Darcy

 

Available on Etsy

Male or female? Mr. Darcy or vintage belle? While slightly resembling cutesy vintage names like Darla and dated names ending in -ie or -y, this name will never make me think anything but "Mr. Darcy." Supposedly Mr. Darcy's surname was a hint at Norman aristocracy, a place name meaning "from Arcy," (Old French d'Arcy). The name is also Irish Gaelic meaning "dark." The original French form could mean "bear," as other names, like Arthur, and the names of a bear god and goddess, share the art- link.

Darcy is currently trendy as parents look to many familiar literary names such as Atticus, Emerson and Gatsby. Ultimately, I believe the name has been more popular for girls in America. It ranked from 1949 to 1994 for girls, and sporadically for boys between 1954 and 1970. Darci and Darcie have also ranked for girls. In 2011 the use of Darcy and variant spellings has decreased a lot since that time, and 140 girls were named Darcy while only 15 boys were given the name.

Sheridan

 

Old Hollywood actress Ann Sheridan

Sheridan is an Irish Gaelic surname meaning "seeker; peaceful" of which a playwright and Civil War general share as a namesake. In 1996 the masculine surname made it to the top 1000 list for girls (I wonder if the potential nicknames Sherry and/or Dani made that possible?), dropped off between 1998 and 1999, then came back between 2000 and 2002. It had been in the boys top 1000 in the 1890's and 1930's/40's for just a few short years, when Dan was probably the go-to nickname. As this was a masculine surname, much like Grayson, I have a hard time labeling it as "unisex." So, even though it is primarily used for girls now (9 boys in 2011 vs 48 girls), and isn't used nearly enough to firmly determine male/female (these are the lowest rankings since the peak in 1997), I am putting this one on the boys side.

Interview with Shawn

I decided to do a quick name interview with my husband. Although his name, Shawn, is not as popular as it once was - #27 in 1973, people still might want to consider it. Other variants are still popular, such as Sean and Shaun. All three spellings are Irish variants of John, meaning "God is gracious." Sean is the Irish version, while Shawn and Shaun are the Anglicized versions from Irish. In 2011 Shawn ranked at #248, Shaun at #588 and Sean at #125.

What is your name? (Include middle if you’d like) Shawn Anthony

Do you have any nicknames? As a child, Shawnie

What is your ethnic background? Polish
What decade were you born in? mid 80's
How did you feel about your name growing up? I liked it
How do you feel about your name now? It's alright
How often do you run into other people with your name? Not too often, but it happens

What are some names of your family members? Mitch, Eddie (not Edward, just Eddie), Cynthia, Brian, Rochelle
If you have any kids, what are their name(s)? If no kids, do you have any names you know you’d like to give to future children? Whatever my wife wants
What is the name of your best friend? Tony
What are some common names for your age group? Mike, Adam, Anthony, John, Luke, Ryan, Brian
If you had to give yourself a new first name, what would it be? I can't think of anything

Are people ever confused about your name? Spelling - Sean, Shaun

Would you suggest someone give your name to a new baby? Yes, I'd say go for it
What do you think of my baby name hobby? I think it's great to have a hobby, but sometimes you drive me nuts.
(My reply: Your Xbox drives me nuts.)

If any of you have questions for him regarding his name, please feel free to comment and he will respond.

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.

Kellan (Kellen)

 

Kellan has been getting some attention as a baby name in the past few years due to the "Twilight" character Emmett Cullen, played by Kellan Lutz, pictured above. (This and Twyla will probably be the only times you'll ever hear me mention anything Twilight related on this blog - or anywhere else for that matter, so I figured I'd better put them close together.) He's had some other good roles other than "Twilight," in the movies "Arena" and "Immortals." There are also 5 American football players named Kellen.

Kellan is a variant of the Gaelic name Kellen, meaning "slender." It currently ranks at #363, and rose quickly over the past few years from it's starting point at #882 in 2007.

Dempsey

Dempsey is an Anglicized Irish surname meaning "proud," from "son of Ó Diomasaigh. The family with this name originated in the Kingdom of Uí Failghe. On occassion, this name was simply given as "Proudman" in English. This is not a unisex name.

The title Viscount Clanmalier was created for Terrance O'Dempsey by King James I, and after him there were only two others to hold the title before it was no longer used - Lewis O'Dempsey and Maximilian O'Dempsey. The O'Dempsey family was strong and powerful until the 17th century, or, until the Williamite wars. Several prominent people have bared this surname, including feminist activist Rosemary Dempsey, but two namesakes spring to mind immediately - the actor Patrick Dempsey, proud father of Sullivan and Darby, and Jack Dempsey, the 20th century boxing champ. There are dozens more, however, listed all over the web. Only a small handful feature Dempsey as a given name. In my opinion, Dempsey would make a fine first name for someone from this family tree, especially if it was the mother's maiden name.

In 2011 Dempsey was only given to 67 boys. It first appeared on the charts in 1880 at #579, which would suggest that if these charts had been up years before, it would show Dempsey gaining or continuing popularity until 1880. However, it was on and off the charts for the entire time it ranked, up until 1949, and it hasn't been back since.

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.

Riordan

This Irish Gaelic name, pronounced REARden, means "bard, minstrel, royal poet," derived from the older name Rioghbhardan. A bard was a poet who recited epic poetry, especially that with a long oral tradition. Bards were most popular in medieval times. These professionals were employed by wealthy patrons who believed in their work, but the patrons wanted the bards to compliment and praise them and their ancestors. William Shakespeare was known as the Immortal Bard, and he is still known as the very definition of a bard today. Robert Burns was another popular bard. The word bard, a loan word from Proto-Celtic, Proto-Indo-European, meant "to raise the voice, praise." Bards did not solely retell the works of others, they composed original work, funded by their patrons. Their work include eulogies and satires. Riordan is also known as a surname, and Archbishop Riordan High School. Rio could make for a nickname, and Riordan could make an excellent solution to the slight infatuation with Raiden as a given name in the U.S. There were only 11 baby boys named Riordan in 2011.

Nolan

Nolan is an Irish Gaelic name meaning "champion," (not "champion of the people," not "famous noble champion") from the name Nuallan, and it can also be heard as a surname. There are at least two famous namesakes, baseball player Nolan Ryan, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999, and movie director Christopher Nolan.

The name Nolan has made regular appearances in the U.S. top 1000 since 1899 at varying spots, and has now jumped to #93 in 2011 and a total of 4,140 baby boys born with the name last year. It was the 5th name starting with the letter N for boys in the top 1000, with no stopping soon. It is popular in other countries as well, even ranking at #29 in France. Nolan comes with the compact and straight-to-the-point nickname Nol, one syllable.

Rafferty

The Rafferty Coat of Arms

Raffterty is an Irish Gaelic surname meaning "prosperity wielder." What a unique meaning! It was originally O'Raighbheartaigh and Rabhartach. There's also a wide range of potential nicknames, from Raff to Rafe to Teddy. There were only 10 baby boys named Rafferty in 2010, and 12 in 2011, which means not a whole lot of parents have discovered Rafferty's "raffish charm." This is also the name of Jude Law's son, but you're likely to find many more people with Rafferty as a surname than a given name. Other than that, I can't find much more on this potential baby name.

Breccan

Breccan is an Irish name that was the name of a saint from the Isle of Aran, and the name has made appearances in old myths. Many have opted to spell it Breckin and other various ways, but Breccan remains the most handsome and less trendy. The name means "freckled" or "speckled." The original spelling, as close as it can get, is like Breacain/Breacan, and would be pronounced BREK-awn instead of BREK-an, but the latter is accepted in the US.

Breccan was a popular medieval first name, however, there were no baby boys with this spelling born in 2010. There were 5 named Brec, 71 Breck, 11 Breckan, 189 Brecken, 76 Breckin, 8 Breckon, 16 Breckyn, 9 Brek, 13 Breken, 6 Brekin, 20 Brekken, 6 Brekkin, and 5 Brekyn. In 2011 there were 7 boys named Breccan, 7 Breckyn, and 7 Breckan.

Bram

Today's name: Bram

Pronunciation: brahm

Potential nicknames: While Bram seems more like a nickname itself, it produces feminine nicknames such as Brammie. However, Bram is the short form of Abraham and can be a great nickname for Bertram.

Origin: (1) Scottish, Irish and Gaelic, meaning "bramble," "a thicket of wild gorse," or "raven." (2) As the short form of Abraham, meaning "father of a multitude of nations."

Popularity: In 2010 there were 38 baby boys named Bram, and 5 of the variant Bran. In 2011 there were 5 Bron, 7 Bran, 17 Brahm and 37 Bram.

Fun fact: (1) Legendary Bram Stoker, who wrote Dracula.

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Samhain

A little bit about Samhain (English: sam-HAYN, Irish: SOW-en):

Samhain is a Gaelic harvest festival held between October 31st and November 1st and has connections with other Celtic cultures. Traditionally Samhain was meant to be a celebration of the end of the harvest season and a time to give thanks for a good crop, also marking the end of the lighter days and the beginning of darker days. Historically, those who participated in Samhain were those who dealt in agriculture, and they would light bonfires as a means of purification.

It is now widely regarded as a Pagan celebration and associated with witches, and although Neo-Pagans do celebrate this as a sort of holiday, there are many negative presumptions by the general public. When Christianity was beginning to blossom, one of the ways in which its followers thought it would be easier to make the transition between Paganism and Christianity was to just blend the holidays and beliefs a little bit, somewhat to make the new religion feel more familiar. Because the Catholic All Saint's Day, now called All Hallows' Day, was held on November 1st, Samhain and All Saint's Day were closely associated with each other since the 8th century. Both Samhain and All Saint's Day have influenced modern Halloween customs.

Old Irish literature suggests Samhain was being celebrated in the 10th century. Not only did Samhain mark the end of harvest and the beginning of winter, it also marked the end of the season for trade and warfare. Many tribes in Old Ireland would gather on this date. Today, certains parts of the Samhain festival have survived. Many now participate in the "festival of the dead," a religious celebration. Many of the agricultural traditions still hold.

The meaning of Samhain:
Samhain is the Irish word for November, and the Modern Irish word Samhain was derived from refers to the 1st of November, the festival, and the royal assembly all held on November 1st in medieval times. Samhain can mean "summer's  end," or "season's end." Samhain is also known as the "Celtic New Year."

Samhain and Halloween:
It was Gaelic custom to wear costumes or masks, and some would blacken their faces and wear white. This was in order to look like evil spirits and the dead, so that the dead, if they walked beside the living, would not harm anyone. It was believed that the veil between the living and the dead was weakened during Samhain, and because of this, table settings were often reserved for ghosts of ancestors. Turnips were also carved out to make candles and some turnips had faces and were placed in the windows to keep evil spirits away. Children would go door-to-door in costumes, the turnip lanterns lighting their way, sometimes pulling pranks, mainly perfoming entertainment, in exchange for food or money. Also, many still attend bonfires during this time of year. These traditions were brought to America when the Irish and Scottish immigrated.

When the Catholic All Saint's Day became known as All Hallow's Day, and then All Soul's Day was known to be November 2nd, the 31st of October became known as All Hallow's Eve. It later became known as Halloween, a secular holiday. Halloween comes from the Scottish words for All Hallow's Eve.

Samhain as a baby name:
I know what you're thinking. "There's no way!" Right? But how can you ignore the cute nickname Sam, or the link to Irish or Scottish heritage, or the sense of holiday? Like naming your baby Christmas when they are born of Christmas Eve or Day, naming your baby Samhain might make seasonal sense if they are born between October 31st and November 2nd. Just saying, it's worth thinking about. I think it is a beautiful, historically rich baby name option. There were no babies named Samhain in 2010 or 2011.

Seamus

Today's name: Seamus
Alternate spellings that have been used: Sheamus, Seumus, Shaymus, Seamas, Shamus

Pronunciation: SHAY-muss

Potential nicknames: Shea/Shay, Shy, Sean, Shem
(who can resist a nickname like Shea?)

Origin: Irish Gaelic variant of James (which is the English variant of Jacob), meaning "supplanter," or "he who grabs at the heel." A supplanter is someone who takes someone else's place. Jacob was born grabbing at his twin brother Esau's heel, later tricking this brother into trading the place of first born son, then tricking his father into giving him the title of first born son, and he is now the famous Biblical supplanter. Despite his trickery, God favored him.

Popularity: Seamus first made it on the Social Security Administration's top 1000 list for boys in 1995, making it to #733 in 2003, and in 2010 he ranked at #878. There were 236 baby boys  named Seamus in 2010 in the U.S., 7 Shaymus, 38 Shamus, 14 Sheamus, 118 Shea and 68 Shay. There were also only two baby Seamus's born in Scotland in 2010. Then in 2011 there were 33 boys named Sheamus, 34 Shamus, and Seamus ranked at #840.

Fun fact: (1) Poet Seamus Heaney. (2) Seamus Finnigan was a Harry Potter character.

I'll ask my readers: would you put Seamus into the "spunky" category, the "vintage" category, or something else?

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Saoirse

Today's name: Saoirse

Pronunciation: SEER-sha, sometimes SAYR-sha, and more rarely SIR-sha

Potential nicknames: Sersh, Search, Sea, Isa, Shay, Shy

Origin: Modern Irish Gaelic, meaning "freedom." It has only been used since the last century, specifically the 1920s, and is strongly patriotic due to the fact that it is a word-name, equivalent of Liberty or Freedom in the U.S.

Popularity: Saoirse is very popular in Ireland, ranking in at #25 in 2009. There were 71 baby girls named Saoirse in 2010 in the U.S. In 2011 it rose to 101 births for girls.

Fun fact: (1) Saoirse is the name of an Irish Republican newspaper, and it is considered a patriotic, Nationalist/Catholic Nationalist, Republican baby name. It refers to Ireland being completely free, not a part of the UK. (2) Saoirse Ronan, famous Irish actress who played  in the movie Atonement.

Cashel

Today's name: Cashel

Pronunciation: CASH-ell, KAH-hal, or CASH-ill

Potential nicknames: Cash, Cass, Cashy, Shel, Shelly, Ash

Origin: Irish, meaning "castle," "fortress," or "stone fort." In Ireland it is often spelled Cashlin or Caislin. It is also the name of a town in Tipperarry, Ireland. The German placename Cassel also means "fortress."

The picture above, from http://yannatry.blogspot.com/, is a picture of the Rock of Cashel, also known as St. Patrick's Rock and the Cashel of Kings, located in Tipperarry. It is a historic site built between the 12th and 13th centuries, known for being the traditional seat for the Kings of Munster before the Normans invaded. Some believe that this is where St. Patrick converted the King of Munster.

Popularity: Although never breaking into the top 1000, in 2009 there were 21 baby boys named Cashel in the U.S., in 2010 there were only 7, and in 2011 there were 18. There were also 17 baby boys named Castle. In 2011 there were still 18 boys named Cashel, and 17 named Castle.

Fun fact: (1) The name of Daniel Day Lewis's son. (2) A novel called "Cashel Byron's Profession," by George Bernard Shaw. Cashel, the main character, is a prizefighter.

Female version: Though not recognized as a feminine variant of Cashel, both Cashele and Cashelle (both pronounced CASH-elle) have been given to baby girls very rarely. There were none of either born in 2010.

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Aisling

Today's name: Aisling (female)

Pronunciation: ASH-ling

Potential nicknames: Ash, Aishli, Li, Lin

Variant forms: Ashlin, Aislin, Aislinn, Aishlinn, Aishling, Aislyn, Aislynn, Aislynne, Ashling, Ashlynn, Ashlyn, Ashleen, Aishellyn, Aislee, Aisley, Ash, Ashly, Ashleen, Eislinn, Isleen, Islene, and possibly Iselin.

Origin: (1) An Irish Gaelic word name meaning "fantasy," "vision," or "dream." The most common meaning is "dream." This name was not used before the 20th century (when it was first created). This spelling (Aisling) is the anglicized form. (2) It may or may not be related to the name Ashley.

Popularity: There were 43 baby girls given this name in the U.S. in 2010 and 12 in 2011. However, in 2005 it was the 31st most popular girl's name in Ireland.


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Siobhan

Today's name: Siobhan (female)

Potential nicknames: Shea, Bonnie, Bon-Bon, Bon, Shiba, Von, Vonnie, Sio, Oba, Ava, Ova, Shiv, Annie, Anne, Chevron

Pronunciation: shih-VON, shuh-VAHN, shih-VAWN

Origin: Irish form of Joan, which is the feminine form of John, meaning "God is gracious."

Variant forms: Chevon, Chevonne, Chavonne, Chivon, Chyvonne, Shavaun, Shavon, Shavonne, Siobhian, Shervon, Shevon, Shevonne, Shirvaun, Shivahn, Shivaun, Shovonne, Shyvonne, Sioban, Shiobahn, and Syvonne.

Popularity: In 2010, 72 babies were born with the name Siobhan in the U.S. according to the Social Security Administration's annual list. This name does not make it to the top 1000 in America, but it does is Ireland (even the Anglicized versions.) In 2011 there were 51 girls named Siobhan.


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