Names for Earth Day
April 22, 2009
Milkvetch. Wallflower. Toothwart.
Yes, the Earth is indeed a wellspring for baby names.
Actually I skipped those. Here are a few favorites culled– believe it or not– from endangered species lists. Morbid as that may seem, I promise they’re quite nice! Famous conservationists and a few other notables help bring it back down to Earth. I’d love to see Audubon or Fossey as firsts or to meet an all-American infant Sigurd.
Truly though, the names are of minor importance. Gasp! The most we can hope for is that our children do better than we did.
NOTE: This post is simultatneously appearing at Linda Rosenkrantz and Pamela Redmond Satran’s wonderful nameberry.com, where I am a guest blogger. If you haven’t done so already, please enter their contest to guess the top 10 names for boys and girls for 2008. Be the first to guess correctly and you could win four amazing books including and advanced copy of their brand spanking new Beyond Ava and Aiden: The Enlightened Guide to Naming Your Baby. Think the 2008 changed radically?
FAMOUS CONSERVATIONISTS
John James Audubon
Rachel Carson
Jeff Corwin
Jacques Cousteau
Dian Fossey
Buckminster Fuller
Jane Goodall
Julia Butterfly Hill
Steve Irwin
Aldo Leopold
Chico Mendes
John Muir
Frederick Law Olmstead
Sigurd F. Olson
Peter Simon Pallas
Henry David Thoreau
EMBLEMS OF THE EARTH
GIRLS
Anona- Roman goddess of the harvest
Avani- Sanskrit, “earth”
Ceres- Ancient Roman, “to grow”, Roman goddess of agriculture
Demeter- Greek, “earth mother”, Greek goddess of agriculture
Flora- Roman goddess of flowers
Francis- Italian saint reknowned for his connection to animals
Gaia- Greek, “earth”, and the goddess of the earth
Georgia, Georgina, Georgianna- Greek, “farmer”
Kun- Chinese, “earth”
Luna- Roman goddess of the moon
Perpetua- Latin, “continuous”
Terra- Latin, “earth”
Zoe- Greek, “life”
BOYS
Adam- Hebrew, debated meaning; man formed from the Earth
Asa- Hebrew, “healer”
Chayim- Hebrew, “life”
Enki- Sumerian, “lord of the earth”, god of water and wisdom
George- Greek, “farmer, earthworker”
Pax- Latin, “peace”
Vitus- Ancient Roman, from the latin for “life”
Zephyr- Greek god of the west wind
ANIMAL
Akialoa
Bear
Bison
Caribou
Cheetah
Condor
Cougar
Crane
Delphine
Eagle
Eider
Gazelle
Lynx
Nightingale
Ocelot
Peregrine
Rhea
Warbler
Wolf
VEGETABLE
Anemone
Aster
Azalea
Birch
Buttercup
Cicely
Clover
Columbine
Crocus
Cypress
Elm
Fern
Huckleberry
Hyssop
Indigo
Juniper
Maple
Oak
Phlox
Plum
Primrose
Rosemary
Rosette
Sage
Sedge
Snowdrop
Sundrop
Sorrel
Spruce
Thistle
Verbena
Willow
Yarrow
MINERAL
Bay
Earth, Eartha
Jasper
Marina
Obsidian
Ocean, Oceane
Onyx
Peter, Petra
Ridge
Slate
Solstice
Stone
…and finally Montana… much to the chagrin of Pam and Linda I’m sure.
Above: Oil on paper painting by Elisabeth Wilborn (that’s me). ;-)
Purple Mountain Majesty
February 27, 2009
As February comes to a close, I’m reminded of the things the month means to me: Valentine’s day, finding out that I was going to become a mother for the first time, and my own mother. This is Mama’s birth month, and I’ve spent many hours trying to figure out how I might honor her in some way. Her birthstone is Amethyst, her flower the violet (and sometimes Iris). All of these things come in a purple hue. So in remembrance of the color of passion, royalty, and my mom, I present purple names.
Amaranth- Both a medicine and a poison
Amethyst- One of the funniest meanings I’ve yet to come across: in Greek this translates to “not drunk”; February’s birth stone
Aster- Rita’s daughter on Dexter may inspire a few?
Berry- Makes for darling middle if you have this in your family tree
Crocus- Crocodile meets locust? Well, they come in purple anyway.
Dahlia- A name I like to champion; underused in my opinion
Daphne- means “laurel” in Greek
Freesia- Frigid or freeing? You decide.
Fuchsia- Pleasing to the ear, but a devil to spell!
Glory- For morning glories
Hibiscus- This one would really need a workable nickname. Try Ibby on for size.
Hyacinth- Anyone remember “Keeping Up Appearances”? Hyacinth’s character may not be the best namesake, but she sure made us laugh. Her sisters are the upper class Violet, the cartoonish down-and-out Daisy, and the sex-addicted Rose.
Indigo- So this leans a little bluish; it’s making inroads on both sexes
Iolanthe- Greek for “violet”
Iris- Top of the pop amongst those in the know, also has the lovely meaning “rainbow” in Greek
Jacinda, Jacinta- From the Latin for “hyacinth”
Laurel- Who brings with her Laura, Laurence, Lawrence, Lauren
Lavandula- The genus for lavender
Lavender- I heard this on a real life girl and found it charming
Lilac- One with real potential, but few seem to consider it
Lydia- Said to be a “seller of purple”, which may mean that she sold cloth and other goods to royalty and the wealthy
Magenta- My favorite Rocky Horror Picture Show gal, and Blue’s cousin from Blue’s Clues
Mauve- A cross between Maeve and Maude
Myrtille- “Blueberry” in French
Orchid- Though this is one of the loveliest of flowers, take caution that its meaning derives from orchis, or ”testicle” in Latin
Periwinkle- My favorite Crayola, Perry makes this *almost* usable (but not quite)
Pansy- Due to connotations, this may be better left in the middle or on your kitten
Plum- Plum Sykes is the best known bearer, but this has real potential
Primrose- Too prim for most, it sets just the right sweet British-inflected tone for others
Primula- The primrose genus
Prune- Evidently quite chic in Paris, this is actually the French word for the ripe plum
Rose- Roses come in nearly every shade, my favorite perhaps being lavender
Thistle- Reservations with this one as it rhymes with bristle
Uva- While Uva could be just a step away from Ava, know that it means “grape”
Verbena- The sweetest little flower
Violet, Violetta, Violette, Viola- Let’s not forget about Violet’s equally sweet and underappreciated companions
Wisteria- I once met child sisters Primrose, Wisteria, and Violet
This is Just to Say
I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast.
Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold.
- William Carlos Williams
Autumnal Names
December 5, 2008
The leaves have fallen. The pumpkin patch is cleared and the apples have all been picked. But with technically sixteen days left of Fall, I thought I’d squeeze this post in while I still could! Stay tuned for Christmas names soon.
Shades of changing leaves:
Amber- Reddish brown petrified resin
Aurelia- “Golden”
Goldie
Heather
Jasper- Reddish brown stone that recalls the hue of the season
Marigold- Golden in color, this flower also blooms well into the fall
Ora- “Gold”
Saffron- Spice yellow in hue
Scarlett- “Scarlet red”
Tawny- Yellowish brown in color, evocative of caramel and port
Tasty Treats:
Apple
Cinnamon
Ginger
Maple
Myrtle, Myrtille- Myrtille is blueberry in French
Plum
In Bloom & Fall Foliage:
Anemone
Ash (or Ash names?)
Aspen
Beech
Cypress
Dahlia
Elm
Ivy
Maple (again)
Oak
Poplar
In Mythology, Religion & Lore:
Anona- Roman goddess of the harvest
Aphaea- Greek goddess associated with agriculture and fertility
Dhanya- Sanskrit for “grain”
Demeter- Greek goddess of the harvest
Devi- Hindu goddess who blesses the abundance of the harvest
Laksmhi- Hindu goddess of the harvest, in the form of Dhanya Lakshmi
Saturn- Roman god of the harvest
Sif/Sifa- Norse god of the harvest
Sita- Also Hindu goddess of the harvest
Willow- Used during the Jewish feast celebration of Sukkoth, in conjunction with etrog (citron), lulav (date palm), and myrtle
Writer’s who love the Autumn:
Coleridge, Samuel Taylor
Emerson, Ralph Waldo
Hawthorne, Nathaniel David
Keats, John
Rilke, Rainer Maria
Thoreau, Henry David- Wrote about Lake Walden
By Month:
Aster-Flower for September
Sapphira- Sapphire is September’s gem stone
September- Itself is also occasionally given as a name
Lapis Lazuli- Gemstone for September. Either one would make an unusual choice
Opal- October’s birth stone
Tourmaline- Also shares the honor of being October’s birth stone
Chrysanthemum- November’s flower, shortens to the user friendly Chrys
Topaz- Shares the role of birth stone for November
Citrine- November’s other gemstone
December- If September works as a first name, why not try December, November, or October?
Poinsettia- The famed red plant used for Christmas decor and December’s flower
Orchid- Also known to be flower of December
Turquoise- December’s shockingly colorful birth stone for its season
Why not the season itself?
Aki- Japanese, “bright autumn”
Akiko- “Bright autumn child” in Japanese
Autumn
Ekin- “Harvest” in Turkish
Hazan- “Autumn” in Turkish
Qiu- Chinese for “autumn”
Thu- “Autumn” in Vietnamese
Wekesa- “Born during harvest”, in East Africa
Thanks to Emmie and Elizabeth for your additions!
Summer Solstice
June 20, 2008
Summer has officially arrived, I’d like to be the first to extend a giant *Welcome.* I’d like also of course, to usher her in with a new set of baby name possibilities. If commemorating the season in which your summer baby is born appeals, here are some ideas, both classic and off-beat. Whether you draw from the long sunny days, beach vacations, or a birthstone, there are practically endless possibilities. Saints Days are also an option, and I post the upcoming week’s list every Sunday. When you’re done here, please go to Appellation Mountain’s thoughts on the subject.
Now we’re off to the park to celebrate a birthday with potluck and good old fashioned wiffle ball. Hope you are enjoying your summer.
GIRLS
Alexandra, Alexandrine- Greek, “defender of mankind.” Alexandrine is sometimes listed as a birthstone for June
Anona- Latin, goddess of the harvest
Apolline, Apollonia- “Stength”; Female version of the Greek Apollo, the god of the sun, and far more usable in this form
Augusta, Augustine- Latin, “great, venerable”; might be a nice nod to the month of August
Dagmar, Dagny- In Old Norse, “dag” names are related to “day”, appropriate since the days are long this time of year
Eloise, Heloise- French; possibly originating in the Greek helios meaning “sun”
Haruko- Japanese for “sun child”
Helen, Helena- Greek for “torch”, also “light”
Julia, Julianna, Juliet- The feminizations of Julius, for whom the month of July was named
June, Junia- From the month of June and the Roman goddess Juno, queen of the heavens
Lavender- In Provence, June is the month when the Lavender blooms
Leona, Leonie, Leontine, Leonora- If your baby is a Leo, these might be viable first or middle name options
Liberty- English, well-suited to an Independence Day baby
Lucia, Lucienne, Lucy- From the Latin lux ”light”
Margaret- English, from the Greek margarites meaning Pearl. Margarita also works as a themey double-entendre
Marina- Originally Greek, Marina is used in many languages and means “sea” for those lucky enough to be there
Marisol- Spanish combination of Maria and Sol “sun”
Natsumi- Japanese natsu ”summer” and mi ”beautiful”; also from na “vegetables” and tsumu “pick”
Ondine- French, from the Latin unda meaning “wave”
Ora- Hebrew “light”
Pearl- June’s birthstone
Poppy- August’s flower, though they bloom in May
Rose- The flower of June, a hardy and lovely flower in the sun
Ruby- July’s birthstone
Sita- Sanskrit, “furrow”, Hindu goddess of the harvest
Sol- Spanish for sun
Soleil- French for sun, recalls the actress Soleil Moon Frye, an intrepid baby namer herself
Solstice- With word names like Story and Ever all the rage, this one struck me as a pleasant-sounding possibility
Solveig- Norse combining sol “sun” and veig “strength”
Summer- A name that’s had its day in the sun
Sunniva- Norwegian “sun gift”
Suvi- Finnish “summer”
Svetlana- Slavic “light”
Theresa- Greek theros “summer”
Vera- From the Albanian verë for “summer”
Virginia- If your wee one comes toward the end of summer, you may wind up with a Virgo, making this related name particularly apt; note that the state, Virginia, was named for the Virgin Queen, Queen Elizabeth I
BOYS
August, Augustus- Latin, “great, venerable” after the Emporer Augustus, for whom the month was named
Cyrus- Biblical, may be related to the Persian khur, meaning “sun”
Haru- Japanese “sunlight”
Horus- Egyptian mythology, god of light
Hyperion- Greek mythology, the titan who presided over the sun and light
Julian, Julius- Latin, “downy-bearded”; July was named after Julius Caesar, and so might your child be!
Leo, Leonard, Leonardo, Leonidas, Leopold- If your baby is born under the sign of Leo, you have a multitude of options should you be stuck
Luke, Lucian, Lucius- From the Latin lux for “light”
Mehrdad- Persian “gift of the sun”
Prakash- Sanskrit “light”
Ra- Egyptian mythology, god of the sun
Ravindra- Sanskrit, “Lord of the sun”
Roshan- Persian “light, bright”
Samson- Hebrew, possibly meaning “sun”
Somereld- Scottish “summer traveler”
Surya- Sanskrit, Hindu god of the sun
Wekesa- East African origin, means “born during the harvest”
Above Image: August, from the Très riches heures du duc de Berry
Baby Names Associated with Animals
June 19, 2008
Writing about butterfly names, I got to thinking, what other names are closely linked to animals or can be represented for a child by an animal? I embarked on a list of animal baby names. What fun it is for little Leo to know that a his name means “lion”, or for Philippa to see a horse and associate it with herself! This list is far from complete, but these are some of the names that struck me as usable for a modern baby, appearing in many American family trees, or being in some other way noteworthy. Please let me know what your favorite animal names are. Expect a subsequent post devoted exclusively to bird names!
GIRLS
Agnes- Greek, “chaste”, also associated with agnus, or “lamb”
Anka- Aboriginal Australian, “barramundi”
Arjuni- Sanskrit, “ox”
Athena- Greek, goddess of wisdom whose symbol is the owl
Ayala- Hebrew, “deer”
Columba, Colombe- Scottish, “dove” (St. Columba was male but this name is more closely associated with girls now)
Deborah- Biblical, “bee”
Delphine- Greek, French possibly related to delphis, “dolphin”, also the city of Delphi
Dorcas- Biblical, “gazelle”
Eowyn- Old English, “horse lover”
Jael, Yael- Hebrew, “mountain goat”
Jemima- Biblical, “dove”
Leona, Leontine- Greek, French, “lion”, see Leo
Melissa- Greek, “honey bee”
Merle- English variant of Muriel; this spelling is influenced by the French word merle, meaning “blackbird.” Also used as a male name.
Oona- Irish, “lamb”
Orpah- Hebrew, “fawn”
Paloma- Spanish, “dove”
Penelope- Greek, possibly associated with “duck”
Philippa- Greek, “horse lover”
Rachel- Hebrew, “ewe”
Rosalind- English, ”soft horse”, derived from the Germanic elements hros ”horse” and linde ”soft, tender”
Rosamund- English, German for ”horse protection” from Germanic hros ”horse” and mund ”protection”
Tabitha- Biblical, Aramaic “gazelle”
Ursa, Ursula- Latin, “bear”
Zipporah, Tzipporah- Hebrew, “bird”
BOYS
Adler- Teutonic, “eagle”
Aquila- Latin, “eagle”
Ari, Ariel- Biblical, “lion”
Arnold- German, “eagle power”
Arthur- Irish, “strong as a bear”
Asad- Arabic, “lion”
Aslan- Turkish, “lion”
Averell, Everild- Teutonic, “boar slayer”
Barend- Dutch, “a firm bear”
Bernard- German, “bold as a bear”
Björn- Scandinavian, “bear”
Borden- Old English, “from the valley of the boar”
Callum- Scottish, “dove”, form of Columba
Conan- Irish, “little wolf”
Darby- English, “deer town”
Dov- Hebrew, “bear”
Drake- English, “duck” or Old English for “dragon”
Everett, Everard- Old English, “brave as a boar”
Ganesh- Sankrit, Hindu god normally represented with the face of an elephant
Gavin- Welsh, from Gwalchgwyn ”white hawk”
Giles- English by way of Greece, “young goat”
Gryphon- Mythological creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle
Leander- Greek, “lion of man”
Leo, Leon, Leonard, Leonidas- Greek, “lion”
Lev- Russian, “lion”
Llywelyn- Welsh, possibly related to llew “lion”
Mayur- Sanskrit, “peacock”
Nagendra- Sanskrit, “lord of snakes”
Oscar- Irish, “deer lover”, derived from Gaelic os ”deer” and cara ”lover”
Orson- English, Latin, ”bear”
Owen- Welsh, possibly related to oen ”lamb”
Philip- Greek, “horse lover”
Phineas- Hebrew, possibly means “serpent’s mouth”
Randolf- English, “wolf’s shield”
Renard- French, “fox”; originally from the Germanic Reginard, meaning “advice, brave, hardy.” A Medieval character Reynard the Fox was the source for the present meaning in France.
Roscoe- Old Norse, “from the deer forest”
Todd- English, from a surname meaning “fox”
Tzvi- Hebrew, “deer”
Usama- Arabic, “lion”
Vespasian- Latin, possibly realted to vespa “wasp”
Wolfgang- German, “wolf’s path”
ETA: Zipporah, Tzipporah, at Lola’s suggestion. Added Rachel, Merle, and Tzvi at Miriam’s suggestion. Also changed a few meanings to be accurate thanks to Miriam. :-)
We’re all familiar with the practice of taking names from nature: Lily, Violet, Iris, and Hazel grace our playgrounds as much as they do our gardens. But what of butterflies?
I began to focus on butterflies as to me they symbolize a quiet, delicate strength. Transforming from caterpillar to chrysalis to their eventual manifestation, butterflies represent a constant renewal and rebirth. They are tremendous voyagers, flying thousands of miles in their short lives, and have a symbiotic relationship with flowers as they aid in pollination. I am reminded of the line in “The Sound of Music” when Louisa sings “I flit, I float, I fleetly flee, I fly…”
A quick search on www.behindthename.com lists a few female names as having the meaning “Butterfly”: Chou & Chouko (Japanese), Flutura (Albanian), Kelebek (Turkish), Parvana (Iranian), and Vanessa (English), and listed Papillion as a French male name which I’m not so sure about. Aside from Flutura which might be an interesting futuristic choice, or Parvana which has a liliting quality, none of these were very satisfying options for me. So I went in search of more names associated with this lithe and lovely creature. My quest was limited to the butterflies of North America. Some of these are common first names, some are surnames likely named after the discoverer, some are likely derived from the flowers they surround themselves with. A few just sound like they could be bestowed onto a human being, and where these are concerned, gender was arbitrarily assigned based on sound. I’ve also heard Mariposa, the Spanish word for butterfly, being bandied about. Though it sounds pretty, it is a Spanish slur and thus might not be a very neutral choice.
If a theme is what you’re after, this compilation might be an understated one. It could be fun for sisters to share a hidden theme, and some of the male options are scrumptous, butterfly or no! Where there is no definition below, only the butterfly of that name was found. The name of the actual butterflies are in italics. I’ll spare you Mangrove, Goatweed, and the like.
Acacia- Acacia Skipper; Greek “thorn, point”, like the tree of the same name.
Alberta- Alberta Arctic; English “bright, nobility.” Queen Victoria’s husband was Prince Albert, and she decried that all her descendants would have a form of either Victoria or Albert in their name.
Alexandra- Queen Alexandra’s Sulphur; Greek, “defender of mankind”
Anicia- Anicia Checkerspot. Possibly related to Anise?
Anise- Anise Swallowtail; English, from the herb of the same name.
Antonia- Empress Antonia; Ancient Roman, “of inestimable worth.”
Aryxna- Aryxna Giant Skipper
Astarte- Astarte Fritillary; Greek form of Ashtoreth, the Phoenician goddess of love, war, and fertility. Also Ishtar.
Aster- Aster Checkerspot; A form of Esther, meaning “star.” Also a star-like flower.
Atala- Atala; 152 Atala is an asteroid. There is also a novel Atala, by Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand.
Avalon- Avalon Hairstreak; related to the Welsh “afal”, meaning Apple. Also King Arthur’s heaven.
Carolina- Carolina Satyr; Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English, “warrior.”
Cestri- Cestri Hairstreak
Chara- Chara Checkerspot; Greek “happiness, joy”
Coral- Coral Hairstreak; from the Greek, “maiden of the sea
Diana- Diana; Roman Mythology, “heavenly, divine”
Dorcas- Dorcas Copper; Greek, “gazelle”
Edith- Edith’s Copper, Edith’s Checkerspot, Old English, “rich, blessed + war”
Elada- Elada Checkerspot; Latinized version of the Greek Hellados, meaning “from Greece”
Eufala- Eufala Skipper
Fatima- Fatima; Arabic “to abstain”; Muhammed’s daughter
Ferentina- Ferentina Calico; The patron goddess of the city Ferentium, Latium. She was protector of the Latin commonwealth, and was also closely associated with the Roman Empire
Flora- Empress Flora; Latin “flower.” The Roman goddess of flowers and spring, the wife of Zephyr the west wind
Georgia- Georgia Satyr; English, Greek “farmer”
Julia- Julia, Julia Skipper; Ancient Roman, “youthful” or “downy-bearded”
Juniper- Juniper Hairstreak; English, from the tree of the same name
Lantana- Larger Lantana Butterfly, Smaller Lantana Butterfly; flowering plants
Laure- Laure; French “laurel”
Laviana- Laviana Skipper; an autonomous community on the northern coast of Spain
Leanira- Leanira
Leda- Leda Hairstreak; Greek mythology, possibly means “woman.” The mother of Castor, Pollux and Helen, by Zeus, who discovered her in the form of a swan
Leilia- Empress Leilia; Ancient Roman, a type of orchid
Lilac- Lilac-banded Longtail; a type of flower
Louisa- Empress Louisa; English, “famous warrior”
Magdalena- Magdalena Alpine; Biblical, “of Magdala”
Melissa- Melissa Arctic; Greek “honeybee”, a nymph from Greek mythology
Mimosa- Mimosa’s Yellow; after the flowering trees; a pretty name, if you can get beyong the drink
Mylitta- Mylitta Crescentspot, Mylitta Greenwing
Nivalis- Nivalis Copper; also an Arctic Finch otherwise known as Snowbird
Olive- Olive Hairstreak; from the tree, and a symbol of the goddess Athena
Olympia- Olympia Marblewing; Greek, the mountain Olympus was the home of the Greek gods
Pahaska- Pahaska Skipper
Pearl- Pearly Marblewing
Phoebe- Phoebus Parnassian; Greek mythology, Biblical, meaning “bright, pure”
Saffron- Saffron Skipper; English, from the Arabic. A spice from the crocus flower, orange-yellow in color.
Sierra- Sierra Skipper; Spanish, English, “mountain range”
Sara- Sara Orangetip; Hebrew “princess”
Sonora- Sonora Skipper; a state in Mexico
Telea- Telea Hairstreak
Theona- Theona Checkerspot; Greek mythology, Dymus’ daughter, Hecuba’s sister, Amycus’ wife and Mimas’ mother
Thula- Thula Sulphur
Titania- Titania’s Fritillary; English, “of the Titans”
Vesta- Vesta Crescentspot; Roman goddess of the hearth
Violet- Violet-banded Skipper, Violet-patch Skipper; English, after the purple flower
Xami- Xami Hairstreak
Zebina- Zebina Hairstreak
Zela- Zela Metalmark; Ancient city in Asia Minor, and site of the battle where Julius Caeser recalled “Veni, vidi, vici” (“I came, I saw, I conquered”)
Zerene- Zerene Fritillary
Zilpa- Zilpa-banded Longtail; Zilpah is Hebrew for “frailty”
Araxes- Araxes Skipper; River that is the border between Iran and Azerbaijan
Becker- Becker’s White
Behr- Behr’s Sulfur
Cassius- Cassius Blue; Ancient Roman “empty, vain”
Cyneas- Cyneas Checkerspot
Dakota- Dakota Skipper; “friend” in the Dakota language
Edward- Edwards’ Hairstreak, Edwards’ Fritillary; English, “rich guard”
Gray- Gray Marble, Gray Comma; from the surname and the color
Hayden- Hayden’s Ringlet; Old English, “hay valley”
Harris- Harris’ Checkerspot; English surname “son of the ruler of the home”
Henry- Henry’s Elfin; English, “ruler of the home”
Hessel- Hessel’s Hairstreak
Horace- Horace’s Duskywing; Ancient Roman, “hour, time, season”
Leonard, Leonardo- Leonardus Skipper; “Brave Lion”
Lorquin- Lorquin’s Admiral
Mitchell- Mitchell’s Marsh Satyr; from the surname, meaning “who is like God”?
Nelson- Nelson’s Hairstreak; English, “son of Neil”
Ocher- Ocher Ringlet; yellow-red color and soil
Oreas- Oreas Anglewing
Orseis- Orseis Crescentspot
Otto- Ottoe Skipper; German, “wealth, fortune”
Sachem- Sachem; Native American (some), the chief of a tribe
Sedge- Sedge Skipper; a kind of brushy herb
Teleus- Teleus Longtail
Theano- Theano Alpine
Thoas- Thoas Swallowtail
Uhler- Uhler’s Ringlet
Wright- Wright’s Metalmark; surname meaning “carpenter”
Xerxes- Xerces Blue; Greek from the Persian “ruler over heroes”
Zephyr- Zephyr Anglewing; Greek mythology, “the west wind”
Edible Baby Names
June 6, 2008
Names irrevocably associated with food include:
Amandine- Almond flavor
Ambrose- Rice pudding (UK)
Angus- Evokes both a burger and Scottish flair
Anise- Licorice
Apple- Though this happens to be the name of one famous little girl, it may not be name enough for widespread use.
Arista- Ear of corn (courtesy Eli[zabeth])
Avalon- From King Arthur’s paradise island, possibly related to Afal, the Welsh word for apple (Also courtesy Eli[zabeth], Thank you!)
Basil- Yummy herb
Berry- Surname, occasionally used as a first name
Brandy- Liquor; I wouldn’t if I were you
Brie- I can’t help but always think of cheese when I hear this relatively common name. May I suggest it as a nickname for Gabrielle, Brianna, Cambria, or Bridget?
Caesar- I’ll wager people recall the salad just as much as they do the emporer, sadly
Candy- Since the 70s, this name rarely appears on the birth certificate. It’s more often used as a name a stripper might give to herself.
Cassia- The Greek prettier version of cinnamon
Cerise- Cherry in French
Ceylon- A kind of tea and a place name, this has a lilting sound
Chablis- Heard more frequently, to our dismay
Chardonnay- Chablis’ unfortunate sister
Charlotte- A delectable chocolate cake (Merci Gaelle)
Cherry- Too much teasing potential!
Cicely- Similar to Cecily, but this is an herb name that Sandra Bernhard chose for her daughter.
Cinnamon- Yep, like the toast
Claret- A kind of wine (Bordeaux), and a color
Clementine- One of the food names I would like to see get beyond its breakfast table association.
Clover- Heard this on a little girl the other day and was charmed.
Coco - Cute and feasible as a nickname (think Colette, Cosette, Cora, Cordelia, Corinne, Corisande, Cornelia, Cosima)
Colby- I still think Wisconsin cheese, but this is really is a surname.
Curry- Kind of a spicy possibility
Dulcie, Dulce- Dulce is climbing the charts in the Latino community, where it means caramel. Dulcie is an old British name with a bit more style.
Flora- Brits associate this with margarine. The rest of us hear “flowers” and “floor.”
Ginger- A spice that has entered (and for the most part exited) common use
Haddock- A fish
Ham- Hebrew “hot, warm.” Something tells me this one isn’t tempting you.
Jasmine- Very popular these days, I’m sure it will start a wave of fragrance names
Jemima- Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could all get past the syrup connotations and remember this lovely daughter of Job whose name means “dove”? Clementine’s sister?
Julienne- Thinly sliced strips of vegetables. Julianne is so much better.
Kobe- Beef, named after the city in Japan. Pronounced “KOH-bee”
Lorraine- Quiche
Madeleine- (France) A kind of shell-shaped pastry
Margarita- We all know this is really Margaret in Spanish, right kids?
Maize- Still corn
Mirabelle- (France) Plum
Myrtille- Blueberry (France)
Olive- Olive
Pepper- A great name for a dog or cat
Poppy- Like the seed? Clementine and Jemima’s baby sister
Quince- OK, so the name is usually Quincy, but this could be a fruity nickname
Reuben- Anyone fancy corned beef?
Rosemary- Clementine, Jemima, and Poppy’s mum
Saffron- A yellow spice that recalls the studious child on “Absolutely Fabulous”
Earl of Sandwich- His name sounds like a food because he invented it.
Sorrel- Reminiscent of Laurel but with the soft S at the start
Sara Lee- Frozen foods
Tamar- Hebrew for “date palm”
Did I miss any of your favorite food groups?
Yes, I did. Edited to add Olive (thanks, Jess), Charlotte (thanks, Gaelle), and Reuben.
Star Quality
June 3, 2008
“NEVAEH.”
In the previous post on place names, I touched upon Nevaeh. Yes, it is heaven spelled backwards, and it seems to hold remarkable temptation for modern parents. Nevaeh has climbed the charts at an alarming rate, escalating from having never been in the top 1000 before the year 2000 to being nationally ranked 31 in 2007. One must admit it is a rather backwards choice. The inspiration for thousands appears to be no less than Sonny Sandoval and his daughter Nevaeh’s appearances on MTV cribs in 2007. Nevaeh is also often misspelled so as to have nothing to do with heaven in the first place, such as the more phonetic Neveah. In New Mexico, the “original” spelling currently ranks # 4.
Since the dawn of time, the skies have inspired everyone from Michelangelo to Bob Dylan. They are a source of myth and mystery, attribued to both creation and everlasting life. Jewish Mystics have seven layers of heaven, while Hindus believe it is a transitory place. In Buddhism, the ultimate goal is not heaven, but nirvana, and a position in heaven is impermanent. That we each have our own vision of heaven (and many don’t believe in it at all) makes it that much more beautiful. A baby name that relates to the heavens may be filled with awe, wonderment, and reverence. It can honor loved ones who’ve passed, faith in one’s God, or hope for a little bit of heaven on Earth.
If the goal is to get to heaven, there is a whole universe of names to turn toward. From constellations to archangels, here are a few otherworldly ideas. Just don’t try spelling Star backwards… or for that matter, anything else.
GIRLS:
Alba- Italian, Spanish, “dawn”
Alya- Arabic, “sky, heaven”
Andromeda- Greek, “to think of man”; a Constellation (sorry ApMtn, I couldn’t help it!)
Angelica, Angelika- “angelic, messenger”
Apolline, Apollonia- From the Greek male sun god, Apollo
Ara- Constellation, the altar; Armenian god of spring and agriculture
Arista- The name of a star in the constellation Virgo; also Latin “ear of corn”
Artemis- Greek goddess of the moon and the hunt
Astra- Greek “star”
Ayelet- Hebrew, the morning star
Cassiopeia- in Greek mythology she was turned into a constellation
Celeste, Celestine- From the Latin, “of the sky, heavenly”
Chandra- Sanskrit, “moon” and “to shine”
Colomba- Constellation, the dove
Danica- Slavic “morning star”
Diana- Greek, means “heavenly, divine”
Divya- Sanskrit, “divine, heavenly”
Electra, Elektra- Greek, “brilliant, shining”; one of the seven sisters of the Pleiades. An otherwise difficult history.
Eos- Greek, goddess of the dawn
Eloise- From Old French Heloise, possibly related to the Greek Helios, meaning “sun”
Estella, Estelle- Spanish, Old French respectively, “star”
Esther- Hebrew “star”
Gabrielle, Gabriella- female forms of Gabriel
Hermione- From Hermes (m), “messenger of the gods”
Hokulani- Hawaiian, means “star of heaven”
Juno- Roman mythology, queen of the heavens
Leilani-Hawaiian, “heavenly flowers”
Lucine- Armenian, “moon”
Luna- Roman mythology, “the moon”
Lyra- Constellation, the lyre
Maia- Greek mythology, the eldest sister in the seven stars of the Pleiades
Michaela- female form of Michael
Mizuki- Japanese, “beautiful moon”
Nalani- Hawaiian, “the heavens”
Nova- A star that suddenly increases in brightness; also “new”
Phoebe- Greek mythology, “bright, pure”. A titan associated with the moon.
Portia- a moon of Uranus
Rhiannon- Celtic, “great queen”, goddess of fertility and the moon
Roxana- Latin, “bright” or “star”
Selene, Selena- Greek goddess of the moon (also known as Artemis)
Serafina, Seraphine- from the Biblical seraphim, the highest order of angels
Stella- Latin, “star”
Tara- Sanskrit, “star”
Ursa (Major and Minor)- Constellation, the bear
Vela- Constellation, the sails
BOYS:
Aquila- Roman, Constellation, the eagle
Balthasar, Balthazar- Biblical, “protect the king”, one of the Three Kings who followed the north star to get to Jesus
Caelum- Constellation, the chisel
Caspar- Biblical, “treasurer”, one of the Three Kings who followed the north star to get to Jesus (see also Gaspar, Jasper)
Castor- Constellation, twin; also means “beaver”
Gabriel- Hebrew, “strong man of God”, one of the seven archangels
Gaspar- Biblical, “treasurer”, one of the Three Kings who followed the north star to get to Jesus (see also Casper, Jasper)
Elijah- Hebrew, “the Lord is my God”; Biblical: carried into heaven in a chariot of fire
Jasper- Biblical, “treasurer”, one of the Three Magi who followed the north star to get to Jesus (see also Casper, Gaspar)
Leo- Constellation of the zodiac, the lion
Malachi- Hebrew, “my messenger.” The only drawback to this is that it seems to remind everyone of “The Children of the Corn.” In my opinion, it’s worth overlooking that association.
Melchior- Biblical, “king city”, one of the Three Magi who followed the north star to get to Jesus
Meshach- Hebrew; Babylonian God of the moon
Michael- Hebrew, “who is like God?”, one of the seven archangels
Nunzio- Italian, “messenger.”
Oberon- a moon of Uranus
Orion- Constellation, the hunter
Pictor- Constellation, the painter’s easel
Rafael, Raphael- Hebrew, “God heals”, one of the seven archangels
Ravi- Sanskrit, “sun”
Ravindra- Sanskrit, Lord of the sun
Shihab- Arabic, “shooting star”
Sirius- bright star, “burning”
Tariq- Arabic name of the morning star
Taurus- Constellation, the bull
Volans- Constellation
