Eponine

I'd say Eponine's lookin pretty good...

A little while ago there was this debate on Nameberry about the name Eponine (ay-poe-neen), now in the spotlight because the movie Les Misérables is taking American fans by storm. (I think. And I haven't seen it yet, so I don't know how true it is to the original plot. I've heard physical appearances are a little off. And most musical adaptations are a little different from the novel.) Actually, there are several threads on the internet about this name, and it is a much-searched baby name. People will inevitably be curious about Eponine as a name for their daughter, and opinions most definitely vary on whether it should be used. Some say it is too much the character's name to be used on another face, some say the name goes back further than the play and can be a real choice. I'll give you the facts, and you can decide for yourself if Eponine should be used on today's babies.

Eponine, French variant of Epona from Eponina/Epponnina, all meaning "mare," which is "female horse," and/or "great mare." The exception is Eponina's -ina ending, making it "little horse."

Eponina and Epona go back further than Hugo's Éponine Thénardier, whose story is tragic, yet lovely. The character in the 1862 novel grew up pampered and beautiful, a reversal of the typical rags-to-riches stories. Don't misunderstand - Eponine's parents ran an inn, so they were not poor, but later they went bankrupt and turned into thieves. The novel focuses on characters living in France during a desperate and horrible time of disease, political turmoil and other suffering. (I won't give too much away, as in order to actually consider using this name, you really need to read the novel and be familiar with the character.) Eponine's parents are pretty much scumbags, and eventually Eponine makes money with her father begging, but after falling in love she becomes a better person. Her redemption is the essence and importance of her character. She's not the greatest literary character ever, but there's nothing especially bad about her. Let's just say she's human. She loves a man named Marius, who loves a woman named Cosette. Eponine dies protecting Marius, although he may have been in that position due to Eponine's manipulation. Regardless, the audience sympathizes with her.

Now, it is a widely accepted belief that Hugo invented Eponine. I don't happen to think it took a lot of creativity, however - all he did was take a legit Latin name and add a typical French -ine ending. Besides, it's known that the name was supposed to convey a feeling of being made-up, as it was from a romance novel, but if you've ever read a romance novel the names sound pretty classy...although I'm not sure about old French ones. Anyway, it's a wonder the name didn't exist before that. In fact, maybe it did, but it was just so super-rare we haven't heard of it being used. Even after the novel came out, not many parents chose to use the name. But one commonly overlooked fact is that Charles Baudelaire dedicated a poem to Hugo in Les Fleurs du Mal, titled Le Petit Vieilles, and that its subject of eroticism and decadence most likely directly influenced Hugo's naming of the Thenardier sisters. There is also debate as to the nature of her name...is it a cheesy, trashy name, or a fancy name turned trashy? Or did Hugo intend for it to look trashy, and he failed? All in all, I'd like to say Eponine is a very human name. With human flaws. And it is said that Hugo did not realize how interesting Eponine was, nor did her treat her well as a character.

Epona carving

Epona, on the other hand, was the goddess in Gaulish and Roman tradition, protector of horses, mules and donkeys, as well as fertility, and later armies. You won't find many Gaulish, Pre-Celtic or Celtic dieties in Roman mythology, but Epona was apparently just that influential and/or lovable. It could have been due to a similarity to Demeter, known to be a great mare herself. She even had a proper cult, like Minerva, Juno and Jupiter. To this day, Epona has some influence. I happen to live in Michigan, where there is the Epona Celebration on Mackinac Island in June (high tourist season). Mackinac Island does not allow cars, only bikes and horses. It's an amazing place that seems to be stuck in a previous decade (like maybe the Victorian period).

 

A personal photo from my honeymoon to Mackinac Island

Now we come to Eponina. Eponina, also known as Saint Eponine and Holy Eponina, was the wife of a Roman man named Julius Sabinus, who rebelled against the Roman Empire. She was a virtuous woman who symbolized patriotism, and she chose to die with her husband once he was captured. As Eponina was a common name from ancient times to post-Revolutionary France, I believe Eponine, which Hugo supposedly made up, would have been today's Porscha to the historical Portia, Bentlee to Bentley, Graycin to Grayson. You get the idea. Trendy, made-up variant, that is intended to make the child seem richer or more fabulous. But now, Eponine has literary credibility. It is also worth noting that Azelma, Eponine's sister in the story, has a name derived from another loyal wife in historical times. In fact, I think Hugo just didn't like names that weren't proper and traditional, as he commented on an "anarchy of baptismal names."

Important note: Empona, a variant of these, means "heroine." (As in female hero, not the drug.)

As a name, Eponine, Epona and Eponina have never ranked in the U.S. top 1000. As none or less than five babies were given the name Eponine in 2011, I turned to White Pages to tell me how many people named Eponine were living in the U.S., and the grand total is 7. White Pages may not be able to accurately track all people, names, etc, but this seems fairly accurate. While I was at it, White Pages says there are four people named Epona and one Eponina. Eponine is much more popular in France than it is in the U.S., yet it is still extremely rare there.

If Eponine is too reminiscent of the character for you, but you love the history and imagery, I'd suggest Epona or Eponina.

Sylvie, Sylvia, Silvia

Miike Snow - Silvia

I was going to include Silvana and Silveria, and the male forms of the name, in this post, but I think I'll save them for another time and just mention that all Syl-/Sil- names share the same meaning, "[from the] woods, woodland, forest." Silvanus was the Latin god of the forest. More rare variants include Sylvette, Sylvina/Silvina, Silvania/Sylvania, and Sylva/Silva. Silvia is the major Latin version of the name, while Sylvia and Sylvie/Silvie are the variants. In fact, the spellings with a Y are generally understood to be the English equivalents, while the traditional Latin spellings retain the I. Sylvie is usually thought to be French, but can also serve as a nickname. All forms have a silvery, gilded, romantic and sophisticated image, while still being quite childlike and playful.

While Sylvie has never ranked, Sylvia ranked from 1880 (and likely well before that) until now. In 2011 Sylvia ranked at #554, and has been in the 500's for the last decade. It has been slowly falling since it was #50 in 1937, which was its highest rank, and had stayed above #200 before that. The alternate spelling Silvia also ranked from 1886 until 2005, but was not as popular. The highest rank for Silvia was #497 in 1974. In 2011 there were 187 girls named Silvia, 156 named Sylvie, and 523 named Sylvia. Though Sylvia is now more popular, Silvia was the original spelling.

Rhea Silvia in mythology was an ancient nature goddess, the mother of Remus and Romulus, the founders of Rome. (Mythological names connected to these are Evander, Arcadia, Lavinia, Aeneas and Pallas.) Saint Silvia was the mother of Pope Gregory the Great. Queen Silvia of Sweden is still reigning in Sweden. Sylvia Plath was the tragic poet and novelist whose works are now studied nationwide in advanced English courses. Sylvia Pankhurst was the Suffragette who formed leftist and communist parties after WWI, sister to Christabel, whose mother was Emmeline. Shakespeare used the name Silvia in his play "The Two Gentlemen of Verona," and both Silvia and Sylvia can be found in many more works of literature and on several more namesakes. Recently, celebrity Jason Bateman named his daughter Maple Sylvie (which directly translates to "maple forest").

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.)

Cordelia

 

Princess Cordelia Abidaoud and Hilary Clinton

Today's headline: "Grab it while it's hot!" If the amount of labels under this post are any indication, Cordelia's a modestly rising, historically rich, beautiful trend-setter. The first time I saw Cordelia (kor-DEEL-ya, kor-DELL-ee-uh) was in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and I'm sure most people in my age bracket can say the same. However, these days I'm seeing the name everywhere online. It's become a very popular option for new parents, and has a long list of namesakes, both in real life, literature and media. From the comic book character Cordelia Swan to the real life Phoenician princess Cordelia Abidaoud, it should be a lot of fun looking through all the various Cordelia's out there, past and present. Nameberry reports that two "Babyberries" named Cordelia were born just recently.

Cordelia is a Latin name most likely meaning "heart," from the names Cordula (as in Saint Cordula) and/or Creiddylad, although Creiddlad supposedly has a meaning that relates to the sea according to this source. Cordelia last ranked in 1950. Our records start in 1880, when it ranked at #204, which was it's highest recorded placing and suggests that she once ranked even higher. The short name Delia comes from Cordelia, as do the longer names Cordelle, Cordella, Cordellia and Cordia. In 2011 the name was given to 177 baby girls, the largest amount ever given. Nicknames do not have to be limited to Cordy - Cora, Corda, Delia, Della, Coco, Lia and Cory can be nicknames as well.

Cordelia dates back to about 1100 AD. From King Lear she was the sympathetic daughter, the youngest, and her father's favorite. The two other daughters have less desirable names - Goneril and Regan, and are also dishonest and greedy. Cordelia is killed at the end of the original play, but has reconciled with her father. Cordelia of Britain was a legendary and brave queen often confused with the character from the play because her father's name is Leir, and although there are bold similarities, the story line is much different, and is the original story Shakespeare and Spencer based their versions of King Lear on. She supposedly ruled around the late 8th century. Early Welsh mythology has their own Cordelia, spelled Creiddylad. In these stories she is a lady in King Arthur's court, and said to be the most beautiful girl in the British isles. Two of Arthur's knights fight for her for eternity. Creiddylad has been compared to Persephone and her story compared to the Holly King myth. I mention Creiddylad also because some scholars believe Geoffrey of Monmouth based his Queen Cordeilla on Creiddylad, and Shakespeare on Monmouth's queen. Other scholars believe he took the name from Hollished's Chronicles, where the name originally came from Monmouth anyway. Supposedly, Cordelia was not used as a given name until Shakespeare's play.

Cordelia also features in Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh and Cordelia by Winston Graham. In real life, the town of Cordele, Georgia was named for Cordelia Hawkins, daughter of the president of SAM railroads, and there was an American suffragist, philanthropist and physician named Cordelia Agnes Greene in the 19th century. In 2005, a woman named Cordelia Scaife May was recognized as "the single most generous person in the United States." One last mention is that Anne of Green Gables wanted to be called Cordelia.

Other than Saint Cordelia, this is also a moon of the planet Uranus, the name of an asteroid, and a genus of butterfly.

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.

Interview with Anna of Waltzing More Than Matilda

Anna Vivian is the creative mind behind Waltzing More Than Matilda, a baby name blog from Australia that provides unique insight into the world of names.

What is your name?

Anna Vivian. Vivian is actually my confirmation name, as my original middle name was kind of a mess.

Do you have any nicknames?

In high school my nickname was Goanna, and then from that, Go-go. Apart from pet nicknames and terms of endearment from loved ones, I don't have one as an adult.

What is your ethnic background?

Australian, from a mix of New Zealander, English, Cornish, Scottish, Irish, German, Danish and American. There's a family legend of Maori ancestry, but I don't know if it's ever been proven.

What decade were you born in?

1970s.

How did you get your name?

It's a variant of my mother's name, Anne. They originally considered Anneliese, but then thought it clashed with the surname, so shortened it to Anna. They tried putting the Liese part into the middle name and then adding stuff to it, but it didn't really work.

How did you feel about your name growing up?

Like many young girls, I went through a stage of wanting something more exotic, but mostly I was okay with it. When I was little, I loved the fact it was a palindrome, and despite it being common, I never went to school or university with another girl with the same name.

How do you feel about your name now?

I can't say I really love my name, but I do like it. It's a good, serviceable name, and other Annas I've met have tended to be solid, practical people, so I feel that I must have grown into it in some ways.

What are some names of your family members?

My dad is called James (he goes by Fred), and my sister is Mariana (yes they used another Anna-type name!). My brothers are Edward (Eddie) and Philip (Bear).

If you have any kids, what are their name(s)?

One has a popular classic name, and the other a less-common vintage name. If you think Victoria and Florence you will have some idea of the style.

What is the name of your best friend?

Kathryn.

What are some common names for your age group?

Women: Michelle, Lisa, Melissa, Sarah, Karen, Natalie, Fiona, Danielle, Megan, Vanessa, Rachel.

Men: David, Michael, Andrew, Paul, Daniel, Damian, Bradley, Justin, Brett, Luke, Nathan, Ashley.

If you had to give yourself a new first name, what would it be?

I actually think Alice would rather suit me, and although not common for my age group, it's not too unbelievable either. (It was in the 200s when I was born).

Are people ever confused about your name?

Sometimes people mishear it as Anne, Hannah or Emma, especially on the phone. A neighbour kept calling me Tina; I don't know where she got that from.

Would you suggest someone give your name to a new baby?

If they really loved it, I wouldn't discourage them, because it's a classic and does wear well. I have actually had a baby named after me, and she seems happy with her name so far (she's eight now).

Of the kids you've met most recently, which are your favorites and least favorites?

One of my friends just had a baby and named her Cynthia Rose, I think that's sweet, and I met brothers named Casper and Otto, which struck me as an awesome sibset. I heard a boy named Tosh; I can only think of the slang term, where "tosh" means "nonsense".

What are your favorite names at the moment?

Girls – Allegra, Clementine, Cordelia, Cressida, Jemima, Olive, Saskia.

Boys – Alastair, Ari, Bede, Digby, Jago, Monty, Rafael nn Rafe.

(These are all names my husband has crossed off name lists, so I feel safe sharing!)

What advice would you give expecting parents looking for the perfect name?

Take your time and remain calm, it's not a decision to be rushed through or conducted frivolously. I think that too many parents feel limited by "name rules" they impose on themselves, and I would rather they followed their hearts than some arbitrary system of rules. No name that you and your partner sincerely love, chosen out of love for your child, could ever be a bad choice. 

~

Anna ranked at #38 in the U.S. in 2011, and other variants ranked as well: Ana, Ann, Anne, Annie, Annabel, Annabelle, Anabel, Annabel, Annabella, Anabella, and Annabell. It is popular world-wide. Anna is of Hebrew origin, meaning "grace, gracious" as a Latin variant of Hannah. One of the earliest known namesakes was the sister of Dido, the queen of Carthage, who appeared in the Aeneid by Virgil, and later in Ovid's Fasti. Ovid's character was known as Anna Perenna, a Roman goddess linked to both Mars and Janus, after becoming a water nymph. In the Bible, she was a woman and prophetess who saw the infant Jesus presented at a temple in Jerusalem. Her name is also well known from Anna Karenina, the novel by Leo Tolstoy. Saint Anna was the mother of the Virgin Mary. It has been a perennial favorite for centuries.

Vivian ranked at #154, while Viviana was at #462. It has ranked in the U.S. every year since records began being kept in 1880. Vivian has her own mythological, literary and religious stories. This Latin lovely meaning "lively" is also a female saint's name (Latin, Bibiana), and male saint's name, but has only been common since the 19th century. In Le Morte d'Arthur, the King Arthur tales by Sir Thomas Malory, Vivian was the name of the Lady of the Lake. She is known as Nimue in other stories, and known for being the mistress of Merlin. Alfred, Lord Tennyson chose to spell her name Viviane. Vivian is thrown Arthur's sword Excalibur as he is dying, and then some ladies in black hoods (including Morgan le Fay) take Arthur to his grave in Avalon. The name has been used for boys in England and Australia, but as Anna points out in the comments below, once Vivienne was used in "Gone with the Wind," it abruptly sounded to feminine. The root, vivere, meaning "to live," is also found in plenty of words, such as vital and vivid.

Thanks again to Anna, a great interview with some great advice. Be sure to check out her blog!

Edda

The Prose Edda, at first simply called Edda, was composed by Snorri Sturluson, an Icelandic scholar. The title was changed from Edda to Prose Edda to differentiate between the Poetic Edda, from an anonymous author. Both works contain Old Norse mythology and Germanic heroic legends, and both were written around the same time, somewhere between 985 and 1600 AD, but Poetic Edda came first, as the Prose Edda cites parts of it. The Poetic Edda comes from a medieval Icelandic manuscript called Codex Regius. J.R.R. Tolkien and Ezra Pound are just two authors who claimed to have used to Poetic Edda as style inspiration for their work. Both works showcased things like skaldic tradition, poetic meter, alliterative verse, and strong imagery. The stories deal with gods, princes, the history of the universe and it sometimes reads like a history or guide.

Edda has a few different meanings. The one most closely linked to the books is Old Norse, and it could mean "great grandmother," or "poetry." As the books have Germanic ties, that meaning could be "inheritance." However, it is now widely accepted that edda was taken from a Latin phrase meaning "I compose [poetry]" specifically for the title. In the poem Rigsmaal, contained within the book, Edda is definitely used as "great grandmother." To use Edda as a baby name, you would have to be familiar with the works.

The Edda Awards, are the Icelandic TV and movie awards. Also, Audrey Hepburn's name was Edda during  the war and changed it back in 1945. In 2011 there were 22 girls named Eda (most likely pronounced EE-da, as a variant of Edith or Edna) but there were none named Edda in the U.S.

Name Interview with Ingrid

What is your name? 
Ingrid.

What decade were you born in? 
Late 90's.

How did you get your name?
My parents wanted a Norwegian name, and they eventually settled on Ingrid.

How did you feel about your name growing up?
I'm still a teenager, but I like having an unusual name.

How do you feel about your name now?
The same, I guess.

If you have any kids, what are their name(s)? 
No kids. :)

What is the name of your best friend?
Katarina.  Occasionally Kit-Kat.

What are some common names for your age group?
Emily, Hannah, Caitlin, Mackenzie...

If you had to give yourself a new first name, what would it be?
Either Theadora or Hermione!

Of the kids you've met most recently, which are your favorites and least favorites?
I know a Aurora who's a toddler. I really like that name a lot.

What are your favorite names at the moment?
Theadora, Genevieve, Isadora, Lumina, Rosalia, Hermione, and Lavender.

What advice would you give expecting parents looking for the perfect name?
Remember to look everywhere--from street names to name websites to people you know.  You never know how you'll find the perfect name.

Ingrid Bergman

Ingrid is a Scandinavian girl's name meaning "Ing's beauty" or "beautiful Ing," in Old Norse. Ing (modern Inga is more popular) was the Old Norse goddess of the earth's fertility. She would ride over the land each year to get it ready for spring planting. The goddess Ing's name was apparently a trancription of Freyr, an important Old Norse god, or she was his ancestor. The name's popularity can be traced back to the "queen mother" of Denmark named Ingrid. This Queen of Denmark and Princess of Sweden's full name was Ingrid Victoria Sofia Louise Margareta. Currently, there is a Princess Ingrid Alexandra in Norway, heir apparent. There was also Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld, an astronomer, and a noble woman named Ingrid Ylva, known as the White Witch. Inga would make a nice nickname, and Astrid the perfect sister.

Today, the most well known namesake is Ingrid Bergman, an actress from Sweden. Ingrid was a character used in Janet Fitch's novel White Oleander, and a children's book called Ingrid and the Wolf. A quick search indicated that it was not a character in The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson (that was Gerda), as other baby name sites have suggested.

The name Ingrid has ranked on the U.S. top 1000 every year since 1913, starting low at #934, going up to #456 in 1946, then #404 in 1966, and ending back down at #856 in 2011. There were 305 baby girls given the name Ingrid in 2011. Five different spellings of Isabelle ranked above it, as well as Ivy, Iris, Imani, Isla, Isis, Itzel, Irene, Iliana, and Ivanna. Whitepages tells me that Ingrid was most popular in 1967, where I have it as 1966. It also says Ingrid was introduced in the 20th century and that 41,189 people living in the U.S. have this name, 47% between the ages of 30 and 54. 26% are under 12, 13% over 55, and 13% between 13 and 29. There were 21 baby girls named Inga in 2011.

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.

Andromeda

Perseus and Andromeda by Anton Raphael Mengs

Andromeda is a name that most people admire, but find too unusual or extreme to use in real life, therefore they put it away on their "guilty pleasures" list of names they're not brave enough to use. Which is a shame, really, since it's such a gorgeous mythological gem. But I do agree, it does come on strong, which is why it's on my own GP list. I have thought an easy and accessible nickname would make it more useable, though.

Nickname possibilities: Andie, Anna, Anne, Annie, Andra, Andrea, Dru, Dre, Drama, Mei/Mae, Meda

There were 31 baby girls given the name Andromeda in 2011 (only 5 were given the name of her mother, Cassiopeia) and only 20 named Andromeda in 2010.

The Rock of Doom by Edward Burne-Jones

So many are familiar with Andromeda's tale: her mother, Queen Cassiopeia (another great name, meaning "she whose words excel"), was arrogantly proud of her daughter's beauty and boasted that she and Andromeda were both more beautiful than the Nereids. Poseidon, god of the sea, demanded King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia sacrifice their daughter to a sea monster named Cetus as punishment for Cassiopeia's vanity and arrogance, or else he would destroy their country, Aethiopia (Ethiopia). After hesitating and visiting the Oracle, they eventually tied Andromeda to a rock at the seashore, awaiting her demise to save the country. Perseus, who had just finished killing Medusa, was riding home on his horse Pegasus when he came upon Andromeda chained to the rock. He figured out what was going on and rescued Andromeda by killing the sea monster, supposedly in disguise. Then Perseus married Andromeda, which was the second great thing to happen after he saved her, since she was promised in marriage to her uncle Phineus. In fact, Phineus was so angry about this that he came to the wedding, and as an end result, he was turned to stone by the gorgon Medusa's head (which Perseus either just had lying around or became part of his shield as depicted in the art). They traveled around, Perseus saved more people, and they had seven sons and two daughters, none with names worth mentioning. (Sorry.) They say Perseus is the ancestor of the Persians, since his children (the family of the Perseidae) kept rule over Mycenae for such a long time. As for Andromeda, when she died, Athena turned her into a constellation in the northern sky, next to her mother and husband. Other characters turned constellations include the sea monster Cetus, her father King Cepheus, the winged horse Pegasus, and even the mother of Perseus, Danae.

Perseus and Andromeda by Gustave Moreau

They say there is a place in Jaffa, Tel Aviv where Andromeda was really chained to the rocks. Her story is still the subject of great art to this day, including movies. I also want to comment on the fact that she had a good relationship with her mother despite the horrible outcome of her mother's actions. Cassiopeia was not a bad person, just proud. However, Poseidon made her into a constellation with the specific torment of being tied to a chair, upside down half the time.

Perseus and Andromeda by Joachim Wtewael

Name Interview with Jennifer

A close-up of Lancelot and Guinevere by Herbert James Draper

What is your name? (Include middle if you like) Jennifer Lynn 

What decade were you born in? 70's 

How did you get your name? After actress Jennifer O'Neil  

How did you feel about your name growing up? I wanted to be named Diana 

How do you feel about your name now? Don't mind it at all 

If you have any kids, how did you choose their name(s)? Gabriel (Gabe) after his dad (not my choice) & Alena after my grandma but with an "a" in front 

What is the name of your best friend? I have 3 - Lisa, Michelle & Cristina 

What are some common names for your age group? Laura, Michelle, Lisa 

If you had to give yourself a new first name, what would it be? Idk when I was a kid I wanted it to be Diana? Now I don't really care 

Of the kids you've met most recently, which are your favorites and least favorites? Idk I don't like names spelled completely different than they sound

I thought it would be fun to start my interviews with someone named Jennifer because I heard this name was so popular at one time that some Jennifer's "lost their identity" and joined "Jennifer Support Groups." I, personally, only know three Jen's, so I can't say how true that is, as they all like their name and haven't had any issues with it.

Jennifer is the Cornish variant of Guinevere, Queen of Arthurian legend. Her name means "fair and smooth," Another actress to popularize the name (as she mentioned Jennifer O'Neil above) was Jennifer Jones. Currently, there are at least four A-list celebrities named Jennifer - surnames, Lopez, Garner, Anniston and Connelly. An early literary usage of the name was in Bernard Shaw's "The Doctor's Dilemma" in 1905. Guinevere is now on the rise, with 99 births last year.

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.

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.

Gwen

This post has been edited on August 24, 2012.
I'll be blunt. I am at a point where I love Guinevere and Gwendolen so much, as individual names, that if I have to see Gwen as a nickname for Guinevere one more time, I'll scream. I understand that Guin and Gwen share the same root, but the spelling for each nickname is so different, and Guin is pronounced gwin, and Gwen, obviously gwen. It's not Gwenivere, thanks, and no better than smushes. Gwendolyn is barely tolerable, in my opinion. On another note, Gwenna is pretty interesting, as is Gwendoline.

Regina

Regina Cordium or Queen of Hearts by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Regina sounds regal for a reason - it means "queen," from Latin, was the name of a saint (whose day is September 7), and one of the other names of the goddess Juno. Raina/Raine and Reina/Reine are variants of the same meaning. Nicknames include Gina, Ginny and Reggie. There are a few well known actresses and singers with this name, and it is the name of a city in Saskatchewan. Regina can be used in reference to the Virgin Mary, but also Queen Victoria. More recently, Regina is the name of the evil queen in a new TV show called Once Upon a Time.

In 2010 there were 493 baby girls named Regina, ranking at #588, jumping from 713 the year before. There were also 97 Reginae, 8 Regginae, and 5 Reginea, however the heck they intend you to pronouce those. Both Reina and Raina also ranked. If you want to take it up a step further, Rhiannon, a Welsh name that sounds similar, means "great queen." Rhiannon was a legendary goddess.

Juno Regina

Flora

Today's name, Flora, is one I would have guessed would be more popular, but there were only 113 baby girls with this name born in 2010, and 119 in 2011. It was last on the charts in 1972. It seems F- names in general are not very popular.

Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, is Latin, meaning "flower," and its spelling is one letter away from "floral," making it undeniably feminine and flowery, yet it can be considered more womanly than girlish with its vintage charm, as I think it would age well. Flora doesn't make you think of vain pretty-girls who wear floral prints, it somehow makes you think of a traditional, nurturing woman who is kind. Also, what better name for a springtime baby?

I'm not a big fan of nicknames for Flora, which usually include Flo, Flor, and Flossie, so I suggest getting creative. Not all nicknames have to be a shortened version of the full name. Her nickname could very well be Flower or Florie. Famous namesakes include Flora Tristan, a socialist/writer/feminist, and Flora MacDonald, a Scottish folk hero, and a Spanish saint of 851 whose name day is November 24.

Marcheline

Today's name is Marcheline (MARSH-el-een) which is French, meaning "warlike" or "little warrior." It is the feminine variant of Marcel. Marcel comes from the Roman god Mars. It is also the name of Marcheline Bertrand (birth name Marcia Lynne), Angelina Jolie's mother, and the middle name of her daughter Vivienne.

I selected Marcheline for March because March would make a super cute nickname. In 2010 there were no baby girls named Marcheline, but there were 35 Marcelina, 6 Marceline, 14 Marcelle, and 8 Marchelle. In 2011 there were 5 girls named Marchella, 8 Marcelle, 9 Marciana, 12 Marceline, 20 Marcelina, and no girls named Marcheline.