Carlo

Why did I decide to highlight Carlo and not Carl or Carlos? Besides a really unpleasant association with a Karl, it's a very dated name, while Carlos, in the US, is very region and culture specific. And Carlo is my cousin's name. Carlo, on the other hand, is less tied to any one thing or person. This Italian, German and Spanish variant of Charles means "free man," and ranked on the top 1000 until 2009, from 1905. Yet, it's still a name you don't hear often. If not for my cousin, I would have never met a Carlo. Although this name has European charm, it would fit right in with American kids today, hundreds of which start with a hard C or end in an O. (Camden, Cleo, Milo, Indigo, Leo, Shiloh, etc.)

Carlo also has a saintly namesake - Saint Carlo Borromeo, also known as Saint Charles, who died in 1584, and whose name day is November 4th. Saint Carlo was cardinal archbishop of the Catholic Church in Milan, Italy, and is now Patron Saint of many things, including apple orchards, bishops, spiritual leaders, starch makers, and stomach problems. Four kings of Spain also bore this name in the form of Charles as we know them today. Carlo Alberto Amedeo was the King of Sardinia in Italy between 1831 and 1849. Napolean Bonaparte's father was also named Carlo.

Fans of Sophia Loren might like to know that her son was named Carlo. Other namesakes include Nobel Prize winner Carlo Rubbia, six professional painters, two Olympians, an actor, and a historian. Many may also think of the Monte Carlo hotel and casino.

In 2011 there were 190 boys named Carlo, ranking slightly below the top 1000, as compared to about 140/150 in the 90's, and just 5 in the early 1900's. There are many carl- variants, such as Carlton, Carlos, Carl, Carlson and Carlito. Carlo is less popular than Carlos, which was given to 4,158 boys in 2011, and less popular than Carl, which was given to 420 boys in 2011. Carlos ranked #91 and Carl #591.

Viggo

(VIGG-oh) Viggo Mortensen, who is actually a junior, may be the first and only person that comes to mind with this name. The actor has been known for his roles in "Hidalgo" and "Lord of the Rings." Many don't know about Prince Viggo of Denmark, Count Viggo of Rosenborg, who gave up the wonders of being a prince for his American wife in the 1920's. 

This Scandinavian name meaning "war; thunderbolt" should be way more popular than it is. It's got the trendy V and O sounds, a short and peppy sound, an actor namesake... so how come in 2011 there were only 31 boys given the name and in 2010 only 41? This Old Norse name dates back to the time of the Vikings and is very popular in Sweden (#32), a bit dated (I'm not so sure - it's #288 there) in Norway. It was even catchy enough for Taylor Hanson and his wife to use for their fourth child (the others are Jordan, Penelope and River), once they found it on Ancestry.com. The most similar sounding name out there is Vega, which is also quite rare.

Halsten

Halsten is an English and Scandinavian name meaning "hollow enclosure; settlement in a nook; rock/stone." This name has been used by Swedish royalty, the earliest namesake being Halsten Stenkilsson, King of Sweden, who lived between 1050 and 1084. His first son took his name as Philip Halstensson, and the name Halsten stopped there. Not too much is known about these early monarchs. The name Halsten is not entirely the same as Halston ("hollowed stone"), which is the name of a designer. There are no records of this name being used until 2006, when 6 boys were given the name, and none after 2006. It can sometimes be seen as a surname. White Pages says 77 people have this as a surname, and 2 as a first name.

Interview with Brian

Brian Boru comic by Damien Goodfellow

What is your name? Brian

Do you have any nicknames? Gav, Gavino, and Bri-guy from gaming and from friends

What is your ethnic background? Caucasian
What decade were you born in? 70's
How did you get your name? No idea
How did you feel about your name growing up? Loved it
How do you feel about your name now? I still like it, for the most part

What are some names of your family members? Dennis, Jan, Grace, Philip, Angeline
If you have any kids, what are their name(s)? Daughter Katlynn, name chosen by wife, and the name fits her perfectly. I would name a boy Gavin.
What is the name of your best friend? Joe
What are some common names for your age group? Toby, Greg, Dennis, Gavin, Malakai
If you had to give yourself a new first name, what would it be? McLovin' or Sir Lancelot

Are there any personal stories about your name? Not that I can think of

Are people ever confused about your name? No, but sometimes it comes out "brain."

Would you suggest someone give your name to a new baby? A baby named Brian would be the most optimistic and positive person looking for the brightest side of life. And spell Brian with an "i," not a "y!"
Of the kids you've met most recently, which are your favorites and least favorites? Hanna, which I don't like because it reminds me of Hannah Montana. I love the name Drake.

I enjoy getting name insights from guys, because as we all know, men's and women's brains are wired differently, especially when it comes to baby names.

Brian is of Celtic origin, meaning "strength," and Irish Gaelic origin meaning "high, noble." There is debate as to which meaning is more accurate. It's been a perennial favorite since the Middle Ages until recently, and has had a slew of namesakes over the past several decades. It ranked at #122 in 2011, declining from its #8 spot in 1970, which rose to that position from 1925, when it appeared as #870 for the first time since records starting being kept by the SSA in 1880. It ranked at #81 in Ireland in 2011. 

One of the first and most influential namesakes was Brian Boru, a warrior of the 10th century who became the last high king of Ireland and a national hero after defeating an army of invading Vikings. The Brian Boru Harp, a symbol of Irish unity, is currently on display at Trinity College in Dublin - and although it was made a couple centuries after Boru died, it is still connected to him on the Coat of Arms of Ireland and the O'Brian family Coat of Arms. There is also the Rock of Cashel, the castle of the High Kings, which Boru owned/ruled at one time. Boru was not the first to have this name, as it was introduced to Ireland after the Norman Conquest by Breton settlers. Lastly, there is the Blessed Brian Lacey, a saint martyred in London in 1591 for his religion.

Brian was one of the first Irish imports to become popular in America, although the pronunciation was "Americanized," and its now giving up its throne to Aidan. Bryant is a lesser known form of Brian for boys, and Briana a popular variant for girls. And as always, there's the uncanny urge to spell all names with a Y, so Bryan has been popular as well.

Hadrian

Publius Aelius Traianus Hadrianus Augustus

Hadrian (HAY-dree-an) is a Latin name meaning "from Hadria," Anglicized from Hadrianus. Hadria was an ancient northern Italian city built by the Etruscans, which gave its name to the Adriatic Sea. The town is now known as Adria (Atria, Atri) in the Veneto region of Italy. Both the male variant Adrian and the female variants Adria, Adriana and Adrienne come from Hadrianus. Hadria can also be used as a given name. It seems the H was dropped from Hadrian around the Middle Ages. Following the etymology of Atria, it seems to mean "black, dark." There is a possibility this was given as a first name specifically to those with dark features.

One of the first namesakes was the Roman Emperor Hadrianus from the 2nd century AD, who was known for his writing and architecture. He built Hadrian's Wall across the north of England, which protected the Roman Empire. The city of Adrianople/Adrianopolis/Hadrianopolis was named for him, and it still survives under the name Edirne, in modern Turkey. His wife, Vibia Sabina, was also a strong person. An exhibit was on display for Emperor Hadrian at the British Museum in 2008. You can still watch the video clip right here. Overall, he was a very inspirational leader, if not with a few quirks. If his name isn't enough to sway you, there is also St. Hadrian, and Hadrian Saravia, who was charged by King James I of England to work on the King James Bible. Most recently, it was chosen by French food & TV personality Julie Andrieu for her son, spelled Hadrien.

While Adrian lacks a good nickname, Hadrian has the unusual, simple and charming Hade (hayd). Hadrian could also be a solution for anyone that likes Hayden (currently the #3 boys name starting with H) but cannot use it. While Adrian ranked at #61 in 2011, there were only 34 baby boys named Hadrian, never hitting the top 1000. It has been gaining in popularity in France. Adrian is currently very popular in many countries, and has ultimately been more popular overall.

Once Upon a Time Baby Names

The TV show Once Upon a Time is setting two different trends right now: 1) fashion trends (the main character's jackets are constantly being talked about) and 2) baby names. Fans have been looking forward to season 2, which began yesterday. From this first episode we are introduced to Mulan, Aurora (sleeping beauty), and Sleeping Beauty's Prince Phillip.

A lot of thought went into character names for this show. Emma Swan is the main character, daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming aka James aka David Nolan. Emma is played by Jennifer Morrison, Snow White aka Mary Margaret Blanchard is played by Ginnifer Goodwin, and Charming is played by Josh Dallas. Ms. Swan's story involves a son she gave up for adoption when she was young, and that son had been adopted by the Evil Queen, Regina Mills. Emma's son Henry is played by Jared S. Gilmore, and Regina is played by Lana Parrilla.

Here's a little on the name meanings:
Emma - a royal name in medieval England, "entire, all, universal"
Swan - ...swans are white, carries on the fantasy surname
Mary Margaret - a double name of Biblical Virgin Mary and Saint Margaret to fit her pure character, Mary means "star of the sea" (and alternate meaning is "rebellion") and Margaret means "pearl," (as in "pearl-white")
Blanchard - surname, "white" and "brave, strong"
James - the name of a king, "he who supplants" (in reference to replacing the previous James in the show)
David - the name of a king, "beloved"
Nolan - "champion"
Regina - "queen"
Henry - another royal name, "home ruler"

Other characters:
Mr. Gold aka Rumplestiltskin
Kathryn Nolan, David's wife aka Princess Abigail
Sheriff Graham aka the huntsman
Archie Hopper aka Jiminy Cricket
August Booth aka Pinocchio
Ruby aka Red Riding Hood
Sidney Glass aka the Magic Mirror
Jefferson aka Mad Hatter
Marco aka Geppetto
Ashley Boyd aka Cinderella
Nova, a fairy
and Belle

Also, if anyone knows how to make blog buttons, I'm trying to learn how.

Ulysses

Ulysses and the Sirens by John William Waterhouse

One of the things I truly enjoy while writing this blog is the art that sometimes comes with the name, which I feel separates this blog from a lot of the others, and in the case of Ulysses, there's some great stuff here. Case in point:

"Ulysses" by Josh Garrels

Another song to check out is "Tales of Brave Ulysses" by Cream

Ulysses is not just the name of the 18th U.S. president, it is the Latin name of Homer's epic hero Odysseus. You know the one - he leaves his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus for the Trojan War, then it takes him 20 years to come back home. Now, most stories written by the ancient Greeks are a little weird (truth be told) so the fact that he met some other ladies along the way, was forced to live with a goddess/witch, well... Penelope was on his mind the whole time. How she waited for him for so long... who knows. And the fact that he disguises himself upon returning home, well... that was completely necessary.

The story goes like this: Odysseus/Ulysses was the King of Ithaca, is known for being a great man. He leaves for the Trojan War, which lasts ten years, then his journey home ends up lasting another ten years. He did some good deeds during the war (unless you're asking a Roman, because they didn't like him much) and his wife stayed at home, waiting patiently, entertaining unwanted suitors who believed him to be dead. His son, Telemachus, was not yet a man and could do nothing to help his mother or bring back his father. Ulysses meets a cyclops, gets a gift from Aeolus, meets the witch-goddess Circe who turns some of his men into pigs (probably for good reason), but then she turned his men back and forced Ulysses to stay on her island with her for a year, for she fell in love with him. Now, I'm not clear how much force there really was in that situation, what with feasting and drinking and all. But, they parted ways after the year was up, and he kept sailing until he met the ghost of his mother, who told him what was going on at his house. He continues sailing, but a monster named Scylla destroys the ship. Ulysses is washed onto the shore, where he meets the goddess Calypso. This time, Ulysses was forced to stay on Calypso's island for 7 years, as her lover. (I know, I'm not really making the case in his favor...) Anyway, he finally makes his way home and Athena disguises him as an old beggar so that he can spy on the situation with the suitors. Only his son knows what's going on, but together with Penelope, Ulysses/Odysseus wins the competition set for her hand in re-marriage. He kills the suitors and all ends well. Except for some maids.

Ulysses and Nausicaa by Guido Reni

Still with me? Good. Ulysses's/Odysseus's story (The Odyssey) has been told and retold, most recently inspiring the movies "O Brother Where Art Thou" and "Cold Mountain," and a much older movie called Ulysses, as well as one called Ulysses' Gaze. In fact there might be a few more movies with similar titles. (There are retellings of Penelope's side of the story, but this post isn't about her.) As far as books go, check out Ulysses by James Joyce, and Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson. And of course, he appears in the Iliad.

Hiram Ulysses Grant, however, 18th president, was well known for quite a few things himself, such as destroying the Ku Klux Klan in 1871. He was a Civil War man for the Union side, a Republican, and a conservative Southern man. He stabilized the nation after the Civil War (going for two terms) and was accused of financial corruption, but still believed to be a good man. I do believe he was also responsible for the 15th Amendment and the Indian Peace Policy. Fun fact: his nickname, Sam, came from his initials (besides his never-ever-talked-about real first name becaused the initials would have spelled "HUG") U.S., which was intended to represent "Uncle Sam," aka the military, especially since he was a career soldier.

Ulysses and the Sirens by Hubert James Draper

In 2011 there were 178 baby boys named Ulysses, last ranking in 2005 at #983 after two years of not ranking, and 355 spelled the popular Latin way, Ulises, ranking at #661 and no drop outs. There were also 36 spelled Ulices, which highly resembles the word slices, 24 Ulisses, 14 Ulyses, 5 Ulysse (no S at the end, who knows why) and 5 Ulyssis. The meaning of Ulysses and Odysseus is debated, but two guesses include "wrathful" and "hated."

Theron

Theron, as you probably recognize as the surname of Charlize Theron, is Greek, meaning "hunter," much more subtle and classy than using Hunter nowadays, which ranks at #55. Theron last ranked in 1992, and there were 87 baby boys given this name in 2011. Theron of Acragas was an ancient king of Sicily (Italy) in 488 BC. It is also the name of the Theron Mountains in Antarctica. There are plenty of little-known bearers of this name, either as a first name or surname.

From Rare Fairy Tales

Prunella - Prunella & Bensiabel, whom she marries.

Melisande - Malevola (who is in this story is supposed to also be Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty and cursed the grandmother of Melisande), Fortuna, Florizel (the Prince)

The Beautiful Catharinella

The White Cat (my favorite) - Blanchette

The Fair Angiola - Angiola

Persinette

Petrosinella

All stories mentioned can be found here.

Jove

Jove is the English name of Jupiter, Roman "King of the Gods," the god of sky and thunder, equivalent to the Greek god Zeus. He was an incredibly important figure for the Romans during the Republican and Imperial eras before Christianity. Romans would swear "by Jove" as some modern day people swear "to God." His symbol was the eagle, featured on many Roman military emblems. (Side note: Aquilina means "eagle.") The Roman government looked to him as a witness of oaths which they would be held accountable for. Those who protected the emperor, his personal guard, were known as Jovians. He has been important in many aspects, even being a recurring part of C.S. Lewis's work, and Lewis loved to use the word jovial, a word that means joyful, of which the name Jove is strongly connected.

I like that this name feels familiar, fitting right in with one syllable popular names like Jack, Jace, James, John or Joel. It is also connected to Jovan and Jovani in sound, though those three names are forms of John. In 2011 there were only 9 baby boys named Jove. If you're looking for a rare mythological gem, I say claim this one.

Balthazar

Today's name: Balthazar

Pronunciation: BAL-thuh-zar

Potential nicknames: Baz, Bally, Balto (which is the natural nickname), Zar, Zaro

Origin: A variation on the Babylonian name Balthasar, meaning "Baal protect the king." Baal, or Ba'al, was a Phoenician God, but the titel Baal may have been used the same way "God" could apply to anyone's god, not just one.

Popularity: In 2010 there were 39 baby boys named Baltazar, but zero or less than five named Balthasar or Balthazar. In 2011 there were 13 baby boys named Balthazar and 33 Baltazar. Apparently writers use this name more than parents.

Fun fact: (1) Along with Caspar and Melchior, Balthazar was one of the three wise men who brought gifts to the newborn Christ. Balthazar is the one who brought frankincense. Balthasar is a variant of the biblical king Belshazzar, which could be the reason why, although the three wise men were not named in the Bible, this was thought to be one of the names. It would be natural for a king to visit. But, this is just a theory. It is also likely that this name pre-dates Christianity. (2) Actor Balthazar Getty. (3) Balthazar appears in four Shakespeare plays. (4) The title of a Laurence Durrell novel. It can also be seen in a wide range of media, past and present. (5) There was a Frisian nobleman named Balthasar Oomkens von Esens of the 16th century whose brothers were named Caspar and Melchior.

Arthur

Today's name: Arthur
Is Arthur too popular for you? Try Arturo, the classy Italian and Spanish form of the name. Do you have Finnish roots? Try the Finnish forms, Arto and Arrturi. For Scottish flair try Artair.

A 19th c. painting by Frank Dicksee

Pronunciation: AR-ther, AR-thur

Potential nicknames: Art, Artie, Bear

Origin: Celtic, meaning "bear," "bear-like," or "bear king," from the Celtic word for bear, artos, and the Latin name Artorius. In Welsh it could mean "bear man." Arthur was first found in the Latin form Artorius, of unknown meaning. A similar and possibly connected name, Arnthor, is Old German meaning "Thor, the eagle." The Irish Gaelic meaning suggests "stone." (Sword in the stone, anyone?)

Popularity: This name was definitely used in the Middle Ages, although it dates back to pre-Roman times in Britan. It slowed in popularity, then had a resurgence in the 19th century.One reason for this is because the Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, defeated Napoleon. Another reason for Arthur gaining popularity was a surge in interest in the medieval stories, as it became popular to create new literature and art around ancient tales. For example, Alfred, Lord Tennyson wrote Idylls of the King in the 19th century. Arthur was a top 20 name from about 1880 to 1926. In 2010 there were 721 baby boys named Arthur, ranking at #389, with not very much change in the past decade. There were also 28 baby boys named Artur, and 652 Arturo. In 2011 it ranked at #338 with 888 births.

Fun fact: (1) King Arthur of legendary Arthurian fame, leader of the Knights of the Round Table, leader of the Britons, married to Guinevere, mentor was Merlin, weird situations with Morgan fe Fay, surname Pendragon. (2) There was a recent TV show called "Camelot," and a less-recent movie with Keira Knightley called "King Arthur." (3) A famous namesake is Arthur Miller, a playwright. (4) Arthur Dent from "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." (5) Arthur (the Aardvark) is the name of an animated PBS children's TV show that was more popular about a decade ago. (6) Surname of 21st President of the United States, Chester A. Arthur. (7) Actress Bea Arthur. (8) Arthur, Prince of Wales. (9) Arthur Weasley, a Harry Potter character. (10) Arthur Curry, better known as DC Comic's Aquaman. (11) Arthur Radley, from "To Kill a Mockingbird." (12) Arthur C. Clark, a British author. I find it impossible to say "Arthur is an author," repeatedly. (13) Athur Balfour, a previous British Prime Minister. (14) Arthur Conan Doyle. (15) Queen Victoria's 7th child was named Prince Arthur. (16) Arthur Garfunkel of Simon & Garfunkel.

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Oberon

Today's name: Oberon

Pronunciation: oh-bur-on

Potential nicknames: Obie, Ober, Ron, Ronnie (a great way to honor a Ronald or Obie in your family tree) Bear, Bearie

Origin: Old German, meaning "royal bear," or "noble, bear-like," coming from the name Auberon (which is equally attractive) an Old French name from Frankish German origins. It is possible that Auberon and Oberon are related to the Germanic name Alberich. If indeed they are related to Alberich, then they are also related to the name Aubrey.

Popularity: I was shocked to learn that there were zero (five or less, as the SSA won't tell you when there is less than five) baby boys named Oberon and Auberon in 2010 and 2011. What a pity.

Fun fact: (1) Oberon was King of the Faeries in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and he graces the pages of other medieval and Renaissance literature. Since then, a moon of Uranus was named Oberon, as well as Queen of the Faeries, Titania, and those were the first two moons of Uranus discovered. All of Uranus's moons were named after the characters of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope. (2) Author Auberon Waugh. (3) Bell's Oberon Ale (beer).

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Solomon

Today's name: Solomon (male)

Pronunciation: SAUL-uh-mun, SAH-lah-mun, SAH-lo-mon

Variant forms: Solomon, Salomo, Salmon, Salomon, Salomone, Shalmon, Sol, Solaman, Sollie, Soloman, Shlomo, Shalom, Sulayman, Zalman, Selman

Potential nicknames: Sol, Soul, Solo, Solly, Salo, Sonny

Origin: Hebrew, meaning "peace." Solomon is a Biblical name. He was the son of David and Bathsheba and became a king of Israel, known for wisdom, writing, and communication with animals.

Fun fact: The name Salem is related to Solomon, also meaning "peace." It was the name of an ancient city later identified with Jerusalem.

Popularity: In 2010, Solomon ranked at #467 in popularity in the U.S. In 2011 there were 597 boys named Solomon, ranking at #449.

Female version: Salome


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Cymbeline & Cymbelina

Today's name: Cymbeline

Gender note: Cymbeline was originally a male name, used a long, long time ago, but it is ripe for female takeover, just like Kimberly and Lindsay have been overtaken by the girls. However, if you don't want to mess around with that, try Cymbelina, the female form.

Alternate spelling: Cymbelline, Cymbaline, Cymballine

Potential nicknames: Cym, Cymbelle, Cymbellie, Bell, Belle, Belline, Bellina, Lina, Cy, Cybil, Ellie

Pronunciation: modern is SIM-bell-een, occassionally KIM-bell-een, the original pronunciation

Origin: (1) Gaelic, from the sun god Belenus, meaning "sun lord." (2) An English and Celtic female form of Cunobelinus, meaning "Lord of Belinus," or just "war lord." This name can also mean "dog of the god Belenus," because the beginning four letters of Cunobelenus mean "hound." (3) Possibly from the Greek word kyme, meaning "hollow vessel," in reference to a cymbal, which is a percussion instrument.

Popularity: U.S. census records show that whenever Cymbeline has been used, it has almost always been for girls. In 2010, Cymbaline/Cymballine, Cymbeline/Cymbelline, and Cymbellina/Cymbelina did not rank at all in the U.S., meaning there were less than five baby girls born in 2010 and 2011 with this name.

Fun fact: (1) There is a book called "Cymbelina and The Cat With No Name." (2) Shakespeare wrote a play called "Cymbeline" in 1609, about King Cunobelinus of Britain. (3) There is a wedding dress company named Cymbeline USA.


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Sebastian & Sebastiana

Today's name: Sebastian (male)
Alternate spelling: Sebastien

Potential nicknames: Bastian, Seb, Bas, Seba, Shea, Baz, Sebas, Sebasti, Sebi, Basi, Base, Asti, Ian, Bash

Pronunciation: seh-BASS(t)-chen

Origin: (1) Greek, meaning "revered." (2) Latin derivation of Sebastianus, from the Greek word "sebastos," meaning venerable. (3) Latin variant of Sebastianus, meaning "from Sebastia" or "man from Sebaste." Sebastos was the Greek translation of the Roman Emperor title Augustus.

Popularity: There were 6,323 baby boys named Sebastian in 2010 in the U.S., ranking at #68, which is still the same ranking for 2011. There were also 6 baby girls named Sebastian as well.

Fun fact: (1) St. Sebastian is the Patron Saint of soldiers. (2) Some of you might remember Sebastian the crab, from "The Little Mermaid," whose full name was Horatio Thelonius Ignacius Crustaceous Sebastian. (3) La Sebastiana is the name of one of poet Pablo Neruda's residences in Chili. (4) There is a main belt asteroid called 1482 Sebastiana. (5) King Sebastian ruled Portugal between 1554 and 1578. (6) Composer Johann Bach's middle name. (7) Shakespeare used this name twice, for his plays Twelfth Night and The Tempest. (8) Oscar Wilde used the name Sebastian Melmoth as an alias when he was released from prison. (9) John Sebastian was a musician whose band, The Lovin' Spoonful, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000. (10) Sebastian Cabot was a Venetian explorer born in 1474.

Female version: Sebastiana, an Italian and Spanish variant, with only 8 U.S. births in 2010 and 5 in 2011. There is also Sebastienne, the French variant, which is unheard of in the U.S. Neither has ever ranked in the 1000. Other versions that have rarely been used are Sebastianella and Bastiana.

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