was born in Los Angeles, California in 1981. 

Her name is a variant spelling Megan which, in 1981 when she was borb, was #33 in America, while Meghan was #116.

While Megan became a fashionable choice in the 1910s and 1920s in Britain, it took a while to be exported over to America, first ranking in their top 1000 in 1952.

From that point on, however, Megan's rise was dramatic: reaching the top 100 in 1975 and was in the top 15 from 1984 to 2002. Meghan was also in the American top 100 from 1983 to 1994, though its highest rank was #63 in 1985. 

After 2002, Megan began to decline in America, leaving the top 100 in 2009. In 2017, Megan ranked #499 and Meghan was #883.

 

Origin:

Megan is a Welsh diminutive form of Margaret. itself an anglicised form of the Latin Margarita, from the Greek margarites "pearl." 

The medieval short form Megge -- in use from the 13th century --  was given the Welsh feminine diminutive -an, also found in Bethan, Betsan and Pegan. 

 

Usage: 

By its nature as a diminutive, paper evidence for Megan in use is hard to come by, as many early Megans would have been formally registered in records as Margaret.
The spelling Megen, however, can be found as early as 1547, appearing in Wyllyam Salesbury's A Dictionary in Englyshe and Welshe. 

The name also became the title of a romantic Welsh folk song Merch Megan or Wyres Megan, often translated into English as Megan's Fair Daughter or The Daughter of Megan, which tells the tale of a man's adoration and unrequited love for Megan's daughter. It appeared in John Parry's Twelve Airs for one and two Guitars in 1781 and Edward Jones' The Bardic Museum in 1802. 

By the 19th century, when diminutive forms began to be given in their own right, we see Megan in more and more use. As a standalone name it was rather uncommon, and was seemingly much more used as an actual nickname than records suggest. It was mostly confined to Wales, though there were a few registrations in England.

Births in England and Wales:

1840s: 0 births
1850s: 3 births
1860s: 1 birth
1870s: 4 births
1880s: 7 births
1890s: 18 births
1900s: 151 births
1910s: 2918 births
1920s: 3845 births
1930s: 1960 births
1940s: 1524 births
1950s: 840 births
1960s: 565 births

Megan picked up more independent usage in the 1890s, ramped up in use in the early 1900s, exploded in the 1910s, and peaked in the 1920s. This coincided with not only the revival of Celtic names in Wales (some would have preferred Welsh Megan to anglicised Margaret), and the increased use of registering diminutive forms.

London Daily News - 17 Nov 1910

It is interesting to note that, though already rising, Megan saw a marked increase after 1908 when Welsh politician David Lloyd George became Chancellor of the Exchequer, and another increase again when he became Prime Minister in 1916.
His youngest daughter was named Megan, born in 1902, most likely after her mother Margaret. His other children were named Richard, Mair, Olwen and Gwilym, clearly showing a preference for Welsh-heritage names.

Megan was a sweet little girl, and was often photographed on outings with her parents and mentioned in newspaper reports.

Megan herself went into politics, becoming the first female Member of Parliament for a Welsh constituency in 1929, and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party 1949-1952. She campaigned for a Welsh Parliament and was named a Companion of Honour posthumously in 1966.

The 1920s also saw the fame of celebrated Welsh mezzo-soprano opera singer Leila Megane, born Margaret Jones (1891-1960) who may well also have glamourised the name.

Dunkling's data per 10,000 births in England and Wales shows how Megan saw a dramatic rise by the end of the 20th century:

1900	1925	1935	1950	1955	1960	1965	1970	1975	1980	1985	1990
-	4	2	-	-	8	-	2	-	2	8	52

 

click to enlarge

From that time, in England, the name began to decrease in use, which has had a big effect on the overall rankings of England and Wales. However, in Wales individually, Megan increased in use, ranking #1 in 2004, 2005 and 2006.In England and Wales, Megan joined the top 100 in England and Wales at #17 in 1994. It was #5 by 1997 and peaked at #3 from 1998 to 2001. 

In the combined rankings of England and Wales, Megan left the top 10 in 2004 and the top 20 in 2009. However, in Wales alone, Megan was still in the top 10 until 2011. 

In Scotland, Megan reached the top 100 at #87 in 1987 and was in the top 10 by 1994. It peaked at #2 in 1998 after which it steadily declined. 

In 2016, Megan ranked #31 in Wales (84 births), #90 in England (574 births) -- #89 combined. In 2017, it ranked #75 (60 births) in Scotland.

 

Name Help: A Sibling for Arianna and Ophelia

  

 

 

Joanna and Sam are expecting their third child -- a surprise! -- to join big sisters Arianna and Ophelia.

Joanna writes: "We are expecting our third child, a brother or sister for our two daughters Arianna and Ophelia. We love their names but are struggling to find something that we both love and that holds the same allure!

For a girl ideally the name will have a similar type of feel as our other daughter’s. For a girl we would go a little more unusual but for a boy I think we would want that balance of familiar but not too common. For a either boy or girl a strong sounding name that grows with them, girls we tend to prefer softer sounding names. Ideally we want something that is fairly original but not too out there. Something that sits outside the top 100 but is familiar, we feel like we hit the nail on the head with our two girls especially Ophelia so now there’s more pressure to find another name that we both love and ticks all the boxes!

Names for girls:

Imogen - Loved for years, a good friends has named her daughter this.

Emmie - We love this but feel it should be a nickname for a more complete/longer name but can’t find anything we love!

Indy - Similar to Emmie, we’re not sold on India and worry it could sound strange next to our girls other choice

Hallie - Again similar to both Emmie and India and not sure it flows with our surname [ends with -el].

Freya - Strong contender but its very common, feel it could fit in well with our sibling set 

Thalia - Sam isn’t too keen and I think it sounds too similar to Ophelia 

Names for boys:

Noah - I love this name, but my husband Sam isn’t keen plus its very popular which puts me off

Arlo - We like it but is it a bit out there?

Jude, Spencer & Jasper: We haven’t discounted these but aren’t completely sure, especially Spencer….is it too pretentious?!

 

 

 

※    ※    ※    ※

Ah, such a shame Imogen is off the table! I feel your pain there. A perfectly complimentary name that has the same allure as Arianna and Ophelia. I can see the pitfalls of the rest of your list, however, but I'm sure there is something equally lovely we can find. 

For boys, your list feels pretty solid. Jude is relatively popular but not overused (#53 in South East and #61 in South West in 2016) and Jasper is a dapper-up-and-comer. It ranked #98 overall in England an Wales in 2016, but ranks highest in the South West and South East (#51 and #77 respectively).

As for Arlo, a few years ago it was still an uncommon hipster choice, until, thanks to a slew of celebrity babies, it skyrocketed in 2016 from #102 to #49 in England and Wales and ranks even higher at #32 in the SW and #44 in the SE. So far from outlandish, it's now perfectly mainstream. 

 

Girls:

Jemima – Jemima has a sweet and sunny, Victorian charm with the added advantage that it ranks between #150-#200 in the South (just like Ophelia and Arianna) and could be used as a longer form for Emmie. 

Clementine – Another way to get to Emmie is vintage Clementine or variant Clemency. Highest in the SE and SW at #258 and #317 (it was #412 overall in E&W in 2016) it's not too 

Lucinda – If Indy takes your fancy, but not India, how about using lovely lyrical Lucinda as a longer form? Like Arianna and Ophelia, it has its roots in 17th century literature and romance. 

Rosalind – Another way to get to Indy is romantic medieval Rosalind. Like Ophelia it is Shakespearean (Shakespeare also used Adriana, so it's close!). 

Rosalie – Speaking of Rosalind, another fragrant Rose- name is sweet Rosalie. It has the same soft strength as Arianna and Ophelia without repeating sounds. 

Elodie – Like Rosalie, Elodie is a very complimentary name to Ophelia and Arianna while still having distinct sounds. It ranked #118 in the SW and #120 in the SE in 2016, making it known but not 

Eloise – Similar to Elodie is medieval French import Eloise, famously part of romantic duo Héloïse and Abelard. It ranks just below the top 100 nationally, though is slightly more popular at #80 in the South East.

Helena – A royal princess name which has and elegant charm. It was #199 in the SE and #339 in the SW making it familiar yet uncommon. I also don't think it's too much of a stretch in to use Hallie as a nickname.

Orla – If Freya is too common, but you love the sound and its ancient past, how about Orla? It's a beautiful royal medieval Irish name meaning "golden sovereign" (often translated as "golden princess" which ranks in the sweet spot of #107 in England and Wales. 

Maya – Also akin to Freya is ethereal Maya. It comes from several different sources:  "illusion, divine power" in Sanskrit; is an English variant of the Roman May spring goddess Maia, meaning "great"; and also derived from the Hebrew word for "water." 

Beatrix – Beatrice is sweet, royal and gentle, while Breatrix has a more of a feisty kick. Either are lovely choices which aren't too common (Beatrice is #80 and Beatrix is #168 - or between #125-#130 in the South).

Primrose – A sweet and fragrant floral name which has a chic and elegant allure. The potential to use Posy as a nickname is doubly appealing. It ranked just below the #150 mark in both the South East and West in 2016 where it was most popular, but ranked #232 overall. 

Genevieve – Again, more popular in the South than anywhere else in the country (around the #300 mark) but still an uncommon gem. Genevieve is a Victorian sweetheart with a strong medieval heritage.

Felicity – A mellifluous virtue name meaning "happiness" which carries grace and style. At #97 it is a well known name but not too common. For a rarer choice, there is also alternate lovely virtue name Verity which is most common in the South at #233 (SW) and #244 (SE).

Penelope – Arianna is derived from the Greek mythological Ariadne, Ophelia was also coined from ancient Greek, so Greek paragon Penelope seems like a perfectly complimentary choice. It ranks at #63, making it not too hot, and not too cold. 

Evangeline – Literature made Evangeline a Victorian sensation, and -- though less common today -- it has't lost any of its appeal. 

Lydia – A Georgian favourite which can be genteel and feisty in equal measure. Like Arianna and Ophelia, it, too, has its roots in Ancient Greece. Ranking at #100, Lydia is in the happy-medium spot of being well known but not overused. 

 

Boys:

Roman – All the dignity of Jasper combined with the strong 'o' sound of Noah and Arlo. Ranking at #92 in 2016, it isn't unheard of but not super popular.

Rowan – Also similar in sound is friendly Rowan, a name with ties to nature and the ancient Celtic world. It ranks at #105 nationally, though is most popular at #62 in the South West.

Jonah / Jonas – A gentlemanly Biblical name which was a staple Georgian / Regency-era choice in Britain. Not only does it share similar sounds to Noah and Jasper, Jonah ranks at #157 and Jonas at #448.

Theodore – Respectably sitting at #42, saintly Theodore hits a dignified middle ground with the option of lively Theo or Teddy as a nickname.

Ellis – The stately surname style of Spencer and Arlo, combined with the Biblical heritage of Noah, Jasper and Jude. Ellis is the medieval vernacular form of  Biblical patriarch Elijah which ranks at #89. 

Gabriel – Like Jasper, Gabriel is a genial Georgian gentleman which -- at #69 in SE and #106 in SW -- is now stylish without being overused.

Zachary / Zack – A strong yet sweet Biblical name with an affable charm. It's short-form, Zack, is playful and sparky. 

Tobias – Tobias has a Biblical heritage, combining old-style homeliness with dignified polish. It also leads to playfu short-form Toby and sits at #85 and #99 in SW and SE/

Miles / Myles – Down-to-earth, affable and charming. Not at all flashy but completely enthralling and interesting. 

Maxwell – Spencer and Arlo's upscale surname style combined with the gentlemanly charm of Jasper. Maxwell is surname derived from a Scottish placename which makes a great longer form for sprightly Max. It sits at #91 in SE and #108 in SW. 

Fletcher – Another dignified surname linked to medieval archery. Fletcher is #233 nationally but most popular in the South West at #143. 

Wesley – A sweet modern staple which has a familiar sound but isn't overused. Wesley is an evergreen name that is friendly and down-to-earth.

Dominic – Like Wesley. Dominic is another evergreen name. Not too sharp or too sweet, for the last few years it has remained just below the top 100.

Hugo – The upbeat sounds of Arlo combined with the heritage of Jasper. Hugo is an early medieval royal name with heaps of charm and modern appeal, ranking respectably at #50. 

 

I hope this has been of use. Good luck with settling on the perfect name!

 

UK Birth Announcements 7/5/18 - 13/5/18

 

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

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

Sibling names are in brackets. 

 

Boys:

Archie James Henry

Archie Owen (Kyan & Alyssa Evelyn)

Charles John (Frederick Giles Alexander)

Dexter George (Eden Reese & Jasper Henry)

Harry William Barclay (Annabel Poppy Lucinda)

Harvard Bartholomew (Harvey, Harleigh-Jai (g) & Harmonie-Mae)

Kyle Stewart Henry

Leo Robert

Liam Henry (Cameron & Isla)

Liam Thomas (Sophie & Ryan)

Llewyn Charles

Lysander George Jefferson (Arabella Beatrice Florence & Hector John Francis)

Ronnie (Grace)

Sebastian Redvers

Seth Cameron (Rafe Joseph)

Stanley James

Wilfred George (Harry Felix)

 

Girls: 

Alice Katharine (Thomas)

Aoibhe May 

Emily Jane Hope

Eva Gracie

Harper (Darcy)

Jessie Ann (Ruby, Aaron and Sophie Ann)

Lexi Trisha (Skyla Jane)

Posie Imogen Michaela (Alette Iris Rita & Frith Gregory Houston)

Sky (Evie & Hendrix)

Sophie Anna (Daniel Alan)

 

 

 

Name of the Week: Lily

 

  

Origin:

As a given name, Lily began life in the Middle Ages as Lylie/Lilie, most likely a pet-form of Elizabeth.* When the Old French suffix -an/-on was added to Lylie it became Lilian, which — in a round-about-twist — Lily later became used as a nickname for.  Elizabeth itself is the English form of the Latin Elizabetha, derived from the Greek Elisabet which, in turn, was derived from the Hebrew Elisheba — el "God" and shaba "to swear, to promise an oath." The surnames Liley, Lilley, Lillie, Lilly and Lely mostly derive from the medieval Lylie but occasionally they also derive from the village of Lilley in Hertfordshire or Lilly in Berkshire.* Lilley was originally Linleia in the Domesday Book showing it derives from the Old English līn "flax" and lēah "clearing." Lily is also commonly associated as the name of several flowers known as lilies such as the Madonna lily, water lily, fire lily, lily of the Nile, calla lily, trout lily, kaffir lily, cobra lily, lily of the valley, daylily, ginger lily, Amazon lily, leek lily, Peruvian lily, and others. The word lily derives from the Old English lilie, itself from Latin lilia "a lily," cognate with Greek leirion. Both are thought to be borrowed from a corrupted pronunciation of an eastern Mediterranean word such as the Coptic hreri, hleli "lily."* By the 1530s it is recorded as being used as an adjective meaning "white, pure, lovely." For centuries, lilies have been the symbol of purity. For the Romans, the lily was sacred to the Queen of the Gods, Juno and, because she was the patroness of marriage and the family, lilies were used in Roman marriage ceremonies.

Usage:

Evidence for Lylie/Lilie's medieval use, though sparse, comes from the 13th century when we find it as a matronymic surname (one taken from the mother's name). One Alan Lilie is listed as a witness in the Bedfordshire Assize Rolls in 1247; a Hugh Lily is in the Hundred Rolls of Lincoln for 1275 and a "Thomas son of Lylie" is mentioned in 1296 in the Court Rolls of Wakefield.  The diminutive Lilian is found in the instance of Geoffrey Lilion in the Bedfordshire Hundred Rolls in 1279. The surnames Lelliott and Lilliard point to other derivatives of Lylie/Lilie.*  It is almost impossible to tell how common Lylie was in the Middle Ages. Not only are records scarce, it was clearly used as a pet-name and any woman called Lylie in the Middle Ages would have been officially named Elizabeth.  In George Redmonds' top 50 names from the poll tax returns of ten English counties 1377-81, Elizabeth ranks at #17, which he categorises as "quite popular." By the late 16th century, it was the #1 name in England and it is during this century that we find Lily itself (most commonly spelled Lilly or Lillie) recorded as a given name in its own right — perhaps bolstered by the surnames — alongside Lilian and and the variant Lilias in Scotland.  Despite this, Lily didn't come into popular use until the 19th century, and by the end of that century it had risen dramatically in usage.  There is an assumption that Lily developed as a nickname for Lilian originally, however, the spelling Lilly was the first to rise, followed by Lilian, then Lily, Lillian and Lillie. Lilla was also in use.  Lilly's use may be thanks to its being used as a pet-name for another name containing -ill or li- and many early famous Lilys certainly used it as cuch. For example, actress Lillie Langtry (1853-1929) was born Emilie Charlotte Langtry; American painter Lilly Martin Spencer (1822-1902) was Angelique, French composer, Lili Boulanger (1893-1918) was Marie-Juliette, German feminist writer Lily Braun (1865–1916) was Amalie and English actress Lily Brayton (1876–1953) was Elizabeth. By the late 19th century, Lily had emerged as the dominant spelling as Lilly declined. This coincided with the late-Victorian floral-name craze which saw the rise of Rose, Daisy, May, Violet and the like.  Birth rankings in England and Wales:   Lily Lilly Lillie Lilley Lilian Lillian Lilla 1850:  1860:  1870:  1880:  1890: 1900:  1904:  1914:  1924:  1934:  #262 #136  #80 #29 #13 #17 #20 #25 #47 #95 #251 #115  #46  #86 #128 #171 - - - - - #220  #136  #78 #99 #119 - - - - #285 #234  #185  - - - - - - - #274 #120  #65  #33 #18 #14 #15 #16 #25 #40 - #193  #129  #114  #155 #128 #66 #71 #90 - #262 #226  #187  #225 #238 #278 - - - - click to enlarge By 1944, Lily had left the top 100 in England and Wales and didn't return to the top 100 until 1994 when it ranked #90. From then on its ascent was rapid, reaching the top 50 at #45 (1,124 births) in 2000 and the top 10 at #9 (3,407 births) in 2006. Since then it has fluctuated within the top 13, peaking at #3 with 4,761 births in 2011.  The spelling Lilly also saw a steep rise over the same period. From ranking #375 (89 births) in 1996, it jumped rapidly from #169 (291 births) in 2003 to #100 (521 births) in 2004. It carried on rising in the top 100 til it reached a peak of #27 (1,950 births) in 2011 (the same year that Lily peaked - the spelling Lillie also reached a peak of #112 in the same year).  With so many different spellings seeing success, and all the hyphenated forms such as Lily-Rose and Lily-Mae, Lily has been even more successful that the statistics suggest. With combined spellings  added together, Lily was the #1 name in England and Wales in 2009, 2010 and 2011, and the second most popular name in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 after Amelia. It was the third most popular in 2016 after Amelia and Olivia.  In 2016, Lily ranked #7 with 2,722 births, Lilly was #60 with 1,014 births and Lillie ranked #148 (368 births).

Famous Bearers:

History: * Lilly Martin Spencer (1822–1902), American painter. * Lillie Langtry (1853-1929), British-American socialite, actress and producer. * Lily Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (1854-1909), American heiress and socialite. * Lily Blatherwick (1854-1934), British painter. * Lily Dougall (1858-1923), Canadian author and feminist. * Lily Braun (1865–1916), German feminist writer. * Lily Atkinson (1866-1921), New Zealand temperance campaigner, suffragist, and feminist. * Lily Brayton (1876–1953), British actress. * Lily Addison (1885-1982), Australian tennis player. * Lily Elsie (1886–1962), British actress and singer. * Lily Hanbury (1873-1908), English stage performer. * Lillie Hayward (1891–1977), American actress. * Lilly Becher (1901–1978), German writer, journalist and activist. * Lily Chitty (1893-1979), British archaeologist and scholar. * Lily Inglis (1926-2010), Canadian architect. * Lily Berglund (1928-2010), Swedish singer. Contemporary: * Lily Tuck (born 1938), American novelist. * Lily Tomlin (born 1939), American actress. * Lily Brett (born 1946), Australian novelist. * Lillie McCloud (born 1958), American singer. * Lily Brown (born 1981), American poet. * Lily Aldridge (born 1985), American fashion model. * Lily Allen (born 1985), British singer. * Lily Donaldson (born 1987), British fashion model. * Lily Cole (born 1988), British fashion model. * Lily Collins (born 1989), British-American actress and model. * Lily James (born 1989), Britishactress. * Lily Agg (born 1993), British footballer. Literature and Other Media: * The Lily, a poem by British poet William Blake. * Lily Potter (née Evans), Harry's mother in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. * Lily Luna Potter, Harry's daughter in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. * Lily Munster, character in the American television series The Munsters (1964–1966) * Lily Aldrin, character in the American television series How I Met Your Mother. * Lily Butterfield, character in the British soap opera Emmerdale (2006–2008). * Lilly Kane, a character in the television series Veronica Mars. * Lilly Truscott, a character in the television series Hannah Montana.

Variants:

Lilly, Lillie, Lilley, Lili, Lilee

Pronunciation:

LIL-ee  [key]

Possible  longer forms:

Alila, Elizabeth, Emily, Kalila, Leilani, Lilian, Liliana, Lilianne, Lilias, Lilia, Liliosa, Lilith, Liliwen, Lilwen, Lilou, Millicent, Ophelia, Ottilie, Philippa

Sibling Names:

Ava     Isla     Evie     Mia     Ruby     Elsie       Jack     Harry     George     Alfie     Charlie     Henry

Name Lists:

Victorian Darlings   Dulcet Dainties   Short and Sweet

 

If you like Lily you may also like:   Ivy, Lucy, Daisy, Rosie, Maisie, Millie, Willow, Tilly, April, Chloe

Thanks to Lydia for requesting this name.

 

Name Help: British-French-Israeli Name

 

Sarah and her husband Ollie are expecting their first child.

Sarah writes: "My husband and I are both English, although he has family ties to Israel and Lithuania, while my family is mainly Welsh. I also previously lived in Scotland, and now we both live in France! We would love to choose a name that has links to these places as we love travel and family is important to us.

We both like quite traditional names, but also don't want them to be boring or common!

 

We like the name Emma (and other names that are strong sounding, like Anna as well). I also like variations of Eleanor - Elena, Elana (Hebrew), Aliana as they have a melodic sound. France has a lot of pretty girls names, which we both like - such as Elodie.

 

For a boys middle name Ollie likes Alexander (his father's middle name) and I would quite like to include Edward somewhere (my grandfather's and uncle's name). We also like the name George (Ollie's middle name), and I also like Jack and Henry.

 

We like quite "English" names but have noticed that there has been a real surge in popularity in these recently and it feels like a lot of the names that have been on our list for a while are now everywhere! We haven't rejected any specifically, but it's making us think twice."

 

 

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British-crossover names:

These names are a selection that are either well used or indigenous to Britain (English, Welsh or Scottish) but that also have ties to Israel, Lithuania or France, giving you options for a name that ticks several boxes.

Adele – A beautiful pan-European name whose use in Britain dates back to the Norman conquest and early medieval royalty. The name also has a chic French flair and ranks at the not-too-hot-not-too-cold spot of #47 in France currently. 

Audra – Not only is Audra a legitimate British variant of Audrey -- which itself comes from the couldn't-get-more-English Anglo-Saxon name Æðelþryð meaning "noble strength" -- it is also a Lithuanian name meaning "storm." 

Clara – Lovely Latin Clara, meaning "clear, bright, shining, renowned, famous, upstanding," echoes the sound of Emma and Anna while still feeling vintage and chic. It currently ranks #30 in France making it a fashionable but not over-used choice. 

Eden – Taken from the Garden of Eden in the Book of Genesis, Eden is a popular girls name in Israel, and not uncommon in England. It is #97 in France for girls; on the flip side however, it ranks higher at #36 for boys. 

Greta – A top 30 choice in Lithuania, this sprightly short form of medieval queenly power-house Margaret has pan-European appeal from Sweden to Italy. Margaret itself has strong links with royalty of Scotland, England and France. 

Maya – Popular in Britain, Maya is also a name which is fashionable across Europe. It comes from several different sources: it means "illusion, divine power" in Sanskrit; is an English variant of the Roman May spring goddess Maia, meaning "great"; and also derived from the Hebrew word for "water." The latter source is the reason why Maya currently ranks at #4 in Israel, while it's #39 in England and Wales and #80 in France.

Romy / Romi – Romy is a diminutive of Rosamary in Britain (and Rosemarie in France and Germany) which is a botanical name meaning "dew of the sea" and currently ranks at #71 in France. The spelling Romi is a popular Israeli name (#17) as a feminine form of the Hebrew name Rom meaning "height", "superiority".

Talia – The Ancient Greek name Thalia, meaning "to blossom" was the name of one of the Nine Muses who presided over comedy and poetry, as well as the name of one of the three Graces. As a classical name, Thalia (also spelled Talia as a variant form) has been in use in Britain since the 17th century [it currently ranks at #297 in France]. 
The spelling Talia is also a Hebrew name, very popular in Israel, meaning "dew from God" in Hebrew.

Tessa – As melodic as Elena and strong as Emma, Tessa is form of Teresa which has been used as a standalone name in Britain since the 19th century and brings to mind Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles. Tessa currently ranks at #161 in France.

 

Alban – The name of a early British saint and used as a name in the Middle Ages in both England and France. Alban is also the Welsh word for "solstice." It currently ranks at #154 in France. 

Dylan – A modern Welsh classic which hails from mythology which has found popularity across Europe. It ranks #135 in France which makes it uncommon but not unheard of.

Elliot– A French and English medieval diminutive form of the Hebrew name Elijah. It currently ranks at #174 in France. 

Evan – This handsome traditional Welsh staple -- a form of John -- has an effortless modern charm and sits fashionably at #41 in France.

Jonas – The Latinised name of Biblical Patriarch Jonah whose stylish name means "dove," a universal symbol of hope and peace, ranking #169 in France. Jonas is also the Lithuanian form of John, ranking at #5 there. 

Louis – A royal staple in France which also has traditional use in Britain, too. 

Morgan– A Welsh royal and mythological name which ranks #193 in France. 

Oscar – A handsome Gaelic name (which, from a different source, is also an Old English name). The name became popularised in Europe in the 18th century with the hugely popular Ossianic Poems by Scottish poet James Macpherson. It's #10 in England and Wales, #29 in Scotland and #70 in France. 

Raphael – A Biblical name whose meaning is related to healing and a fashionable French choice.

Tristan – An ancient heroic name with links to both Welsh legend and Pictish Scotland. At #139 in France, its an accessible choice. 

 

Lithuanian / Israeli:

For these names I've looked at the official statistics for both Lithuania and Israel for accessible options. 

Avia –  A top 100 name in Israel which derives from the Biblical unisex name Abijah.

Aviva – Aviv is a popular Israeli name derived from the Hebrew for "spring". Aviva is a variant more in keeping with Anna and Elana. 

Daina – A Lithuanian name meaning "song."

Vaiva – A name derived from the Lithuanian vaivorykštė meaning "rainbow".

 

Ari – A Hebrew name meaning "lion" which is popular in Israel.

Lior – An Israeli name meaning "light for me" in Hebrew.

Noam – Ranking at #1 in Israel and #60 in France, Noam, meaning "pleasantness" is a cool Hebrew power-house.

 

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