British Baby Names

Unique Names in Scotland 2018

One of the great things about the Scottish data (provided by the National Records of Scotland) is that it lists all the names given to just one baby in each year. The England and Wales data (provided by the Office of National Statistics), on the other hand, does not release names given to fewer than three babies, due to data protection constraints. 

Below is a selection of names from the Scottish 2018 data given to just one baby that year. These names caught my attention for one reason or another. 

Boys:

Alp
Arrow (and also Arowe)
Aser
Awesome
Baroque-Valentine
Buzz
Camhanaich - pronounced KAV-an-ach, it is the Scots Gaelic word for dawn twilight.
Darlington
Denholm
Draeden
Dune
Echo
Elessar - Regnal and Quenya name of Aragorn in LotR. 
Eloden 
Fyfe
Gamaliel 
Gregory-Ozzy
Jeddie
Jhonpaul
Kalel
Keltie
Kormorran
Kraylogan
Link
Linkin-Lee
Lordswill
Lorien
Lucifer
Lycan - The scientific word for werewolf
Lyon-Zander
Magni (also Magnie)
Manasseh
Marvellous (also Marvelous)
Mckenna-Jamieson
Messiah
Neelix - A character on Star Trek: Voyager.
Nevis - Ben Nevis is Scotland's highest peak.
Noah-Brave
Olixander
Perry-Barima
Princeton
Reddington
Reddox
Reign (also Rheign)
Remus
Rhaegar - A character from GoT
Royale
Saint
Scotlyn
Sheldon
Smith
Stark - A surname from GoT
Storie
Stuart-Romeo
Theon - A character from GoT
Tiberius
Torcall
Ulysses
Whit (also Wit)
Wiseman
Xypher
Zax
Zeus

Girls:

Adara-Zena
Adora-Belle
Amethyst
Amorelle
Aneira-Wren
Angel-Rain (also Angel-Chidinma, Angel-Esther, Angel-Leigh and Angel-Rose)
Aspyn-Milania
Baby
Billie-Beau
Bllyss
Bluebell
Bodhi-Skye
Boudicca
Callumina
Chanel-Levi
Cherlilah
Ciorstaidh - A Gaelic form of Kirsty.
Coco-Blossom
Contessa
Cyan
Destiny-Dior
Doilidh - Scots Gaelic spelling of Dolly.
Emelisse
Emperatriz
Evoleht - Evolet was a character in the film 10,000 BC however, Evoleht spells "The Love" backwards.
Figgy
Floraidh-D'arcy
Frankie-Nirvana
Fro
Harbour
Honey-Bee
Honorata
Inca
Joy-Hope
Kali-Ena
Kallisti
Kexin 
Khaleesi (also Cahlysi, Calliesi and Kaleesi)
Khalessia
Laker-Rose
Lhotse - The name of the fourth highest mountain in the world.
Lily-Bow
Liusaidha - Scots Gaelic spelling of Lucia. 
Lumen-Alia
Luna-Marvella
Luna-Raine
Luna-Wolf
Lyanna - A character from GoT.
Macie-Gray
Maple
Meadow-Rose
Moana
Montanna-Disney
Oak
Ocean-Rai
Orchid
Pandora
Peculiar
Pepper
Perth
Pfeiffer
Rain (also Raehn and Raighne)
Rainbow (also Reighn-Beau)
Rarity
Rarri-Wynter
Rebel
Remony
Royalty
Sassi-Boo
Sno
Soul
Sunshine
Swithy
Tia-Sapphire
Tiggy
Veyatie -Loch Veyatie is a loch in north-west Scotland.
Wells
Wynter-Beau
Xanthippe
Ziggy

 

Read the full list of names given to one baby in Scotland 2018 by clicking the links below:

Unique Scottish Boys' Names 2018

Unique Scottish Girls' Names 2018

UK Birth Announcements 22/7/19 - 28/7/19

Below is a round-up of the birth announcements this week from British newspapers. Sources include a national paper (The Telegraph, The Times) and a broad range of local newspapers from across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Sibling names are in brackets.

 

Boys:

Aiden Ferrari

Callum

Dalton Barney

Edward Horatio Derrick

Edward James

Ewan William

Frederick Otto (Mina Leonie)

George

Guy Frederick Orr

Isaac Albert

Leo James Berkeley (Lucas, Neva and Viktor)

Louis

Rafael Niilo

Rufus Andrew (Sofia Grace)

Rufus George Hector (Arthur Geoffrey Ranulph & Florence Cecilia Elizabeth)

 

Girls: 

Agatha Georgina

Beatrice Frances Jane "Bea" (Isabelle Elizabeth Anne & Albert James Maxwell "Bertie")

Chloe Kimberley

Daisy Elizabeth (Penelope Florence)

 

Twins: 

Daphne Annabel Lucy & Daisy Lavender Dorothy

William Ellis & Edward Richard

 

 

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: Sholto

Origin:

Sholto is an anglicised form of a Scottish name, specifically adopted by Clan Douglas from the name of their legendary ancestor. The Douglas Clan were one of the most powerful families in medieval Scotland.  The name looks very likely to be derived from the Scots Gaelic sìoltaich "sower," "begetter", "propagator" itself derived from sìolaich "to seed, to beget, propagate, be fruitful, spring from."* Clan genealogists—specifically David Hume of Godscroft (1558–1629)—identified the founder of the Douglas clan as Sholto Dhu Glas (Sìoltaich Dhu Glas) c.770, and the Douglas family adopted the name as a given name in the 18th century.  Writing in 1863, Charlotte Mary Yonge wrote of Sholto: "the heralds and genealogists of the gallant lineage of the bleeding heart made out an ancestor, Sholto Dhu Glas ('see the dark grey man'), and thence Sholto was adapted as a name in the Douglas family, and crept from thence to others. I have found no instance of it before the seventeenth century in looking through the peerage of Scotland, and the probable derivation of the word would be sioltaich, a sower." C.M.Yonge echoes here the tale told by David Hume in his History of the House and Race of Douglas and Angus (1644). His work starts with a mythical battle "in 767, between King Solvathius rightful king of Scotland and a pretender Donald Bane. The victory was so nearly Donald's when a certain noble man, disdaining to see so bad a cause have good successe, struck in for the king and turned the fortunes of the day. When the king inquired about the knight who had done such valuable service, somebody exclaimed 'Sholto du glasse!'...'Behold the black gray man!'."* (Douglas derives from the Gaelic dubh "dark, back" and glas "green, water, stream, river.") Hume is widely regarded today as an inaccurate historian and more of a "partisan panegyricist of the Douglas family." The first record of the name Douglas appears in a charter in 1174 belonging to William of Douglas (d.c.1214). He, historians believe, was most likely the true ancestor of the clan while Sholto Dhu Glas is regarded as an example of pseudohistory.  It seems worth noting that while sìoltaich means "sower," it also means "propagator". While⁠—we can hypothesise⁠— the 'created' name Sìoltaich Dhu Glas could translate as "sower by the black water" (Dhu Glas = Black Water = a river in Scotland), perhaps early Douglas genealogists, desperate to deliver an ancestor to their patrons, simply coined the name Sìoltaich Dhu Glas to mean "progenitor of Douglas."

Usage:

The People of Medieval Scotland database has no record of Sìoltaich, Sìoltach or Sholto in use as a name. Given that the legendary Sìoltaich Dhu Glas was mythical (see above), this does not seem surprising.  The first person to bear the name appears to be Sholto Douglas, 15th Earl of Morton (1732–1774). The title Earl of Morton was created in 1458 for James Douglas of Dalkeith, one of the many strands of the noble Douglas family. From this point, Sholto was adopted by many in the Douglas Clan; when not used as a first name, it was often used as a middle. The website The Peerage is littered with examples of Douglas descendants bearing the name right up to present day.   Births records for Sholto as a first name: Click to enlarge   Scotland England and Wales   First name Middle name First name Middle name 1840s: 1850s: 1860s: 1870s: 1880s: 1890s: 1900s: 1910s: 1920s: 1930s: 1940s: 1950s: 1960s: 1970s: --- --- 1 birth 4 births 9 births 1 birth 6 births 2 births 1 birth 0 births 1 birth 1 birth 4 births 7 births --- --- 2 births 5 births 9 births 6 births 3 births 5 births 7 births 1 birth 5 births 1 birth 1 birth 6 births 2 births 6 birth 12 births 29 births 16 births 22 births 8 births 8 births 7 births 4 births 4 births 3 births 16 births 24 births 3 births 4 birth 5 births 16 births 30 births 27 births 13 births 2 births N/A* N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A *In the mid-1910s, all middle names were recorded as initials in the Birth Index. Due to it being an aristocratic name, Sholto had much more use in England than its native Scotland, mostly because even the Scottish peers by the 19th century had English country homes and London townhouses. Data from the 1881 census (see image, above right) shows that it was most common in the south of England, especially in London, but was also used in lowland Scotland where the Douglas family heralded from.  In recent years, Sholto has been in rare-uncommon usage. In Scotland, it peaked at #490 with 3 births in 2004.  In England and Wales it peaked at #1962 with 7 births in 2003.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Sholto Douglas, 15th Earl of Morton (1732–1774), Scottish nobleman and peer. * Sholto Percy, pseudonym of Joseph Clinton Robertson (1787–1852), Scottish patent agent, writer and periodical editor. * Sholto Douglas, (b. 1833) Admiral in the Royal Navy. * Sholto Douglas, 19th Earl of Morton (1844–1935), Scottish landowner, businessman and representative peer. * Sholto Johnstone Douglas (1871–1958), Scottish artist. * Sholto Douglas (1873–1916), English cricketer. * Sholto Marcon (1890–1959), Church of England clergyman and international field hockey player. * Sholto Douglas, 1st Baron Douglas of Kirtleside (1893–1969), Marshal of the Royal Air Force. Contemporary: * Sholto Kynoch, English pianist. * Sholto Taylor (born 1972), New Zeland wheelchair rugby player, and a member of the national team, the Wheel Blacks. Literature and Other Media: * Sholto Pinn, a character in The Bartimaeus Sequence by Jonathan Stroud. * Sholto Lennox, baby in the 2004 BBC adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's North & South. * Thaddeus and Bartholomew Sholto, characters in Arthur Conan Doyle's The Sign of the Four.

Variants:

Sìoltaich (Scots Gaelic)

Pronunciation:

SHOL-tō [key]

Possible diminutives:

Holt, Sol, Solly, Solo, Tolly, Olly

Sibling Names:

Kinvara     Perdita     Heloise     Portia     Christabel     Arabella Torquil     Ranulph     Piers     Ewart     Jolyon     Montgomery

Name Lists:

Upright Elegance

 

If you like Sholto you may also like:   Cosmo, Sorley, Algernon, Cedric, Ivo, Tarquin, Otto, Montague, Caspain, Elgin

Thanks to Paula for requesting this name.  

 

Top 100 Most Popular Names in Northern Ireland 2018

 

Here are the official statistics for the top 100 names in Northern Ireland in 2018. 

A total of 23,248 births were registered in Northern Ireland during 2017 and of those 50.9 per cent were male and 49.1 per female. However, there was a much greater variety of girls’ names registered than boys’ names.

According to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, James was the #1 name for the fourth year in a row, but this time it shared its title with Noah. In the biggest shake-up, Grace took Emily's fifth-year crown for the top spot, having been at #2 for several years.  

 

Top 100 Boys' Names 2018			.	Top 100 Girls' Names 2018
1 1 3 4 5 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 18 20 21 22 23 23 25 26 27 28 29 30 30 32 33 33 33 33 37 37 39 40 41 42 42 44 44 44 47 48 49 49 51 52 52 54 54 56 56 58 58 60 60 60 60 64 64 66 67 67 69 69 69 72 72 74 75 75 75 78 79 80 80 80 83 83 83 86 87 87 87 90 90 90 93 93 93 96 96 96 96 100 100 100 100	James Noah Jack Charlie Daniel Jacob Oliver Harry Thomas Leo Matthew Logan Cillian Alfie Oisin Ethan Joshua Finn Theo Conor Arthur Ronan Adam Jude Mason Alexander Joseph Caleb Michael Jake Ollie Archie Freddie Isaac Luke Max Patrick Ryan Lucas Daire Dylan Oscar Reuben Daithi Odhran Sean Shea Jamie Darragh George Tom Eoin Rory Henry Lorcan Conan Liam Alex Tommy Carter Fionn John William Ben Jaxon Callum Aodhan Luca Benjamin David Samuel Ezra Jonah Hunter Cian Elijah Riley Brody Eli Bobby Joel Zach Aidan Nathan Niall Harrison Aaron Jayden Ruairi Caolan Padraig Robert Dara Lewis Seth Cohen Cormac Kai Tyler Brodie Danny Frankie Sam	217 217 201 191 154 154 151 150 142 137 119 118 117 116 111 106 103 100 100 93 90 86 85 85 83 82 81 78 77 76 76 73 72 72 72 72 70 70 69 68 66 65 65 63 63 63 61 60 59 59 55 54 54 53 53 52 52 51 51 50 50 50 50 49 49 48 46 46 44 44 44 42 42 41 40 40 40 39 37 36 36 36 35 35 35 34 32 32 32 31 31 31 30 30 30 28 28 28 28 27 27 27 27		1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 16 16 19 20 21 21 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 31 33 34 34 34 37 38 39 39 41 42 43 44 45 46 46 46 46 50 51 51 51 54 55 55 57 58 58 60 60 60 63 63 63 63 67 67 69 69 69 72 72 72 75 75 77 77 77 80 80 80 80 80 80 86 86 86 86 86 86 92 92 92 95 95 95 98 98 98	Grace Emily Olivia Sophie Ella Amelia Isla Anna Lily Lucy Aoife Sophia Charlotte Ava Evie Erin Eva Jessica Niamh Fiadh Hannah Katie Mia Annie Ellie Freya Emma Cara Ruby Aria Chloe Willow Rosie Holly Isabella Molly Zara Clara Alice Georgia Maisie Sofia Caoimhe Clodagh Meabh Abigail Harper Poppy Saoirse Ivy Daisy Eabha Phoebe Leah Sarah Scarlett Eimear Connie Faye Cora Faith Rosa Amber Elsie Sadie Zoe Myla Rose Mollie Sienna Thea Heidi Lottie Mila Lara Maria Caitlin Eve Layla Amy Farrah Gracie Hollie Pippa Robyn Aine Cassie Darcy Emilia Lola Rebecca Ada Fianna Julia Annabelle Maya Mya Eden Penny Savannah	221 203 178 155 151 140 135 128 125 124 118 117 108 106 101 95 95 95 92 89 86 86 83 82 77 76 74 73 71 70 66 66 64 63 63 63 62 61 59 59 57 56 51 48 47 46 46 46 46 45 44 44 44 43 42 42 41 39 39 37 37 37 36 36 36 36 35 35 34 34 34 33 33 33 32 32 30 30 30 29 29 29 29 29 29 28 28 28 28 28 28 27 27 27 26 26 26 25 25 25

 

The following infographics from NISRA give a further picture, including the top 5 additional (middle) names):

 

Check out the top 500 names in Northern Ireland 2018 here.

 

The statistics on this page are supplied by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.
These tables were coded and formatted by me.

The Top 50 Names in England and Wales in 1700

1700 - William III (famously known as William of Orange) is on the throne. This year, William Congreve's comedy The Way of the World is first performed in London and an English translation of the novel Don Quixote is first published. 

Below are the top 50 first names for boys and girls born in 1700 in England and Wales according to Leslie Dunkling in The Guinness Book of Names, 6th Edition (1993).

Variants have been grouped together under their most frequent form. 

 

1	John		1	Mary
2	William		2	Elizabeth
3	Thomas		3	Ann
4	Richard		4	Sarah
5	James		5	Jane
6	Robert		6	Margaret
7	Joseph		7	Susan
8	Edward		8	Martha
9	Henry		9	Hannah
10	George		10	Catherine
11	Samuel		11	Alice
12	Francis		12	Frances
13	Charles		13	Eleanor
14	Daniel		14	Dorothy
15	Benjamin		15	Rebecca
16	Edmund		16	Isabel
17	Matthew		17	Grace
18	Peter		18	Joan
19	Nicholas		19	Rachel
20	Isaac		20	Agnes
21	Christopher		21	Ellen
22	Abraham		22	Maria
23	Stephen		23	Lydia
24	Jonathan		24	Ruth
25	Philip		25=	Deborah
26	Michael		25=	Judith
27	Hugh		27=	Esther
28	Joshua		27=	Joanna
29	Anthony		29=	Amy
30	Ralph		29=	Marjorie
31	Andrew		29=	Phoebe
32	David		32	Jenny
33	Simon		33=	Barbara
34	Roger		33=	Bridget
35	Alexander		35	Fanny
36	Jacob		36	Lucy
37	Laurence		37=	Betty
38	Moses		37=	Eliza
39	Nathaniel		37=	Nancy
40	Walter		40	Emma
41	Aaron		41	Charlotte
42	Jeremy		42=	Dinah
43	Owen		42=	Sally
44	Mark		44=	Harriet
45	Timothy		44=	Jemima
46	Adam		44=	Kitty
47	Martin		44=	Mary Ann
48	Josiah		48=	Caroline
49	Luke		48=	Peggy
50	Harry		48=	Sophia

Please note: Statutory birth registrations in England and Wales came into effect mid-1837 so there is no official data prior to this. Dunkling does not explain where the above data is taken from or how large the data range is. Is it from a single parish? A whole county? Several parishes across England and Wales?

However, the top half of this list, at least, is very similar to Smith-Bannister's top 50 for 1690-1700 from forty English parishes, taken from "family reconstitution data and evidence from records of baptism (sometimes birth) detailed in parish registers and a sample size of 122,710."

Notable differences appear in the bottom half of the lists, especially the female names:-

Names in Smith-Bannister's top 50 (1690-1700), but not in Dunkling's top 50 (1700):

Jonas (#36), Cornelius (#39), Cuthbert (#43), Solomon #43), Rose (#26), Thomasin (#28), Joyce (#31), Abigail (#34), Patience (#34), Hester* (#36), Mercy (#38), Wilmot (#38), Christian (#41), Easter* (#41), Rosamund (#41), Beatrice (#46), Edith (#46), Grisel (#46), Ursula (#46)

* Dunkling may have combined Hester and Easter with Esther.

Names in Dunklings top 50 (above) but not in Smith-Bannister's top 50 (1690-1700):

Hugh* (#27) Nathaniel* (#39), Aaron* (#41), Jeremy* (#42),Owen† (#43), Mark*, Martin* (#47), Josiah* (#48), Luke* (#49), Harry^‡ (#50) Jenny^‡ (#32), Fanny^‡ (#35), Betty^‡ (#37), Eliza^‡ (#37), Nancy^‡ (#37), Emma* (#40), Charlotte (#41), Sally^‡ (#42), Harriet (#44), Jemima (#44), Kitty^‡ (#44), Mary Ann^‡ (#44), Caroline (#48), Peggy^‡ (#48), Sophia (#48)

* All of these names appear in earlier years for Smith-Bannister's rankings so were certainly in use.
† Smith-Bannister only looks at English data; Owen was most likely from Welsh data Dunkling gathered. 
^‡ Smith-Bannister may have combined these diminutives with their parent-forms (Henry, Jane, Frances, Elizabeth, Ann, Sarah, Catherine and Margaret)

 

UK Birth Announcements 15/7/19 - 21/7/19

Below is a round-up of the birth announcements this week from British newspapers. Sources include a national paper (The Telegraph, The Times) and a broad range of local newspapers from across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Sibling names are in brackets.

 

Boys:

Axel Henry Arthur (Penelope Isabella "Penny" &  Charles James Thomas "Dorlie")

Benjamin Ryan

Ezra Fox James

George Peter Robert (Leo Furneaux Stanton)

Harry

Hugo Adair (Georgianna Celina Pippa & Sabrina Louie Valentia)

Kaiden George

Louis (Martha)

Montgomery Edward Murrell (Mireille Beatrice Winnie)

Oliver James

Theo

 

Girls: 

Amelia

Eleanor "Nell"

Evie Jae

Gracie Antonia (Millie)

Harper Brooke

Israella Maryanna Alexis Rose

Katie Belle (Amy, Josh & Lewis John)

Ottilie Elizabeth Constance (Milo Angus William)

Phoebe Alice (Freddie George)

 

 

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: Iona

Origin:

Iona is the name of a picturesque Scottish island in the Inner Hebrides. The island is most famous for its Abbey, which was founded by Saint Columba in 563, and was the focal point for the spread of Christianity throughout Scotland. One of the oldest Christian religious centres in Western Europe, Iona Abbey was a centre of Gaelic monasticism for three centuries. Iona is also known for its sandy beaches and wildlife -- including whales, dolphins, seals, otters and vast array of birdlife. The name Iona is the anglicised form of Ioua, the adjectival name for the island found in Adomnán's Vita Columbae (c. 700). The u was misread as n (attest as early as 1274) and the form Iona became standard. William J. Watson argues that this error likely "gained currency from the remark of Adamnan on Columba's name, which he says is in Hebrew Iona (Jonah), a dove."* The nominative form of the island's name was Eo (later Ì, Hi and Ia in Gaelic), which corresponds to the Old Irish eo "yew". Adomnán may have derived his adjectival for Ioua from the Gaulish Ivova meaning "yew-place."  The yew tree was held sacred by the Druids who observed how yews were able to form new trunks when branches of the old tree touched the ground. Thus, the yew tree came to symbolise resurrection in Celtic culture.  The fact that Iona's name means "yew-place" demonstrates that it was considered to be a sacred place long before Scotland was Christianised.  Confusingly, the Gaelic form Ì (derived from Old Irish eo "yew") also came to be used as a Scottish Gaelic noun meaning"island" which is why you may sometimes find Iona's meaning listed as "island."  Other names for the island include Ì Chaluim Chille "Columba's Iona" and Ì nam ban bòidheach "the isle of beautiful women." In Wales, Iona is also used as a derivative of Ionawr, the Welsh name for January.

Usage:

There are a small number of Latin baptism records from the 16th century with the name Iona but this is almost certainly a Latinised form of Joan.*  Iona came into use in its own right at the beginning of the 19th century alongside other Scottish island names such as Isla and Ailsa. Births records for Iona:   Scotland England and Wales 1840s: 1850s: 1860s: 1870s: 1880s: 1890s: 1900s: 1910s: 1920s: 1930s: 1940s: 1950s: 1960s: 1970s: --- --- 2 births 0 births 3 births 6 births 9 births 11 births 21 births 41 births 54 births 78 births 185 births 241 births 0 births 1 birth 4 births 8 births 20 births 29 births 45 births 48 births 136 births 152 births 242 births 216 births 425 births 302 births From the 1930s, Iona was most commonly used in Wales (94 births in Wales, 58 in England and 41 births in Scotland in the 1930s; 132 births in Wales, 110 in England and 54 in Scotland in the 1940s). This high use in Wales is most likely because it was used as a variant of Ionawr, the Welsh name for January. It is notable that the January-March quarter was when the highest number of Ionas were registered in Wales. Ionawr itself was also used occasionally as a given name, and always in the first annual quarter.  By the 1980s, Iona grew in use in Scotland, reaching the top 100 for the first time in 1994 at #81 (74 births). Iona has been in the Scottish top 100 ever since.  In 2018, Iona ranked #56 with 83 births.    Click to enlarge In England and Wales, Iona has been in moderate use since 1996, peaking at #199 with 210 births in 2000.   Click to enlarge In 2017, Iona ranked #394 with 113 births.  Regional data from 2017, however, shows that Iona is greatly varied in use. It is most common in the North East and Yorkshire and did not rank in the data for Wales at all: N. East N. West Yorkshire E. Midlands W. Midlands East London S. East S. West Wales #191  #446  #266  #377  #564  #680  #419  #491  #272  -- Iona ranked at joint 12th place in the Telegraph birth announcements in 2017.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Olivia Iona Louise Langdon (1845-1904), wife of American novelist Mark Twain. Contemporary: * Iona Campagnolo (b. 1932), the 27th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. * Iona Brown, OBE (1941-2004), British violinist and conductor. * Iona Wynter (b.1968), Jamaican cyclist. Literature and Other Media: * Iona, a character in film Pretty in Pink. * Iona MacLean, a character on TV series Monarch of the Glen. * Iona McNair, a character in Sky Hawk by Gill Lewis.

Variants:

Ivova

Pronunciation:

ī-Ō-nə (UK) EE-ō-na (Welsh) [key]

Possible  diminutives:

Nonie, Io

Sibling Names:

Orla     Thea     Niamh     Cora     Ada     Lena  Arthur     Rory     Angus     Blake    Fraser     Lyle

Name Lists:

Ripe Renovations

 

If you like Iona you may also like:   Ailsa, Isla, Cliona, Morven, Clova, Skye, Robyn, Bonnie, Flora, Olive

Thanks to Elizabeth for requesting this name.

UK Birth Announcements 1/7/19 - 14/7/19

Below is a round-up of the birth announcements this week from British newspapers. Sources include a national paper (The Telegraph, The Times) and a broad range of local newspapers from across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Sibling names are in brackets.

 

Boys:

Alfredo

Andrew John (Rosie Grace)

Arthur David Fredrick "Archie" (Benedict Patrick Riversdale & Louisa Katherine Philippa)

Arthur William

Benjamin William Jack (Lily Jemima)

Callum Aidan

Fabian Christopher (Francis William, Edmund Patrick & Ambrose Matthew)

Finn Oliver (Jack Edward)

Fletcher John

Hector William Beresford (Hugo Arthur Richard)

Hudson Brooks

Hugh Patrick

Ludo David Ingham (Edward Nicholas Herbert)

Maximilian Henry Greig

Monty William Charles

Oliver

Thomas Mark (Lucy)

William Michael Alexander "Billy"

 

Girls: 

Alice Elizabeth (Helena Jane)

Antigoni Shaunagh

Beatrice Louisa (Alexander Richard James)

Chloé Aline (Lucie Elizabeth)

Eloise Florence (Olivia Victoire)

Eva Akyaa Sloane (Kenzie Kwaku Daniel)

Georgie (Rory)

Keziah Elizabeth Hope

Isabella Charlotte Jemima (Florence Molly Serena)

Isabella Rose

Mia Rose

Millicent Grace

Nina Jean (Gracie Kath & Freya Pauline)

Ottilie Enid (Margaret Constance)

Philippa Ellen Rose "Pippa" (William James Robert "Billy")

Primrose Eloise (Madeleine Mary & Juliette Lily)

 

Twins:

Ivy Matilda & Dorothy Dilys

 

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: Victor

Origin:

Victor derives directly from the Latin agent noun victor, the nominative form of victorem meaning " a conqueror".

Usage:

Victor was borne by an early pope and saint, Pope Victor I (d.199) who served as Bishop of Rome. Saint Victor of Marseilles (d.c.290), Saint Victor Maurus (d.303) and Saint Viktor of Xanten (d. 4th-century) are were also early saints to bear the name and all three were said to have been Roman soldiers before they were martyred for renouncing the worship of pagan idols. The name was also borne by two other popes later in the 11th century, as well as two antipopes in the 12th century. The term "Victorids" was coined for the powerful family in the Frankish province of Rhaetia who controlled the diocese of Chur in the 7th and 8th centuries, many of whom were named Victor, including its founder, Victor I, bishop of Chur. Despite this use by popes and saints, Victor was not especially common in Europe up until the 16th century. There are a handful of early examples (pre-1000) in France, and later 14th-century examples crop up in France and Germany.  In England, Victor can be found in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1200 and 1203 and there are then only a small number of records from the 16th century.  Victor Amadeus I, Duke of Savoy (1587-1637) brought the name into royal use, and three more dukes of Savoy named Victor Amadeus followed.  Victor became more common in France in the 18th century, but didn't gain favour in Britain until the late 19th century during Queen Victoria's reign.  In 1860, Victoria ranked at #153 in England and Wales, while Victor was marginally behind at #194. By 1870, however, Victoria has declined slightly to #168 while Victor had trebled in use, ranking at #111. From then on, Victor continued to rise and consistently eclipsed Victoria in use. Perhaps one of the key reasons for Victor's rise in the 1870s (clearly nothing to do with the feminine form Victoria, as that remained uncommon) was the birth of Prince Albert Victor in January 1864, the eldest child of the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII). Queen Victoria named this new heir to the throne after her beloved husband Albert and herself, announcing his name as "Albert Victor" publicly before even consulting his parents. The Prince and Princess of Wales added Christian and Edward to the baby's names, but it was the double name "Albert Victor" by which he was officially known until his untimely death in 1892. Perhaps in some form of protest at being denied choosing their eldest son's names, his parents always called him"Eddy" throughout his life.  In 1863, five boys in total were registered with the name "Albert Victor". In 1864, following the birth of the prince, a huge figure of 146 boys were given the combo. Even by 1880, 130 boys were named "Albert Victor" as it continued to be a highly popular pairing.  This rising use as a middle name undoubtedly gave rise to Victor being used more as a first name, as registration records for Victor (as a first name) in the England and Wales Birth Index shows: 1840: 1850:  1860:  1870:  1880:  1890: 1900: 1904: 1914: 1924: 1934: 1944: 1954: 1964:  <#300 <#250 #194 #111 #80 #66 #39 #47 #49 #50 #62 #56 #88 *out of the top 100* Victor remained in good use during the first half of the 20th century until it eventually fell below the top 100 in 1964.  It had a spurt of use at the end of World War I (formally ending on 11 November 1918), thanks to the name's meaning, which we can see clearly from the quarterly birth records in 1918: Oct-Dec 1917: 428 records Jan-Mar 1918: 412 records Apr-Jun 1918: 493 records Jul-Sep 1918: 463 records Oct-Dec 1918: 1491 records - Armistice signed  Jan-Mar 1919: 820 records Apr-Jun 1919: 638 records Jul-Sep 1919: 2017 records - Treaty of Versaille (28 June 1919) Oct-Dec 1919: 904 records A similar situation occurred following the end of World War II in Europe in May 1945: Jul-Sep 1944: 600 records Oct-Dec 1944: 512 records  Jan-Mar 1945: 491 records  Apr-Jun 1945: 1893 records - End of the War in Europe Jul-Sep 1945: 1159 records  Oct-Dec 1945: 469 records British born Hollywood actor Victor McLagen (1886-1959) was a prolific actor who won an Oscar for Best Actor in 1935 for his role in The Informer. He was frequently mentioned in British newspapers, especially in the late 1930s/early 1940s, which may have prolonged the name's use in the inter-war period—it looked to be on the decline by 1934 but picked up a bit by 1944.  Since 1996, Victor has been steadily rising, seeing more of a marked rise from 2006 onwards.  In 2017, Victor ranked #227 with 236 births in England and Wales.  Regionally, it was most common in London, where it ranked #135, followed by #201 in the South East, #215 in the East and #220 in the South West.  In Scotland, Victor ranked #361 with 9 births in 2018.

Famous Bearers:

Royalty: * Victor Amadeus I (1587–1637), Duke of Savoy. * Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia (1666–1732), Duke of Savoy.  * Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia (1726–1796), Duke of Savoy and King of Sardinia. * Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia (1759–1824), Duke of Savoy and King of Sardinia. * Victor Emmanuel II of Italy (1820–1878), King of Sardinia. * Victor Emmanuel III of Italy (1869–1947), King of Italy. History: * Pope Victor I (died 199), Bishop of Rome. * Victor of Marseilles (died c. 290), Christian martyr and saint. * Victor Maurus (died c. 303), Christian martyr and saint. * Viktor of Xanten (died 4th century), Christian martyr and saint. * Victor I (fl. 7th century), bishop of Chur. * Victor II (fl. 8th century), bishop of Chur. * Victor III (died c.836), bishop of Chur. * Pope Victor II (c. 1018–1057). * Pope Victor III (c. 1026–1087). * Antipope Victor IV (1138). * Antipope Victor IV (1159–1164). * Victor Honoré Janssens (1658–1736), Flemish painter. * Victor-François, 2nd duc de Broglie (1718–1804), Marshal of France. * Victor de Broglie (1756–1794), French soldier and politician. * Victor de Broglie (1785–1870), 3rd duc de Broglie, French statesman and diplomat. * Victor Hugo (1802–1885), French writer. * Victor Meirelles (1832–1903), Brazilian painter. * Victor Babeş (1854–1926), Romanian biologist. * Victor Fonfreide (1872-1934), French painter. * Victor Borge (1909–2000), Danish-born American musician and comedian. * Victor Mature (1913–1999), American actor. Contemporary: * Victor French (1934-1989), American actor. * Victor Garber (born 1949), Canadian actor. * Victor Martinez (1954–2011), Mexican American poet and author. * Victor Davis (1964–1989), Canadian Olympic champion swimmer. Literature and Other Media: * Victor Frankenstein, the main character in the 1818 novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. * Viktor Krum, a character in the Harry Potter series. * Victor Creed "Sabretooth", a character from the X-Men series. * Victor Meldrew, the main character in the television series One Foot in the Grave. * Victor Stone, DC Comics superhero better known as Cyborg.

Variants:

Viktor (Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, German, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Bulgarian, Russian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian), Vittore (Italian), Wiktor (Polish), Gwythyr (Welsh), Bittor (Basque)

Pronunciation:

VIK-tə [key]

Possible diminutives:

Vic, Vito

Sibling Names:

Sylvie     Josephine     Olive     Pearl     Audrey     Lillian Maxim     Chester     Xavier     Wilbur     Sidney     Otto

Name Lists:

Resonant Roman   Royal European Names   Victorian Darling   Roaring Twenties   Upright Elegance   Vintage Names   Disney Names

 

If you like Victor you may also like:   Hector, Crispin, Marcel, Monty, Remy, Julian, Vincent, Emmanuel, Fabian, Tristan

Thanks to Bridget for requesting this name.  

 

Name Help: A Brother for Imogen and Edward

 

Kelly is expecting her third child, a boy, who will join siblings Imogen Florence "Immy" and Edward Arthur "Teddy". 

Kelly writes: "My husband likes Frederick, but I've said that we can't have Teddy and Freddy as the boys would resent it and we'd look a bit silly! 

We like classic traditional names, not too unusual or commonplace. Nothing faddy. I'm a primary school teacher so I've seen plenty of names come and go! I would like the name to have a longer formal 'grown-up' name coupled with a toddler-friendly nickname. We call Imogen Immy and Edward Teddy. As you know, Imogen is Shakespearian, Edward has more royal connotations so something in keeping. Maybe Biblical, but mainstream Biblical. Maybe a vintage feel? I like more gentle boys names.

My husband has suggested James or John but I think these names, although inoffensive, are a little bland and characterless.

Names I like:

Raphael (Raff, Raffy)

Gabriel 

Sebastian

Reuben (Ben)

I like Kit but I'm not overly keen on Christopher as a full name, also worry that it is becoming a bit popular due to Harrington and Rooney.

My husband thinks they are pretentious, but we live in a rural village full of Henrys and Tobys and Hectors and wouldn't seem out of place.

Names we cannot have due to family or close friends:

Daniel

Toby

Henry

Thomas

George

Charlie/ Charles

Monty

If this baby had been a girl, he would have been Matilda or Beatrice.

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As a fellow primary school teacher, I can totally sympathise. Every class brings a whole set of names which then get "attached" to those pupils in our minds. All that means that the most popular names generally get ruled out, leaving only the less common, but (as teachers) we can shy away from names which would stand out too much in our own children's classrooms. It's sort of a catch 22. 

Albert – An ancient regal name meaning "noble and bright" which was a top 20 favourite from 1840 to 1920 in England, giving it its perfectly traditional feel. Albie and Bertie both work as nicknames. 

Alexander – Equally royal, Alexander was not only borne by the legendary Greek king but also several kings of Scotland. It also boasts a huge bevvy of nicknames, from Alex to Xander.

Caleb – A familiar Biblical name that--despite ranking at #77--doesn't feel at all commonplace. Nicknames could include the more grown-up Cal or Cabe, or the toddler-friendly Cub/Cubby.

Dominic – Similar in style to Frederick and Sebastian, Dominic has a refined and sophisticated style, yet still feels down to earth and accessible. Dom, Dommy, Nick, Nico, Nicky and Mickey could be used as nicknames.

Elliot – An English medieval form of the Biblical name Elias/Elijah. It has been in use as a given name in Britain since the 12th century and has been in continual use ever since. Nicknames could include Eli, Lio/Leo, Otto or Ollie. 

Finlay – A traditional Scottish name with a rich history. Finlay is familiar and friendly without feeling overdone. 

Jonah – A gentle Biblical name which has plenty of charm and character.

Lawrence / Laurence – A stately Roman classic which has been well used since at least the 12th century. It does rank at #386 / #377, but if we count the two spellings of Lawrence and Laurence together, it is just below the top 200. Lawrie and Lance could be used as nicknames.

Lewis – The traditional English form of French Louis, Lewis, shares the same classic style and traditional use. Borne by early Frankish kings, Lewis was introduced to Britain by the Normans and has been in use ever since. Prince Frederick of Wales, son of King George II, was named "Frederick Lewis". Lewie/Louie works as a nickname.

Lucas – The Roman form of the classic English Luke, the name borne by the famous Evangelist and author of the Gospel of Luke. 

Matthew – A happy Biblical name which is a perennial classic and doesn't feel at all faddy or overused. It wears well at all ages, from Matty for a toddler to Matt for a teenager. 

Maximilian – A grand Roman name in the style of Frederick and Sebastian. The name has been borne by several European emperors and kings. It is familiar but also stands out from the crowd.

Maxwell – A traditional Scottish surname which has long been adopted as a given name. It has a gentle charm with an added interest to popular Max. 

Miles – Norman Miles, which ranked in the top 50 in England through the 17th century, is certainly classic, stylish and recognisable, but not at all "trendy".Although short, Milo can be used as a nickname.

Nathaniel – A refined Biblical name which has been a staple since the 16th century. Sir Nathaniel is a character in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost (1594). Laid-back Nate is commonly used as a nickname.

Nicholas – At #147, Nicholas is swimming happily under the "trendy" radar. Used in ancient Greece up to modern-day, Nicholas is a true classic traditional.

Rowan – The product of many different sources, Rowan is an intriguing name which has ranked within the top 200 in England for over two decades.

Rupert – This princely name is a variant of stalwart Robert meaning "bright and glorious". It is sweet and cuddly for a child, yet transforms into suave and sophisticated into adulthood.

Tristan – A legendary hero of Celtic lore which has truly ancient roots. It has ranked consistently in the top 200 for the last three decades. 

Wilfred – Like Edward, Wilfred is an Anglo-Saxon staple which was rejuvenated when Sir Walter Scott chose it as the name of his hero of Ivanhoe (1820). It ranks at #169 overall but is #101 in the South West, and #137 in the South East. 

Zachary – A sweet and amiable Biblical name which has a gentle charm, backed up by the boyish nickname Zack. 

 

I hope this has been of use. Best wishes for finding the perfect name.