British Baby Names

UK Birth Announcements 24/12/18 - 30/12/18

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:

Alfred "Freddie" Henry

Arthur David

Bernard Heath

Harrison (Freddie)

Henry Edward Rollo (Matilda Florence)

Ronnie Paul 

 

Girls: 

Isabella Mollie Casey 

Penelope Rose

Saskia Elizabeth Freya (Luke Johannes Thomas)

 

 

Name of the Week: Cleo

 

Origin:

Cleo derives from the Ancient Greek kleos meaning "glory, fame, praise; rumor, report, credit", itself derived from the verb kleó "to celebrate, make famous." Kleo/Cleo was not really used as a given name in Ancient Greece; rather, it was a common name element in several names including Kleoboulos, Kleoboula, Kleodamos, Kleodikos, Kleodoxa, Kleokrateia, Kleokritos, Kleolaos, Kleomantis, Kleomachos, Kleonikos, Kleoxenos and Kleostratos. There is one obscure mention of a Kleo in Greek mythology a priestess of Thetis. This may have been an alternate form of Kleio (Clio in Latin), derived from kleó "to celebrate, make famous" which was the name of the Greek goddess of history. Clio was one of the Nine Muses who were all assigned specific literary and artistic spheres. Diodorus claimed that Clio was so named "because the praise which poets sing in their encomia bestows great glory (kleos) upon those who are praised."* The most famous of the kleos names was Kleopatra – more commonly found in the Latinised spelling Cleopatra – made up of the elements kleos "glory, fame" and patros "father, parent, fatherland." There were at least two minor figures in Greek mythology with the name: one was the daughter of mountain-nymph Orithyia, and Boreas, the god of the North-Wind.   Cleo became used as a given name in the modern era, essentially as a nickname for Cleopatra.

Usage:

Though it is synonymous with the last reigning queen of Egypt, Cleopatra was a common name in the ancient world. The Lexicon of Greek Personal Names has 180 entries of the name in classical records.  The only full-sibling of Alexander the Great was Cleopatra of Macedonia (354 BC–308 BC), Macedonian princess and later queen regent of Epirus. Alexander and Cleopatra both also had a step-mother named Cleopatra as well. Among the Greek Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt, Cleopatra was a favourite, dating from the marriage of Cleopatra of Syra to Ptolemy V of Egypt, who acted and regent of Egypt (Cleopatra I) for her son Ptolemy VI. The famous Cleopatra ruled as Cleopatra VII.  As Cleo started out as a short form of Cleopatra, it can be very difficult to ascertain its early usage. Cleopatra can be found in very small numbers from the 16th century, such as Cleopatra Ruch, born in 1530 in Switzerland, and there are a few British examples in the 17th century. A girl named Cleo Burton was baptised in 1649 in Shropshire, but it is not clear if this was used as an independent name, as shortening names in church records wasn't uncommon in the 17th century.  Thanks to its classical roots and romantic associations – promoted by Shakespeare's tragic portrayal of Cleopatra in his play Antony and Cleopatra (1606) – Cleopatra came into moderate use in the 18th century, particularly in the south of England and in and around London. Charles Dickens used the name Cleopatra as the affectionate name for Mrs Skewton in his 1846-48 novel Dombey and Son.  By the turn of the 20th century, Cleo saw increasing use as an independent name, eventually superseding Cleopatra. The brief spike in the name Cleo in the 1910s and 1920s may have had something to do with Hollywood silent film actresses Cleo Madison (1883–1964) and Cleo Ridgely (1893–1962). Records for Cleopatra and Cleo as a first name in the England and Wales Birth Index:   Cleopatra Cleo 1840s: 1850s: 1860s: 1870s: 1880s: 1890s: 1900s: 1910s: 1920s: 1930s: 1940s: 1950s: 1960s: 1970s: 14 births 5 births 11 births 31 births 21 births 14 births 8 births 17 births 15 births 5 births 7 births 5 births 23 births 26 births 1 birth 0 births 0 births 2 births 6 births 4 births 7 births 21 births 16 births 13 births 13 births 17 births 75 births 202 births By 1996, Cleo ranked #671 (35 births) in England and Wales. It intermittently rose over the following decade, reaching #475 (84 births) in 2008. Then, from 2014 to 2015, Cleo doubled in use going from #403 with 108 births to #242 with 206 births.  It has continued to rise since, and, in 2017, reached #187 with 285 births in England and Wales. In Scotland, too, Cleo has also on the rise intermittently since 1998. In 2016, Cleo ranked #383 with 9 births and increased to #247 with 17 births in 2017 in Scotland.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Cléopatra "Cléo" de Mérode (1875–1966), French dancer. * Cleo Madison (1883–1964), American stage and silent film actress. * Cleo Ridgely (1893–1962), American film actress. * Cleopatra "Cleo" Brown (1909–1995), American blues and jazz vocalist and pianist. Contemporary: * Dame Cleo Laine (born 1927), British jazz singer and actress. * Cleo Rocos (born 1962), British comedian. * Cleopatra "Cleo" Higgins (born 1982), British singer and songwriter * Cleopatra "Cleo" von Adelsheim (born 1987), German-Chilean actress. Literature and Other Media: * Cleo Finch, a character in the television show ER. * Cleo, a goldfish in Disney's Pinocchio.

Variants:

Kleo

Pronunciation:

KLEE-ō [key]

Possible  longer forms:

Cleopatra, Cleodora, Cliona, Cleora, Cleonie, Cleophee, Leocadia, Clementine, Clematis

Sibling Names:

Arya     Lyra     Maia     Lena      Anya     Delilah  Leon     Otis     Jago     Rex     Jonah     Monty

Name Lists:

Modern Antiquity

 

If you like Cleo you may also like:   Juno, Cora, Hero, Coco, Hebe, Gaia, Charis, Thalia, Leda, Lois

Thanks to Leah for requesting this name.

Top 100 (Provisional) Most Popular Names in Scotland 2018

 

Here are the provisional figures for the top 100 names in Scotland in 2018 based on data for births that were registered in the first eleven months (or so) of the year. 

According to the National Records of Scotland, the  #1 names in 2018 were none mover Jack (#1 since 2008), and Olivia, which has been in the top spot for the third year running.

Alex, Callan, Elijah, Gabriel, Grayson, Louis, Luca, Lyle, Sebastian, Tommy, Ada, Aila, Amelie, Ariana, Bonnie, Cora, Darcy, Eden, Florence, Hope, Kayla, Lena, Myla, Piper, Quinn and Rowan all entered the Top 100 (some of them for the second time).

Arthur showed the largest rise within the top 100 for boys. Hunter, Carter, Robert, Aiden, Arran and Louis were also high climbers within the top 100. 

Cara showed the largest rise within the top 100 for girls. Iona, Ivy, Imogen and Mila were also high climbers within the top 100.

According the NRS, 39% of boys and 37% of girls had a first name in the top 50. 

 

Top 100 Boys' Names 2018  (Provisional)			.	Top 100 Girls' Names 2018 (Provisional)
1 2= 2= 4 5 6 7= 7= 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33= 33= 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47= 47= 49 50 51= 51= 53 54 55 56= 56= 58 59= 59= 61 62= 62= 64 65 66= 66= 68= 68= 70= 70= 72 73= 73= 75= 75= 77 78 79 80 81= 81= 83= 83= 83= 83= 83= 88 89= 89= 89= 92= 92= 94= 94= 96= 96= 96= 99= 99= 99=	Jack James Oliver Logan Lewis Leo Alexander Harris Rory Noah Lucas Harry Charlie Thomas Jacob Alfie Archie Finlay Max Finn Adam Daniel Mason Ethan Joshua Brodie Cameron Theo Oscar Hunter Callum Aaron Jaxon Liam William Freddie Jamie Ollie Harrison Matthew Luke Caleb Nathan Jude Muhammad Arthur Arran Luca Connor Robert Carter George Blake Angus Dylan Arlo Hamish Kai Jackson Ryan Cole David Samuel Andrew Isaac Joseph Leon Aidan Fraser Blair Reuben Michael Benjamin Riley Ben John Sam Josh Murray Jake Cooper Grayson Alex Elijah Ruaridh Tommy Tyler Callan Henry Innes Jayden Carson Gabriel Lyle Owen Aiden Elliot Louis Jax Robbie Sebastian	0 1 0 1 -1 3 1 0 8 -4 5 -2 1 5 -2 -5 3 -6 5 5 1 -1 -5 2 6 6 -4 0 1 38 3 -17 10 9 -2 9 3 2 -4 -13 2 -5 -14 -6 -9 43 12 55 0 17 18 4 2 -7 -3 5 7 7 1 -8 -7 -7 -24 -14 -20 -5 10 15 5 7 7 -6 -18 -26 4 -12 8 4 -4 11 -28 40 21 49 -13 53 1 33 8 0 -9 -1 24 36 -21 -26 -15 12 -14 -11 5		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34= 34= 36 37 38= 38= 40= 40= 42= 42= 44 45 46 47= 47= 49 50 51= 51= 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60= 60= 60= 63 64 65= 65= 67 68= 68= 70 71= 71= 73 74 75= 75= 77= 77= 79= 79= 81= 81= 83= 83= 83= 86 87 88= 88= 90= 90= 90= 90= 94= 94= 94= 94= 98= 98= 98= 98= 98= 98= 98=	Olivia Emily Isla Sophie Amelia Ella Ava Grace Aria Jessica Charlotte Sophia Lily Lucy Freya Evie Harper Ellie Eilidh Mia Millie Anna Emma Georgia Maisie Ruby Rosie Eva Chloe Orla Poppy Hannah Erin Holly Willow Mila Sofia Ivy Layla Esme Isabella Sienna Skye Maya Zara Alice Daisy Robyn Emilia Katie Amber Niamh Rose Molly Zoe Abigail Iona Thea Leah Gracie Hallie Lilly Imogen Cara Ayla Hollie Cora Bella Phoebe Elsie Ada Summer Matilda Julia Bonnie Brooke Amelie Piper Darcy Maria Callie Luna Aila Lexi Rebecca Lola Hope Georgie Rowan Florence Penelope Sadie Violet Aurora Clara Kayla Scarlett Ariana Eden Elizabeth Lena Myla Nina Quinn	0 0 0 0 0 2 0 5 1 -4 -2 4 -1 -3 -1 0 1 -3 2 3 -1 4 1 13 5 2 13 -3 -7 -3 -2 -13 1 -3 11 16 6 20 -6 6 -5 -9 -4 3 -9 -3 -5 3 0 -10 -13 9 12 1 -7 -3 25 -2 -1 6 11 -10 17 30 -3 5 62 -4 -11 1 78 0 5 13 64 13 43 42 24 -11 7 -3 32 -30 -20 2 14 8 51 13 -2 -5 -2 2 4 21 -27 10 37 -18 55 48 -4 10

 The full official statistics for Scotland's top 100 for 2018 will be available in March. 

The statistics on this page are supplied by the National Records of Scotland.
These tables were coded and formatted by me.

UK Birth Announcements 17/12/18 - 23/12/18

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:

Alexander George

Amadeus Dhillon James

Arthur (Dougie)

Arthur Rodney John (Constance Diana Isabel)

Bradley John

Harry George 

Hunter George 

Isaac Andrew (Joshua William)

Kit James (Leo Jack)

Leo James Christopher

Matthew Luke (Adam Stephen)

Rory James

Theodore Haydn

 

Girls: 

Amelie Mary Tanya (Francesca Alice Hermione)

Emilia Louise Elizabeth (Freyja Louise Elizabeth)

Evie Ann

Florence Mary Alannah (Hugh Philip Peyton, Edward Ralph William "Bear" & Ralph Victor Charles)

Isobel Jacquetta

Liberty Faith

Lily Robyn

Matilda Louise

Penelope Charlotte

Rosamund Victoria Jane (Annabel Elizabeth Jane & Hugh Richard Denis)

Willa Esme 

Willow Jayne

 

Twins:

Ollie Richard & Tom Joshua

 

 

Name of the Week: Brodie

 

Origin:

Brodie is a Scottish place name in Moray, Scotland. Brodie Castle in Moray is the traditional family seat of the Brodie Clan for over 400 years, though the clan have been on the site since the 12th century.  There are several theories for the origin of the place name: * From the Scots Gaelic bruthach "precipice, ridge, brow, bank." * From the Scots Gaelic brothach "muddy." * From the Scots Gaelic brod "brood; youngest in the family." * From the Pictish name Bridei (also Brude, Bruide). There are several early Pictish kings named Brude, though it is commonly believed that this may actually be a title meaning "king."* As a surname, Brodie not only derives from the place name, but can, in some cases, be a spelling variant of Bradie, the Scottish form of the English and Irish surnames Brady.  Originally used as a nickname, the English Brady derives from the Old English brād "broad" and ēage "eye," ēg "island" or haeg "enclosure." Reaney and Wilson* have examples of Bradeye and Brodhegh in the Assize Rolls of Durham and Bedfordshire, and Brody and Brodeie in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire and Nottingham in the 13th century. The Irish Brady is thought to derive from the Irish Gaelic bragha "chest" which may have been used as a nickname for someone broad-chested.  MacLysaght* cites Brodie as the Scottish form of the Irish (O)Brollaghan which itself derives from the Old Irish name Brollach (from OI brollach "breast, chest"),

Usage:

Clan Brodie is an old one in Scotland, though much of their early records were destroyed when Brodie Castle was burned down in 1645. It is thought that they have Pictish ancestry, especially given the evidence of Pictish settlements in Moray.  Like most surnames, Brodie began to get used as a given name in the 18th century, usually as an adoption of a family surname or godparent's surname.  As we would expect, it was most commonly used in Scotland, and data from the 1881 UK census shows that both the surname and given name match up in usage, seeing the highest concentration in Lanarkshire and Midlothian.  For the most part, this use as a given name represents Brodie being used as a middle name, generally because it was the mother's maiden name. For the most part, Brodie was masculine in use as a given name, but there are a handful of records for girls.  Usage in Scotland Records for Brodie as a first name in the Scotland's statutory birth records: 1860s: 1870s: 1880s: 1890s: 1900s: 1910s: 1920s: 1930s: 1940s: 1950s: 12 births 11 births 16 births 11 births 12 births 9 births 15 births 4 births 4 births 9 births The spelling Brody was only registered once as a first name, in 1871. During the 1970s and 1980s, Brodie remained uncommon, but it began to see a rise in the late 1990s and seeing a marked rise after 2001.  Brodie first entered the top 100 for boys in Scotland in 2005 at #95 (64 births) and reached the top 50 in 2013. It peaked in 2015 at #31 with 193 births and, in 2017, ranked #32 with 170 births.  The spelling Brody has always been less common in Scotland, not ranking at all as a first name until the early 1990s. It, too, saw a steep rise from 2005, peaking at #96 (73 births) in 2014 -- the only time it has been in the top 100.  In 2017, Brody ranked #144 (40 births) in Scotland.  Both Brodie and Brody have also been used for girls in Scotland, though in smaller numbers. Brodie managed to reach a peak of #183 (25 births) in 2005 -- the same year that Brody peaked for boys and Brodie reached the top 100 for the first time. In 2017, Brodie ranked #570 with 5 births while Brody was not registered.  Usage in England and Wales Records for Brodie as a first name in the England and Wales Birth Index: 1840s: 1850s: 1860s: 1870s: 1880s: 1890s: 1900s: 1910s: 1920s: 1930s: 1940s: 1950s: 1960s: 1970s: 3 births 0 births 1 birth 2 births 5 births 9 births 5 births 0 births 7 births 2 births 8 births 5 births 8 births 25 births Brodie was rare as a given in England and Wales in the 19th century and Brody was completely unused. Brodie only became more established in the 1970s, and so too, the spelling Brody also saw some use.  From 1996 to 2007, both Brodie and Brody were used in small but growing numbers. Brodie was the most common spelling, ranking between #500-#300 while Brody was less common.  This changed after 2007 (when they both ranked #458 jointly) after which time Brody took over in England and Wales as the dominant spelling.  Both Brody and Brodie have continued to rise ever since, and in 2017, Brodie ranked #222 with 240 births, and Brody ranked #151 with 380 births in England and Wales.  As in Scotland, Brodie/Brody has also seen some usage for girls. Brodie is the most common spelling for girls in E&W, peaking at #367 (93 births) in 2002. Brody is rarer, and has never been above the top 1000. It peaked in 2004 at #1383. Both spellings have declined for girls since their peak.  In 2017, Brodie ranked #1628 with 19 births, and Brody ranked #4763 with 4 births in England and Wales.  Elsewhere Long before it reached the top 100 in its native Scotland, Brodie was a hit in Australia from the early 1990s. Brodie reached #79 in 1994 in Australia and then ranked in the top 100 from 1994 till 2000. It dipped below the top 100 twice, returning for one year in 2003 (at #83) and again from 2006 to 2008.  Similarly, Brody ranked in the Canadian top 100 from 2004 to 2014, peaking at #61 in 2008.  Catching on a little later, in America, Brody reached the top 100 first in 2008 when it jumped from #105 to #70. It has since seen a decline to #152.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Brodie McGhie Willcox (1786–1862), Liberal Party MP and the co-founder of the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company. * Sir Brodie Haldane Henderson (1869–1936), British railway engineer. Contemporary: * Brodie Greer, American actor. * Brodie Henderson, Canadian professional rugby union player. * Brodie Retallick, New Zealand rugby union player. Literature and Other Media: * Brodie Bruce, character played by Jason Lee in the film Mallrats. * Brody Davis, character in the television series Roswell.

Variants:

Brody, Brodey, Brodee

Pronunciation:

BRŌ-dee [key]

Possible longer forms:

Broderick, Broden

Sibling Names:

Isla     Freya     Orla     Layla     Maisie     Esme  Rory     Flynn     Harris     Fraser     Callan     Cole

Name Lists:

Scottish Clans

 

If you like Brodie you may also like:   Logan, Blake, Murray, Cody, Jamie, Blair, Callum, Brady, Dexter, Quinn

Thanks to Gemma for requesting this name.  

 

Name Help: A Sister for Raya

Kate is expecting her second daughter soon, a sister for Thoraya "Raya". 

Kate writes: "We have a daughter named Thoraya Ruth Alice (Raya for short) who is named after a good friend with Iraqi heritage. We thought it was a great name as there is the choice for her to go by Thora, which I loved for its Old Norse connotations. Ideally, we'd like something with more local origins this time, given that my family have been based in England for as far back as we can trace and my husband's family are Scottish via Ireland on his paternal side.

I have quite specific criteria, which is making coming to an agreement hard: I don't want a name ending with a vowel sound (I could compromise on the letter 'o'!) and it has to be relatively uncommon. Current trends for overly feminine names ending with 'a' are just too cutesy for me, and I'd like something traditional but strong. My current top pick is Enid, but my husband says its too old-lady ish for him, even though its his great grandmother's name, so there's a family connection. Other personal faves include Tess, Artemis and Hero, but the latter two feel like middle name territory. I'd like to use Ruth if we hadn't already given it to our eldest! 

 

My husband's favourites are Ada and Margot, the latter being another family name, but both are a bit too popular for me, especially in our area of London. Anything in the top 300 is a no-go for me! He has vetoed Harriet, Loveday and Iseult so far and is lukewarm on Enid and Blythe. 

 

To add to what seems like an impossible task, I am also a teacher, so many names already have fixed connotations for me. We like names with links to strong female role models (hence Ada) but nothing friends have suggested so far feels right. For example, Winifred, Gertrude and Rhiannon are just a bit too aggressive in their sound, and anything ending with '-bel' is just too girly. We also cannot use Rose, Fleur or Hazel due to family connections."

 

※    ※    ※    ※

I'm very much the same as you. I impose so many rules on myself with naming, that I almost feel that I'm left with the impossible. Thoraya "Raya" is such a lovely, striking name. Exotic, but not outlandish. Her sister needs a name that can stand proudly alongside it. By that, I don't mean a name that is necessarily the same, origin, length, or style, simply a name that stands out from the crowd in a sophisticated, understated way. 

 

Adeline –  If Ada is too common, medieval Adeline (at #370) appeals. Meaning noble, it has a refined, majestic style with melodic syllables. For an even rarer variant -- borne by an English queen -- there is also Adelise, Adelize and Aleidis. 

Guinevere – An ancient British queen of enduring legend whose name most likely descends from a Celtic goddess. Guinevere is a striking name, but it is familiar to most and offers a wealth of nickname options. 

Hester – A sweet but sturdy Georgian name which also has a deep past and links to an ancient goddess. Hester is familiar, but ranks below the top 1000. 

Avice –  Now rare, sweet Avice was once a common name in the Middle Ages. Another similar-sounding medieval favourite is Amice. 

Idony – As Iseult is on your list, and you like the Old Norse links of Thora, I can't complete this list without mentioning Idony. A popular medieval name in England, it derives from Iðunn, the Norse goddess of spring. Idony is now extremely rare, but it has perfectly modern sounds. 

Astrid – While we're talking Norse names, Astrid is a pretty epic one. Bold and feisty with soft edges, Astrid sits at the "not-too-hot-not-too-cold" position of #376. 

Sybil – The sibyls were revered prophetesses in Ancient Rome. Sybil was a popular favourite in both the Middle Ages and for the Victorians, also. It currently ranks just below the top 1000. 

Delphine – A chic and mellifluous French name with plenty of character. It only ranks #1817 in England and Wales.

Clementine – Meaning "merciful, gentle," Clementine has sleek elegance and royal usage. It is familiar, but sit below the top 300.

Lilias – Lilias (or Lillias) is an intriguing twist on traditional staple Lilian, and, as a bonus -- it's Scottish! 

Merrilees – Another sweet Scottish choice which strikes the balance of not being too saccharine or too harsh. Merrilees is a Scottish place name, hailing from West Lothian, turned surname. Etymologically, its meaning comes from Old English myrge "pleasant" and laese "pasture." It is is used as a girls' name in Scotland but it remains uncommon with only 121 registrations since 1855. including celebrity chef/TV presenter Merrilees Parker.

Merryn / Mirren – Mirren is currently #101 in Scotland but is much rarer in England. It is also found in the variant Merren, Mirryn and Mirin. All are Scottish forms of Miriam. Of a similar sound is Cornish favourite Merryn. 

Morven – Like Isla, Iona, Skye and Ailsa, Morven is another Scottish girls' name taken straight from Scotland's landscape. Morven is the name of a mountain in Caithness and in Aberdeenshire. It has been in use across Britain since at least the 19th century, mostly for girls, but occasionally for boys, and has ranked in the top 250 of Scotland for girls since 1975, peaking at #92 in 2000. 

Lowen – A unisex Cornish name which comes directly from the Cornish verb lowen meaning "happy, glad, joyful."

Cariad – A charming and wistful Welsh name which (much like the Scottish bonny) is a direct adoption of an endearment. In this case, Cariad means "darling, sweetheart." It ranks below the top 1000, but is easy to pronounced and spell.  

Juniper –  A sweet Edwardian nature name with a sprightly sound and grown-up appeal. It currently ranks at #814. Even better, divine Roman Juno could also serve as a nickname. 

Wren – A chic and sleek nature name that belongs to one of Britain's prettiest, perky-tailed birds with a powerful song. It decorated our farthing copper coins and was once known as the king of the birds throughout Northern Europe. In recent years, Wren has become an increasingly appealing given name choice for girls.

Briar – Pared-down Briar is a nature name with a simple and elegant grace. Despite being easy to pronounce and spell, it still ranks below the top 1000. 

 

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

 

UPDATE: Welcome, Idony Margo Marie!

 

UK Birth Announcements 10/12/18 - 16/12/18

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:

Alan Leslie 

Archer Lee

Chester Reid

Connor Leslie (Aillie Louise)

Hector Mark Jonathan

Hugh Oliver

Humphrey Cadmus Evelyn (Amelie

Isaiah (Hendrix & Kaya)

Joseph "Joey" (Jayden & Jessica)

Otis Gabriel Brock (Beatrice "Bea")

Robin John Basil (Jake Thomas Edward & Arthur Mark William)

Sebastian John James 

Tiago Jude Antonio Ferrigan (Farrell Enzo Francisco Cairney)

 

Girls: 

Alaia Hazel

Annabelle Grace 

Billie-Beau

Bobby Evie (Sydney & Claudia)

Claudia Iveigh D’Oyly (North David Monnington)

Emilia Annie Charlotte

Jemima Alice (Arthur Henry & Flora Mary)

Jemima Georgia

Marie Louise Margot Patricia

Nina Cecily

Penelope Eden 

Romelia (Leah)

Rose Amelia (Jack Oliver)

Sophie Elizabeth

 

Name of the Week: Cora

 

Origin:

Cora is the Latinised form of the Greek name Kore — literally meaning "maiden, daughter," — an alternate name of the Spring Goddess Persephone. Persephone was referred to by the name Kore specifically in reference to her role as the goddess of spring's bounty and as the daughter of Demeter, the mother goddess of agriculture. As wife of Hades, the Queen of the Underworld, she took her other name, Persephone, as the protectress in the after-life. Kore was one of the chthonic gods of Greek religion — her dwelling was the earth rather than the ouranic (sky) gods who dwelt on Mount Olympus. As such, her cult was closely associated with agriculture, the earth, and afterlife, and is certainly pre-Greek, likely very ancient. Alongside Demeter, Kore was worshipped in the ancient Eleusinian Mysteries, one of the most important, sacred religious rites of ancient Greece —reenacted for thousands of years — which promised initiates happiness in the afterlife. According to her most famous legend, Kore was once playing in a meadow with her nymph companions when Hades carried her off in his chariot to the underworld to be his bride. Her mother Demeter despaired, searching the world for her daughter, and was furious to find out that Zeus had conspired with his brother Hades. In retribution, Demeter refused to let the earth fruit until her daughter returned.  Faced with perpetual winter and famine, Zeus agreed to Kore's return and forced Hades to agree. A reluctant Hades capitulated, but, because Kore had eaten pomegranate seeds in the underworld, she was bound to the underworld for eternity. In compromise, it was agreed that she would spend half the year with her mother (as Kore), and the other half in the underworld (as Persephone). When she was with her mother, the flowers would bloom (Spring/Summer), and when she left for the underworld, her mother would morn (Autumn/Winter).  Alternatively, another theory is that the myth represents the time when the Greeks stored their grain underground for part of the year in order to protect it from summer heat. The seeds were sown in the autumn and quickly germinated to grow throughout the winter time.  During summer months, Kore, the grain-maiden, was in the underground (Hades' realm) where she was fused with Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld. At the beginning of Autumn, when the seeds of the old crop and the new were laid on the fields, she ascended and was reunited with her mother Demeter (the old and the new crop meeting). In this version, Kore's rise to the upperworld happens in Autumn/Winter rather than Spring/Summer, which matches up to the Eleusinian Mysteries which were celebrated in September.  Mama Cora Ocllo is also the name of the Incan fertility and Mother Goddess. The asteroid, 504 Cora, was named after the Incan goddess in 1905.  Corah is also a surname. It is a habitational Scottish surname from a, now lost, village.

Usage:

Cora didn't see proper use as a given name until the late 18th century when it appeared in literature and opera. In some cases, it may have been influenced by Corinna which was a popular literary favourite earlier in the 17th and 18th centuries.  Etienne Mehul used the name for his 1791 opera Alonzo and Cora, and James Fenimore Cooper used it for his main female character in his best-selling novel The Last of the Mohicans (1826). Cora gradually began to rise in use in England and Wales over the course of the 19th century. In a few early cases, it is recorded as Corah, which perhaps represents the surname in use as a given name, or could simply be a spelling variant. By the end of the century, Coral, Coralie and Coraline also grew in usage.  Despite its growing use, it continually ranked below the top 200, ranking #230 in 1860, #250 in 1870, #251 in 1880, #290 in 1890 and #220 in 1900.  The name peaked at the turn of the century and was overtaken by Coral by the 1930s.  Records for Cora as a first name in the England and Wales Birth Index: 1840s: 1850s: 1860s: 1870s: 1880s: 1890s: 1900s: 1910s: 1920s: 1930s: 1940s: 1950s: 1960s: 1970s: 42 births 105 births 165 births 338 births 432 births 754 births 1188 births 1172 births 876 births 442 births 274 births 200 births 154 births 174 births Up until 2012, Cora ranked below the top 400 in England and Wales but has been on a steady rise since. By 2014, it reached the top 300, putting it on a par with its late 19th century ranks.  In 2017, Cora rose even further to #209 with 251 births in England and Wales.  From September 2010 to November 2015, ITV aired six series of period drama Downton Abbey. The matriarch of the family, Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham, was a principle character and featured in every series. In 2011, the fantasy series Once Upon a Time also had a character named Cora (2011-15), as did the soap Eastenders in the same year. In Scotland, Cora has also been rising in recent years to even greater success. Up until 2008, Cora had no more than 10 births in any given year. It began rising after 2008, reaching the top 200 in 2011 at #181 (25 births).  It saw a brief dip to #254 (16 births) in 2013, but has recovered since.  Its peak so far in Scotland was in 2016 when it ranked #103 (45 births).  In 2017, Cora ranked #129 with 37 births in Scotland.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Cora Linn Daniels (1852-?), American author. * Cora Coralina (1889-1985), pseudonym of Brazilian poet Anna Lins dos Guimarães Peixoto Bretas. * Cora Cané (1923 – 2016), Argentine journalist. Contemporary: * Cora Waddell (born 1989), Filipino actress, fashion model, and video blogger. Literature and Other Media: * Cora Munro, fictional heroine of The Last of the Mohicans (1826), by James Fenimore Cooper. * Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham, character from the series Downton Abbey.  * Cora Cross, character from the soap EastEnders (2011;2015-2017). * Cora Mills, character from the fantasy-drama series Once Upon a Time (2011-15). * Cora Cartmell, a character from the 1997 film Titanic.

Variants:

Corah; Kora

Pronunciation:

KOR-rə [key]

Possible  diminutives:

Corey, Corie

Sibling Names:

Alba     Hazel     Iris     Willa     Stella    Margot  Reggie     Hugo     Rex     Ezra     Otis     Jude

Name Lists:

Vintage Names   Ripe Renovations   Guys and Dolls   Short and Sweet

 

If you like Cora you may also like:   Lara, Orla, Esme, Lena, Thea, Lois, Penny, Honor, Iona, Flora

Thanks to Kirstie for requesting this name.

UK Birth Announcements 3/12/18 - 9/12/18

 

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:

Albert Olaf

Alfie Michael John (Freddie John)

Alfie William

Arran Samuel Robert

Arthur Peter William (Phoebe Mathilda, Beatrice Grace & Thea Iris)

Austin David (Henry Nicholas & Molly June)

Benjamin Carrick (Rowan Olivia)

Edward Francis (Charles Michael)

Ellis John Reuben (Ava Zara Lucille)

George Edward Donald

Henry James (Benjamin Thomas)

Miles David Robin

Thomas Clayton (Joshua & Oliver Toby)

 

Girls: 

Cosima Dora (Frank William)

Matilda Catherine

Ottilie Winifred

Poppy Grace 

Sienna Louisa (Freya May)

Zara Kate Elizabeth (Hugo David Arundel)

 

 

Name of the Week: Cillian

 

Origin:

Cillian is an Anglicised form of the Irish name Cillín (earlier Cillíne, Cilléne) most likely derived from the Old Irish cell "a church, a cell."  In some cases, Cillian may also be an Anglicised form of Ceallachán, a diminutive of Ceallach (earlier Cellach). This, too, has been traditionally derived from cell "a church, a cell," but it is now considered to be a much older name, derived from the Old Irish cenn "head" and luach "bright, value, worth."

Usage:

One of the most notable saints to bear the name was an Irish missionary bishop in the 7th century. Legend has it that he left Ireland with eleven companions and travelled to Würzburg (modern northern Bavaria). There he converted the pagan Frankish Duke, Gozbert and many of local inhabitants but got into trouble when he objected to the Duke having married his brother's widow. Upon the outraged duchess's orders, he was beheaded and quickly became one of Germany's principle saints.  Across Europe, he is most commonly called Saint Kilian (or Killian), though the preferred spelling in Ireland itself is Cillian.  Thanks to the saint's prominence, Kilian can be found in Germany from at least the 16th century.  Usage in Ireland Both Cilléne/Cillíne and Cellach were borne by several early Irish saints, and both names are recorded in use several times in the 8th and 9th century in the Irish Annals.**  Both Cillian and Killian have had regular use in Ireland in the 20th century. By 1964, Killian ranked #204 with 5 births, intermittently rising gradually over the following decades. Killian reached the Irish top 100 at #98 in 1988 and remained in the top 100 until 2016 -- peaking at #55 (121 births) in 2001.  The spelling Cillian was later to catch on, not ranking until 1970, but it too, swiftly rose in popularity, reaching the top 100 for the first time in 1992 at #84. By 2003, Cillian took over as the dominant spelling when it ranked #60 and Killian ranked #67. Since then, Cillian has continued to rise, ranking in the top 30 since 2006.  Cillian's rise as the dominant spelling coincides with the career of Irish actor Cillian Murphy, whose Hollywood career began in 2002. He landed the lead role in 28 Days Later (2002) and starring in blockbuster films Batman Begins (2005), Red Eye (2005) and Inception (2010). Since 2013, he has played the lead role in the hugely successful BBC television series Peaky Blinders. In 2017, Cillian ranked #16 (302 births) and Killian ranked #106 (62 births) in Ireland. Usage in Britain  Despite it's common use in neighbouring Ireland, Cillian was little used in Britain until the 20th century – even in fellow Gaelic Scotland.  The spelling Kilian (like the saint) has some rare usage in England in the 19th century -- it was registered once in 1867, 1872 and 1875 -- but Cillian and Killian were not registered at all until 1965 and 1942 respectively.  In Scotland, Killian was used as a middle name once in 1869 but wasn't used again until 1925, and until 1955 as a first name. Cillian wasn't registered in Scotland as a first name until 1973.   Northern Ireland Unlike in Ireland where Killian and Cillian have been in good use since the 80s, Cillian's rise in neighbouring Northern Ireland directly coincides with Cillian Murphy's career. Both Cillian and Killian ranked below the top 150 in NI from 1997 until 2005. Killian has continued to do so, whereas Cillian started rising, reaching the top 100 at #79 (40 births) in 2007 and continuing to #15 (109 births) in 2017.  England and Wales Cillian and Killian have both seen rare in England and Wales from the 1970s onwards. From 1996 to 2006, both spellings ranked below the top 1000.  Cillian moved into the top 1000 in 2007 at #782 (34 births) As with the rest of Britain, Cillian's rise in usage matches Cillian Murphy's fame -- especially since the airing of the first series of Peaky Blinders in 2013.  In 2014, Cillian jumped up to #550 (66 births) and has been rising since. Killian moved up into the top 1000 for the first time in 2016 at #712 (48 births).  In 2017, Cillian ranked #324 (151 births) and Killian ranked #628 (57 births).   Scotland In Scotland, too, Cillian was in rare use up until the late 2000s. It was only registered once in 1983, 1992, 1995, 2000, 2004 and 2005. However, from 2006, it began to be used more regularly, reaching the top 500 in 2009. By 2014, Cillian ranked #276 (15 births) and continued to rise to #204 (25 births) in 2017.  World Wide Thanks to Saint Kilian, the name has had some usage across Europe. It has been particularly notable in recent years. In Germany, Kilian is a modern staple, having ranked in the top 100 since the turn of the century. In 2017, it ranked #75. Kilian has been in the Austrian top 100 since 2001, and currently ranks at #56. Similarly, in Switzerland, Kilian was a top 100 name from 1998-2004 and 2010-2017. It currently ranks at #77 in Catalonia, too.  In France, Killian was in the top 100 from 1997 to 2009, peaking at #43 in 2002 and 2003. It has since been superseded by the spelling Kylian (made famous by footballers Kylian Hazard and Kylian Mbappe) which entered the French top 100 in 2001, peaked at #41 in 2008 and 2009, and currently ranks at #73.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Killian K. Van Rensselaer (1763–1845), member of the United States House of Representatives. Contemporary: * Killian Brennan, Irish footballer. * Kílian Jornet Burgada, Spanish ski mountaineer, long-distance runner, mountain biker and duathlete. * Kylian Hazard, Belgian footballer * Kylian Mbappé, French footballer. * Cillian Murphy, Irish actor. * Cillian Sheridan, Irish professional footballer who plays for Kilmarnock. * Cillian Vallely, Irish musician. * Cillian Willis, Irish professional rugby union player. Literature and Other Media: * Captain Killian "Hook" Jones, a fictional character on the TV series Once Upon a Time.

Variants:

Kilian (German), Killian (Anglicised, French), Kylian (French)

Pronunciation:

KIL-ee-ən [key]

Possible diminutives:

Cilly, Kee, Keel, Lian, Lee

Sibling Names:

Maeve     Orla     Niamh     Cora     Farrah     Robyn  Conor     Shea     Ronan     Lorcan     Sullivan     Brodie

Name Lists:

N/A

 

If you like Cillian you may also like:   Cian, Faolan, Conall, Cormac, Fintan, Nolan, Caolan, Ciaran, Tiernan, Flynn

Thanks to Laura for requesting this name.