Esther is expecting her second baby -- a brother for Beatrice Illyria.
Esther writes: "This time a first name was easy - he was an unexpected but much longed-for gift, and I’ll be training for the Anglican priesthood in a few months, so Theodore works perfectly. It fit nicely into the sibling pattern, too: three syllables, emphasis on the first, adaptable in almost exactly the same way in French and Italian, recognisable and pronounceable by my Croatian-speaking in-laws. And his future godfather, Edward, goes by Ted, so we love the possibility of using both Theo and Ted as nicknames. That said, my husband has just said he’s not actually totally sold on Theodore, so now it feels as though we might have to start over.
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I completely agree with you: Theodore is absolutely perfect. If your husband can love it, it would be ideal, but it's hard to settle on a name if one parent isn't totally sold.
Could your husband be persuaded by Ambrose as a middle name? Not only does it have links to Merlin, but it is also the anglicised equivalent of the Croatian Ambroz. Ambroz Haračić, a Victorian Croatian botanist, was among the first to recognize the benefit of Lošinj’s climate and turned global attention to Lošinj as a destination suitable for climate therapy.
First-name options to match Beatrice:
Alexander – Pan-European and with a decidedly Greek flair. Alexander the Great, whose empire stretched from the Adriatic Sea to the Indus River, is a strong namesake.
Julian – A classical Roman name which has roots in many languages. It was borne by serval early saints as well as many scientists, artists and athletes. For a literary connection, Julian Grenfell (1888-1915) was a British war poet.
Laurence – A name derived from a Roman city which means "laurel." In ancient Greece and Rome, the laurel wreaths were placed upon the head of a victor in either a competition (athletic or artistic/poetic) or a martial commander. The laurel, therefore, became associated as an emblem of victory. It is borne by many saints and bishops in the early Christian church.
Matthew / Matthias – Sharing Theodore's meaning, the Biblical Greek Matthias, and English Matthew, both derive from the Hebrew name Mattityahu meaning "gift of God". Although they both originally would have borne the same name, Saint Matthew and Saint Matthias were apostles of Jesus (the King James Bible used the different forms to differentiate them). For a Croatian link, Matthias Corvinus was King of Croatia from 1458–1490.
Maximilian – A classic name with a strong Roman style and saintly namesakes. Holy Roman Emperor, Maximilian II was King of Croatia from 1563–1576.
Nathaniel – Also like Theodore, Nathaniel means "God has given" and is another name for the apostle Bartholomew. For a literary connection, Sir Nathaniel is a character in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost (1594) and there is also American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864).
Nicholas – A strong and classic name, derived from the Ancient Greek nikê “victory” and laos “people.”It was famously borne by St Nicholas of Myra, one of the first bishops of the Christian church, who spent his life helping the underprivileged.
Raphael – Like Gabriel, Raphael is the name of one of the Archangels and has a chic Continental flair. It is recognisable but not very common in Britain (ranking #189 in England and Wales in 2017) but it is in the top 100 in London.
Sebastian – Like Illyria, Sebastian derives from a Greek colony (Sebaste in Asia Minor). It means "venerable" which denotes wisdom and esteem, or even an archdeacon in the Church of England. Saint Sebastian is the patron of athletes and soldier which gives this elegant name a bold edge. Like Beatrice, it was used by Shakespeare, who liked it so much, he used it twice!
Silas – A companion of Saint Paul, Silas is almost certainly a short form of the Roman name Silvanus -- a Roman family name, saints' name, and once borne by the Roman god of the woods.
Victor – A stylish and intriguing Roman name which is recognisable but never commonplace. French novelist, Victor Hugo, gives it a literary twist.
More daring first-names or middles:
Byron – A literary name with a hipster buttoned-up style. Lord Byron was a fan of Croatia, describing Dubrovnik as the "Pearl of the Adriatic."
Constantine – A stately Roman name which is much loved in Greece. Constantine the Great (272-337) was the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity, and his legacy lends the name its dashing and sophisticated charm.
Cyrus – Another empire-builder, Cyrus the Great is renowned for his wisdom and defense of human rights. This Greek form of an ancient Persian name, Cyrus is recognisable as well as being quirky.
Leonidas – Meaning "lion-like," Leonidas was famously borne by the Spartan king of the 5th century BC who heroically defending the pass of Thermopylae from the Persians. The name also belongs to the 3rd-century saint, Leonides of Alexandria, a respected professor of literature. His son, Origen of Alexandria, was one of the most influential figures in early Christian theology.
Lysander – Another name borne by a Spartan hero, Lysander is the Latinised form of the Greek Lysandros meaning "liberator of men." The name was also used by Shakespeare in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Middle names to match Illyria:
Absyrtus – In the Antiquity, the islands of Cres and Lošinj were known as the Apsyrtides. Like most places on the Grecian map, there was a mythological origin for the name (or at least to explain it). According to local legend, the Greek hero Absyrtus (or Absyrtos or Apsyrtos) -- the grandson of the sun god Helius who went into battle wearing resplendent golden armour -- was sent to bring back his sister Medea after she fled Colchis with Jason. When he was slain by Jason, the pieces of his body were thrown into the sea, where they formed the islands of Cres and Lošinj.
Lussino – An older Latin name for the island of Lošinj.
Ossero – The older Latin name for Osor which lies at a narrow channel that separates islands Cres and Lošinj. Monte Ossero is also the Italian name for the Osoršćica mountain range in Lošinj. Furthermore, the island's own Saint Gaudentius of Ossero lived and ministered in Lošinj.
Damian – Saint Gaudentius of Ossero became a Benedictine monk under Saint Peter Damian.
Marinus – Lošinj has been a sea- faring island state since the 13th century. The Roman Marinus (meaning "of the sea") reflects this heritage.
Morgan – In the same vein, ancient Welsh name Morgan means "sea circle" very reminiscent of an island. The name was borne by royal Welsh princes from the early Middle Ages.
Crius – Until the 13th century, the island of Lošinj was uninhabited and predominantly used for cattle grazing, mostly sheep. Crius is the Latinised form of the Ancient Greek name Krios/Kreios meaning "ram." According to mythology, Crius was one of the eldest of the Titans who is associated with the constellation Aries.
Shepherd – Following the same theme as Crius, Shepherd (literally meaning "one who herds sheep") not only reflects Lošinj's early history but is also very reminiscent of Psalm 23 with the famous line "The Lord is my Shepherd."
I hope this has been of use. Best wishes for finding the perfect name.
