Violetta

Two of the easiest (only?) ways to get Letty as a nickname are Elettra and Violetta. Violetta (vee-oh-let-ta) is a more elegant, romantic and European version of the trending and popular Violet, and while both of them mean "purple," it is a very distinct shade of purple they refer to - the shade violet, as in the flower. It is of Latin origin but used in several countries.

One of the most well known namesakes of Violetta is from Giuseppe Verdi's opera "La Traviata," which was originally titled "Violetta" after the main character. The story in the play was adapted from Alexandre Dumas junior's novel The Lady of the Camellias. (Side note: I had no idea Alexandre Dumas was part Afro-Carribean Creole until I saw "Django Unchained.") In the opera, Violetta is a respected courtesan who abandons her lifestyle when she falls in love with a man named Alfredo. A few events and misunderstandings unfold, Violetta breaks off their relationship, and... well, I won't ruin the ending for you. But I kind of love this play and Violetta's character, because even though she is a courtesan, she is highly respected and loved.

I once read that there was a Saint Violetta of Verona, Italy, but cannot find any record of her.

What's shocking is that Violetta only ranked once - in 1884 at #849. In recent years it has been very rare. 46 girls were given the name in 2011, and no more than 30 since 1884. In most years it was given between 5 and 20 times.

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.

Lavinia

 

Italian actress Lavinia Longhi, who looks just like my mom

Lavinia (lah-VIN-ee-ah) is a Latin name possibly meaning "purity," but the name is so old that no specific meaning can be given. It could simply mean "woman from Lavinium," which was an ancient town in Rome/more ancient than Rome/Etruscan. Lavinia was known as the "Mother of Rome." In Virgil's Aeneid, Lavinia was betrothed to a man named Turnus, King of the Rutuli, but when the hero Aeneas came to town her father, King of the Latins, changed his mind and wanted Lavinia to marry Aeneas. The two men then fought for her hand, but Aeneas won. Aeneas then built the town of Lavinium for her. Shakespeare had Lavinia as a character in Titus Andronicus, but her story is an unfortunate one not worthy of repeating and not true to Virgil's Lavinia. Ursula le Guin later wrote more in depth about their relationship in her 2008 novel Lavinia. And she's been a character in many more stories, including The Hunger Games. In all likelihood, Lavinia was probably created to explain how the town of Lavinium came to be.

Aristocrats used this name in medieval times, then it boomed in the 18th century, which is now why Lavinia is considered very vintage. Back then it could be found in various forms, from Louvenia to Lovina. Vinnie could be one nickname, but Lavie gives it more of a European flair. Lavinia probably ranked well before 1880 when records started being kept as we know them today, but she was officially on the charts between 1880 (starting at #360 and the highest ranking she had) and 1929 (never to be seen again). In 2011 the name Lavinia was given to 39 baby girls, not including various other spellings. This mythological Victorian name is ready for a comeback! (Think: Olivia, less popular.)

Isadora

 

The 1968 film "Isadora" about Isadora Duncan, the dancer

Isadora, which can also be spelled Isidora, is a Greek and Latin name meaning "gift of Isis" and the feminine form of the boys name Isidore, from Isidoros. Isis was the main goddess in Egyptian myth, and although Isadora would be considered a pagan name by Christians at the time, it survived their repression. Isis currently ranks in the top 1000. The second syllable of the name is what means "gift," from the Proto Indo-European root word deh-. Other names, such as Theodore, Callidora and Pandora share this root.

There were a few St. Isidore's and a Saint Isidora, but the name Isidore was often shared/unisex. Saint Isidora was a nun in an Egyptian convent, and by records was one of the most humble saints. There are dozens of male and female historical namesakes, including religious leaders, philosophers, theologians, geographers, architechts, poets, composers, writers and dancers. Isadora Duncan was the late American dancer with a tragic story worth reading about if you're considering this name.

In 2011 Isadora ranked just outside the top 1000 with 141 girls given the name, the highest amount in record, and Isidora ranked much lower with only 13 girls given the name (25 in 2007 was the most recorded). It ranked on the top 1000 for a total of five years between 1880 and 1900, but fares much better in Chile as a top 10. Isadora may be rising in popularity as an Isabella alternative. The male names Isidoro and Isidore are not popular at all. In 2011 only 7 boys were named Isidoro and 7 named Isidore.

Izzy, Isa, Dora or Dory? Take your pick.

Ingela

Ingela is a variant of Angela in some countries, like German (from engel), but means "Ing's protection" or "guarded by Ing" in Scandinavian/Old Norse. Ing, the Norse goddess, was also the foundation for Ingrid, meaning "Ing's beauty." Ingela dates back to at least 1692 in Northern Europe, but world wide may date as far back as any record of Angela. There were no babies named Ingela in 2011 or 2010, and my guess is you won't find more than a small handful of Ingela's in U.S. records of birth, and even White Pages tells us there are only 118 in the U.S.

Ingela Olsson was a Swedish actress from the 90's, Ingela Forsman a popular lyricist, and Ingela Klemetz was responsible for an art gallery exhibit on Northern Women in Chanel. There was also Ingela Gathenhielm, known as the "Shipping Queen," a Swedish privateer and pirate during the 1700's with her husband Lars. There actions were sanctioned by King Charles XII of Sweden.

Jessamine

 

Jessamine (JESS-ah-meen, JESS-uh-min, JESS-uh-myne - take your pick, though the first is most accurate), thankfully, has been getting attention in recent years. I credit that to baby naming websites that have message boards, but who knows. Jessamine is the archaic French, medieval English, and Persian for "jasmine." Variants included Jessamy and Jessamyn. Jessamyn West was an American Quaker and writer best known for The Friendly Persuasion in 1945. Another famous Jessamyn West is a librarian and blogger. Most recently, the name was picked for the main character of the TV show "New Girl." Like Clary, she's also a character in a Cassandra Clare series which is rapidly gaining popularity. Nicknames can range from Jessica's "Jessie" or "Jess," to Jasmine's "Minnie," or "Jessa," or "Mina." The plant has a remarkably nice fragrance and cute star-shaped flowers.

In 2011 there were only 8 girls named Jessamine, 7 named Jessamyn, and none named Jessamy. In 2010 there were only 6 girls named Jessamine. Please, someone, snatch this up and use it!!

Atticus

Atticus (AT-ik-uss) has been gaining popularity recently, thanks to Atticus Finch, the well-named main character of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. (My theory is that some parents searching for a literary name thought of this first, as almost all high schools require reading this.) Mr. Finch was a strong enough character to change the law community as a fictional role model for lawyers. His character in the 1962 film adaptation was voted the "greatest hero in American film."

However, there are other notable people named Atticus, dating all the way back to 112 BC. Titus Pomponius Atticus may have been the first namesake, an ancient Roman philosopher/author, one of two ancient philosophers with the name. Around the same time, Herodes Atticus was a rhetorician, and later namesakes include Archbishop Atticus of Constantinople, Saint Atticus (5th century, Armenia), musician Atticus Ross, and actor Atticus Shaffer.

In the literary world, authors Greg Rucka, Ron Hansen, Cicero and Kevin Hearne have used Atticus for characters. Some may even recall a rock band called Atticus. In recent years, two celebrity couples have used Atticus for their child - Casey Affleck & Summer Phoenix, and Daniel Baldwin & Isabella Hoffman.

Atticus simply means "man from Attica" in Latin, a place in ancient Greece which contains Athens. (Note: Athens is the capital, so name sites that list Atticus as meaning "from Athens" are incorrect.) However, it has long been associated with intellect and intelligence. Atticus broke back into the U.S. top 1000 in 2004 and now ranks at #462. The last time it ranked was in 1881, at #875.

Other high school English class names coming into fashion include Gatsby, Harper and Darcy.

Fenella

As I often find myself saying on this blog, here's a name you don't hear every day. The lovely Fenella is an acquired taste, but enchanting once you consider it. Fenella is the (Scottish) Anglicized version of the Gaelic name Fionnuala, meaning "fair shoulder/white shoulder," which has ties to Fiona. I could only find a few namesakes - British actresses Fenella Fielding and Fenella Woolgar, and  radio presenters Fenella Fudge and Fenella Kernebone. Fenella Paton was a British radical who "emphasized with working mothers" and helped push along the birth control movement. In history, Fenella (Finnguala) was the daughter of Cuncar of Angus in the 10th century, and legend has it she was responsible for killing the King of Scots after he killed her son. In mythology she was the daughter of Lir, who was turned into a swan by her step-mother, and wandered for 900 years until the spell was broken. This became the subject of Thomas Moore's "The Song of Fionnuala."

It features in just a few fictional works as well. Fenella Feverfew was the name of a character in The Worst Witch, Fenella Scarborough was a character created by Nancy Werlin, and Diana Wynne Jones used the name in The Time of the Ghost. The Fate of Fenella was also an experimental novel inspired by J. S. Wood that appeared in a weekly magazine, and was written by several different authors. Supposedly, the name was first used with this spelling by Sir Walter Scott in Peveril of the Peak in 1823.

There were no babies born in 2011 named Fenella, nor for the past few years that I've checked. Its cousin Fionnuala, however, had 7 births in 2011, and its other cousin Finola had 9 births. White Pages tells me there are 128 living people named Fenella in the U.S. Choose Finella, Finola, Fionnuala, Finlea, or Finelia, and the meaning will stay the same.

If you're wondering why this name might sound familiar, it might be because of the plant fennel, of which licorice is made. While you ponder that, also consider the nicknames Fen, Ella, Nell, Nellie, Nella and Finn. This is a name I'm very excited to share, and I really love it. I hope someone else will love it enough to use.

Gwyneth

 

I must admit, Gwyneth Paltrow makes this name seem very usable (although her daughter Apple's name is a different story) and accessible to parents with no Welsh background. Since she's been an A-list celebrity for so long, it's surprising to see that Gwyneth was only given to 259 girls in 2011, ranking low at #978 for the first time back on the charts since the first time it ranked in 2004, when it was also low ranking  - not popular, yet a very familiar rare name. A happy medium. The spelling Gweneth was given to 41 girls in 2011, Gwynneth 10 times, and Gwenneth 9 times.

Gwyneth means "white, fair, happy" in Welsh. A namesake of the 19th century, author Annie Harriet Hughes, who went by the pen name Gwyneth Vaughan, contributed to parents choosing this name. Gwyneth is strongly connected to the Kingdom of Gwynedd, not to be confused with modern Gwynedd in Wales. In the 5th century, early Middle Ages, the Kingdom of Gwynedd formed and the seat of power was in Deganwy Castle. At this time Gwynedd was a surname, and that of one of the kingdom's rulers. The modern city was named after the old kingdom, and this is where you can find Snowdonia National Park, and Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales.

Ombeline

 

It seems to me that modern parents in the U.S. only fawn over a select few French names. Noelle, Madeline (Madeleine), Isabelle, Natalie, Sophie, Charlotte, Elle, Claire and Caroline can all be found high on the top 1000, but where are the unique and uncommon French names? Where's Jessamine, Felicienne, Marcheline and Emmanuelle? Where are Corisande, Melusine and Chantal? Where's Ombeline?

Ombeline (ohm-bell-een, om-bell-een) saw no U.S. births in 2011, and remains unheard of here. Similar sounding and sea-sweet Ondine fared only a bit better with 7 births. Ombeline is also connected to water, as Greek philosopher Pliny claimed it was one of the stones that fell from heaven during rain and thunderstorms. Known then as Ombria, the "rain stone," Notia, meaning "south wind," and occasionally the Scirocco-stone, and Brontia, meaning "thunder-stone," even the gemstone is hard to find information on. Ombria was used to prevent offerings from being "burnt away" or eaten after placed on an alter, according to Pliny the Elder, "gemstone philosopher." Ombeline is the French variant of Ombria, transferred to use as a female given name.

A French source claims Ombeline was not used much until the 1980's, any is now given about 150 times a year. It is well liked in France. A possible meaning is "glittering spirit," from the French word for spirit and some Germanic tracings. However, the gem Ombria's etymology has much more in common with the place name Umbria, from Ombrii, meaning "people of the thunderstorms," also according to Pliny. "Of the thunderstorms" or even "thunderstorm" is a simpler way to go, and keeps the connection to the gemstone's meaning and origin. But Umbria is also connected to shadow, as "shadow" is ombre in French and umber/ombra in Latin. Italian folk etymology connects Umbria to ombra, shadow. In Umbria, tall hills and mountains cast shadows. Umber now refers to a shadowy brown color of earth, and earth is another connected word. And yes, umbrella comes from ombra as well.

Saint Ombeline, also known as Holy Ombeline, or Hombeline, only seems to be well known in France. She was a 12th century Cistercian nun (prioress), born 1092 AD in France. She was the sister of Saint Bernard, and was known for giving up a life of frivolous pleasures (and a marriage) for a humble religious life. Oddly, Humbeline is a name sometimes given in her honor. Good luck trying to figure out anything else unless you speak French - U.S. searches turn up next to nothing. Thank you Google translator.

Winston

If you're like me, the first person to come to mind when you see this name is Winston Churchill, and the first place is Winston-Salem. However, there's a lot more to this name than meets the eye. In fact, it was recorded as far back as 1086 AD in the Domesday Book. Winston is of Old English origin, meaning "joy stone, friend stone" from Wynnstan. (source) Wynn was often used solely in female names. Many baby name blogs and websites confuse the meaning of Winston, claiming it means "wine town," which would only be accurate in Suffolk and Durham, England. (source) Wine meant friend in Old English, (which you can find evidence of in The Wife's Lament, one of the first pieces of literature ever) winn meant joy, and stan meant stone, but in Durham and Suffolk, Wine was a personal name. Such is the case with the Isle of Wight, where the personal name was Wynsige, and Glouchestershire, where it was Wynna. To be clear, Wynnstan came first, and Winston was derived from it, so when the spelling evolved some people changed the meaning from "joy stone" to ">insert personal name depending on location< town." Of course, "friend town," "friend stone," or "friend's stone town" would be more appropriate and acceptable, but "joy stone" would still be the true meaning. (source)Why all the confusion? Because surnames became necessary in old England when personal taxation came into play, known as the Poll Tax. (source)

Wynnstan, long forgotten, would almost be guaranteed to come off as trendy or a "youneek" spelling today. In the Middle Ages it was a place name transferred to use as a surname for those with ties to the area. (source) Such was the case for former British prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, who got the name from the father of his ancestor John Winston, the first Duke of Marlborough. It's also the name of an Australian politician, was John Lennon's middle name, and the name of the main character in George Orwell's novel "1984."

The name ranked on the SSA charts every year since 1883, its highest place in 1940 at #311. (source) In 2011 it was #742, but it isn't obvious if the name is going up or down in popularity. It has also been popular in the West Indies and Caribbean. Winn makes for one excellent nickname, and many people see Winston as a courageous and heroic name because of how valiantly Winston Churchill fought in World War II.

Philippa

 

Is it any coincidence Phillipa and filly have the same sounds? Maybe (since filly comes from Old Norse), but Phillipa does mean "lover of horses" in Greek, composed of philos (friendly love) and hippos (horse). It is the feminine version of Phillip/Philip, brought back to life in the 19th century. However, it seems Phillipa has never charted in the U.S. The strange thing is, everyone around the world was introduced to Pippa Middleton during the royal wedding coverage, and Philippa has been ever fashionable in England, but Phillipa was only used 10 times in 2011 in the U.S., the spelling Philippa used 53 times, Pippa used 69 times, and Felipa 8 times. That's pretty rare for a name everyone was raving about. But chances are these names will be used more in 2012, since the numbers did rise from 2010, when there were only 25 Phillipa's and 16 Pippa's born.

As for pronunciation, fil-LEE-pah is the most common, fil-IPP-ah the second most common, although it seems to make more sense phonetically that the spelling Philippa would make for a fil-IPP-ah pronunciation, and the spelling Phillipa would mean a fil-LEE-pah pronunciation. FILL-ip-ah is the third most common pronunciation. Pippa can be a nickname to either, as well as Flip or Filly/Philly. Pippa Middleton spells her full name Philippa. Both Pippa and Philippa have been used for literary characters: Robert Browning's poems "Pippa's Song" and "Pippa Passes," Libba Bray's character in "A Great and Terrible Beauty," "Pippi Longstocking," and a book by Rebecca Miller that Brad Pitt turned into a movie, "The Private Lives of Pippa Lee." Any spelling with an F - Filippa, Fillipa, Fillia, Fillipina, etc, and the variant Phillipine, Felepita, and Pelipa, are exceptionally rare.

 

In medieval times, Philip was fairly unisex, so the spelling Phillipa/Philippa, on paper, was used to determine which were female. Philip and Philippa also carried a note of wealth, as one had to be wealthy in order to own a horse or participate in horse related activities, which was true even in ancient Greece. One of the earliest namesakes was Philippa of Hainault (above), the queen consort of King Edward III of England, whose coronation was in 1330. There is some beautiful artwork of her and a story, "The Uncrowned Queen" by Anne O'Brien. She was well loved by her people, known for her kindness and compassion. She was also an excellent leader, serving as regent from time to time. Her name is a perfect example of Phillip being a unisex name at the time, because she was best known as Phillipe, not Phillipa. Fun fact: Chaucer's wife may have been named for Philippa of Hainault. A second medieval namesake was Philippa of Lancaster, queen consort of Portugal. She was born into royalty in England one decade after Philippa of Hainault died. Her marriage to King John I of Portugal secured the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance, and her children became so famous that they were known as the "Illustrious Generation." You can also find the name Philippa on a Duchess and a Countess.

Saint Philippa was martyred and crucified along her her son, Theodore, and others during the reign of Elagabalus, a Roman Emperor from 218 to 222. Blessed Philippa Mareri was strongly influenced by St. Francis and lived as Mother Superior in a covent in Italy. Blessed Philippa de Chantemilan and Blessed Philippa of Gheldre both lived in the late 1400s.

This name could appeal to those who like Lidia, Lydia, Portia, Phoebe, Fiona and the like, while Pippa could appeal to those who like Piper, Pepper, Poppy, or Fifer.

Gerard

 

Gerard is a name you don't hear every day. I'm not entirely sure which category it fits in - vintage? This Old English name has an interesting meaning, "spear brave," partly sharing in the definitely vintage boy's name Gerald, meaning "spear ruler," which was also a 19th century revival name. Both come from Old German origin, but in the late Middle Ages, Gerard was more popular. The Normans introduced the name Gerard to England in the 11th century. "Spear brave" may seem a little obscure, but the meaning can be translated to "brave with the spear." It's common to hear this name in France, where actor Gerard Depardieu is from. The name can also be found on poet Gerard Manley Hopkins and painter Gerardo Richter, although I think most Americans are more familiar with the [very hot] Scottish actor from Hollywood, Gerard Butler (pictured above). There were also a few St. Gerard's, though the most well known, Gerard Majella, is the patron saint of pregnant women, often pictured as a young teen. St. Gerard of Brogne was of Belgian nobility, St. Gerard of Toul was of German nobility, and St. Gerard of Lunel was of French nobility.

Gerry is the most common and obvious nickname, while Geraud, Gerhardt, and Girault are a few variant forms. Herb-Gerard is a plant also known as gout-weed.

Gerard continuously ranked from 1889 until 2000, then once more in 2002 at #999. It ranked mainly between the mid 800s and high 200s, most popular in the 1950s. In 2000 it was #823, and we haven't seen it since. Since it never reached the top 100 and White Pages reports that 38% of all men named Gerard are between the ages of 30 and 54, I do hesitate to label it strictly vintage. It still has quite a bit of charm and sophistication. Being a familiar name, yet off the charts for over a decade, it seems like the perfect unusual find for parents searching for that elusive "everyone knows it, but no one uses it" name. It is also a multi-national name, common for Dutch, French, Irish, Scottish and English speakers, but also for Spanish and Italian speaking countries as Gerardo. The Hungarian form, Gellert, and the Polish form Gerik, are nearly unrecognizable to English speakers. In America today, Gerard remains popular among Roman Catholics.

Christabel

 

Christabel Pankhurst was the inspiration for today's post. Born in 1880 (the year the U.S. started keeping track of how many babies were born with a name per year) this suffragette from England helped found the Women's Social and Political Union, even while in exile. She was one very inspirational woman, from going to prison to support her beliefs, to writing a book on how sexual equality would help protect women from sexually transmitted diseases. She earned a law degree, but was unfortunately not allowed to practice. Her parents believed in causes and raised their children (Christabel, Sylvia and Adela) to do great things. Her mother Emmeline was a political activist and suffragette as well, helping women win the right to vote. Emmeline was named one of the "100 Most Important People of the 20th Century" by Time in 1999, and she as well was raised by politically active parents. Emmeline's husband, Christabel's father, supported women's right to vote. Richard also supported free speech, free secular education, and the disestablishment of the Church of England. He did two very important things for women's rights: he drafted the Women's Disabilities Removal Bill, and was author of what became the Married Women's Property Act.

Christabel was named after another, older famous Christabel, that of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "Christabel." It is said the direct influence for this name came from the line "The lovely lady Christabel / Whom her father loves so well." Criticism of the poem falls under many categories, one of which having a feminist reading to it, which could have been another reason why Emmeline thought it would make a good name for her daughter. However, it can also be read with a critical eye toward gothic literature, and the unfinished poem had a haunting undertone, especially since the poem was modeled off of Poe's "The Sleeper," which in turn inspired Poe to write something else. For those unfamiliar with gothic lit, here are the basics (because it's not what you think): innocent virgin lives in a scary place, old pervert wants the young beauty, scary stuff happens, virgin usually makes it out alive. In the poem, Christabel is an example of purity and innocence. The name was given to Coleridge's grand daughter, who also became an author.

Another famous Christabel (last name Burton Bielenburg) lived through World War II Nazi Germany, and another, Lady Alice Christabel Montagu-Douglas-Scott married King George V's son Prince Henry.

Like Christina and Christopher, the French name Christabel is a coinage combining "Christ" with the -bel suffix to mean "beautiful Christian," after the French form of Christopher, Christobal. It was not invented by Coleridge. Since reading as a child that Cristina meant "annointed," yet modern sources say "follower of Christ," a little more digging told me that Christ (Christos, Khristos, Cristo) means "annointed" from an ancient Greek word meaning "to rub with scented ointments/oils." Christos was not originally a Christian name. The variants used as given names came about long after Christ, with the intended meaning being "follower of the annointed one." Christabel can be spelled any number of ways, from Christobel to Christabelle.

For those seeking the famous "belle" name without having to worry about popularity, look no further. This rare name was only given to 20 baby girls in 2011, and has never ranked in the top 1000. There were 5 baby girls named Cristabella and 5 Christabella, 6 Cristabel and 7 Christabelle. There were 77 baby girls given one possible nickname, Christa.

Belphoebe & Amoret

Yes, you read that right - Belphoebe, not Phoebe. Pronounced bell-FEE-bee. I must apologize in advance, because I studied English and could write a ten page paper on this name if I don't cut myself off. Edmund Spenser used Belphoebe in his allegorical poem The Faerie Queene, and he had great taste. In fact, he invented Belphoebe, as there is no other record of the name before that. The History of Christian Names (Yonge, 1884) lists the meaning as "far light," composed from Latin words, but The Spenser Encyclopedia tells us it is one part bel ("beautiful") and one part Phoebe, the so-called goddess of the moon, meaning "bright, radiant." which is more accurate when given her character and what Spenser modeled her on. Considering names used at the time, such as Christobel, the second meaning of Belphoebe is backed up. Spenser even said her name "refers to the goddess of chastity." To elaborate, Phoebe was a Titan associated with the moon and Diana/Artemis (Latin/Greek, respectfully) was goddess of the moon. In Spenser's Faerie Queene, Belphoebe is an Arthurian character very similar to the goddess Artemis, and intended to, in part, represent Queen Elizabeth I. She is strong and independent, a hermit-like hunter, and the picture of noble chastity, which was spot-on as a tribute to/version of Artemis and the Virgin Queen. Not to mention that Belphoebe and was adopted by the goddess Diana, so...

Belphoebe spends her time in the woods avoiding potential suitors and lusty men. She comes across a wounded squire of King Athur named Timias who had just avenged a damsel in distress, and Belphoebe heals him in her home (hut). When he wakes up he immediately falls in love with her. However, Belphoebe is so chaste and pure, intending to stay that way, that Timias cannot hope to win her over. It takes him a long time to win her love.

As described above, Belphoebe was directly based on the Queen and Artemis in character and the goddess Phoebe in name, but there were several names for "the moon goddess," in which many stories were told with the same basic idea. Two other moon goddess names from Greek and Roman myth are Selene (Greek) and Luna (Roman). Even Juno was sometimes identified as a moon goddess, and in most worldwide mythology, the sun and the moon are the foundation of the religion. Each moon goddess shares many aspects, but usually has one characteristic or something about her story that is just a little different than the other, and the story changes depending on who is telling it. For you smart cookies/nerds out there, the base plot of Sailor Moon was modeled on the story Endymion and Phoebe, also known as Endymion and Selene. It was told with Luna for the Romans, Selene for the Greeks. Endymion is credited with being the first man to study the moon. Selene fell in love with him as he fell asleep watching the stars, and visited him every night as he slept. She had fifty daughters by Endymion called the Menae, one of which was Pandora. I'm not quite sure how they had kids, considering Endymion was put into eternal sleep at Selene's request, since she said he looked so beautiful when he slept. In a different version of the story, the god Hypnos was jealous of Endymion's looks and cast a spell on him to sleep with his eyes open, so that creepy Hypnos could enjoy looking at his entire face.

Britomart and Amoret by Mary F. Raphael

Now, Belphoebe's twin sister Amoret has her own story, which takes less time to explain. They were twins of Chrysogone, born of immaculate conception (she was impregnated by sun beams...yeah). The goddess Diana adopted Belphoebe, and the goddess Venus adopted Amoret. Spenser uses the twins to represent "chaste love and virginity," each representing one virtue. Amoret was supposed to marry Scudamour but was kidnapped on her wedding night, then the female knight Britomart saves her. Where Belphoebe represents virginity, Amoret represents married love, or chaste love. She is also another portrayal of the Virgin Queen. She is loyal to the one she loves, eventually reunites with him, and they marry. Amoret means "little love," and likely that it is a Spenser-style variation of the Italian word amore, meaning love, with a possible French twist (the T at the end). Occasionally the name is spelled Amoretta, making it seem more Italian.

Amoret in the Garden of Adonis by John Dickson Batten

Overall, Belphoebe and Amoret are great antique finds that sounds fresh today, would fit right in, have literary value, and Belphoebe can also appease a love of both Belle and Phoebe at the same time, all while being legit. If anyone wants the link to the blog of one the only two living people I can find with the name Belphoebe, comment and I'll respond with it. In 2011 there were 14 baby girls named Amorette, no Amoret, and no Belphoebe. For the record, Whitepages said there's only one Belphoebe in the U.S. and 48 named Amoret. How's that for a rare name?




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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."

Sevilla

Seville, Spain

Sevilla is an intriguing choice, listed as the Spanish variant of Sibyl, meaning "prophetess, oracle." Very mysterious and alluring. It also happens to be the name of the ancient Spanish city of Seville, where Diego Velazquez was born, and the setting of the opera "Carmen." In myth, the Andalusian city was founded by Hercules. In this respect, the name can also mean "from Seville."

You might have to constantly explain how this name was chosen, but isn't it worth it? The nickname Villa is exotic, yet very place-name. In Spanish the pronunciation is seh-VEE-ya, but the English way is seh-VIL-uh. In 2011 there were only 7 baby girls named Sevilla.

Orlando

I had to do this name because my husband could easily be a stunt double for Orlando Bloom ( ^.^ ), the most famous namesake at the moment, who is married to Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr and named their son Flynn. Several athletes bear the name as well. Worldwide, the most easily recognizable place name is Orlando, Florida, home of Disney World, Sea World and Universal Studios. Orlando is an Italian and Spanish variant of the Old German name Roland, meaning "renowned/famous land." Roland was a famous and loved literary medieval knight (read Le Chanson de Roland for more info). It is possible Orlando and/or Roland originated as a place name.

Orlando is a literary name used a lot in the 19th century, which even Virginia Woolfe used as the title of one of her novels, and Shakespeare used it for one of his characters in "As You Like It." There was also a Saint Orlando. Orly and Lando are common nicknames, but Orrie or Andy can work well. Orlando currently ranks at #482, it's lowest ranking this decade, with 543 baby boys given the name in 2011. Only a handful of O names for boys actually ranked - Oliver, Oscar, Owen, Orion and Omar were the only names ahead of Orlando.

Judgement & Classy Names

I was recently told the name of a new baby in my family's circle, and having seen a lot of names, it didn't really affect me at first, since it wasn't tacky, which is what I'm getting used to. My parents were quite confused by this unusual and trendy name, and upon further thought, I realized I did have an impression - but it wasn't an impression of the child, it was for the parents. Other than being pleasantly surprised by how unusual the name was (and my relatives/friends close enough to call relatives do have amazing taste in names) I recalled the age of the parents and thought, "This seems like they were trying way too hard to be "young and hip." In my line of work I also meet many kids with unusual names and sometimes find it hard not to think something [mostly harsh] of the parents for choosing that name, especially when the name is conventionally said one way, but the child corrects you and gives you a completely out-of-nowhere pronunciation. Spelling is a whole different story, as I see no reason to spell Darien as Daryon, or Katherine as Kathyrine. (To be blunt, shame on you for thinking that spelling is a blessing for your child, and see my previous post.)

Your kid's name really tells the world more about you than your kid. After all, you're the one that picked it - your kid probably would have picked something that told the world more about them.

I love to know other's reactions to names, and find it hard to stay away from the message boards to get opinions and first impressions. I also love commenting on names, and it's hard to be positive when you see a name you dislike. Hopefully by the time I have my own child I can fly past all the creative spellings and trendy names I might regret, I won't get stuck with just the options listed on the top 1000, but I'll know enough to assume a completely, undeniably rare name that is foreign to my society might get a lot of negative reactions. I'll feel confident in choosing a name that my child won't have to share, but also won't have to constantly correct people with it's spelling or pronunciation. It depends on what kind of rare name I pick. I know they might not enjoy something like Fanchette, but they might like something easily understandable like Coral, which is a bit unusual, vintage and not often heard.

All children, at some point, will have judgement passed on their name. But parents will also have judgement passed on them for choosing that name. (Not often enough do we stress the fact that you are choosing a name for a future adult!) Is there any way to avoid negative reactions (even if they're not spoken out loud)? I believe the only way is to find a name with a happy medium of popularity, which for me is not in the top 1000, but sounds familiar or is easy to understand. For others, it is something not in the top 100. A few good examples are Rosalind, Faye, Guinevere and Lavinia. None in the top 1000, but everyone is familiar with them (in a good way - Anakin ranks among them but is not exactly credible). They're classy. And classy names not often heard almost always get pleasant reactions. Lydia, Caroline, Elena, and even more unusual names like Obelia and Sevilla, have a classy feel to them, and you probably don't know more than one or two. In which case, it's really up to the namesake to make the reaction unpleasant. However, names that are so popular that everyone in the country has heard them before, not necessarily in person, go from being classy to trendy.

Pearl

I had forgotten I was doing month-by-month birth stone posts, so I obviously missed pearl for June, ruby for July, and peridot for August. I'm not going to do a post on Ruby because you can find information on it elsewhere, it's very popular, but I'll save Peridot for next August. So, on to the pearl, objectified for its beauty for centuries.

Pearls are the "official" jewels of mermaids! Often in art, mermaids are depicted with pearls and starfish. Pearls are formed inside mollusks like oysters, as a crystalline form of calcium carbonate. Yet however mythical pearls are, the name Pearl is decidedly vintage. Pearl comes from French perle, which is from the Latin word for "leg," as it is like an extra appendage of the mollusk, in a sense, but it is really an act of the immune system. Many times the mollusk is killed after removing the pearl, but sometimes they let it grow more pearls.

In 2011 there were 327 baby girls named Pearl, ranking at #814. The Italian variant Perla also ranked at #639 with 443 births in 2011. Since 1969, Pearl has steadily ranked in the 800's and 900's, until the 90's, but before that it had slowly declined from its #24 spot in 1889, 1890 and 1900 (just those three years).