Usual Nickname, Unexpected Name--Kori/Corey

Although I generally write this sort of posts for very popular (some would say overused) nicknames, today I'm writing about Cory. Originally a surname of unknown/varied origins (possibilities include French, Norse, & Scottish), it became a boys' name, peaking in popularity in the 70s & 80s. As expected, it also started being used as a girls' name, but oddly enough, never became popular. Currently, Corey is the most popular male form, sitting down in the 300s on the SSA chart. Kori is the most popular girls' form, but it doesn't even rank in the top 1000. While it is a full name on its own, the "ee" ending may sound a bit too informal for some.

Boys:

• Corbin (KOR-bin, English)--"raven"
• Cordell (kor-DELL, English)
• Corentin (KOR-en-tin, Breton)
• Corin (kor-in, French)
• Cormac (KOR-mac, Irish)
• Cornelius (kor-NEE-lee-us, Latin)
• Cornell (kor-NELL, English)
• Corrado (kor-RAH-do, Italian)--form of Conrad
• Corwin (KOR-win, English)
• Krikor (KRIH-kohr, Armenian)--form of Gregory

Girls:

• Coralie (KOR-ah-lee, French)
• Cordelia (kohr-DEE-lee-ah or kohr-DEHL-ee-ah, English)
• Cordula (KOR-doo-lah, German)--"heart"
• Coriander (KOH-ree-an-der, English)
• Corinna (koh-RIN-nah or koh-REE-nah, English)
• Corinne (koh-reen, French)
• Corisande (koh-ih-SAHND, French)
• Cornelia (kor-NEE-lee-ah or kohr-NEHL-ee-ah, Latin)
• Corona (koh-ROH-nah, Latin)--"crown"
• Kishori (kee-shohr-ee, Indian [Hindi])
• Kokoro (koh-koh-roh, Japanese)--"heart, spirit"
• Socorro (soh-KOR-roh, Spanish)--"help" or "relief"

Same Name?!--John

What can you say about John? Thanks to a pair of admirable Bible characters, it's one of the most popular boys' names of all time, extremely common in all three major branches of Christianity (Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, & Protestant). It didn't lose its hold in America until the 80s, and even then, it's still in the top 25. It's also one of the few traditional names with a comparable range of both male and female versions.
For some, John is a solid classic, for others, it's bland and tired.
And despite the similarity in English, it's actually unrelated to Jonathan.

Original Hebrew form: Yochanan [יוֹחָנָן] (yoh-kha-nahn)
Greek transliteration: Yoannes (yoh-AHN-nehs)
Latin form: Iohannes (yoh-AN-nes)

Modern versions:

• Evan (EV-an)--Welsh. Anglicized from Iefan. Other forms include Ifan (EE-van), Ieuan (YAY-an), Ioan (YOH-an), Iwan (EE-wan), and Sion (SHON [via Jehan]).
• Ganix (JAHN-eesh)--Basque
• Giovanni (joh-VAHN-nee)--Italian
• Hank (HANK)--Medieval English (via Hann)
• Hann (HAHN)--Medieval English (via Johannes). Diminutive is Hankin.
• Hans (HAHNS)--Dutch, German, Scandinavian (via Johannes)
• Honza (HON-zah)--Czech (via Hans)
• Ian (EE-an)--Scottish. Older form is Iain.
• Ion (YON)--Romanian
• Ivan (ee-VAHN or EYE-van)--Slavic
• Jack (JAK)--English (via Jankin) 
• Jan (YAHN, JAN)--Czech, Dutch, German, Medieval English. English diminutive is Jankin.
• Janez (YAHN-ez)--Slovene
• Jehan (zheh-han)--Medieval French
• Jens (YENS)--Dutch
• João (ZHOO-ow)--Portuguese
• Johan (YOH-han)--German, Scandinavian
• Johannes (yo-HAN-nes)--Late Latin
• Jovan (YOH-van)--Macedonian, Serbian
• Juan (HWAHN)--Spanish
• Keoni (keh-oh-nee)--Hawaiian
• Sean (SHAHN)--Irish. Sometimes anglicized to Shane.
• Xoan (SHOH-awn)--Galician
• Yann (YAHN)--Breton. Diminutive is Yannick.

Feminine forms:

• Gianna (JAHN-nah)--Italian
• Ioanna (yoh-AHN-nah)--Greek
• Ionela (yoh-NEL-lah)--Romanian
• Ivana (ee-VAH-nah)--Slavic
• Jana (YAH-nah)--Dutch, German
• Jane (JAYN)--English (via Jehanne). Diminutives are Janet, Janice, and Jenny.
• Janneke (YAH-neh-keh)--Dutch
• Jean (JEEN)--English, Scottish (via Jehanne). Scottish diminutive is Jessie.
• Jeanne (ZHAHN)--French (via Jehanne). Diminutives are Jeannine and Jeannette.
• Jehanne (zheh-hahn)--Medieval French
• Joan (JONE)--English (via Johanne)
• Joana (zhoo-AH-nah)--Portuguese
• Joanna (joh-AN-nah)--English
• Johanne (zhoh-ahn)--Medieval French
• Jovana (yoh-VAH-nah)--Macedonion, Serbian
• Seona (SHOH-nah)--Scottish (via Joan)
• Sheena (SHEE-nah)--Scottish (via Jeanne)
• Sian (SHAHN)--Welsh
• Siobhan (shi-VAWN)--Irish (via Jehanne). Anglicized to Shevon or Chevonne.
• Zana (ZHAH-nah)--Slovene

Random Fact of the Day:

Almost all languages spoken today are related to at least one other, whether closely (like Spanish & Portuguese) or distantly (like English & Hindi). There are several different language families. However, there are a few languages that have no known relatives, called 'language isolates'. These are either languages whose 'missing links' to other languages have been totally lost, or that evolved in an isolated group of people with no other language.
The most well-known language isolates include Korean, Basque (areas of France & Spain), Zuni (New Mexico, US), & Ainu (Hokkaido Island, Japan).