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I'm moving!
My moving day is this Friday and, currently, I'm up to my elbows in packing and cleaning (who knew I owned so much stuff?!!). It'll take a little while to get settled, and for internet connection to be set up in my new house, so I won't be able to post on the blog for a week or two. I'll still be working on Name Help requests and other name-related posts offline and will post them as soon as I am able.
See you all soon.
Elea x
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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:
Aodhán Patrick
Augustus Paul
Edward Other Ivor Llewellyn "Ned" (Grace Bell & Olive Mary)
Finley Stephen (Elliot James & Oliver)
Harley Mack
Harris Douglas (Ruby Elizabeth & Alfie Harry)
Jasper John
Jasper Teddy
John Montgomery "Monty"
Noah Patrick
Oliver Peter (Thomas James & Eleanor
Patrick Finley
Ramsay David John (Megan Rose & Zoe Elizabeth)
Teddy Jack (Alfie, Woody Frank, Austin Louis & Darcie Aurora)
Thomas Benjamin
Girls:
Ashleigh (Edwin William James, Elsa & Arthur Jack Lowen)
Daisy Alexandra (Florence Olivia)
Edie Florence
Eliza Iris Juno (Arthur Ian Benedict & Beatrice Florence Violet)
Emerald Cicely
Emili
Erin Jean (Alex Rose)
Georgiana Beatrice Elizabeth
Iona Claire (Fraser William)
Iris Elizabeth (Wilfred James "Freddie")
Kitty Eliza (Chiara Charlotte)
Nancy Emma Millicent
Oonagh Xanthe Iona (Zephyr Charles Theodore)
Sophie Gill Lily
Willow Sylvia (Otto Alastair)
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.
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Origin: |
Joanna is the feminine form the Hebrew name Yochanan (Latinised as Johannes) derived from the Hebrew Yhvh "Yahweh; the God of Israel" and chanan "to show favor, be gracious". The feminine name was found in New Testament in the Greek form Ιωαννα (Ioanna) which then became Latinised as Johanna. Joan is the English vernacular form which was in use from at least the 13th century. The variant Joanne existed as Johanne/Johane in the Middle Ages, however, it's modern use may have been influenced by the rise of other -anne names such as Diane, Suzanne and Leanne, and Anne itself, in the mid-19th century. |
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Usage: |
According to the New Testament, Joanna, mentioned in the gospels, was the wife of Chuza who managed the household of Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee. Joanna was healed by Jesus and later supported and accompanied Jesus and his disciples. Like most women in the Bible, Joanna only gets brief mention. However, in Jesus’ Female Disciples: The New Evidence, Bible experts Helen Bond and Joan Taylor argued that these brief mentions contain clues that Joanna was actually quite an influential woman, and a crucial part of Jesus' following. She is described as being perhaps "one of the most important disciples in the whole movement": As a witness to Jesus' resurrection, Joanna was regarded as a saint in the Christian church, which is why forms of her name became widespread across Europe. Johanna (later Joanna) was used in the Latin records but the vernacular form Joan (Johan, Johane) was used in English, Jehanne in French, Giovanna in Italian and Joana/Juana in Spanish. It was not very common before the 13th century, but quickly grew in popularity. This rise in the 13th century coincides with the popular legend of Pope Joan, an apocryphal early medieval female pope. The legend was first written down in the 13th century and quickly spread across Europe where it was believed to be true for centuries. In most versions of the story, Joan is an intelligent and able English woman who disguises herself as a man so that she can have access to education afforded to clergy. She rises through the ranks of the church and is eventually elected as pope under the name Pope John VIII. Her identity was finally revealed when, on a procession through Rome, she went in to labour and died in child-birth. The name came into royal use when Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine named their third daughter Joan(na) in 1165. Joan of England / Joanna Plantagenet, as she is now referred, went on to become queen consort of Sicily. Her brother, King John I, also had a legitimate daughter named Joan of England (1210–1238) who became Queen consort of Scotland as well as an illegitimate daughter named Joan who became "Lady of Wales" when she married Llywelyn the Great, Prince of Wales and Gwynedd. Many many more royal Joan(na)s followed across Europe over the following centuries: several of these royal Joan(na)'s actually wielded power in their own right, acting as regents or ruling independently. Then, of course, there was Joan of Arc (c. 1412–1431), the famous French heroine who led French forces against the English in the Hundred Years' War and was later canonised as a saint. In George Redmonds analysis of 1000 names from 10 English counties in 1377-81, Joan ranks at #3, just behind Alice and Agnes. Joan remained common up until the 18th century however, it began to decline slightly in the mid-1600s. This coincides with the rise of Joanna itself, which Smith Bannister points out was a more common choice of name during the latter decades of the period, most particularly after 1640, alongside Mercy, Lydia and Dinah. We can see this usage in Smith Bannister's rank of top 50 names from 1538 to 1700 in England:
According to Leslie Dunkling's rankings, Joan was #18 and Joanna was #27 in 1700. By 1800, Joan declined to #45 and Joanna to #46. Joan saw a massive rise in the early 20th century, reaching the top 100 once again by 1904. I cannot pin point any one thing that explains this rapid rise, though there are several works pertaining to Joan of Arc during this period, including a 1900 French silent which was distributed in England. In every decade in the 20th century, some form of Joanna ranked in the top 100 in England and Wales as records from the Birth Index show:
From 1996 to 2004, both Joanna and Joanne saw a decline in use in England and Wales while Joan remained consistently uncommon. Since then, Joanna and Joan have remained in consistent use, while Joanne has seen a decline. In 2017, Joanna ranked #439 with 100 births, Joanne ranked #1817 with 16 births and Joan ranked #2502 with 10 births in England and Wales. In 1900 in Scotland, Joan ranked #42, Johan ranked #84 and Johanna ranked #91. By 1950, only Joan remained, ranking #23 and by 1975 it had been replaced by Joanne at #28 and Joanna at #72. In 2018, Joanna ranked #502 (6 births), and Joanne and Joan both ranked at #1571 (1 births) in Scotland. |
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Famous Bearers: |
Royalty: * Joan of England, Queen of Sicily (1165–1199), daughter of Henry II of England, married William II of Sicily. History: * Joan of Arc (c. 1412–1431), French saint and martyr. Contemporary: * Joanne Herring (born 1929), American political activist.* Dame Joan Collins (b.1933), English television and film actress and author. * Joanna Lumley (b.1946), English actress and former model. * Joan Cusack (b. 1961), American actress. * Joanne Whalley (born 1961), British actress. * Joanne "J.K." Rowling (born 1965), British author. * Joanna Page (b.1978), Welsh actress. Literature and Other Media: * Joan Watson, a character from the TV series Elementary, played by Lucy Liu. |
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Variants: |
Siwan (Welsh), Jowanet (Cornish), Siobhán (Irish), Johanna (German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Hungarian, Finnish, Estonian), Jeanne (French), Juana (Spanish), Joana (Portuguese, Catalan), Giovanna (Italian), Ioana (Greek), Gianna (Italian, Greek), Ivana (Czech, Slovak, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian), Jone (Basque), Ghjuvanna (Corsican) |
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Pronunciation: |
jō-AN-ə [key] |
| Possible diminutives: |
Jo, Joey, Jan, Janna |
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Sibling Names: |
Sarah Louisa Ellen Rachel Philippa Katherine |
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Name Lists: |
British Royal Names Royal Names of Europe Medieval Favourites Terrifically Tudor Gorgeously Georgian |
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If you like Joanna you may also like: |
Thanks to Chamali for requesting this name.
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Nicole and Lee are expecting their third child — a sibling for Oliver Christian "Ollie" and Harriett Grace "Hattie". They have boys' names sorted, but are struggling with girls' names.
Nicole writes: "I love both of our children's names, both middle names are honour names/family ties, and their first names to me are sophisticated and yet somewhat romantic. My only regret is that we didn't check popularity before Oliver was born and it was the most popular boy's name that year! Whereas I've only met one other Harriett of her age group since she's been born.
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Romantic and sophisticated versus traditional and recognisable. Hannelore would certainly sit in the first camp, while Eleanor fits in the second.
Luckily, there are names that bridge the gap between both camps, and have the same history and longevity as Oliver and Harriet without compromising style.
Arabella – Arabella is a name with plenty of history that doesn't feel out of place next to Oliver and Harriet: all three were well used in the early 19th century. Arabella is romantic and pretty like Aurelia but not dainty. Rather, it has a refined strength and stately elegance.
Athena – Undeniably feminine with melodic sounds and an indomitable female namesake. Athena was the Greek goddess of both wisdom, courage, good advice, war and heroism. She had brains, beauty, courage and was certainly no push-over.
Aurora – Another stylish ancient goddess name is the Latin goddess of the dawn. Sound wise, it sits between Aurelia and Hannelore with a pretty but non-nonsense style.
Beatrix – Capable and enduring Beatrix has the same "Cherry Tree Lane" Victorian style as Oliver and Harriet thanks to the eternal acclaim of Beatrix Potter. The 'x' ending makes it more striking and glamorous than sister Beatrice.
Cecily – A name of proud Medieval English princesses and genteel Edwardian ladies. Cecily Neville, Duchess of York "the Rose of Raby" (1415-1495) was known as much for her piety as her strong will and political influence.
Delilah – A glamorous name borne by the infamous Biblical siren. Unlike many biblical women, Delilah stands as an independent figure in her own right and her bad reputation stems only from her "non-Israelite" status. The name has been in use since the 17th century and has been in use ever since. It is now a hot new discovery, recently breaking into the top 100 in the South West and South East.
Delphine – A chic French name derived from the Latin name Delphinus, meaning "of Delphi" — one of the most sacred and mystical sites in Ancient Greece. Delphi's origin likely comes from the same source as the Greek delphus "womb" as Delphi was believed to be the centre of the Earth, where the divide between the human and the divine was bridged by female oracles. Delphinus is also the Latin word for "dolphin" which was used by the French for centuries as the name (Dauphin/e) and symbol of the heirs to the throne.
Eliana – The modern form of the Roman name Aeliana, born by the family of Emperor Hadrian. The French form is Éliane and Eliane (ay-lee-AH-nə) is used in the Netherlands. Modern royals include Eliane van Vollenhoven, daughter of Prince Floris of Orange-Nassau, and Princess Eliane de Merode.
Elodie – A melodic French name which is also the name of a semi-double pink lily. It's similar to Elowen but without the pronunciation issues.
Eloise – Another medieval French name which has a perfectly romantic heritage thanks to the legend of Heloise and Abelard.
Elora – Most likely formed as a shortened form of Eleanora, Elora has been in use in Britain in small numbers since at least the 19th century. It also brings to mind the Ellora Caves in India.
Emmeline – Feminine without being frilly, Emmeline is Victorian darling with Suffragette credentials.
Jemima – From famous Biblical beauty to the sweet twee style of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Jemima was a staple of the 18th and 19th century and brings to mind capable Jemima Nicholas (1775-1832), the Welsh woman who heroically led the women of Fishguard to capture French soldiers in the "last invasion of Britain" in 1797.
Josephine – A refined and dignified French name with a home-spun and down-to-earth vibe, much thanks to spunky Josephine March of Little Women.
Juliet – The epitome of romance, Juliet is an elegant name that feels familiar and traditional, yet not at all common or expected.
Lilia – An elaborated form of Lily found in the Romance languages such as Spanish and Italian. It is exotic and recognisable all at the same time.
Penelope – A sophisticated name that's far from dainty. In Greek mythology, Penelope was the faithful wife of Odysseus who skilfully and cunningly fended off bullying suitors.
Rosalie – A graceful French form of Rosalia via the Latin rosa "rose". The Rosalia was a Roman festival of roses in which they exchanged rose garlands. Like both Oliver and Harriett, Rosalie also has historic literary heritage: Anne Brontë used the name for a character in her debut novel Agnes Grey (1847) which saw the name come into regular use in Britain. The name peaked in 1938 and 1939 thanks to the film Rosalie (1938), which was based on a 1928 musical.
Tabitha – Like Jemima, Tabitha is both a notable biblical woman and a sweet Beatrix Potter character. However, the name is also borne by X-Men superhero Tabitha Smith and Tabitha Babbitt (1784–1853), an American tool maker who is supposed to have invented the circular saw.
Verity – Verity is a sweet virtue name that fits the "Cherry Tree Lane" style of Oliver and Harriett but with the stylish 'V' that adds a spark. It is a familair name but not overly common.
I hope this will help spark renewed inspiration for girls' names. Good luck with settling on the perfect name for your new family addition.
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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 Paul (Maximillian Walter)
Alexander "Xander" Samuel Bernard (Maximilian Bertie Thomas & Scarlett Ophelia Grace)
Angus William James
Charles Louis Howell
Edward "Ned" Jago Nicholas (Francis "Frankie" Ivo John)
Elliott Jason Robert
Jacob William (Sienna)
James Scott Douglas
John Francis Claude (Leo Frederick Cresswell)
Leo James Glenn
Oscar John Arthur
Reuben Steven Joseph
Riley Bear (Casey Jae -boy)
Roman David Robert (Damiano & Lois)
Toby Peter (Isaac)
William Peter Mackenzie
Girls:
Amara Jessica Talia (Indigo Octavia Elizabeth)
Araminta Florence Cressida
Camilla Rose Clementine
Elodie Grace Peony (Phoebe Arabella & Jemima Primrose)
Fenella Willow Clementine (Ottilie Rose Victoria)
Iona Clare Beatrice (Freya)
Lliwen (Iago Dafydd & Modlen Ilid -girl)
Pippa May (George Matthew)
Stella Cecilia (Lila Beatrice & Claudia Rose)
Sophie Louise (Jack Anthony & Harry James)
Zara Lily
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.
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Origin: |
Percy is an English surname derived from Percy-en-Auge in Normandy. The surname came to Britain with William de Percy (d.1096) who came to England just after the Conquest. He was the ancestor of a powerful feudal family who later became the Earls of Northumberland and then Dukes of Northumberland. The surname Percy may also have been reinforced by the surname Pearcey, Piercey, Piercy which derives from the Old French percher "to pierce" and haie "hedge," possibly used to refer to a hedge protecting a forest or military work. The surname may perhaps have been given to a poacher, or perhaps a 'warrior renowned for forcing his way through fortifications'.* Percy has also long been used as a short form of Percival, a name thought to have been invented by Chretien de Troyes for the hero of his 12th century Grail Romance Percevale. This, he derived from the Old French perce "pierce" and val "the valley." George Redmonds* also points out that, as a given name, Percy has a much-overlooked separate origin to the surname: that of diminutive of Piers (Pers, Peris) itself the English vernacular form of Peter (see below for examples). |
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Usage: |
The Percy family were one of the most powerful and wealthiest aristocratic families in Britain from the time of the Norman conquest. Alnwick Castle in Northumberland has been the family's seat since 1309. The 4th Baron Percy, Henry Percy (1341-1408) was a of Henry III on his mother's side. He was made Warden of the Marches by Edward III and later went on to support Richard II who made him the first Earl of Northumberland. However, when Richard elevated his rival Ralph Neville to Earl of Westmorland in 1397, Henry Percy supported the rebellion of Henry Bolingbroke, who later became King as Henry IV. Henry IV later appointed him Constable of England and granted him the lordship of the Isle of Man. Both Sir Henry Percy and his son, Sir Henry/Harry "Hotspur" Percy were immortalised as major characters in Shakespeare's Richard II, Henry IV, part 1, and Henry IV, part 2. Thomas Percy (1560-1605) was a member of the group behind the famous Gunpowder Plot. He was a distant relation of Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland who appointed him constable of Alnwick Castle and made him responsible for the Percy family's northern estates. It is generally agreed that Percy was first adopted by families connected to the Percy family. One of the earliest example often cited is Lord Percy Seymour (1696-1721) son of the 6th Duke of Somerset and Lady Elizabeth Percy, the sole Percy heiress. His sister, Lady Catherine Seymour also used the name for her second son, Percy Wyndham-O'Brien, 1st Earl of Thomond (c. 1713–1774). However, an even earlier example is that of Percy Herbert, 2nd Baron Powis (1598–1667) whose maternal grandfather was Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland. One of the most famous bearers is English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1882). E.G.Withycombe points out that the "connection between the Shelley and Percy families was very remote: the poet's grandfather married (as his second wife) the heiress of the Sidneys, Earls of Leicester, and the 2nd Earl had in 1615 married Dorothy Percy, daughter of the 9th Earl of Northumberland. She was mother of Algernon Sidney, 'the patron saint of the Whigs', and it may have been Sir Timothy's Whiggism rather than his snobbishness which made him call his son Percy."* However, despite this clear use of Percy in the 17th century as a direct adoption of the surname Percy, George Redmonds has found even earlier examples of Percy in use as a given name which is unconnected to the surname, but rather a variant of Peter: "There is no doubt that Percy sometimes derives from the surname but it has a quite separate origin which never seems to be mentioned, and that is as a diminutive of Peter or Piers. The direct evidence for the diminutive goes back to the year 1600 when 'Percy alias Peter' Stanley of Womersley died: a later example is 'Percy or Pearce' Tempest of Tong in 1653. In other cases the evidence is not explicit. For example Percy Watson of Newholme in Lythe (1657) was almost certainly the Peter Watson baptised in 1635. A much later example is the baptism in 1730 of Parcy, the son of Thomas Beadel of Drypool.[...] A will for John Percy of Scarborough, a rich merchant who died in 1500, is worth quoting in this context. His family had a long connection with the town, at least back to the reign of Edward III when Peter Percy was the Scarborough MP. A footnote to the will traces several generations of Percys, ending with another Peter Percy of Scarborough who was buried in 1517. The references to these individuals are interesting. For example, in his will John Percy referred to his brother Peter three times, once as 'Peyrs Peyrse', once as 'Perse Percy' and finally as 'the whiche Peyrse': his own son and grandson were both named as 'Petyr Percy'. It is difficult to know what to say about this except that it identifies Petyr and Peyrs as alternative forms of the first name, but it seems also to confirm that Peter and the surname Percy were connected in the mind of the testator. If that were true it would suggest that the use of Percy as a diminutive of Peter may go back earlier than the examples I have quoted."* Redmonds has even noted early examples of Percy in use as a girl's name, pointing out the baptism in 1598 of Percye, the daughter of Henry Farrer of Beverley—which he attests to "a branch of the Percy family [having] lived in the town from 1597"—and also the Hampsthwaite parish burial register contains the names of Piercie Holm, widow (1728) and Percival Holm, spinster (1743). This last entry, he thinks, suggests that Percy as a girls' name may also have been a familiar form of Percival, especially as it was in this part of Lower Wharfedale that Percival as a boys' name was quite popular in the sixteenth century. Despite it's earlier use, Percy only really became established as a given name in the 19th century. At this time, other aristocratic surnames such as Stanley, Sidney, Neville and Clifford became fashionable, and perhaps Percy's connection to the medieval world—especially thanks to Shakespeare's Harry "Hotspur" Percy—may have been fuelled by the Victorian's love of medievalism. Percy grew significantly in use in the mid-19th century, reaching the top 100 by the late 1850s in England and Wales.
It is unsurprising, then, that Percy did not rank at all in the top 100 in Scotland in 1900 while in England it was in the top 25 from 1880 to 1904. Birth rankings for Percy in the England and Wales Birth Index:
Like most late Victorian favourites, Percy fell out of favour by the mid-20th century. From barely ranking at all in the late 1990s, Percy saw a modest rise over the beginning of the 21st century, reaching the top 1000 again in 2011. Since then it has continued to rise, reaching #439 with 96 births in 2017. Regional data from 2017, however, shows that Percy (which ranked #439 overall) actually varies wildly in usage across the country. It is most common in the south of England and least popular in London and the North East:
In Scotland, the name is much rarer. Since 1974, it has been registered for one boy in the years 1986, 1989, 2002, 2004, 2010, 2015 and 2016 only and for 2 boys in both 2017 and 2018. In 2018, Percy ranked #897 in Scotland. |
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Famous Bearers: |
History: * Percy Herbert, 2nd Baron Powis (1598–1667), English writer and politician. Contemporary: * Percy Heath (1923-2005), American jazz bassist. Literature and Other Media: * Sir Percy Blakeney, the Scarlet Pimpernel in Baroness Orczy's 1905 novel of the same name and various related works. |
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Variants: |
Persie |
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Pronunciation: |
PURS-ee [key] |
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Possible longer forms: |
Percival, Perseus |
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Sibling Names: |
Olive Jemima Flora Lois Agnes Etta |
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Name Lists: |
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If you like Percy you may also like: |
Thanks to Rose for requesting this name.
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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:
Caelan Anthony John
Edward John (Clara Olivia)
Fergus George Steele
Henry Robert Ian
Hugh Frederick Arthur
Leonardo Roderick (Aïda & Dante)
Max Christopher Gerald
Semion Euan (Emma Helen)
Girls:
Alice Rose
Amelia Louise
Evelyn (Olivia "Liv" & Isabelle "Izzy")
Florence Kestrel Sarah Caroline (Luke Merlin Roderick Peter)
Florence Kristina Charlotte (Iris & Thomas William "Billy")
Iona Mae
Poppy Jane
Stella Rosamond (Matilda Lavinia & Lochie John)
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.
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Origin: |
Ismay is a medieval name of obscure origin. It appears in records from the 13th century in various forms, including Isemay, Ysemay, Ysmay and Isamaya. In A Dictionary of English Surnames, Reaney and Wilson propose that the name may possibly derive from the unrecorded (and therefore hypothetical) Old English name *Ismæg derived from is "ice" and mæg "kinswoman", but admit that Is- is unknown in Old English names, and -mæg is found as a second theme only in three late names. As an alternative, they suggest a Germanic origin, as Is- occurs in a number of Old Germanic names. They propose the hypothetical name *Ismagi derived from the Old High German īsarn "iron" and magin "might, strength". However, thought both elements are common, they point out that -magin is not known as a second element. K. M. Sheard, however, points out that Ismay is not found in continental Europe so it is more likely to be Celtic in origin. That one of the earliest examples—Ysemay de Mult, listed in the Lincolnshire Hundred Rolls of 1275—comes from Mold in Wales. Another even more intriguing option that Sheard puts forward for the first element is the Proto-Celtic *weso- "excellent, noble." This element is found in names from inscriptions in Roman Britain. As Ismay was quite rare, it may actually have come about as a variant form of another obscure medieval name—Ismenia, Ismena, Ismeine—which, like Ismay, is not found on the continent. Reaney and Wilson describe is as "a common woman's name, found as Emonie, Emeny until the end of the 18th century." Significantly, they point out that, in the 1227 Assize Rolls for Buckinghamshire, the same woman is listed as both Isemay and Isemeine, but believe "the two names can hardly be identical." Despite this, they suggest the Old Germanic origin of *Ismagin "iron-strength" for Ismenia, same as for Ismay. K. M. Sheard thinks the possibility of Ismay and Ismenia being variants quite likely. If the first element of Ismenia is the Welsh is "under, below, lower," the second element could be maen "stone." However, the second element could actually be from the Proto-Celtic *moyni- "treasure, precious object." This would be particularly significant if the first element derives from the Proto-Celtic *weso- "excellent". It is almost certain that Ismenia does not derive from the same source as Ismene, the name of a daughter of Oedipus in Greek mythology, derived from the Greek isme "knowledge". The town of Ismay in Montana, America is named after an amalgamation of railroad president Albert J Earling's two daughter's names: Isabella and May. |
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Usage: |
The Dictionary of English Surnames has a handful of examples of Ismay as a given name in the 13th century. It became used as the surname Ismay from this date, also; Ralph Isemay is listed in the Descriptive Catalogue of 13th century Charters for Sheffield and William Ysmay is recorded in the 1327 Subsidy Roll for Derbyshire. Ismenia has many more examples from the 12th and 14th century in various forms such as Isemeine, Ismeina, Ismena, Ysmeina, Ysmeine, Imayne, Ymanya, Emayn, Emoni and Emony. These went on to become the surname Emeny, Emeney, Emmony, Emmence, Emmens, Emons, Immink and Emney. The 12th century romance Protheselaus features a character named Ismeine and John Fletcher and William Rowley's Jacobean comedy play The Maid in the Mill, first published in 1647, features a Spanish aristocrat named Ismenia as a principle character. Examples of Ismay and Ismena are rare in the early modern period, but they did survive into the 19th century in small numbers. Registration records for Ismay and Ismena as a first name in England & Wales:
Since 1996, Ismay has remained rare, but it has ranked in the official data for England and Wales (i.e. given to 3 or more girls in any given year) in 19 years out of 22:
The spelling Ismae ranked once at #5,691 (3 births) in 2014. The form Ismena, Ismenia, Ismeine etc, has not ranked at all during this period, however. In Scotland, Ismay has been registered six times since 1974: in 1988, 1994, 2009, 2014, 2015 and 2017. In each year it was registered once. |
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Famous Bearers: |
History: * Thomas Henry Ismay (1837-1899), founder of of the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company (White Star Line). Contemporary: * Ismay, stage-name of Indie-Folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist Avery Hellman.Other: * Ismay, a town in Montana, America. |
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Variants: |
Isemay, Ysemay, Ysmay, Ismae |
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Pronunciation: |
IZ-may [key] |
| Possible diminutives: |
Issy, Immy |
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Sibling Names: |
Eseld Aneira Astrid Haidee Ione Jessamy |
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Name Lists: |
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If you like Ismay you may also like: |
Thanks to Melody for requesting this name.
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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:
Alby Charles Piran
Bertie Frederick Lyell (Hugo Arthur Lyell & Emily Alice Olivia)
Felix (Aubrey Marlowe)
Gabriel James Santiago (Genevieve)
George Matthew
Hector Montgomery Charles Eden (Artemis)
Henry Charles
Idris Ekahre
Ivor Thomas (Wilbur George & Orabel Henrietta)
Jake Allan (Ella)
Jude River
Noah Leigh
Theodore James
Girls:
Charlotte Anna Kay
Colette
Henrietta Campbell
Honor India Rose
Olympia Lucy Loveday (Adolfo Ulysses Willoughby)
Sallie Eleanor Agnes
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.
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Origin: |
Remy is the Anglicised spelling of the French name Rémy: a form of the Roman name Remigius, derived from the Latin remex "rower." |
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Usage: |
Saint Remigius of Reims (known as Saint Rémy in French) was 5th century bishop who famously baptised Clovis I, King of the Franks which led to the conversion of the entire Frankish people to Christianity. Another Frankish saint followed in the 8th century, this one the third archbishop of Rouen, as well as several other notable French noblemen throughout the early Middle Ages. This explains why there are several examples of Remigius in the Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources though not such a large number as to suggest that it was overly popular. By the 14th century, the Old French form Rémi can be found in records, with Rémy used in the 15th century. Remigius came over to Britain with the Norman Conquest. Remigius de Fécamp was a contemporary of William the Conqueror and was present at the Battle of Hastings. He was given the Bishopric of Dorchester in 1067 which was the largest diocese in England at the time and was responsible for the building of Lincoln Cathedral. Rémy became an established name in France from the 15th century. The older spelling Rémi was used by Hector Malot for the protagonist of his 1878 novel Sans Famille. The By 1900, Rémy ranked #113 and reached the top 100 in 1912. It stayed in the bottom half of the top 100 (peaking at #60 in 1947) until 1970 and then returned again in 1980. It reached a second peak at #60 in 1990 after which it began to fall, leaving the top 100 in 2002 and the French top 500 in 2014. The spelling Rémi ranked at #150 in 1900 in France and entered the top 100 in 1922. It stayed between #70-#100 from 1922 to 1969, dipped slightly below in the 1970s, but returned to the top 100 in 1977 when it quickly began to rise, reaching a peak of #31 in 1991. There was a notable rise in 1982,(when it jumped from #76 to #54) perhaps inspired by a 6-part TV adaptation of Sans Famille in 1981. In Britain, Remy and Remi were used in very small numbers from the 18th century, though Remington, and even Remigius were more common. We can only guess whether some of the boys named Remington or Remigius went by Remy as a short form. By the 1980s, Remy became slightly more common, by which time it was also used for girls. Indeed, by 1996, Remy ranked #562 (44 births) and Remi ranked #484 (57 births) for girls, while, for boys, Remy ranked #898 (16 births) and Remi ranked #654 (24 births) in England and Wales. For girls, the name began to decline afterwards, with both spellings ranking below the top 1000 by 2001. Since 2012, however, Remi has seen a more determined rise, reaching the top 500 again in 2016. For boys, Remy has seen a steep rise since 2010, overtaking its feminine counterparts. Remi, too, has seen a sharp rise since 2015. click to enlarge
Regional data from 2017 shows that Remy (which ranked #326 overall) is most common in the south of England and least popular in London and Wales:
In Scotland, Remy was rare for both boys and girls until the turn of the 21st century. It has seen a rise for both boys and girls, but neither have ever ranked in the Scottish top 300. Remi, on the other hand, was initially more common in Scotland. It has remained in consistent use for boys but has seen a steep rise for girls since 2014.
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Famous Bearers: |
History: * Saint Remigius of Reims (died 533), bishop who converted Clovis I, king of the Franks. Contemporary: * Remy Charlip (1929-2012), American children's book author and illustrator. Literature and Other Media: * Rémi, the main character in Sans Famille (1878), a French novel by Hector Malot. |
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Variants: |
Remigius (Roman), Remigio (Italian, Spanish), Remigiusz (Polish) |
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Pronunciation: |
REM-ee [key] |
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Possible longer forms: |
Remigius, Remington, Remiel, Remus, Raymond, Jeremiah, Jeremy, Redmond, Rembrandt |
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Sibling Names: |
April Nina Lois Nora Etta Louisa |
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Name Lists: |
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Thanks to Nicole for requesting this name.
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