Monday, April 20, 2015

Bi-cultural Names: Polish/English (girls)

Spelled the same, with (usually) slight pronunciation difference:
  • Ada--AY-dah, English; AH-dah, Polish
  • Adela--ah-DEL-ah, English & Polish
  • Adriana--ay-dree-AN-ah, English; ah-dree-AH-nah, Polish
  • Alberta--al-BUR-tah, English; ahl-BEHR-tah, Polish
  • Alina--ah-LEE-nah, English & Polish
  • Amelia--ah-MEE-lee-ah, Engluish; ah-MEH-lee-ah, Polish
  • Angelina--an-jel-EE-nah, English; ahn-geh-LEE-nah, Polish
  • Anita--ah-NEE-tah, English & Polish
  • Anna--AN-nah, English; AH-nah, Polish
  • Antonia--an-TOH-nee-ah, English; ahn-TAWN-yah, Polish
  • Augusta--aw-GUS-tah, English; ow-GOOS-tah, Polish
  • Barbara--BAR-bah-rah, English; bar-BAR-ah, Polish
  • Daniela--dan-YEL-ah, English; dahn-YEH-lah, Polish
  • Eliza--ee-LYE-zah, eh-LYE-zah, English; eh-LEE-zah, Polish
  • Emilia--eh-MEE-lee-ah, English & Polish
  • Eugenia--yoo-JEEN-yah, English; eh-oo-GEN-yah, Polish
  • Gloria--GLOHR-ee-ah, English; GLAWR-yah, Polish
  • Helena--HEL-en-ah, hel-AY-nah, hel-EE-nah, English; heh-LEH-nah, Polish
  • Joanna--joh-AN-nah, English; yaw-AHN-nah, Polish
  • Julia--JOO-lee-ah, English; YOOL-yah, Polish
  • Karina--kah-REE-nah, English & Polish
  • Laura--LAWR-ah, LOHR-ah, English; LOW-rah, Polish
  • Lena--LEE-nah, English; LEH-nah, Polish
  • Liliana--lil-ee-AH-nah, lil-ee-AN-ah, English; leel-YAH-nah, Polish
  • Maria--mah-REE-ah, English; MAHR-yah, Polish
  • Mira--MEER-ah, English & Polish
  • Nina--NEE-nah, English & Polish
  • Paula--PAW-lah, English; POW-lah, Polish
  • Paulina--paw-LEE-nah, English; pow-LEE-nah, Polish
  • Regina--reh-JEE-nah, reh-JYE-nah, English; reh-GEE-nah, Polish
  • Tamara--TAM-ah-rah, tah-MEHR-ah, tah-MAR-ah, English; tah-MAH-rah, Polish
  • Tatiana--tah-tee-AH-nah, tat-ee-AN-ah, English; taht-YAH-nah, Polish
  • Teresa--teh-REES-ah, teh-REEZ-ah, English; teh-REH-sah, Polish
  • Wanda--WAHN-dah, English; VAHN-dah, Polish
  • Wilhelmina--wil-eh-MEE-nah, English; veel-hel-MEE-nah, Polish

One/two-letter difference:
  • Adelaide--AD-el-ayd, English; Adelajda--ah-del-LYE-dah, Polish
  • Agatha--AG-ah-thah, English; Agata--ah-GAH-tah, Polish
  • Alexandra--al-eks-AN-drah, English; Aleksandra--ah-lek-SAHN-drah, Polish
  • Alicia--ah-LEE-shah, ah-LEE-see-ah, English; Alicja--ah-LEETS-yah, Polish
  • Anastasia--an-ah-STAYZH-yah, English; Anastazja--ah-nah-STAHZ-yah, Polish
  • Angelica--an-JEL-ih-kah, English; Angelika--ahn-geh-LEE-kah, Polish
  • Anya--AHN-yah, English; Ania--AHN-yah, Polish
  • Bianca--bee-AHN-kah, English; Bianka--bee-AHN-kah, Polish
  • Camilla--kah-MIL-lah, English; Kamila--kah-MEE-lah, Polish
  • Carolina--kehr-oh-LYE-nah, kehr-oh-LEE-nah, English; Karolina--kaw-raw-LEE-nah, Polish
  • Cassandra--kah-SAN-drah, English; Kasandra--kah-SAHN-drah, Polish
  • Cecelia--seh-SEEL-yah, English; Cecylia--tseh-TSIL-yah, Polish
  • Clara--KLEHR-ah, KLAH-rah, English; Klara--KLAH-rah, Polish
  • Claudia--KLAW-dee-ah, English; Klaudia--KLOWD-yah, Polish
  • Edith--EE-dith, English; Edyta--eh-DIT-ah, Polish
  • Eleanor--EL-en-or, EL-en-er, English; Eleonora--eh-leh-aw-NAW-rah, Polish
  • Esther--ES-ter, English; Estera--es-TEHR-ah, Polish
  • Eva--EE-vah, EV-ah, AY-vah, English; Ewa--EH-vah, Polish
  • Felicia--feh-LEE-shah, feh-LEE-see-ah, English; Felicja--feh-LEETS-yah, Polish
  • Felicity--feh-LIS-ih-tee, English; Felicyta--feh-leets-IT-ah, Polish
  • Gabriella--gab-ree-EL-lah, English; Gabriela--gahb-ree-EH-lah, Polish
  • Gertrude--GUR-trood, English; Gertruda--gehr-TROO-dah, Polish
  • Grace--GRAYS, English; Gracja--GRAHTS-yah; Polish
  • Hannah--HAN-nah, English; Hanna--HAH-nah; Polish
  • Irene-eye-REEN, eye-REE-nee, English; Irena--ee-REH-nah, Polish
  • Isabella--iz-ah-BEL-lah, English; Izabela--ee-zah-BEH-lah, Polish
  • Judith--JOO-dith, English; Judyta--yoo-DIT-ah, Polish
  • Juliana--joo-lee-AH-nah, English; Julianna--yoo-lee-AHN-nah, Polish
  • Justina--jus-TEE-nah, English; Justyna--yoos-TIN-ah, Polish
  • Kaia--KYE-ah, English; Kaja--KYE-ah, Polish
  • Louisa--loo-EEZ-ah, English; Luiza--loo-EEZ-ah, Polish
  • Lydia--LID-ee-ah, English; Lidia--LEED-yah, Polish
  • Marcella, mar-SEL-lah, English; Marcela--mahr-TSEH-lah, Polish
  • Marianne--mehr-ee-AN, English; Marianna--mah-ree-AHN-nah, Polish
  • Marlene--mar-LEEN, English; Marlena--mahr-LEH-nah, Polish
  • Martha--MAR-thah, English; Marta--MAHR-tah, Polish
  • Martina--mar-TEE-nah, English; Martyna--mahr-TIN-ah, Polish
  • Matilda--mah-TIL-dah, English; Matylda--mah-TIL-dah, Polish
  • Maya--MYE-ah, English; Maja--MYE-ah, Polish
  • Melanie--MEL-an-ee, English; Melania--meh-LAHN-yah, Polish
  • Monica--MON-ik-ah, English; Monika--maw-NEE-kah, Polish
  • Natalie--NAT-ah-lee, English; Natalia--nah-TAHL-yah, Polish
  • Natasha--nah-TAH-shah, English; Natasza--nah-TAH-shah, Polish
  • Nicole--nih-KOHL, English; Nikola--nee-KAW-lah, Polish
  • Olivia--oh-LIV-ee-ah, ah-LIV-ee-ah, English; Oliwia--aw-LEEV-yah, Polish
  • Patricia--pah-TRISH-ah, English; Patrycja--pah-TRITS-yah, Polish
  • Rosalie--ROHZ-ah-lee, English; Rozalia--raw-ZAHL-yah, Polish
  • Sarah--SEHR-ah, English; Sara--SAH-rah, Polish
  • Seraphina--sehr-ah-FEE-nah, English; Serafina--sehr-ah-FEE-nah, Polish
  • Susanna--soo-ZAN-nah, English; Zuzanna--zoo-ZAHN-nah, Polish
  • Sylvia--SIL-vee-ah, English; Sylwia--SIL-vee-ah, Polish
  • Sybil--SIB-il, English; Sybilla--sih-BIL-lah, Polish
  • Theodora--thee-oh-DOHR-ah, English; Teodora--teh-aw-DAW-rah, Polish
  • Ursula--UR-sul-ah, English; Urszula--oor-SHOO-lah, Polish
  • Valentina--val-en-TEE-nah, English; Walentyna--vah-len-TIN-ah, Polish
  • Valerie--VAL-er-ee, English; Waleria--vah-LEHR-yah, Polish
  • Vera--VEER-ah, VEHR-ah, English; Wera--VEHR-ah, Polish
  • Veronica--vehr-ON-ik-ah, English; Weronika--veh-raw-NEE-kah, Polish
  • Victoria--vik-TOHR-ee-ah, English; Wiktoria--veek-TAWR-yah, Polish
  • Viola--vye-OH-lah, vee-OH-lah, English; Wiola--vee-AW-lah, Polish
  • Yolanda--yoh-LAHN-dah, English; Jolanta--yaw-LAHN-tah, Polish

Larger difference, but still recognizable:
  • Agnes--AG-nes, English; Agnieszka--ahg-NYESH-kah, Polish
  • Beatrice--BEE-ah-tris, English; Beatrycze--beh-ah-TRICH-eh, Polish
  • Bridget--BRIDJ-et, English; Brygida--brih-GEE-dah, Polish
  • Christiana--kris-tee-AN-ah, kris-tee-AH-nah, English; Krystiana--krist-YAH-nah, Polish
  • Christina--kris-TEE-nah, English; Krystyna--kris-TIN-ah, Polish
  • Clementine--KLEM-en-tine, English; Klementyna--klem-en-TIN-ah, Polish
  • Constance--KON-stans, English; Konstancja--kawn-STAHNTS-yah; Polish
  • Dorothy--DOR-ah-thee, English; Dorota--daw-RAW-tah, Polish
  • Elizabeth--eh-LIZ-ah-beth, English; Elżbieta--elzh-BYET-ah, Polish
  • Francesca--fran-CHES-kah, English; Franciszka--frahn-CHEESH-kah. Polish
  • Genevieve--JEN-eh-veev, English; Genowefa--geh-naw-VEH-fah, Polish
  • Jeanine--jeh-NEEN, English; Janina--yah-NEE-nah, Polish
  • Josephine--JOH-seh-feen, English; Józefina--yoo-zeh-FEE-nah, Polish
  • Katherine--KATH-er-in, English; Katarzyna--kah-tahr-ZHIN-ah, Polish
  • Lucia--loo-SEE-ah, LOOSH-ah, loo-CHEE-ah, English; Łucja--WOOTS-yah, Polish
  • Philippa--FIL-ip-pah, fil-IP-pah, English; Filipa--fee-LEE-pah. Polish
  • Rose--ROHZ, English; Róża--ROO-zhah, Polish
  • Roxanne--rahks-AN, English; Roksana--rawk-SAH-nah, Polish
  • Sophia--soh-FEE-ah, English; Zofia--ZAWF-yah, Polish
  • Stephanie--STEF-an-ee, English; Stefania--steh-FAHN-yah, Polish
  • Violet--VYE-ah-let, English; Wioleta--vee-aw-LEH-tah, Polish
  • Yvonne--ih-VAHN, English; Iwona--ee-VAW-nah, Polish

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Bi-cultural Names: Polish/English (boys)

Spelled the same, with (usually) slight pronunciation difference:
  • Adam--AD-am, English; AH-dahm, Polish
  • Adrian--AY-dree-an, English; AHD-ree-ahn, Polish
  • Alan--AL-an, English; AH-lahn, Polish
  • Albert--AL-burt, English; AHL-behrt, Polish
  • Alfred--AL-fred, English; AHL-fred, Polish
  • August--AW-gust, English; OW-goost, Polish
  • Bernard--bur-NARD, BUR-nurd, English; BEHR-nahrd, Polish
  • Damian--DAY-mee-an, English; DAHM-yahm, Polish
  • Daniel--DAN-yel, English; DAHN-yel, Polish
  • Dorian--DOHR-ee-an, English; DAWR-yan, Polish
  • Edmund--ED-mund, English; ED-moont, Polish
  • Edward--ED-ward, English; ED-vahrt, Polish
  • Ernest--UR-nest, English; EHR-nest, Polish
  • Gabriel--GAYB-ree-el, English; GAHB-ree-el, Polish
  • Julian--JOO-lee-an, English; YOOL-yahn, Polish
  • Leon--LEE-on, English; LEH-awn, Polish
  • Leonard--LEN-ard, English; leh-AW-nahrd, Polish
  • Leopold--LEE-ah-pold, English; leh-AW-pawld, Polish
  • Robert--RAH-bert, English & Polish
  • Roman--ROH-man, English; RAW-mahn, Polish
  • Rupert--ROO-pert, English & Polish
  • Samuel--SAM-yul, English; SAH-moo-el, Polish
  • Sebastian--seh-BAS-tyen, seh-BAS-chen, English; seh-BAHST-yen, Polish
  • Walter--WAHL-ter, English; VAHL-ter, Polish

One/two-letter difference: 
  • Aaron--EHR-on, AR-on, English; Aron--AH-rawn, Polish
  • Alexander--al-eks-AN-der, English; Aleksander--ah-lek-SAHN-der, Polish
  • Anthony--AN-thon-ee, AN-ton-ee, English, Antoni--an-TAW-nee, Polish
  • Arthur--AR-thur, English; Artur--AHR-toor, Polish
  • Augustine--AW-gus-teen, aw-GUS-tin, English; Augustyn--ow-GOOS-tin, Polish
  • Benedict--BEN-eh-dikt, English; Benedykt--beh-NEH-dikt, Polish
  • Carl--CAHRL, English; Karol--KAH-rawl, Polish
  • Casper--KAS-per, English; Kacper--KAHTS-per, Polish
  • Conrad--CON-rad, English; Konrad--KAWN-rahd, Polish
  • Cyril--SEER-il, English; Cyryl--TSEE-ril, Polish
  • Darius--DEHR-ee-us, DAR-ee-us, English; Dariusz--DAHR-yoosh, Polish
  • David--DAY-vid, English; Dawid--DAH-veet, Polish
  • Dominic--DOM-in-ik, English; Dominik--daw-MEE-nik, Polish
  • Elias--eh-LYE-as, English; Eliasz--EL-yahsh, Polish
  • Eric--EHR-ik, English; Eryk--EH-rik, Polish
  • Felix--FEE-liks, English; Feliks--FEH-leeks, Polish
  • Ferdinand--FUR-din-and, English; Ferdynand--fehr-DIN-ahnd, Polish
  • Gregory--GREG-oh-ree, English; Grzegorz--GZHEH-gorsh, Polish
  • Henry--HEN-ree, English; Henryk--HEN-rik, Polish
  • Isaac--EYE-zak, English; Izaak--EE-sahk, Polish
  • Ivan--EYE-van, ee-VAHN, English; Iwan--EE-vahn, Polish
  • Jacob--JAY-cob, English; Jakub--YAH-koob, Polish
  • John--JAHN, English; Jan--YAHN, Polish
  • Julius--JOO-lee-us, English; Juliusz--YOOL-yoosh, Polish
  • Justin--JUST-in, English; Justyn--YOOS-tin, Polish
  • Mark--MARK, English; Marek--MAH-rek, Polish
  • Michael--MYE-kel, English; Michał--MEE-khahw, Polish
  • Nathan--NAY-than, English; Natan--NAH-tahn, Polish
  • Nathaniel--nah-THAN-yel, English; Nataniel--nah-TAHN-yel, Polish
  • Oliver--AHL-ih-ver, English; Oliwier, aw-LEEV-yehr, Polish
  • Oscar--AHS-kar, English; Oskar--AWS-kahr, Polish
  • Patrick--PAT-rik, English, Patryk--PAH-trik, Polish
  • Peter--PEE-ter, English; Piotr--PYAWtr, Polish
  • Philip--FIL-ip, English; Filip--FEE-leep, Polish
  • Raymond--RAY-mund, English; Rajmund--RYE-moond, Polish
  • Steven--STEE-ven, English; Stefan--STEH-fahn, Polish
  • Sylvester--sil-VES-ter, English; Sylwester--sil-VES-ter, Polish
  • Theodore--THEE-oh-dohr, English; Teodor--teh-AW-dawr, Polish
  • Tobias--toh-BYE-as, English; Tobiasz--TAW-bee-ahsh, Polish
  • Thomas--TOM-as, English; Tomasz--TAW-mahsh, Polish
  • Titus--TYE-tus, English; Tytus--TIH-toos, Polish
  • Victor--VIK-tor, English; Wiktor--VEEK-tor, Polish
  • Vincent--VIN-sent, English; Wincenty--veen-TSEN-tih, Polish

Larger difference, but still recognizable:
  • Andrew--AN-droo, English; Andrzej--AHN-zhray, Polish
  • Christian--KRIS-tyen, KRIS-chen, English; Krystian--KRIST-yahn, Polish
  • Eugene--yoo-JEEN, YOO-jeen, English; Eugeniusz--eh-oo-GEN-yoosh, Polish
  • Francis--FRAN-sis, English; Franciszek--frahn-CHEE-shek, Polish
  • Frederick--FRED-ur-ik, English; Fryderyk--frid-EHR-ik, Polish
  • Joseph--JOH-sef, English; Jozef--YAW-zef
  • Lucas--LOO-kas, English; Łukasz--WOO-kahsh, Polish
  • Matthew--MATH-yoo, English; Mateusz--mah-TEH-oosh, Polish
  • Maximus--MAKS-ih-mus, English; Maksym--MAK-sim, Polish
  • Maximilian--maks-ah-MIL-yan, English; Maksymilian--mahk-sim-EEL-yahn, Polish
  • Richard---RIH-chard, English; Ryszard--RIH-shahrt, Polish
  • Simon--SYE-mon, English; Szymon--SHIH-mawn, Polish
  • Thaddeus--THAD-ee-us, English; Tadeusz--tah-DEH-oosh, Polish
  • Timothy--TIM-ah-thee, English; Tymoteusz--tim-aw-TEH-oosh, Polish
  • William--WIL-yam, English; Wilhelm--VEEL-helm, Polish

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Bygone Names

This is something I've been meaning to tackle for a while, and I finally buckled down and beat my spreadsheets into submission. The prize:
Names that are in danger of dying out forever.

I compared older SSA lists to the most recent, and pulled out names that didn't appear on the 2013 list at all (meaning they were given at most to 4 children). Surprisingly, the resulting collection of names was quite large, even though thousands more names are used nowadays. Many were of course creative respellings or inventions (yes, those did exist in previous generations), as well as imported rarities, but there were many names I was quite surprised to see apparently aren't used anymore.

I did try to limit this list to names with a recent history of use in English--names most people would recognize--but I'm sure a few name-nerdy favorites snuck in. ;)

Boys:
  • Adelbert
  • Adolphus
  • Aldred, Eldred
  • Alexius
  • Alford
  • Algernon
  • Alpheus
  • Alwin, Elwyn
  • Arvel
  • Audwin
  • Barnaby
  • Buford
  • Carol
  • Clair
  • Cleophas
  • Corydon
  • Cosimo
  • Egbert
  • Eustace
  • Everard
  • Fraser/Frasier
  • Garnet
  • Gomer
  • Hillary
  • Irvine
  • Meredith
  • Mortimer
  • Morton
  • Norton
  • Pearl
  • Philbert
  • Rolf
  • Sharon
  • Shelly
  • Shirley
  • Theodoric
  • Winfield
  • Yancy/Yancey


    Girls:
    • AlbertinaAlbertine
    • Araminta
    • Ardith
    • Avis
    • Awilda, Wilda
    • Bernadine
    • Bernetta
    • CharmianCharmion
    • Claretta
    • Clarinda
    • ClementiaClemencia
    • ClotildaClotilde
    • Coletta
    • Constantina
    • Consuela
    • Cybele
    • Delma
    • Drusilla
    • Earlene/Earline
    • Ernestine/Earnestine
    • Ethelyn
    • Germaine
    • Ghislaine
    • Glynis
    • Guadelupe
    • Hedy
    • Hester
    • Hildegard/Hildegarde
    • HortenseHortensia
    • Jacintha
    • Jacquetta
    • Jamesetta
    • Jamesina
    • Laurencia/Lawrencia
    • Leontine/Leontyne
    • Louann/Luanne
    • Lurline
    • Myrtle
    • Orpha
    • Otilia/Ottilia
    • Pauletta
    • Pearline
    • Pernella
    • Renita
    • Rosamond/Rosamund
    • Sharona
    • Sidonie
    • Tacey
    • Theodosia
    • Timothea