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.

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.

Interview with Blair

Gender: MALE

What is your name? Blair

Do you have any nicknames? Gonzo

What is your ethnic background? Greek, French Canadian, German and Irish
What decade were you born in? 80s baby
How did you get your name? Same name as father and grandfather
How did you feel about your name growing up? Loved it until the Blair Witch Project came out
How do you feel about your name now? Love it, unique

What are some names of your family members? Blair, Clare, Betty
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? No, I don't know the names of my future children
What is the name of your best friend? Dave
What are some common names for your age group? Chris, Dave, Ryan, Jeff, John
If you had to give yourself a new first name, what would it be? Rialb (Blair backwards)

Are there any personal stories about your name? No stories specifically about my name other than both my dad and I got called the Blair Bitch Project. (You may want to omit that.)

Are people ever confused about your name? People usually think I say Brian when I say my name if they don't know me

Would you suggest someone give your name to a new baby? Sure, it's not utilized enough
Of the kids you've met most recently, which are your favorites and least favorites? Of the kids I met most recently, Celina is my favorite, and my least favorite is a girl who I met named Blair, it felt awkward.

This was an excellent interview, given that most baby Blair's today are female, thanks to Blair Waldorf on Gossip Girl. Blair is of Scottish Gaelic origin meaning "field, plain." Once a Scottish surname relating to local places, it transferred to use as a male given name, and now it is making a crossover to the girl's side, in the works since the 80's. The name has not appeared on the top 1000 for boys since 1995 at #950, slowly declining from #580 in 1990, but for girls, it ranked in the top 1000 in 2011 at #973, and I have a feeling it's only going up. Before that, it's last appearance on the charts for girls was in 2000 at #971, so there was a ten year gap. It had a steady decline on the girl's side from the mid 80's, where it was in the #400's, when it ranked higher than boys. The only difference between use as a male name and use as a female name is that Blair has been given as a male name much longer - every year since 1881 until 1995, whereas it has only been given to girls since 1980 (on the charts, anyway). That's a 99 year difference. 

Despite the rivalry between girls and boys, this name is unisex. As a place-name-surname, even though given to boys first, it can still be used for girls, as there is nothing about it that is strictly masculine. My best example of Blair as a surname can be seen on actress Selma Blair. For male's with it as a first name, Blair Redford. For female's with it as a first name, Blair Fowler. In Scotland it's still all boy, ranking at #87 in 2011.

In 2011 there were 75 baby boys named Blair and 5 spelled Blaire, and 260 girls named Blair, 123 spelled Blaire.

Bonnie

Bonnie & Clyde

Bonnie is Scottish, meaning "fair," "attractive" and "pretty." From the French word bonne, meaning "good." Often, a child was said to be "bonny" regardless of gender, so long as that child displayed a happy nature, and this term features in some songs and literature (such as Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing). Today, "bonny" is still a word used to mean "pretty," especially in Scotland. It is now considered vintage in the U.S., having been used as an endearing nickname, even as a pet form of Bonita. There is an old nursery rhyme that makes Bonnie appropriate for a child born on Sunday. Bonnie Blue was the daughter of literary characters Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler. Then there is the famous bank robber Bonnie Parker (of Bonnie & Clyde fame). And for all you Harry Potter fans out there, this is the name of Bonnie Wright who plays Ginny Weasley. Not a Harry Potter fan? It's the name of the witch in The Vampire Diaries. Some rarely heard variants include Bonnebel/Bonnebell and Bonnibel/Bonnibelle. Bonnie last ranked in 2003, but it appeared regularly since 1880. It hit #33 in 1941 and 1946, the highest ranking. In 2011 it was just outside the top 1000 with 218 births. Bonnie would make an exceptional alternative to other B names in the top 1000 at the moment, such as Bristol, Brooke, Brynlee and Briley. For the record, so would Betty (163 births) and Betsy (129 births).

Melusina, Melusine

Jessie Bayes, The Marriage of La Belle Melusine

Before 2011 I had never heard the names Melusine or Melusina before, which is weird since Starbucks is so popular and the legend is more well known and widespread than I could have guessed. Maybe it's because I'm American, the the legend is more well known abroad? I've found that these legends are usually specific to Northern Europe. Anyway, Melusine is the mermaid featured on the logo of Starbucks, although sometimes the Starbucks mermaid is simply referred to as the twin-tailed siren or alchemical siren, and the image has been altered a few times from its original form (see this). She is a fresh water spirit, including rivers and springs, sometimes half fish and sometimes half serpent, occasionally with wings, and occasionally considered a fairy. She appears on many Coats of Arms because she was supposedly the water spirit from the Vistula River in Poland who identified the place to build for Boreslaus (Boleslaw) in Masovia in the 13th century.

Jean d'Arras wrote an extensive literary musing of Melusine around 1382 based on oral tales. In these stories her mother was Pressyne, discovered by a Scottish king, and they were married. When the king disobeyed her marriage condition - not to view her giving birth or bathing their three female triplets, she left the kingdom for Avalon. Melusine and her sisters Melior and Palatyne grew up in Avalon, later taking revenge on their father (who would be mad that they grew up in Avalon???) but their mother punished them, and this is how Melusine took on the shape of a mermaid (half serpent or half fish). Later, similar to her mother's tale, Melusine is discovered by a man named Raymond of Poitou and he proposes marriage. Melusine agrees upon the same condition her mother laid out, and she builds them a castle overnight with her magic. Raymond (of course) breaks his promise and sees her true form (on a Saturday), but she forgives him until he insults her in court. She takes the shape of a dragon, leaves him two magic rings, and flees. Melusine was considered the Queen of Columbiers. In Sir Walter Scott's version, Melusine's husband is named Guy de Lusignon, Count of Poitou. In all version mentioned thus far, Melusine and her mother seem very family oriented, and Sir Walter Scott even mentions that Melusine protects her descendants. In some versions she would act like an Irish banshee, warning her descendants that their death was near.


This tale is very similar to that of Lamia and makes me wonder if every European culture had their own version of this tale. Other notable mentions: Martin Luther called her a succubus, and meluzina in Czech refers to a gust of wind heard through the chimney, said to be the wailing of Melusina looking for her children.

Julius Hubner - Melusine

The legend above was so influential that it became connected to Luxembourg through Guy de Lusignon, and in 1997 Luxembourg issued a postage stamp for her. (A few very powerful royals have tried to claim Melusine was their ancestor, including Eleanor of Aquitaine, being that she descended from Raymond of Poitou's line.) In fact, the name Melusine may come from mere lusigne, meaning "mother of the Lusignans," although some believe it came from the Latin mal lucina, meaning "dark light," possibly in reference to Juno, which would make the siren-fairy-mermaid older than medieval times or at least connect Melusine to similar Greek and Roman myths, perhaps Lamia or the sirens.


Additionally, there is the Tour Melusine in Vouvant, the keep of a former castle of the Lords of Lusignan, that locals believed was truly built by Melusine. Other than that, there have been various sculptures and engravings of twin-tailed sirens internationally, including the exterior of the Lapidary Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and one in my hometown at a restaurant (The B.O.B.).

Other than the myths, there was Countess Petronilla Melusina von der Schulenburg of Walsingham, the illegitimate daughter of Ehrengard Melusine, Baroness von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal and Munster, Princess of Eberstein (among other titles), mistress of King George I of Great Britain. It is widely believed her middle name of Melusine was given in reference to the Melusine legends. Petronilla was named for her grandmother Petronelle Oddie de Schwenken. Besides Petronilla Melusina, Ehrengard Melusine also had two other daughters, Anna Luise Sophie and Margaret Gertrude. King George did have a wife, Sophia, whom he had two daughters with, but they both preferred the attention of others. After Sophia's lover was murdered for fear of scandal, their marriage was dissolved, Sophia was imprisoned for more than thirty years until she died. It is unfortunate to know he merely died of a stroke at 67.

There is also a main belt asteroid named 373 Melusina (as almost all things in space are named after mythological figures or Shakespearean characters), a Belgian comic book, a song called Melusine by a metal band called Leaves' Eyes, an animation company called Melusine Productions, and quite a few literary references, including Melusine by Sarah Monette, Lady of the Rivers by Phillipa Gregory, The Fair Melusina by Felix Mendelssohn, The New Melusine by Goethe, The Wandering Unicorn by Manuel Mujica Lainez, and Possession by A.S. Byatt. Many stories told of Melusine can be seen as the medieval opinion on female sexuality and the duality of women.

Melusine by Maxine Gadd

This might have been my longest post so far, so I'll end it by suggesting that spelling the name Melusine or Melusina is a personal choice and that there would be little difference in getting your point across - the connection to the legends would still be obviously recognizable, and both have been used countless times without too much favor falling on one or the other. There were no babies born in 2010 or 2011 named Melusine or Melusina. Also, there's a little more information and pictures if you hunt for it.

Alastair, Alistair, Alasdair

Today's names: Alastair, Alistair and Alasdair

Pronunciation: AL-ah-stayr, AL-uh-stayr, AL-us-dare

Potential nicknames: Al, Alic, Dair

Origin: From the Greek name Alexandros (Alexander), meaning "man's defender." Alastair and Alistair are anglicised forms of Alasdair, the Scottish Gaelic form of Alexander. Other variants include: Alasdhair, Alasteir, Alastar, Alaster, Alastor, Alaisdair, Alaistair, Alaister, Aleister, Alester, Alistair, Alistar, Alister, Allaistar, Allaster, Allastir, Allistair, Allister, Allistir, Allysdair, Allystair, Allyster, Alysdair, Alysdare, Alystair, Alyster, Allastair, and Aldair.

Popularity: In 2010 there were 15 baby boys named Alasdair, 25 Alastair, 6 Alaster, 81 Alistair, 5 Alistar, 28 Allister, and 29 Alister. In 2011 there were 108 Alistair, 57 Alister, 33 Allister, 27 Alastair and 23 Alasdair.

Fun fact: (1) There are several famous/well-known people with this name, one of which being Rod Stewart's son, and several fictional characters. (2) Three medieval Scottish kings were named Alasdair. (3) The surname McAllister/Macallister means "son of Alistair."

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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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Isla

Today's name: Isla

Pronunciation: EYE-lah

Potential nicknames: Issie, Lala, Isle, Isles, Islie (pronounced eye-lee)

Origin: (1) Scottish and English, meaning "Scottish island," derived from Islay, the real name of a Scottish island. It is also the name of two Scottish rivers. It became a popular given name in the 1800s.(2) Old French, from the name Ila, meaning "island."

Popularity: In 1886 Isla ranked at #938 on the SSA's top 1000 list, climbing to #713 the next year, sinking a little in the following years, and then it fell off the chart after 1908. Then in 2008, possibly due to actress Isla Fisher, the name jumped back on the chart, landing at #619, and increasing ever since. In 2010 it was at #297 and in 2011 it reached its highest ranking at #268. In the UK she has already made it in the top 100, and she's popular in many countries.

Fun fact: Isla Fisher, actress, married to Sasha Baron Cohen, who named her baby girls Elula Lottie Miriam Cohen and Olive (middle name unknown).

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