Genoveva, Geneva & Genevieve

Today's name: Genoveva, from Geneva and Genevieve
There are also the variants Genovefa, Genevra/Ginevra, Genever, Genevia, and Geneve.

Pronunciation: jehn-oh-VEE-vah, HEN-oh-VEH-vah
Genevieve is also pronounced with the JEN sound in America, while it is either JAHN or ZHAHN in France.

Potential nicknames: Gen, Gena, Genna, Genny, Neva, Nova, Veva, Viva, Eve, Ever, Eva, Evie

Origin: The Spanish variant of either Old French Geneva or French Genevieve (perhaps originally Gaulish), although I am uncertain which it is for sure. Geneva can mean "juniper tree/berry," from either French "Genevrier" or old Dutch "genever, jeniver" or come from a Celtic meaning, while Genevieve can mean "white wave" (from Old German) or Celtic "of the race of women." This meaning is tied to Guinevere, which means "fair, smooth." There are other vague possible meanings. It seems the true origin was either lost in translation or Genoveva is a variant of both Geneva and Genevieve.

Popularity: Genoveva only ranked in the U.S. in 1885, 1894 and 1895. Geneva last ranked every year between 1880 (when the SSA first started keeping track) and 1995. Genevieve ranked at #279 last year. In 2010 there were only 5 baby girls named Genoveva, and 15 in 2011, while there were 149 named Geneva, 6 Geneve, 1,182 named Genevieve, 8 Gennavieve, and 16 Genevive. In 2011 Genevieve jumped up to #232, with 1,356 births. There were also 7 girls named Genavie, 15 Genoveva, 28 Genevie, 48 Genavieve, and 156 Geneva.

Fun fact: (1) Saint Genoveva Torres Morales of Spain, lived from 1870 to 1956. Her feast day is January 5. Saint Genevieve is the Patron Saint of Paris. (2) Genoveva Edroza-Matute was a Filipino author. (3) Lake Geneva, which touches both Switzerland and France. It was first called Geneva in the English language. There is also a Lake Geneva in Michigan and one in Wisconsin, possibly more elsewhere. (4) Geneva, Switzerland (and Illinois, and New York, with possibly more). (5) Fictional country of Genovia in "The Princess Diaries." (6) A good way to honor a special man in your life named Gene. (7) The Geneva Conventions. (8) The baby of Benicio del Toro and Kimberly Stewart is named Delilah Genoveva.

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Intentionally or Creatively Misspelling Names

A note on intentional or creative misspellings of names:

Sometimes made-up names are great because they combine two names from your family tree, such as combining something like Jasmine and Mira – Jasmira, or sometimes the name at least sounds like it could be a legitimate name, such as Kivora, and sometimes the legitimate names sound made-up, such as Doveva (but usually because they’ve been unheard of for so long). But I’m not going to go into the pros and cons of creating a new baby name, I’ll just say this: research any possible associations, and don’t misplace vowels. Say you want to go for Aliyah/Aaliyah and its variants, something new, so you try Alyia. If anything, that letter I should have been placed before the Y. This is beside the fact that both the I and the Y do not need to be there if the Y comes first, only one does. These are the language laws, which dictate that misplacing vowels (and certain other letters) make for a nonsense word or name. Scrolling through the SSA list these past couple of months I have seen Izsabella and Iszabella, Nathalye and Natalye, and many more names where the misspelling does not benefit the name at all. And I think this is why so many of us are against creative, intentional misspellings – because the misspelling turns the name into something confusing and usually adds unnecessary letters or takes away necessary letters. Most of us get a feeling of disgust when we see something like“Honestiy,” “Lushious” or “Catariyna.” My advice is to be respectful of the original version of the name if you are using something familiar. Variations like Christel or Cristal from the name Crystal make sense. Trying to make people pronounce Alyzeebith the same as Elizabeth does not. Most importantly, familiarize yourself with recent studies that prove children with oddly misspelled names have a much harder time learning to read and write, especially if their name defies phonics.

Oberon

Today's name: Oberon

Pronunciation: oh-bur-on

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

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

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

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

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Persephone

Today's name: Persephone

Pronunciation: per-SEPH-oh-nee

Potential nicknames: Perri, Persie, Seph, Sephie, Steph, Stephie, Penny

Origin: Greek, possibly with a pre-Greek origin as there were so many ways the Greeks said Persephone's name, including Kore, Persephassa, Persephoneia, and Phersephassa, meaning it could  have been brought to the Greeks by a Proto-Indo-European language. She was brought over to Roman mythology as Prosperina. While Kore, from which Cora comes from, means "girl, maiden," Persephone, in its most literal form from Proto-Indo-European, means "to bring death." Because of this, Persephone is associated with death, destruction, and rebirth, although death and rebirth were not always considered negative things, as we think of death today. Death was a new beginning. I would also like to point out, however, that "phone" in Greek means "sound, voice." Persephone's name is not purely negative, as a commenter pointed out. However, the first part of the name does not come from "perse," (which would mean "dark grayish-blue), it comes from "pertho," which means "to destroy."

Popularity: In 2010 there were 110 baby girls named Persephone, 8 named Persephonie and 9 named Persephanie in the U.S. In 2011 there were 134 girls named Persephone, along with 8 Persephanie, 6 Persephany and 5 Persephonie.

Fun fact: Persephone is often regarded as the personification of spring, nature and rebirth. Once Hades took her to the Underworld, she had to stay there for about four to six months per year, and she could go home for the other months, which symbolizes the rebirth of nature, or spring. They have said that when Persephone returns to the Underworld, winter begins. Persephone was worshipped with her mother, Demeter, as "the maidens" in the Eleusinian Mysteries and by cults. As the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, she is a diety in her own right, and was called a goddess of vegetation and nature, and the seasonal cycle of the death and rebirth of nature. She was captured by Hades and brought to the Underworld, therefore being known as "Queen of the Underworld." (Hades was not a king, nor was Persephone a queen, but being that the God Hades ruled the Underworld, this title from centuries ago fits her image.) Demeter, Persephone, and Zeus were sometimes called "the two mistresses and the king."

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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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Hallow

Today's name: Hallow

Pronunciation: HAL-low

Potential nicknames: Hal, Halo, Hallie, Allie

Origin: Old English, meaning "to make holy," "to consecrate," and "to believe sacred." It is important to know that hallowed means "sacred," or "holy."

Popularity: In 2010 and 2011 there were no babies named Hallow, and it has always been a very rare name, if ever given at all.

Fun fact: (1) See my last post about Samhain for info on All Hallow's Eve and All Hallow's Day. It is a time to remember loved ones who have passed on, therefore naming your baby Hallow could make a connection to honoring someone who is no longer with you. (2) Joining other more popular names like Harlow, Halle, and Haley, Hallow will fit right in. If you're worried about the meaning being too pretentious, keep in mind all the babies named Angel, Honor, Princess and the like. (3) This name might be immediately associated with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which could be good or bad for you, but J.K. Rowling did not invent the word and it has stronger ties to All Saint's Day. This name might also be confused with "hollow," and even moreso with the movie "Sleepy Hollow," but the two words are not related.

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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.