What's in a Baby (Boy) Name? Part 3- The Odd Edition

I have come to the conclusion of my "Baby Name" series. I know, I know. You, my loyal followers, are devastated. I'll come up with something...

There is a conflict here. My go-to website for this project (http://www.babynames.com/) is letting me down on this one. So,  I will reference another website which I used when I posted the "odd" girl's names back in June (http://www.thinkbabynames.com/).

Harper- English- harp player/ harpist (Hey, this one they agree on. I could have figured this one out!)

Arlen- It is either German- from Erland^, or Gaelic- pledge, oath*. (Being more Irish than German, I would chose the Gaelic.)

Orlando- Italian- famous land^ or Spanish- variant of Roland (German)- renowned land*

Percy- French- pierce valley^ or Latin/French- penetrate the hedge* (I know! Apparently "penetrate the hedge" means you are an effective hunter in Old French. Being that Percy is derived from Perseus, the Greek hero who beheaded Medusa, it might be better to just say it means "effective hunter".)



The constellation Orion



Orion- Greek- dweller on the mountain^ (Another Greek mythology reference. Orion was the son of Poseidon & a mighty hunter*. I love looking up at the evening sky in the fall & seeing his constellation.)

Ensign- Latin- badge*

Waldon- English- wooded valley*- variant of Walden

Volney- German- spirit of the folk*

Wickham- English- village paddock* (Another literary reference. So, we had one mother reading Jane Austen & one reading Virginia Woolf? Not really Orlando wasn't published until 1928. But, I think Austen chose a great name for the ne'er-do-well villain in Pride and Prejudice.)

Lastly, we have a traditionally female name...

Jewell- English- precious stone^

I kind of like Volney.

^ http://www.babynames.com/

* http://www.thinkbabynames.com/

What's in a (baby) name? Part 2

First off... who knew that the Hebrew name Mary means "sea of bitterness"? Really? So, of course, does the French version, Marie, and the diminutive version, Marion.

Post Card sent to Miss Mary Moriarty Greenwich, NY- June 17, 1906 

That said, other Hebrew names on the lists I provided last week are as follows:

Elizabeth- God is my oath

Ruth- friendship

Anna- gracious, merciful

Sarah- princess

Edna- delicacy, tenderness


I'm sensing a pattern here. It's a whole lot of sugar & nice. Where is the spice?


Let's try the English...
Alice- of noble kin
Ethel- noble
Margaret- pearl
Jennie- fair phantom, white wave
Annie- gracious, merciful (same in Hebrew & English, humph)
Rose- rose (duh)


OK. So we have more nobility coming in, shocking I know! Flowers & jewels. What's up with "fair phantom" and "white wave"? Oh, Jennifer (& the diminutive Jennie) come from the Welsh Gwynhwyfar. That would explain the strange meaning. I wonder why it was Anglicized? I thought the British loved the letter "Y" (tyres, pyjamas)?


The dead language of Latin, ladies & gentlemen.
Florence- prosperous, flowering
Frances- from France, (or my favorite) free
Julia- youthful, downy
Emma- universal
Grace- grace of God
Clara- illustrious


"Universal" is intriguing. "Free" is great (but I'm biased since Frances is my middle name).


On to the Greeks!
Helen- light
Irene- peace
Dorothy- gift of God


Wow, I was hoping for more pop from Athens and Sparta. I like "peace" though. My great-grandmother was named Irene.


The continental Europeans give more of the same.
German
Bertha- bright
Elsie- God is my oath (diminutive of Elizabeth)


French
Blanche- white


Spanish
Ella- young girl


So, not much unusual with the popular names for girls. The meanings show a strong tendency toward piety, beauty, femininity... I wasn't really surprised with the similarities in the lists either. The names are biblical, European, typical.


Next, I see what names I can find in the records that we might consider odd!


Check out http://www.babynames.com/ for more meanings.