British Baby Names

UK Birth Announcements 25/3/19 - 31/3/19

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 Dale (Seth Luke)

Archie David (Freddie Ernest)

George Alexander

Mason Anthony

Percy Claude Jack (Primrose Penelope Lavinia)

Rafferty Elliot (Rupert)

Rowley Jack Gavin

Sonny Finch

Toby James Burton

 

Girls: 

Beatrice Maria (Philip Robert Shaw & Nicholas Fabio Stanley)

Brooke Rose

Evie Louise

Freya Clementine

Harriet Alice Jemima (Matilda & Florence Isabella Marion)

Harriet Jane Matilda

Iona Everly Wren (Cosmo Aubone Louis)

Isabella Iris Margaux

Lena

Mabel Dot (Florence Mary)

Marjorie Davina (Dorothy)

Ophelia Ethel Florence 

Phoebe Joy (Harry Richmond)

Winifred Elizabeth (Mabel Sadb, Sonny Vaughan & Beckett Thomas James)

 

Twins:

Maisie Rebecca & Jack Christopher (Bethany)

Wilbur Jacques & George Timothy (Rory Michael Rupert)

 

I cross-reference older BAs to find the full names of the siblings, however often they are missing (especially the eldest siblings, or for half siblings) which explains why you will sometimes see something like: George Henry (Lucy, Emma & Jack Arthur). "Lucy" and "Emma" may well have middle names as well; I simply cannot find them online. 

 

Name of the Week: Imogen

 

Origin:

Imogen was famously established as a given name by William Shakespeare's play Cymbeline (c.1611) which is based on various figures from early British history. The play is named for Cymbeline, the Roman vassal king of Britain. His two sons were stolen away twenty years prior, leaving only his daughter Imogen who has recently secretly married Posthumus Leonatus. Because Imogen is his only heir, Cymbeline annuls the marriage and banished Posthumus who flees to Italy.  While in Italy, Posthumus meets Iachimo who makes a bet that he can seduce Imogen. Iachimo attempts several times to seduce Imogen but continually sends him packing. Iachimo then hides in Imogen's room and, while she sleeps, steals the bracelet Posthumus gave her, and notes a mole on her body. Returning to Posthumus, Iachimo convinces him that Imogen has been unfaithful. In a rage, Posthumus orders his servant to murder her.  The story gets more convoluted from here, with typical Shakespearean cross-dressing, disguise and revealed long-lost relatives. Eventually, after disguising herself as a boy to escape murder, Imogen's identity and innocence is revealed to a remorseful Posthumus and her father allows them to marry when her brothers return home.  It is widely regarded by many scholars that Imogen is scribal error, in the Folio, of Innogen: a name which appears in early British folklore and mentioned in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae (c.1136) in the forms Ignoge, Ygnogen or Enogen (depending on the translation).  According to legend, this Innogen was the wife of Brutus of Troy, the legendary founder of Britain and therefore considered the first "Queen of Britain." It is widely agreed that her name derives from the Old Irish ingen "maiden, daughter, girl." As the daughter of the Greek king Pandrasus, Innogen and Brutus married as part of a peace-deal and an alliance. It is possible that "Innogen" was used in early Celtic accounts to identify her as the "daughter" of Pandrasus, rather than to indicate her actual given name.  The idea that Imogen is a scribal error for Innogen is widely discussed by scholars. Some theatrical producers have even started to use the name Innogen instead of Imogen in productions of Cymbeline* but this is a hotly debated subject. Some scholars (particular John Pitcher, 2005) argue that, though Shakespeare was likely aware of Innogen, the use of Imogen was his own choice, perhaps based on a philological change of Innogen that already existed * or, given that many of the names in Cymbeline were based on Italian names, perhaps Imogen was based on the Italian word imaggine "image, appearance."* Conversely, some scholars feel that Shakespeare's choice of Innogen was symbolic, thanks to its similarity to the word "innocence" which is a key part of the heroine's character.  Personally, I find the evidence for an accidental change from Innogen to Imogen quite compelling. In the first case, several other contemporary and earlier plays and works used the name Innogen. It appears in Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles (1577), which Shakespeare is widely thought to have taken the legend of Cymbeline from, as well as other works, including Stow's Chronicles (1580), Drayton's Poly-Olbion (1612), Thomas Heywood's Troia Britanica (1609) and Spenser used the spelling Inogene in The Faerie Queene (1596).  Secondly, Shakespeare actually used the name Innogen in his earlier play Much Ado About Nothing (c.1598). Innogen is a "ghost character" in that she is mentioned in the stage directions, but does not have a role. This particular stage direction is "Innogen his wife" after Leonatus, father of Hero, enters. Interestingly, in Cymebeline, Imogen's husband is Posthumus Leonatus. The link between Leonato/Innogen and Leonatus/Imogen certainly seem as if Shakespeare later reused the names.  Furthermore, Simon Forman (1552-1611) left an eye-witness account of seeing Cymbeline performed in which he refers to the female protagonist by the name "Innogen" throughout and does not mention Imogen* A few sceptic scholars, however, point out that Forman did not have the text to hand and only heard the name out loud, which he may have assumed was Innogen given his familiarity with Holinshed's Chronicles.* The name Imogen in the index to Holinshed 1587. As Valerie Wayne notes in her chapter Innogen or Imogen? in Cymbeline (2017), there are also other earlier examples where Innogen was mistranscribed as Imogen prior to 1623. The index for the 1587 edition of Holinshed's historie of Britaine and England in his Chronicles has an instance of "Imogen the wife of Brute". But as it appears between the entries 'Indigenae' and 'Interteinement', and the index is alphabetised, it is clear that the entry is meant to read "Innogen the wife of Brute."* As Wayne notes, "Minim errors involving the letters m, n, i and u are common in both manuscript and print texts from the period."* An anonymous 15th century translation of Ralph Higden's history, Polychronicon, renders the name Innogen as Ymogen. Some scholars, such a Roger Warren, argue that this is "probably the same misreading error as in Cymbeline,"* though John Pitcher argues that in the centuries between these translation there may have developed several ways of rendering the name Innogen from Latin into English, and Ymogen/Imogen may be the result of philological change.

Usage:

Despite Innogen being the name of a legendary British queen, and used in 16th century literature, it never really became established as a proper given name.  Imogen on the other hand, as the form recorded and made famous by Shakespeare's Cymbeline, can be found in some rare use from the 17th century.  Vincenzo Bellini used the spelling Imogene for the main female character in his 1827 opera Il pirata. This may have helped establish the name into regular use, as the spelling Imogene was in slightly higher use than Imogen in the early 19th century.  Imogen remained rare until it began to see a rise in the 1940s, becoming more common in the 1970s.  Registration records for Imogen and Imogene as a first name in England & Wales:   Imogen Imogene 1840s: 1850s: 1860s: 1870s: 1880s: 1890s: 1900s: 1910s: 1920s: 1930s: 1940s: 1950s: 1960s: 1970s: 3 births 8 births 15 births 20 births 10 births 7 births 15 births 15 births 33 births 31 births 72 births 139 births 297 births 670 births 20 births 12 births 11 births 10 births 13 births 17 births 7 births 8 births 13 births 16 births 10 births 10 births 13 births 24 births Imogen first entered the top 100 in England and Wales in 1994 at #94. Not only did Imogen fit the sounds of other popular top 100 names such as Jasmine, Jennifer, Gemma/Jemma and Georgina, it also followed a wave of other newly popular Shakespearean names such as Jessica (#3), Olivia (#24) and even Miranda (>#313).  In 1998, Imogen jumped up to #57 with 947 births. It plateaued for a few years after but saw a second leap in 2006 when it went from #65 (868 births) to #48 (1176 births).  To date, Imogen peaked in #26 with 2045 births in 2010. It has since seen a moderate decline.  In 2017, Imogen ranked #39 with 1284 births in England and Wales combined. In England and Wales individually, it ranked #40 and #42 respectively.  In Scotland, Imogen didn't enter the top 100 until 2007 when it reached #85 (61 births). In 2016, it reached a peak at #56 (91 births) but by 2018 had moved down to #64 (71 births).

Famous Bearers:

History: * Imogen Cunningham (1883-1976), American photographer. * Imogen Holst, CBE (1907-1984), British composer and conductor. * Imogene Coca (1908-2001), American comic actress. Contemporary: * Imogen Stuart (born 1927), German sculptor. * Imogen Hassall (born 1942), British actress. * Imogen Cooper, CBE (born 1949), British pianist. * Imogen Stubbs (born 1961), British actress. * Imogen Edwards-Jones (born 1968), British author. * Imogen Annesley (born 1970), Australian actress. * Imogen Boorman (born 1971), British actress. * Imogen Bailey (born 1977), Australian model, actress and singer. * Imogen Heap (born 1977), British singer-songwriter. * Imogen Lloyd Webber (born 1977), British writer and theatre manager, daughter of Andrew Lloyd Webber.  * Imogen Cairns (born 1989), British gymnast. * Imogen Poots (born 1989), British actress. Literature and Other Media: * Imogen, a character from William Shakespeare's play Cymbeline (c.1611). * Imogene, a character from Vincenzo Bellini's 1827 opera Il pirata. * Imogen Dartie, a character in The Forsyte Saga (1906-1921) * Imogen Clark, a minor character in What Katy Did (1872) by Susan Coolidge. * Imogen, a character portrayed by Julia Stiles in the comedy Down to You. * Imogen Book, a character in Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox. * Imogen, the principal female character in the Ascendance Trilogy by Jennifer A. Nielsen.

Variants:

Imogene, Innogen

Pronunciation:

IM-ə-jən [key]

Possible  diminutives:

Immy, Iggy, Idgy, Ginny, Meg

Sibling Names:

Jessica     Scarlett     Harriet     Lucy     Georgia     Phoebe  Joshua     Finley     Samuel     Alexander     Sebastian     Zachary

Name Lists:

Shakespearean Names   Upright Elegance

 

If you like Imogen you may also like:   Georgina, Lydia, Rosie, Hannah, Freya, Evelyn, Felicity, Julia, Francesca, Jasmine

Thanks to Imogen for requesting this name.

Name Help: Traditional Triplet Girls

Julia is expecting triplet girls! These three lovelies are to join big sisters Harriet and Charlotte. 

Julia writes: "I am a long time name lover and found naming my two daughters easy- Harriet and Charlotte, who often go by Hattie and Lottie. Harriet was my husbands pick. I like the strength of the name and the cute nickname possibilities. Charlotte has always been my favourite name so despite its popularity we went with it. I love it's feminine classic style. However when we named the girls we didn't consider the nicknames and how similar they are. I don't regret the names I gave the girls but if I had put more consideration into their nicknames I doubt they would have been so similar.

We are a fan of traditional names with traditional spelling as well as nickname strong names.
There are names we both love but are finding the concept of naming triplets overwhelming. It would be great if all the children's names could be cohesive and not stick out as two different groups- the multiples and the non multiples.

My husband and I don't really like modern names or made up spelling. I personally love feminine names and would love if one of the girls had a floral name. The idea of three floral names is a bit much though. We don't want anything to matchy matchy. We have learnt this lesson from my older daughters Harriet and Charlotte. Doesn't sound matchy until you realise their nicknames have become Hattie and Lottie. 

The perfect names would be ones that everyone knows of. We don't want them to constantly be explaining their name and pronunciation all their life. However we'd rather not have a name in the top 20

 

The only name that is off limits is Sylvie, which is a shame as it's lovely. 

 

Names we like and agree on are:
Primrose, Margot, Daisy, Camilla, Eve/Eva, Nora and Polly. Valentina and Paloma are also favourites but don't seem to fit the style of the other names we like. 
We also like Alice and Flora but neither go well with out last name, due to the L "OR" and S sounds. 
Adelaide, Cecilia and Victoria are personal favourites of mine but my husband doesn't particularly like the obvious nicknames.

※    ※    ※    ※

Harriet and Charlotte can both be considered English staples -- both were especially common in the Georgian era (both happen to be Jane Austen characters  which makes for an interesting subtle link) -- but they also both derive from Old medieval Germanic names, and therefore have lots of European cousins. Added to which, Charlotte and Harriet both feel grounded and down-to-earth, yet both have been borne by royals and aristocrats for centuries. If we widen the search out to any that fit this criteria, there are plenty of options. 

Of your current list, I think Primrose is a great fit, and certainly makes for a lovely floral addition to your set. Margot also fits the style of a European cousin-name.

Several names suggested below are also the names of varieties of roses, so all three girls could be floral "rose" names, without it being matchy or obvious. 

 

Adeline–  In a similar vein to Adelaide is sister-name Adeline, sporting the same dignified style. 
Nicknames: Annie, Della, Lena

Annabel – A medieval variant of Amabel, derived from the Latin amabilis "lovable," Annabel has sweet Victorian style. It was popularised in 1849 by Edgar Allan Poe's poem Annabel Lee.
Nicknames: Annie, Bella

Arabella – Another medieval gem that may also share the same root as Annabel, or else is derived from the Latin Orabilis "invokeable, exorable, to be entreated." Like Harriet and Charlotte, Arabella has been used by British nobility since the 16th century and was also borne by a Jane Austen character.
Nicknames: Ari, Bella

Beatrice –  Both Charlotte and Harriet have subtle links to royalty, and Beatrice is no exception either. A darling of a name with a Shakespearean style and romantic Italian ancestry thanks to Dante.
Nicknames: Bea, Bess, Betty, Betsy

Bridget – A sweet staple which can boast a bold heritage in Irish mythology. It was common in the genteel Georgian era: a period when Charlotte and Harriet were also in their heyday, and was also used by Jane Austen. 
Nicknames: Bree, Bridie, Birdie

Clementine – Sitting sound-wise between stately Camilla and romantic Valentina, Clementine is not only a Victorian darling, it is also a botanical name with heritage derived from the Roman goddess of clemency and forgiveness.  
Nicknames: Clemmy, Cleo, Mina, Minnie

Eleanor – If Nora is on your list, and you favour nickname-rich names, it would be negligent of me not to suggest medievally royal Eleanor which you could use Nora as a for. Eleanor was also well-used in the Georgian era; Harriet, Charlotte and Eleanor are all characters in Jane Austen's novels.
Eleanor is also the name of a rose. 
Nicknames: Ella, Ellie, Nell, Nora

Elizabeth – Almost the ultimate classic, Elizabeth has been borne by some of the most remarkable women in history and literature. However, it has not ranked higher than #35 since 2004, so little Elizabeths today can be a pleasant surprise. 
Elizabeth is also the name of a rose. 
Nicknames: Ella, Ellie, Bess, Beth, Betty, Betsy, Lizzie, Liza

Emmeline – Derived from the Old Germanic Amalia, Emmeline became a hit after Charlotte Turner Smith's popular novel Emmeline (1788) was released. It became a staple in the early 19th century and made especially famous by suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst (1858-1928). 
Nicknames: Ellie, Emmie, Lena, Mina, Minnie

Esther – Sweet-natured Esther is another popular Georgian (Austen) name. She appears mild-mannered, but her heritage is that of a powerful goddess.
Esther is also the name of a rose.   
Nicknames: Essie, Ettie, Tess

Evangeline – With Eve and Eva on your list, I'm tempted to suggest Evelyn, but at #22, it feels just that little bit too popular for what you're after. This leads me to mellifluous Evangeline, made into a Victorian darling thanks to Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. 
Evangeline is also the name of a rose.   
Nicknames: Annie, Eva, Eve, Evie, Ginny, Lena, Lia, Laney, Liv

Francesca – Widening the net out to Harriet and Charlotte's Germanic-derived European cousins, Francesca is a bright and breezy Italian variant of traditional Frances. It has been in the bottom half of the top 100 since 1994 so it is perfectly familiar while retaining its exotic style. 
Francesca is also the name of a rose. 
Nicknames: Chessie, Frankie, Frannie 

Jemima – An endearing Georgian and Victorian favourite which brings to mind the charming drawings of Beatrix Potter. 
Nicknames: Jemmy, Mimi, Mya

Josephine – Charlotte and Harriet both derive from French feminised forms, and so too does Josephine. It is sweetly feminine without being frou frou and strikes a nice balance as a familiar name that isn't over used. 
Josephine is also the name of a rose. 
Nicknames: Josie, Fina, Fifi, Posy

Lillian – Derived from traditional Elizabeth, Lillian can now be considered a classic in its own right. It also boasts a subtle floral link with its connection to lily.  
Nicknames: Lily

Louisa –  File Louisa alongside Josephine, Francesca, Harriet and Charlotte, a sweet feminised form which has a stately elegant style. Louisa was also another Georgian (Austen) staple. 
Nicknames: Lou, Louie, Lula

Lydia – An ancient name which flourished in Britain in the 18th century and immortalised by Jane Austen. It has a familiar, enduring style with the always-fashionable -ia ending. At #116, it makes a great alternative to #1 and #2 Olivia and Amelia. 
Nicknames: Lydie

Marianne – Another Austen name, Marianne is a more elaborate French twist on Marian. 
Nicknames: Annie, Mari, Minnie

Matilda – Borne by numerous battle-brave medieval queens, Matilda was revived in the 18th century to become a Georgian favourite (once again, used by a Jane Austen character), and a royal Georgian middle name at that! – such as for Princess Caroline Matilda (1751-1775) and Princess Sophia Matilda (1777-1848). 
Matilda is also the name of a rose. 
Nicknames: Mattie, Tilly, Tildy

Penelope – If you like Polly, then I think pretty Penelope may be perfect for you. It is has an ancient heritage and was also used by a Jane Austen character.
Penelope is also the name of a rose. 
Nicknames: Nell(ie), Penny, Polly, Poppy

 

I hope this has been of use. Best wishes for the final decision-making.


UPDATE:

Hello Elea and British Baby Names readers,

Thank you so much for all your help naming our baby girls. I loved the Jane Austen link you found and thought it would be perfect for my girls. However, after discussing it at length with my husband and overthinking it, (what else was I supposed to do on bed rest all day?!) we decided that I just loved Primrose too much not to use it.  So despite not being Jane Austen babies we are so pleased to tell you we had three small but perfect and healthy baby girls in May named:

Primrose Kathleen

Jemima Dulcie

Margaret 'Daisy' Patricia

My husband loved you suggestion of Jemima and both of us just couldn't get past Daisy. Initially we didn't think we could use Primrose and Daisy together however we felt that by giving Daisy the formal name of Margaret and nicknaming Primrose 'Prim' we could get around the double flower issue. Jemima sometimes gets the nickname of Emmy but to be honest I love Jemima just as it is. 

We felt that Primrose, Jemima, Margaret/ Daisy seemed to fit well Harriet and Charlotte; something that a lot of the names on our list never seemed to.

All three girls were given family names for their middle names, which match what we did with our older children. 

Thank you so much for all your and your readers suggestions. We feel beyond lucky to have this beautiful family of healthy girls.

 

UK Birth Announcements 18/3/19 - 24/3/19

A round-up of names from birth announcements announced in British newspapers in the last week. Sources include a national paper (The Telegraph) and a broad range of local newspapers from across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Sibling names are in brackets.

 

Boys:

Arthur Anthony Frederick (Tobias John Ludford "Toby")

Frederick Gervase Essien (Zachary & Samuel)

George Arthur Piers (Minna Cara & Leonora Willa)

Joshua Paul (Andrew Harshaw)

Leander George

Leo Jacob (Ella)

Matthew Morgan (Abigail)

Noah Fraser

Olly Mark

Oscar David

Ronnie Wolfgang (Ralph Fox)

Sam David James

Thomas

Thomas James "Tommy" (Nicole & Holly)

Toby Douglas Oriol (Iona Fabregat)

William Andrew (Alexandra Agnes)

 

Girls: 

Annie Rose (Evelyn Rose)

Charlotte Rose (Alice)

Clover Doreen Adelaide

Ellise Ajay (Laila & Charllie Marie)

Elsie Louise (Reggie)

Florence Winn (Elwood Jack)

Flori Neoma (Ruby & Lola)

Frankie Louise (Logan Samuel)

Izzy Mai (Megan & Grace)

Luna Mia

Ophelia Pearl

Pandora Violet Helen

 

I cross-reference older BAs to find the full names of the siblings, however often they are missing (especially the eldest siblings, or for half siblings) which explains why you will sometimes see something like: George Henry (Lucy, Emma & Jack Arthur). "Lucy" and "Emma" may well have middle names as well; I simply cannot find them online. 

 

Name of the Week: Sidney

 

Origin:

Sidney derives from the English surname Sidney / Sydney made up of the Old English elements sīd "broad" and īeg "island." To the Anglo-Saxon,s it would have been understood with the meaning "dweller by the wide well-watered land."  Traditionally, Sidney was though to have derived from Saint-Denis in Normandy, but the evidence for this is lacking. The only examples that suggest this link is a Roger de Sancto Dionisio in the 1212 Norfolk Book of Fees, and a John Seydenys in the 14th century, but this is not enough to suggest that this became the surname Sidney, or that either men passed their name on.  Sidney was also used as a variant of Sidony, an anglicised form of Sidonia. Sidonius and Sidonia were Latin names derived from Sidon, the name of an ancient Greek city in Phoenicia. Saint Sidonius Apollinaris (d.489) was a Gallo-Roman aristocrat, poet, author and bishop of Clermont. Sidonia of Brittany was also the heroine of the medieval prose romance Pontus and Sidonia, first composed in the 14th century.  In the 16th century, Sidonia became associated with the Late Latin word sindon "fine cloth, linen" which, in the 16th century, was used to refer to the Turin Shroud. The name Sindonia was coined around the time when the Feast of the Winding Sheet on April 25th was established, and it was not uncommon for girls born around that date to be given the name.  Eventually, Sidonia and Sindonia became interchangeable, such as with "Sidonia or Sindonia Wilden" recorded in 1793 in Shropshire. English forms included Sindony, Sidony, Sindenay, Syndony, Sidney and Sydney.

Usage:

The surname Sidney has been in use since at least the 14th century and was adopted as a given name in the 17th century.  Some of its use may have been influences by the notable Elizabethan poet Sir Philip Sidney (1554-1586) who was considered the epitome of the English gentleman-soldier and a prominent figure of the Elizabethan age.* Sir Philip's great-nephew Algernon Sidney (1623-1683) was a notable parliamentarian and political philosopher who may also have had influence on the use of the surname as a first name.  In 1761, Frances Sheridan's hugely popular novel The Memoirs of Miss Sidney Bidulph was published. The main female character, (Catharine) Sidney Biulph, endures hardships in this moral romantic tale in her efforts to remain virtuous and live according to the period's codes of moral conduct.  It could be that the character's name is a form of Sidony, however, in the novel, Sidney grew up at Sidney Castle, her mother's dower house, so likely the character was intended to have been named from a family surname. The author, Frances Sheridan, may perhaps have had Sir Philip Sidney's romance Countess of Pembrokes Arcadia in mind as inspiration for the character's name.  In 1783, Thomas Townshend was created Baron Sydney when he entered the House of Lords, and later that year became the Home Secretary. In 1789, he was further created 1st Viscount Sydney. Townshend was related to Algernon Sidney (above) and it is said that he originally proposed his title to be Baron Sidney in honour of his relative, but changed the spelling in case other members of the family had claims on it.* As Home Secretary, Townshend was involved in the development of colonies in Canada and Australia. The cities of Sydney in Nova Scotia, Canada, and Sydney in New South Wales, Australia were named in his honour, in 1785 and 1788, respectively. Both Sidney and Sydney became more common at the end of the 18th century, though most of its usage was in England, seeing far less use in Scotland and Wales. By 1860, both spellings were in the top 100 in England and Wales:    Sidney Sydney 1840: 1850:  1860:  1870:  1880:  1890: 1900: 1904: 1914: 1924: 1934: 1944: #80 #58 #45 #33 #28 #27 #27 #27 #31 #45 #69 #99 #107 #104 #72 #48 #31 #32 #35 #36 #37 #59 #90 --- According to the combined spellings of 1840, Sidney/Sidney moved up from #80 and #107 respectively to #66 when combined. At the name's peak, both spellings ranked at the approximate rank of #21 in both 1890 and 1900 when combined.  By the 1950s, both spellings of the name were in decline for boys. By the 1990s, however, Sydney (this spelling in particular) began to see increased usage for girls.  click to enlarge From 1996 to 2008, Sydney for girls was the most popular use of the name, rising to a peak of #211 (223 births) in 2003. It has since seen a modest decline. Sidney for boys began to rise steadily after 2001, finally overtaking Sydney for girls in 2010.  Sydney for boys, on the other hand, has remained fairly consistent in use, ranking no higher than #748 (39 births) in 2009.  In 2017 in England and Wales – in order of precedence –Sidney ranked #242 with 223 births; Sydney ranked #396 with 111 births; Sydney ranked #1042 with 28 births and Sidney ranked #3229 with 7 births.  In Scotland – as it has been historically – Sidney and Sydney are far rarer. For boys neither spelling has been given to more than two boys in any given year since 1978. For girls, it has been marginally more successful in recent decades, but can only boast a peak at #361 with 9 births in 2006 for the spelling Sydney.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Sydney Parkinson (1745–1771), Scottish illustrator. * Sydney Smirke (1798–1877), English architect. * Sydney Smith (1771–1845), English writer. * Admiral Sir Sydney Dacres (1805–1884), English admiral. * Sidney Lanier (1842–1881), American musician, poet and author. * Sidney Lee (1859–1926), English biographer, writer and critic. * Sidney Homer (1864–1953), American composer. * Sydney Barnes (1873–1967), English cricketer. * Sidney "Sid" Hadden (1877–1934), English cricketer. * Sidney Myer (1878–1934), Australian businessman and philanthropist. * Sir Sidney Solomon "Solly" Abrahams (1885–1957), British Olympic long jumper and 26th Chief Justice of Ceylon. * Sydney Chaplin (1885–1965), English actor. * Sydney Horler (1888–1954), British novelist. * Sydney Camm (1893–1966), English aeronautical engineer. * Sidney Bechet (1897–1959), American jazz saxophonist. * Sidney Bernstein, Baron Bernstein (1899–1993), British media baron. * Sidney "Sid" Field (1904–1950), English comedy entertainer. * Sidney Meyers (1906–1969), American film director. * Sidney "Sid" Gillman (1911–2003), American football player and coach. * Sidney Carroll (1913–1988), American film and television scriptwriter.. * Sidney "Sid" James (1913–1976), South African-born English film and television actor. * Sidney Sheldon (1917–2007), American writer and producer. * Sydney Earle Chaplin (1926–2009), American actor. Contemporary: * Sidney Poitier (born 1927), American actor. * Sidney Duteil (born 1955), French musician and television and radio host. * Sidney Moncrief (born 1957), American basketball player. * Sidney Govou (born 1979), French football player. * Sidney Moraes (born 1977), Brazilian footballer. * Sidney "Sid" Wilson (born 1977), American DJ, keyboardist and pianist. * Sidney Crosby (born 1987), Canadian ice hockey player. * Sidney Jones (born 1995), American football player. Literature and Other Media: * Sydney Carton, a central character in Charles Dickens' novel A Tale of Two Cities (1859). * Sidney "Sid", a ground sloth in the Ice Age film series. * Sidney Jenkins, a character in the British teenage drama Skins. * Sidney Prescott, the main (female) character from the Scream horror trilogy.

Variants:

Sydney

Pronunciation:

SID-nee [key]

Possible diminutives:

Sid

Sibling Names:

Nina     Constance     Primrose     Josephine     Olive     Lois  Eric     Barnaby     Chester     Wilfred     Vincent     Otis

Name Lists:

Victorian Darlings  Roaring Twenties Names   Vintage Names  Resurrected Retro  Jane Austen Names  Dickensian Names

 

If you like Sidney you may also like:   Frank, Robin, Leonard, Stanley, Philip, Edwin, Percy, Victor, Monty, Ernest

Thanks to Jennifer for requesting this name.  

 

Top 100 Most Popular Names in Scotland 2018

 

Here are the official figures for the top 100 names in Scotland in 2018. 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. Indeed, the top 5 showed very little movement at all (non at all for girls), but it is worth noting that all of these none-movers actually decreased in birth count. 

For the most part, the rankings are similar to the Provisional Top 100 of Scotland 2018, released in December, but now with the full rankings, there has been a little shift in the bottom section. According to the provisional data, Sebastian, Ariana and Myla all moved up into the top 100, but with the final data, they have moved just below. On the flip side, Frankie and Kayden moved into the top 100 for boys. 

Other new or re-entries to the top 100 were: Alex, Callan, Elijah, Gabriel, Grayson, Louis, Luca, Lyle, Tommy, Ada, Aila, Amelie, Bonnie, Cora, Darcy, Eden, Florence, Hope, Lena, Myla, Piper, Quinn and Rowan.

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 7 9 10 11 11 13 14 14 16 17 18 19 20 21 21 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 34 36 37 38 38 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 50 50 53 54 54 56 56 58 59 60 60 62 63 64 64 64 67 68 69 70 71 71 73 74 75 76 77 77 79 80 81 82 82 82 85 85 85 85 89 89 89 92 93 93 95 95 97 97 97 100

Jack Oliver James Logan Leo Lewis Alexander Harris Noah Rory Charlie Harry Lucas Jacob Thomas Alfie Archie Max Finlay Finn Adam Daniel Ethan Mason Brodie Joshua Theo Cameron Oscar Hunter Aaron Callum William Liam Matthew Jaxon Harrison Freddie Ollie Jamie Caleb Nathan Luke Muhammad Jude Arthur Arran Luca Angus Carter Connor Dylan George Blake Robert Arlo Samuel Hamish Jackson Cole Ryan Andrew David Fraser Joseph Kai Isaac Michael Reuben Leon Aidan Benjamin Blair Riley Ben John Josh Murray Sam Grayson Cooper Callan Elijah Jake Alex Innes Louis Ruaridh Owen Tommy Tyler Henry Elliot Lyle Jayden Kayden Aiden Frankie Gabriel Jax

0 0 0 +1 +4 -2 +1 0 -3 +7 +3 -1 +3 -1 +5 -5 +2 +6 -7 +5 +1 0 +3 -6 +7 +5 +1 -5 +1 38 -16 +2 +0 +8 -7 +7 -2 +7 +2 0 -4 -13 0 -8 -7 +43 +12 +54 -2 +19 -1 +2 +2 +1 +13 +5 -18 +5 +1 -6 -10 -12 -8 +9 -3 +1 -22 -2 +8 +6 +12 -16 +4 -27 +4 -13 +5 -2 +6 +41 -28 +39 +50 +10 +19 +4 +23 -14 -16 +47 -5 +5 -12 +37 -15 +9 -26 +45 +19 -15

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 23 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 34 36 37 38 38 40 41 42 42 44 44 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 56 58 59 59 61 61 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 69 71 72 72 72 75 75 77 78 78 78 81 82 83 84 84 86 87 87 89 89 91 91 91 91 95 95 95 95 95 95

Olivia Emily Isla Sophie Amelia Ella Ava Grace Aria Jessica Charlotte Sophia Freya Lucy Lily Evie Harper Ellie Eilidh Mia Millie Anna Emma Ruby Maisie Rosie Georgia Eva Chloe Poppy Orla Holly Hannah Erin Willow Ivy Mila Esme Layla Sofia Isabella Robyn Sienna Skye Zara Alice Maya Emilia Daisy Katie Niamh Amber Rose Molly Zoe Abigail Iona Leah Hallie Thea Gracie Lilly Hollie Imogen Cara Ayla Cora Elsie Bella Phoebe Summer Ada Bonnie Julia Amelie Brooke Matilda Callie Maria Piper Darcy Luna Lola Aila Lexi Rebecca Hope Penelope Kayla Rowan Clara Georgie Lena Sadie Aurora Eden Florence Nina Quinn Violet

0 0 0 0 0 +2 0 +5 +1 -4 -2 +4 +1 -3 -3 0 +1 -3 +2 +3 -1 +4 +1 +5 +5 +14 +10 -3 -7 -1 -4 -1 -14 0 +11 +22 +15 +8 -6 +3 -6 +8 -9 -6 -8 -3 0 +1 -7 -10 +9 -14 +12 +1 -7 -3 +26 0 +12 -3 +5 -11 +7 +16 +29 -4 +62 +3 -5 -12 0 +77 +67 +15 +45 +13 +1 +10 -10 +41 +22 -4 +5 +31 -31 -23 +14 +1 +26 +50 +7 +5 +62 -6 +1 +40 +8 -1 +13 -7

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

UK Birth Announcements 11/3/19 - 17/3/19

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.I cross-reference older BAs to find the full names of the siblings, however often they are missing (especially the eldest siblings) which explains why you will sometimes see: George Henry (Lucy, Emma & Jack Arthur).  

 

Boys:

Arthur Peter Alan

Digby Leopold Milo

Evan Michael

Harry John (Sophia Grace)

Jack Lowen (Frederick)

Jesse Edward (Blake)

Oliver Roy

Otis Sonny (Willow

Teddy Gary

Tobias Austin Vaughan

 

Girls: 

Annabel Isla

Ava Florence (Jacob Dylan)

Freya Joy

Harper Lauren

Pearl Ivy Jane (Blake Aiden & Kane Jowan)

Sienna Isabelle Francesca

Theodora Ophelia Carolyn (Vesper Evelyn)

 

Twins:

Huw & Caradog (Lewis, Cet, Teagan, Hari George, Elwyn Neil, Elin Mari & Twm Dafydd)

Roddy & Ronnie 

 

I cross-reference older BAs to find the full names of the siblings, however often they are missing (especially the eldest siblings, or for half siblings) which explains why you will sometimes see something like: George Henry (Lucy, Emma & Jack Arthur). "Lucy" and "Emma" may well have middle names as well; I simply cannot find them online. 

 

Name of the Week: Nell

 

 

Origin:

Nell started as a short-form of Eleanor (see post for origin) and later also became used as a short form of Ellen and Helen.  There is a popular theory that Nell developed from the affectionate phrase "Mine Eleanor" which became "Mine El" and then "My Nell." This certainly explains the use of Nan (Anne), Noll (Oliver), Nab (Abel), Nalle (Alice) and Ned (Edward), but doesn't explain why Elizabeth became Bess, not Ness. Ted was also used for Ed- names, Tib, Bib and Nib were used for Isabel, and Nobb, Hobb and Dobb were used for Robert. Given that so many medieval names had short-forms that were created by adding or changing the first consonant, Nell may just be a simple example of this, especially given that it was already in use as the surname Nell(le).   In the case of American novelist (Nelle) Harper Lee (1926-2016), she received the name Nelle as it was her grandmother's name (Ellen) spelled backwards.  The surname Nell does not derive from Eleanor, but instead derives from the the Old Irish name Niall. The name was taken to Norway as Njall and introduced to England as Nel, and later became Neil. The surname Nelson means "son of Nel."

Usage:

Nell has been in use as a short form since at least the 16th century, but is quite likely older. Nell is a kitchen maid in Shakespeare's play Comedy of Errors. It isn't clear when the play was written, but it was first performed in 1594. The diminutive form Nelly/Nellie also dates from at least the 17th century. The variant spelling Nelle is also found, not only in small numbers in England, but also in Prussia, the Netherlands and Scandinavia in broader numbers in the 16th century. Nella can also be found in Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands at this time as well.  One of the most famous bearers was Nell Gwynne (1650-1687), one of the first actresses on the English stage, and a favourite mistress of King Charles II. Born Eleanor Gwyn, originally an orange-seller, Nell's story is a real rags-to-royalty tale. As an actress, Nell became quite the celebrity and she was well known for her frank, happy nature, high spirits and generosity. Famous diarist Samuel Pepys referred to her as "pretty, witty Nell" in 1665 and her love affair with Charles II began in 1668.  Of all of Charles' mistresses, Nell was the only one who was beloved by the public.* Reputedly, she was not grasping or greedy like other mistresses, and was “a true child of the London streets,”* never inveigling herself in politics. Her generous nature and partying lifestyle also meant she was frequently in dept. Famously, on his death bed, Charles II was said to have said “Let not poor Nelly starve” to his brother James. Nell Gwyn remained a folk hero after her death. A few girls in the 19th century were even registered with the name "Nell Gwyn(ne)."  Nell alone was uncommon but in consistent use from the 17th to the 20th century. Its usage is masked by the fact that it was more commonly used as a nickname for Eleanor and Ellen — both of which were top 20 names in England and Wales from 1538 to 1700 and were still in the top 50 until the 20th century.  Nell Trent, or "Little Nell", is the virtuous heroine of Charles Dickens' The Old Curiosity Shop (1840) and Ellen "Nelly" Dean is the housekeeper and narrator of Emily Brontë's novel Wuthering Heights (1847).  Click to enlarge In the early 19th century, Nell appears to be especially concentrated in Cardiganshire on the mid-West coast of Wales, specifically in the district of Aberayron: all of the birth registrations for Nell in the 1840s, and all but three of the registrations in the 1850s, were in this district, and this pattern continued up until the 1880s (as we can see from data from the 1881 census, see right). Nellie and Nelly were more widespread. Most of the births were in England, but when we look at births per 100,000 people, we see that it was well used in southern Scotland as well, though little used in Wales.  Registration records for Nell and variant forms as a first name in England & Wales:   Nell Nelle Nellie Nelly Nella 1840s: 1850s: 1860s: 1870s: 1880s: 1890s: 1900s: 1910s: 1920s: 1930s: 1940s: 1950s: 1960s: 1970s: 47 births 51 births 64 births 50 births 64 births 65 births 79 births 52 births 51 births 26 births 20 births 12 births 18 births 39 births 0 births 1 birth 6 births 16 births 10 births 2 births 8 births 6 births 1 birth 0 births 2 births 0 births 0 births 2 births 4 births 20 births 886 births 10060 births 35676 births 52035 births 56918 births 39007 births 16792 births 3095 births 591 births 112 births 58 births 16 births 46 births 149 births 1372 births 5246 births 7296 births 6613 births 4058 births 1912 births 492 births 91 births 12 births 3 births 5 births 9 births 0 births 1 birth 10 births 18 births 40 births 40 births 82 births 82 births 56 births 22 births 13 births 11 births 22 births 10 births As we can see from the data above, Nell was initially the most common form until Nelly saw a rise in the 1850s. This was followed by an explosion in popularity for both Nellie and Nelly in the 1860s and 1870s.  Contemporary newspapers mention the song Nelly Gray frequently in 1860 and the novel Nelly Deane: A Story Of Everyday Life (1864) was well advertised, but beyond this, there is little popular culture reference to explain the name's sudden rise, other than it fit the fashions of the time, and reflected the popularity of Ellen, Eleanor and Helen.  Indeed, Nellie/Nelly became so popular, both managed to break into the top 100 in England and Wales:   Nellie Nelly 1840: 1850:  1860:  1870:  1880:  1890: 1900:  1904: 1914: 1924: 1934: 1944: 1954: 1964: 1974: — — — #96 #46 #22 #23 #22 #32 #68 — — — — — — — #209 #94 #85 #88 #105 — — — — — — — — By the 1960s, all forms of the name were uncommon. In recent years, however, all have seen a rise.  First came Nell, which, from ranking #3126 (4 births) in 1996 in England and Wales, began to rise steeply in 2000, reaching #342 (103 births) in 2002. It has remained quite consistent since.  Since 2006, Nellie and Nelly have also been rising, with Nellie outranking Nell in 2015, when it almost tripled in use from #668 (59 births) to #307 (157 births), and Nelly also seeing a marked rise. Some of this steep rise may have been thanks to reality TOWIE star Billie Faiars naming her daughter Nelly Samantha in 2014.  In 2017 in England and Wales, Nellie ranked #233 (216 births), Nell ranked #306 (159 births), Nelly ranked #493 (88 births), Nella ranked #870 (44 births) and Nelle ranked #1681 (18 births).  The animated children's series Nella the Princess Knight (2017-) may further boost the variant Nella in upcoming years.  In all forms, Nell- names are less common in Scotland, with Nell still the most dominant form. In 2017, Nell ranked #446 (7 births), Nellie ranked #501 (6 births), Nelly ranked #1007 (2 births) and Nelle ranked #1537 (1 birth).

Famous Bearers:

History: * Eleanor "Nell" Gwyn (1650–1687), early actress and mistress of King Charles II. * Ellen "Nelly" Ternan (1839–1914), English actress. * Ellen "Nellie" Farren (1848–1904), English actress and singer. * Nellie V. Mark (1857–1935), American physician and suffragist. * Eleanor "Nellie" Stewart (1858–1931), Australian actress and singer. * Dame Nellie Melba (1861–1931), Australian opera soprano. * Elizabeth Seaman aka Nellie Bly (1864–1922), American journalist. * Nelle Richmond Eberhart (1871–1944), American librettist, poet, and teacher. * Nellie McClung (1873–1951), Canadian feminist, politician, and social activist. * Nelly Thüring (1875–1972), Swedish politician and one of the first women elected to the Swedish parliament. * Nellie Tayloe Ross (1876–1977), first American woman state governor. * Nelle Scanlan MBE (1882–1968), New Zealand journalist and novelist. * Nelle Peters (1884–1974), American architects. * Leonie "Nelly" Sachs (1891–1970), German poet and dramatist. * Nell Shipman (1892–1970), Canadian actress and screenwriter. * Nelle Morton (1905–1987), American theologian, professor, feminist activist, and civil rights leader. * Nelly Landry (1916–2010), French tennis player. Contemporary: * Nell Blaine (1922–1996), American painter. * Nell Rankin (1924–2005), American opera singer. * Nelle Harper Lee (1926–2016), American novelist. * Nelly Ben-Or (born 1933), Polish concert pianist and professor. * Nell Dunn (born 1936), English playwright, screenwriter, and author. * Nell McCafferty (born 1944), Irish journalist, playwright, civil rights campaigner, and feminist. * Nell Carter (1948–2003), American singer and actress. * Nell McAndrew (born 1973), English model and presenter. * Nell Freudenberger (born 1975), American novelist. * Nell Bryden (born 1977), American singer. * Nelly Furtado (born 1978), Canadian R&B singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and record producer. Literature and Other Media: * Nell, a character in Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors. * Nell Trent, the heroine of Charles Dickens' The Old Curiosity Shop (1840).  * Nelly Dean, a character in Emily Brontë's novel Wuthering Heights (1847). * Nellie Oleson, from the Little House on the Prairie children's books and TV series. * Nellie Forbush, heroine of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific (1949). * Eleanor "Nell" Mangel, a character on the Australian soap opera Neighbours (1986-1988). * Nell Jones, a character from the TV series NCIS: Los Angeles.

Variants:

Nelle, Nellie, Nelly, Nella

Pronunciation:

NEL [key]

Possible  longer forms:

Eleanor, Ellen, Helen, Helena, Annelie, Annelise, Antonella, Cornelia, Daniella, Fenella, Nephele, Ornella, Penelope, Prunella

Sibling Names:

Olive     Willa     Polly     Sadie     Wren     Ada  Rex     Myles     Beau     Ted     Rafe     Otis

Name Lists:

Vintage Names   Guys and Dolls  Dickensian Names

 

If you like Nell you may also like:   Stella, Bea, Cleo, Lena, Cora, Neve, Mabel, Kitty, Nancy, Hazel

Thanks to Amy for requesting this name.

Name Help: A Sister name for Clementine "CeCe"

Hannah is expecting her second child soon, a sibling for Clementine Rose "CeCe". 

Hannah writes: "We're pretty set on a boys name: Cassius Maxim, Cass for short. First time round, it was so easy to choose a girl's name and so difficult to choose a boys but I think because we love Clementine's name so much and felt we got it just right, we're struggling to find something that we love equally as much. 

I'm quite fixated on French sounding names at the moment so would love some similarly themed suggestions, although would be great to hear anything else that goes well with Clementine to try to broaden my horizons. Essentially, we're looking for something that is unusual but stylish and probably a medium length - long name. 

 

Names on the list:

Genevieve (Evie or Eve for short)
Cosette we both like, this is probably number 1 at the moment.

I recently ran these names past my husband:

 

Fabienne 

Vaila 

Lisette 

Evangeline 

 

He said no to all but infuriatingly gives no reasons just says he doesn't like. 

 

Millicent - decided Millie was too popular 

Valentina - love but decided we really don't like shortened Val or Tina 

Livia - both like but maybe too plain and too much like Olivia would consider as a middle name 

 

We had Vida and Ivy picked out for a while but both kind of went off it. We both like names with Vs though. Glad we didn't use Ivy as it is now so popular.  

 

Out of use names:

 

Emmeline 

Coco 

Araminta"

 

※    ※    ※    ※

Cassius Maxim is a FANASTIC name! No, seriously, I need a minute just to swoon over it...

I really like your short-list so far. Genevieve and Cosette are lovely and very complimentary choices. I thought of Valentina immediately to suggest to you, as well. If Val and Tina don't take your fancy there are lots of other options for nicknames including Lena, Liv, Tilly, Tia, Vita and Vivi.

As you are drawn to long names with nickname potential, I've listed possible nicknames under each suggestion. 

 

French-inspired:

Apolline –  The French form of stately Apollonia, used in the Middle Ages in honour of the 3rd century martyr, St Apollonia of Alexandria.  
Nicknames: Polly, Appy, Apple

Azalea – Like Clementine, Azalea is an enchanting botanical name. Azalea itself is the English form; Azalée is the French. However, Azalea lends itself wonderfully to the French diminutive Zelie which has become well-known thanks to recently canonised Marie-Azélie "Zélie" Martin (1831-1877). Azélie itself has obscure and debated origins, but it likely derives from the same source as Ascelina.
Nicknames: Zelie , ZiZi

Camelia / Camellia – Camélia is the French form of the Camellia flower which Linnaeus named after botanist Georg Joseph Kamel. Kamel itself is a Moravian form of the Roman Camillus/Camilla. 
In the language of flowers, the camellia represents "unpretending excellence, admiration and perfection."
Nicknames: Cammy, Cally, Millie

Celestine –  The French and English form of the Latin Caelestinus "of the sky, heavenly." 
Nicknames: Zelie, Tess, Lettie

Coralie – A sweet French name meaning "coral" which came into use after the French Revolution. 
Nicknames: Coco, Cora, Collie
Other "Coco" names: Cordelia, Constance, Coraline, Corisande, Constanza

Floriane– In a similar vein to Fabienne, but more familiar to English ears. Floriane/Florianne makes for an uncommon twist on popular Florence. 
Nicknames: Flo, Florrie, Flossie, FiFi

Marilou – A French and Dutch combination of perennial classics Marie and Louise with a fun and youthful appeal. 
Nicknames: Mari, Millie, Mallie, Lulu

Other Mari- names:

- Mariana / Marianne = Mari, Minnie, Mae
- Maribel = Mari, Millie, Mae, Bibi, Maybee, Belle
- Marilene / Marilena  = Mari, Mae, Minnie, Millie, Mena
- Marisol = Mari, Mae, Missy, Molly, Mossy
- Mariposa = Mari, Mae, Missy, Posy, Mossy
- Marjolaine = Mari, Mae, Mallie, Jinny, Jolie

Mirabelle – Derived from the Latin mirabilis "wonderful," Mirabelle is a medieval gem which is both French and English. 
Nicknames: Mimi, Miri, Millie, Belle, Ella, Mally

 

Other Ideas:

Artemis(ia) – Artemis is the Greek goddess of the moon and hunting (equivalent to the Roman Diana). Her name is familiar, and yet uncommon. Artemisia is a variant which has been borne by several intriguing women throughout history. Artemisia I of Caria (fl. 480 BC) ruled in her own right and lead her fleet in the Battle of Salamis. Over a century later, Artemisia II of Caria (d.350 BC) also commander her own fleets. Artemisia Gentileschi (1593–1651) was a renowned Italian painter who broke the mould for women in the artistic community. 
Nicknames: Artie, Missy, Tess, Tia, Timmy

Calliope – One of the nine Muses of Greek mythology, Calliope was the goddess of epic poetry and eloquence -- her name literally means "beautiful voice." 
Nicknames: Callie, Poppy, Pippa, Lila

Christabel – A name coined for medieval romance which was made famous by suffragette Christabel Pankhurst (1880-1958). 
Nicknames: Tess, Kitty, Tabby, Belle

Cosima – A chic Italian feminine form of Cosimo -- brother to Cosmo -- which derives from the Greek kosmos "order, world."
Nicknames: Coco, Cossy, Mimi, Missy

Juniper – A youthful botanical name with grown-up appeal which has been used since the Middle Ages. In Britain, it also has links to Jennifer/Guinevere. 
Nicknames: Junie, Juno, Jinny, Pippa, Prue

Lavinia – An ancient name borne by the ancestor of the Romans which has plenty of stately elegance. Lavina and Levina are similar, yet unrelated, names which derive from the Old English Leofwynn "beloved + joy."
Nicknames: Liv, Livvy, Vivi, Vinnie, Lina

Magnolia –  A quirky flower name. In the language of flowers, the magnolia represents "love of nature."
Nicknames: Maggie, Minnie, Molly, Nola

Marina  – Meaning "of the sea," Marina was once an epithet of the goddess Venus and was borne by several saints. It became a huge hit in the 1930s when Princess Marina of Greece married Prince George, Duke of Kent.
Nicknames: Mari, Mae, Minnie, Mina, Mimi

Octavia – A grand and stately Roman name which is a guaranteed head-turner, but is also widely familiar. 
Nicknames: Viva, Vivi

Ottilie – A modern German form of Odilia (from uod "wealth, riches") which has a sleek and stylish sound. 
Nicknames: Tillie, Oti, Ollie, Lottie

Ophelia – Made famous by Shakespeare's tragic heroine, Ophelia is a chic and elegant choice with a mellifluous sound. 
Nicknames: Fifi, Effie

Venetia / Vienna – Not only is Venetia the Latin name for glamorous Venice, in Britain, it was also used to latinise Gwyneth. Venetia Digby (1600–1633) was a celebrated beauty of the Stuart era and Benjamin Disraeli used the name for his novel Venetia in 1837.
Vienna is another artistic and captivating city-name used as a given name. 
Nicknames: Viva, Vivi

 

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

 

 

UK Birth Announcements 4/3/19 - 10/3/19

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.I cross-reference older BAs to find the full names of the siblings, however often they are missing (especially the eldest siblings) which explains why you will sometimes see: George Henry (Lucy, Emma & Jack Arthur).  

 

Boys:

Alfie Leo

Arthur John Patrick (Eva Lilliana)

Benjamin Eric John (Stanley)

Bertram Michael Geoffrey (Alfred David Caswell)

Dominic Cecil (Ludwik Walter & Savannah Clare)

James Alexander Malcolm

Louie Marty

Ned Alfred (Ronnie David)

Noah Cameron (Harris)

Otto Phil (Henrietta Phyl "Hetty")

Twm Glyn

 

Girls: 

Alice Rose

Aubrey Clementine

Beatrix Rose

Elizabeth Rose (Alfred Oscar "Alfie")

Erin

Evie May

Felicity Megan

Isla Nancy Gail

Liliana Sofia Lynn (Leonardo Giancarlo Francesco "Leo")

Lydia Kaitlynn Olive

Nancy Harriet (Walter)

Tillie Jayne (Harbour Jayne)

Willow

 

I cross-reference older BAs to find the full names of the siblings, however often they are missing (especially the eldest siblings, or for half siblings) which explains why you will sometimes see something like: George Henry (Lucy, Emma & Jack Arthur). "Lucy" and "Emma" may well have middle names as well; I simply cannot find them online.