Bathory

Happy Halloween! On this spookiest of days I decided to highlight the surname of the most famous family to rule over Transylvania, the noble Bathory family. The most famous member of this family was Elizabeth Bathory who was better known as ‘The Blood Countess’. As the historical figure that Count Dracula was based on, she seems like the perfect person to look at on a name-blog based around historical figures.

Bathory (pronounced: BATH-ohr-ee) is the surname of a group of Hungarian Nobles and is from the word “bator” meaning ‘valiant’. For such a noble meaning, the family in history has not exactly lived up to this meaning. They reached the height of their power in the 16^th and 17^th century and while there were some good members, like King Stephan Bathory of Polland, the more brutal and sadistic are the ones that have been remembered today. Even an uncle of the most famous, Elizabeth, was a Devil worshiper.

Whilst Elizabeth was considered a beauty with raven hair and pale skin, she did have, let’s say, her problems. She was promiscuous, vain, narcissistic and highly sadistic and she was considered a vampire in her own time due to her enjoyment of torturing servants, especially young women. Elizabeth became so fearful of losing her youth and beauty as she got older that according to folklore when a servant girl accidently pulled her hair when styling it, Elizabeth struck the girl drawing blood and when she washed the blood off her hands she thought that her skin had become youthful and supple again.

Long story short, Elizabeth went on to kill hundreds of girls from the lower ranks and got away with it before starting to kill high ranking girls and that would be her undoing. She enjoyed torturing them and it is famously suggested that she bathed in virgin’s blood. Creepy and fit for Halloween? I think so. When she started killing high ranking girls she got caught but was never charged and instead was confined to house arrest in 1611 and died in 1614.

Bathory has never been a popular name and I doubt that it has ever been used as a given name. It does have Rory as a possible nickname, however, and could fit in with other popular three-syllable-names such as Melody and Emily as well as other surname-three-syllable names like Kennedy, Bellamy and Flannery. However, if you know your history, this name might not sit well with you. I think that Elizabeth Bathory is a fascinating person to look at but as someone I would want my daughter to look up to and aspire to be, well, not so much. It might be for someone however and would make for an interesting three syllable choice. 

Picture source: http://pinterest.com/pin/147492956516666419/

Friday

According to the popular nursery rhyme, Monday’s Child it would seem that Friday’s child is ‘loving and giving’ but the name Friday itself is not being used by the modern parent even when other names such as Wednesday, the child full of woe and Sunday are now being used by parents.

Frigg, Norse Goddess of Love that Friday
is named after

Since 2000, in every single year less than five babies were given the name Friday to possibly none at all. I like to think that someone out there has used the name but you can never be completely certain. It’s surprising that not more people are using this name as many people do look forward to Friday, being the end of the typical school/work week and for those macabre folk and Addam’s Family fans such as myself, you will know that Wednesday Addam’s middle name is indeed Friday.

Friday (pronounced: FRY-day) comes from Old English origin meaning ‘the day of Frigg’, which in turn is to honour the Norse Love Goddess, Frigg. In turn, Wednesday Addams is not the only character to bear the name, there is also a Friday (male) in ‘Robinson Crusoe’ and in the ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’ series, there is a female Friday who appears in the final book and is the daughter of a man named ‘Thursday’.

However, in many cultures, Friday is seen as un unlucky day of the week. For sailors, they believe it is unlucky to start a voyage on a Friday. Also, Friday the 13^th is seen as an unlucky day in modern times and whenever one of these Friday’s occur, it may be called “Black Friday.” However, Scottish Gaelic culture believes that it is a ‘lucky day for sowing the seed’. Friday is also connected with the planet Venus and the Astrological signs Libra and Taurus. Friday is also important in Christian Religion as ‘Good Friday’ was when Jesus Christ was crucified and for anyone who goes to work in an office setting, Friday is the best day at work as it is Casual Friday!

Overall, Friday is just as plausible for a name as Wednesday, Tuesday and Sunday are but I think the connotation with Friday the 13^th and the doom and gloom brought about by it are turning parents away. It seems like it is fine to be macabre, just not unlucky.

* Note: I have skipped over Wednesday and Thursday but it was not on purpose, life just got in the way, so they will be done next week. 

Photo Source: http://chamakoso.deviantart.com/art/Frigg-118277426

Berlin

Scanning through some names given to babies in 2011, one name caught my attention and that was Berlin. With other cities of the world being used on children including London, Paris and Sydney, the German capital of Berlin seems like a natural choice as a successor to these names.

Marlene Dietrich in 'The Blue Angel',
the epitome of Weimar Germany Style

Berlin (pronounced: BEHR-lyn) is of German origin and means ‘borderline’. I don’t think that place names generally are chosen for their meaning but for what the culturally represent to the parents of the child. In the 1920s, Berlin became an epicenter of culture and was the heart of the Roaring Twenties thanks to the Weimar Republic that was established at the end of WWI. Films such as ‘Metropolis’, ‘Blue Angel’ starring Marlene Dietrich and ‘Pandora’s Box’ starring Louise Brooks where made in Germany at this time and the movie and musical ‘Cabaret’ starring Liza Minnelli is a good look at what Weimar Germany was all about.

Berlin is of course also known for the Berlin Wall that divided Berlin during The Cold War. Of course, I prefer the imagery of 1920’s Berlin but of course, the Berlin Wall was an iconic structure connected to the city for a time.

In 2011, the name was given to 97 baby girls and 5 baby boys. This is compared to other capital names such as London (given to 3145 girls and 448 boys), Paris (given to 927 girls and 74 boys) and Sydney (given to 3942 girls and 66 boys)/Sidney (given to 412 girls and 227 boys) or even the popular non-capital place name of Brooklyn (given to 7115 girls and 77 boys), the name Berlin is a rare and unique choice when it comes to selecting a place name for your child. 

In Retrospect: 1880 – Given To Seven Children

In this next segment of In Retrospect we take a look at the names that were given to 7 babies in 1880. There wasn't as much name choice in those days as there would be in future years (much joy to me when I try and narrow down babies in 2011 to just 10 for each) which means that many of these names have been heard of as they did make the Top 1000.

Like in the last segment, names that have modern use like Lea, Katy, Jessica, Felicia, Eugenie, Carol and Angela were given to 7 girls, and Miller, Duke, Roderick and Elliot where given to 7 boys. Vivian was given to 7 boys this year (it was given to 22 girls) as was Rose, Lindsay, Jennie and Connie and while there weren't any startling male names on the girls, though feminine variants were to be found.

Here is my selection of names Given to Seven Children in 1880:

GIRLS:

Albertina – (pronounced: ahl-ber-TEE-nah) is another feminine diminutive of Albert. The variant Albertine was given to five babies but this variant of Italian, German, Dutch and Portuguese background that means ‘noble, bright, famous’ was given to 7 in 1880. In 2011, sadly no babies received this name. I have a favouring towards the feminine Albert variants and with Alberta the only one listed (with 9 girls in 2011), I wish that more would see the charm in the names.

Clarence – (pronounced: KLAIR-rence) is a name of Latin origin, it means ‘bright’. This name is more typically seen on males but there is a possibility that this name could be seen on some little girls as an extended form of Clare. For males, the name has been steadily declining for some time, finally ousted from the Top 1000 in 2010 so maybe this is a chance for the females to take it on. However, in 2011, it was still given to 190 boys while less than 5, if any, girls were given the name so there would still be a long way to go to see this change.

Delphia – (pronounced: DEL-fee-ah) is a name of English/Greek origin and is possibly derived from the Greek city of Delphi. It is also a possible variant of a Greek word meaning ‘dolphin’. Greek names with historical or place significance always seem to have an air of intelligence to them and this bears no exception. This would fit with people who like Athena and Penelope. It was given to less than 5 or no babies in 2011.

St Eulalia

Doshie – (pronounced: DOE-she) is a name derived from the Latin language and means ‘one who is a gift from God’. Now I had heard nothing quite like this name in the recent charts or even something that looked like it. I think it is charming vintage-esque-nickname-name that is ever so popular right now so that works for it. In 2011, it was given to less than 5, if any, babies.

Eulalia – (pronounced: yoo-LAY-lee-ah) is a Greek name meaning ‘sweet-speaking’ or ‘to talk well’. It was the name of a notable Saint and Martyr who was born in Spain and is the patron Saint of Barcelona. In 2011 it was given to 25 baby girls. The alternative, Eulalie, was used by Edgar Allen Poe in his poem ‘Eulalie – A Song’ and was given to less than 5, or none at all, in 2011.

Hedwig – (pronounced HED-vikh) is a German name that means ‘war’. There was a 13^th Century German saint with the name and a 14^th century Polish Queen but nowadays, it is a not heard as a name except on Harry Potter’s owl. It was given to less than five, or none at all in 2011 and I think this name might be one that was given to none.

Maymie – (pronounced MAY-mee) is either a variant of the name Mary meaning ‘star of the sea’ or a diminutive of Margaret meaning ‘pearl’. It is close to the name Mamie, seen on Meryl Streep’s daughter. It was given to less than 5 to none at all in 2011 but it fits in with the nicknames-as-names trend that is quite prominent at the moment, especially in the UK.

Neppie – (pronounced NEP-ee) is a Greek name meaning ‘weaver; duck’. It is also a diminutive of Penelope and was a common nickname from the 17^th to 19^th centuries. It might be an interesting choice as a nickname as 1847 girls where named Penelope in 2011, which might even rise in the coming year thanks to two celebrity babies (Tina Fey’s daughter and Kourtney Kardashian’s daughter) given the name this year. It would be different to the other nicknames of Penny and Nell. As a given name though, it was given to less than 5, or none at all in 2011.

Rillie – (pronounced: RIY-lee) is a German name meaning ‘brook’. The name could be an alternative to Riley (ranked #47 for girls in 2011). Surprisingly, with so many people liking a variation spelling, this name was given to less than 5 or none at all in 2011.

Yetta – (pronounced: YEH-tuh) is a Yiddish name meaning ‘light’. While the meaning is quite nice, there is something I can’t quite put my finger on with this name. In 2011, the name was given to less than 5, or no girls at all, which is not much of a surprise to me.

BOYS

Alcide – (pronounced: AL-seed) is a name of Greek origin meaning ‘the strong kind’. Alcide was given to less than 5 babies last year, despite the fact that it is the name of the main werewolf on HBO’s True Blood. The name that it is derived from, Alcides however was given to 7 babies in 2011.

Eligah – (pronounced: i-LIE-jah) is a name of Hebrew origin meaning ‘my God is Yahweh’. It is a spelling variant to the wildly popular ‘Elijah’ which is now currently ranked at #13 on the US charts, #78 in Canada, #44 in Australia, #424 in France and #332 in the Netherlands. However, this spelling was given to 14 boys in 2011.

Hollis – (pronounced: HAHL-is) is an English surname derived from Middle English meaning ‘holly trees’. It has not only been used on males but was also used on girls though it had more popularity on the male side but as a feminine choice would be suitable for those who like the name Wallis. In 2011, 101 boys were given the name Hollis and 60 girls were given the name.

Math – (pronounced: math) is a name of Welsh origin of uncertain meaning. Math was a divine figure in Welsh legend who was the son of Mathonwy and ruled over Gwynedd in north Wales. Unfortunately, to me, it just reminds me of the dreaded school subject. In 2011, less than 5 were given the name, however, it would be a plausible nickname for a Mathew or Matthias.

Orson Welles

Miller – (pronounced: MILL-er) is an English Occupational Name meaning grinder of grain. It currently ranks itself on the US charts at number #925 with 215 boys given the name last year, it was the first time it has appeared on the charts since 1943. Miller is also a common surname.

Orson – (pronounced: AWR-son) is a name of Latin and English origin meaning ‘bear cub’ The name brings back memories of Old Hollywood aka. Orson Welles. It currently does not rank in the US and only 33 boys were given the name last year. It is a shame as I think that this name has a lot of potential as a first name.

Percival – (pronounced: PUR-si-val) is a name from Welsh Mythology created by the 12^th century French poet Chretien de Troyes whose poem, ‘Percival, the story of the Grail, depicts the story of one of King Arthur’s Knights. With this gallant imagery behind it, the name actually means ‘one who pierces the valley’. The name does not currently rank in the US but was given to 13 boys last year.

Raoul – (pronounced: RAH-ool) is a French variation of the name Ralph and means ‘wolf-counsel’. There are plenty of namesakes for this name from the literary characters of The Phantom of the Opera’s Raoul and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’s Raoul Duke to the real life people of French Painter, Raoul Dufy and Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish businessman who rescued thousands of Jews from the Holocaust. The name does not currently rank in the US and was only given to 6 boys last year.

Theron – (pronounced: F-ron) is an Ancient Greek name meaning ‘hunter’. The most famous person bearing the name today is South African actress, Charlize Theron who bears it as her last name. The name however does not rank in the US but was given to 87 boys last year though I could also see it as a possible girls name as well. It would fit along with the Archer’s and Hunter’s.

Tobias – (pronounced: to-BIE-as) is a Biblical name of Greek and Hebrew origin and means ‘God is good’. Currently ranked at #538 on the US charts with 470 boys given the name last year, it is also popular in Europe with it currently ranked #2 in Austria, #20 in Denmark, #79 in the Netherlands and #6 in Norway. The name has plenty of namesakes as well Tobias ‘Toby’ Raggs from Sweeney Todd, the first name of Professor Snape’s father is Tobias in the Harry Potter series and Tobey Maguire’s birth name was Tobias. 

Chenault

As someone who loves to watch movies, as I am sure a lot of you have already worked out by now, I do get excited when I hear a name that I haven’t heard before and that was the case when watching The Rum Diary and it was the lead female character’s name that caught my eye – Chenualt.

Amber Heard as Chenault in The Rum Diary alongside Johnny Depp

Chenault (pronounced: shuh-NOH) is a name of French origin and means ‘one who came from, or lived near Chenal (irrigation chanel)’. It is more commonly found as a surname than as a first name and unfortunately the meaning doesn’t mean ‘radiant sunshine’ or something else really pretty but then that hasn’t stopped me loving names in the past and neither should it let you. I guess the French can make everything sound pretty.

The movie was based on the Hunter S Thompson novel of the same name and it makes me wonder where he found the name because truly it is an inspired choice and not just some run of the mill name from the 60s in which this is set. In any case, the character, well I would definitely describe her as full of life but then if you were to use this name on a child I doubt it would be a case of Veruca where people would instantly attach the name to the character in the story. The movie and book are good, but not as well known as they should be.

The name itself is quite like Chenelle of which it is a variant of, which then ties it back to the name Chanel. So if you are into your high fashion but don’t want to go with the obvious root of Chanel, then Chenault would make an interesting alternative. It looks quite chic and sophisticated as well which is what the Chanel brand is all like.

The name Cheanult was given to less than 5 girls last year though I would tend to guess no children were given the name. On the other hand, Chanel was given to 318 girls and Chenelle was given to 9 girls. So all in all, this is an interesting French name that would make for a wonderful name for any child, and if I do say so myself, this name is on my potentials list. There just seems to be a sort of aura surrounding the name, despite the fact that the name has to do with irrigation. 

Antony

The dashing male counterpart to the charismatic Cleopatra, Antony is one half of one the greatest love stories ever told. Dying believe his own love was dead, but really she wasn’t and then she killed herself with an Asp... wait a minute, their demise sounds slightly ‘Romeo and Juliet’ but there love we know was real and the reasons for killing themselves were much more plausible than those of star cross lovers. In any case, Antony was not only a famous lover, he was a good military leader too.

Antony (pronounced: AN-toe-nee) was the formely used English spelling of the name before the 17^th century when the ‘H’ started to be added. Coming from Etruscan origin, the name means ‘priceless, flourishing, praiseworthy’. This spelling has never been as popular as the Anthony spelling but I find something quite modern about the Antony spelling, plus it fits in with other names like Atticus, Octavian and Augustus/August which are Ancient names making a comeback.

Mark Antony is not only known thanks to his own natural place in history but also thanks to the Shakespeare plays of ‘Julius Caesar’ and ‘Antony and Cleopatra’. Many famous actors have taken on the role of Mark Antony including Marlon Brando, Richard Burton and James Purefoy. Mark Antony is not the only person to bear Antony in their name either. In Christianity, St Antony of Padua was a significant cult; there was an Egyptian Saint known as Antony the Great plus there is also a village in Cornwall that is called Antony.

In 2011, there were 146 boys given the name Antony. That is a small amount compared to Anthony which was given to 14, 181 boys in 2011. It ranked #956 in 2010 but dropped off the charts in 2011 and the name reached its peak in the 1970s. However, in France, the name currently ranks at #451 with 78 boys given the name though it reached its peak in 2000 over there at #194 and has been steadily declining ever since.

This name is a different approach to the widely used Anthony but it should be seen as a possibility, as should the feminine version – Antonia. The name is rich with history and there is something just a bit dashing of a boy with the name Antony. 

Tuesday

For a while now, Wednesday has been one of those guilty pleasure names for me. I love the name, though I doubt I could get it across the board when the time came and yes, I do love the character from ‘The Addams Family’. In any case, I have always seemingly had a sympathetic ear to any ‘day-names’. When Nicole Kidman named her daughter Sunday, I thought it was darling, though the combination with the middle name that I think caused more of the problems.

While those two days are the most commonly, if used, ‘day-names’, this week I am going to write up about the days of the week and since this is a Tuesday, what could be better than starting with this name.

Tuesday Weld (b. 1943)

Tuesday (pronounced: TOOZ-day) is obviously the English word for the day of the week but it derives from the Old English ‘Tiwesdæg’ which literally means ‘Tiw’s Day’. Tiw is the Old English form of the Proto-Germanic god ‘Tiwaz’ or ‘Tyr’ in Norse who was a God of War and Law. The Latin variation of Martis is named after the Roman god of war, Mars and means ‘day of Mars’ and is used in most languages with Latin Origins. In Slavic Languages, the name gains the meaning of ‘the second’, which also symbolizes its place in the week and in Japanese, the translation comes across as ‘fire day’.

While Wednesday is given a bad reputation as the day that is ‘full of woe’, in the Greek and Spanish speaking world, Tuesday is actually seen as an unlucky day and if the 13^th day of the month falls on a Tuesday, well it is unlucky, just like how many Western cultures believe that if the 13^th falls on a Friday, then it is an unlucky day. In the Thai solar calendar the name means ‘ashes of the dead’ and the colour that is associated with the name is pink.

Also, like I mentioned slightly earlier, like Wednesday’s child is full of woe, the folk rhyme states that ‘Tuesday’s child is full of grace’. That is quite a darling meaning especially against all the negativity or darkness that protrudes itself from some of the other meanings. It might also make an interesting way to honour a past family member who has the name Grace.

Tuesday is also associated with the planets Mars and Uranus – and it is the usual day for elections in the USA so it would make an eclectic choice for someone who is really into politics. There are other days associated with a Tuesday as well including Black Tuesday (part of the Great Stock Market Crash of 1929), Shrove Tuesday (precedes the first day of Lent in the Western Calender) and Fat Tuesday (associated with Mardi Gras and is the same day as Shrove Tuesday).

There are Tuesday’s in popular culture as well, though not as notable as Wednesday’s pop culture fixture. The American actress Susan Ker Weld changed her name to Tuesday Weld, the ‘That 70s Show’ spin-off, ‘That 80’s Show’ had a character called Jane Tuesday who went by the name Tuesday and in Jasper Fforde’s Bookworld novels there is a Tuesday Next, daughter of Thursday.

Tuesday is the third most favoured day of the week when it comes to naming children. Sunday comes first and is used on both males and females, and Wednesday is next but Tuesday follows close behind with 22 girls given the name this year. All the other days of the week have none. I do see Tuesday as one of the more viable ‘day-names’ and I think it would be a unique, quirky and lively choice for a daughter, even with all the meanings surrounding ‘ash’ and ‘unluckiness’. 

Picture Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/98586679313563681/