Friday, September 7, 2012

Marian Names


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I did a quick Google search, and was surprised to not find much by the way of Marian name lists. Marian names are used to honor the Virgin Mary, in cultures where actual saint names are too holy to use. They are thus most common in Roman Catholic areas, particularly Spanish, but exist in other regions, too. Some are concepts; many are place-names; others are seemingly random nouns; but all have some connection to the Virgin Mary.
And, like many lists, they're nearly all feminine.
  • Abene (ah-beh-neh, Basque)--"pillar"
  • África (AH-free-kah, Spanish)--"Africa"
  • Ainhoa (eye-noh-ah, Basque)--poss. "little place"
  • Alazne (ah-lahs-neh, Basque)--"miracle"
  • Almudena (ahl-moo-DEH-nah, Spanish)--from Arabic, "citadel"
  • Angustias (ahn-GOOST-ee-ahs, Spanish)--"anguish"
  • Annunziata (ahn-noon-TSYAH-tah, Italian)--"annunciation"
  • Araceli (ah-rah-SEH-lee, Spanish)--from Latin, "altar of the sky"
  • Arantzazu (ah-rahnt-sah-soo, Basque)--"thornbush". Variant is Arantxa (ah-rahnt-shah).
  • Asunción (ah-soon-see-OHN, Spanish)--"assumption". Other forms are Assunta (ah-SOON-tah, Italian), Assumpció (ah-soomp-see-OH, Catalan), Assumpta (ah-SUMP-tah, Latin), and Asun (ah-SOON, Spanish).
  • Candelaria (kan-deh-LAH-ree-ah, Spanish)--"Candlemas". Variants include Cande (KAHN-deh), Candelas (kahn-DEH-las), & Candela (kahn-DEH-lah). Masculine is Candelario
  • Carmel (KAHR-mel, English; kahr-MEHL, Spanish)--from Hebrew, "garden". Catalan form is Carme (KAHR-meh). 
  • Conceptión (kon-sep-see-OHN, Spanish)--"conception"
  • Consolata (kohn-soh-LAH-tah, Italian)--"consolation"
  • Consuelo (kohn-SWEH-loh, Spanish)--"consolation". Variants are Consuela and Chelo (CHE-loh). 
  • Dolores (doh-LOH-rehs, English, Spanish)--"sorrows". Variants include Lola (LOH-lah, English, Spanish), Dolors (doh-LORZ, Catalan), and Dores (DOR-ez, Portuguese). 
  • Edurne (eh-door-neh, Basque)--"snow". Masculine is Edur.
  • Encarnación (en-kahr-nah-see-OHN, Spanish)--"incarnation"
  • Fátima (FAH-tee-mah, Portuguese, Spanish)--from Arabic, "abstaining"
  • Guadalupe (gwah-dah-LOO-peh, Spanish)--from Arabic, "wolf river" [unisex]. Variants are Lupe and Lupita
  • Idoya (ee-DOY-ah, Spanish)--from Basque, "pond"
  • Ihinzta (ee-heen-sah, Basque)--"dew"
  • Iker (ee-kehr, Basque)--"visitation" [masculine]
  • Inmaculada (een-mah-koo-LAH-dah, Spanish)--"immaculate"
  • Itziar (eet-see-ahr, Basque, Spanish)--poss. "old stone". Variant is Icíar (ee-SEE-ahr).
  • Loreto (loh-REH-toh, Italian)--from Latin, "laurel" [unisex]. Variant is Loreta (loh-REH-tah). 
  • Lourdes (LOOR-dehs, Spanish)--Town in France, origin unknown.
  • Luz (LOOS, Spanish)--"light"
  • Macarena (mah-kah-REH-nah, Spanish)--poss. from Latin, "blessed"
  • Madonna (mah-DON-nah, English)--from Italian, "my lady"
  • Maolmoire (mool-MOY-reh, Scottish)--"servant of Mary" [masculine]
  • Maris (MEHR-is, MAH-ris, English)--from Latin, "of the sea"
  • Maristela (mah-ree-STEH-lah, Spanish, Portuguese)--from Latin Stella Maris "star of the sea".
  • Mercedes (mehr-SEH-dehs, Spanish)--"mercies". Catalan form is Mercè (mehr-SAY). 
  • Meritxell (mur-eet-CHEL, Catalan)--from Latin, "midday"
  • Milagros (mee-LAH-grohs, Spanish)--"miracles"
  • Nagore (nah-goh-reh, Basque)--Town in Spain, origin unknown.
  • Naiara (nah-yah-rah, Basque)--from Arabic, "between rocks". Also spelled Nayara.
  • Nekane (neh-kah-neh, Basque)--"sorrows"
  • Nieves (nee-EHV-ehs, Spanish)--"snows". Other forms include Neus (NEH-oos, Catalan), Neves (NEH-ves, Portuguese) and Nives (NEE-ves, Italian)
  • Núria (NOOR-ee-ah, Catalan)--poss. from Arabic, "light"
  • Osane (oh-sah-neh, Basque)--"remedy"
  • Panagiota (pah-nah-YOT-ah, Greek)--"all holy". Masculine is Panagiotis.
  • Paz (PAHS, Spanish)--"peace"
  • Pilar (pee-LAHR, Spanish)--"pillar"
  • Queralt (keh-RAHL, Catalan)--poss. "high rock"
  • Remedios (reh-MEH-dee-ohs, Spanish)--"remedies"
  • Remei (reh-MAY, Catalan)--"remedy"
  • Reyes (REH-yes, Spanish)--"kings" [unisex]
  • Rocío (roh-SEE-oh, Spanish)--"dew"
  • Rosaria (roh-ZAHR-yah, Italian)
  • Rosario (roh-ZAHR-yoh, Italian; roh-SAH-ree-oh, Spanish)--"rosary" [masculine in Italian]. Variants include Charo (CHAH-roh, Spanish), Rosaria (roh-ZAHR-yah, Italian) and Roser (roh-ZAY, Catalan). 
  • Socorro (soh-KOH-roh, Spanish)--"help"
  • Soledad (soh-leh-DAHD, Spanish)--"solitude"
  • Sorne (sohr-neh, Basque)--"conception"
  • Uxue (oo-shoo-eh, Basque)--"dove"
  • Visitación (vee-see-tah-see-OHN, Spanish)--"visitation"

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

The "Good", the Bad, and the Ugly

Well, the "good" is guaranteed, anyway. Whether they're bad or ugly is subject to individual tastes!

In cultures where name-meanings hold great importance (which is most ancient cultures, as far as I can tell), often one element is quite common, occurring in dozens of names: -gwen- in Welsh, for instance, or -el- and -iah- in Hebrew. 
While we're swimming in El-s today (named for the nicknames, of course, though, not the meaning), the ancient Greeks seem to have been swimming in Eu-s.
Although only a couple names have survived to modern usage in English ("modern" being relative, as they're still too fusty for many parents), there were numerous Eu-names in use in ancient times, on both genders.
Now, in Modern Greek, ευ is said "ev"or "ef", but in Ancient Greek, it was a diphthong--"eh-oo". In English, this was, of course, simplified to "yoo".

*yes, some of the meanings are a bit odd or insulting to modern ears, but many were originally from legend/mythology, where the names were linked to the character's place/role. There's also the whole "completely different culture" thing. :)

Boys:
  • Euandros (yoo-AHN-dros)--"good man" [Evander in modern English]
  • Euangelos (yoo-AHN-jel-os)--"good messenger"
  • Euaristos (yoo-ah-RIS-tos)--"well-pleasing" [Évariste in modern French]
  • Eukleides (yoo-KLAY-des)--"good glory" [Euclid in modern English]
  • Eugenios (yoo-GEN-ee-os)--"well-born" [Eugene in modern English]
  • Euphemios (yoo-FEM-ee-os)--"speaks well"
  • Euphranor (YOO-fran-or)--"good mind"
  • Euripides (yoo-RIP-ih-dees)--"good throw"
  • Eusebios (yoo-SEB-ee-os)--"good worship"
  • Eustachys (yoo-STAH-khis)--"good grain" [Eustace in modern English]
  • Eustathios (yoo-STAH-thee-os)--"good" +  "stable"
  • Eustorgios (yoo-STOR-gee-os)--"good affection"
  • Eutropios (yoo-TROP-ee-os)--"good character"
  • Eutychus (yoo-TYE-kus)--"good fortune"

Girls:
  • Euadne (yoo-AHD-nee)--"good" + " holy"
  • Euagora (yoo-AH-gor-ah)--"good assembly"
  • Euanthe (yoo-AHN-thee)--"good flower"
  • Euarne (yoo-AHR-nee)--poss. "good sheep"
  • Euboea (yoo-BEE-ah)--prob. "good cattle"
  • Eudaimonia (yoo-dye-mon-EE-ah)--"good spirit"
  • Eudocia (yoo-DOS-ee-ah)--"good will"
  • Eudora (yoo-DOH-rah)--"good gift"
  • Eudoxia (yoo-DOKS-ee-ah)--"good fame"
  • Eugeneia (yoo-gen-AY-ah)--"well-born" [Eugenia in modern English]
  • Eukleia (yoo-KLAY-ah)--"good glory"
  • Eukrante (yoo-KRAHN-tee)--poss. "good accomplishment"
  • Eulalia (yoo-LAH-lee-ah)--"speaks well"
  • Eulimene (yoo-LEE-men-ee)--"good harbour"
  • Eumelia (yoo-MEH-lee-ah)--"good song"
  • Eunice (YOO-nis, yoo-NEE-see)--"good victory"
  • Eumolpe (yoo-MOL-pee)--"good singer"
  • Eunomia (yoo-NOM-ee-ah)--"good order"
  • Eunostos (yoo-NOS-tos)--"good yield"
  • Eupheme (yoo-FEM-ee)--"speaks well" [Euphemia in modern English]
  • Euphrasia (yoo-FRAHS-ee-ah)--"good cheer"
  • Euphrosyne (yoo-FROS-in-ee)--"good cheer"
  • Eupompe (yoo-POM-pee)--"good escort"
  • Euporia (yoo-POR-ee-ah)--"good journey"
  • Eupraxia (yoo-PRAHKS-ee-ah)--"good conduct"
  • Eusebia (yoo-SEB-ee-ah)--"good worship"
  • Euterpe (yoo-TEHR-pee)--"good" + " delight"
  • Euthalia (yoo-THAH-lee-ah)--"blossoming well"
  • Euthemia (yoo-THEH-mee-ah)--"good order"
  • Euthenia (yoo-THEH-nee-ah)--poss. "good supply"
  • Euthymia (yoo-THEE-mee-ah)--"good spirit"
  • Eutropia (yoo-TROP-ee-ah)--"good character"
  • Eutychia (yoo-TYE-kee-ah)--"good fortune"

Honorable mention goes to Evangeline, which, although derived from Greek ("good news"), has no record of use before Longfellow's poem, "Evangeline". 

Friday, August 31, 2012

Same Name?!--Guy

Guy is a bit odd. Most people today consider it a slang term rather than a name, and that's not completely unreasonable, since it's probably one of the oldest bits of slang in use today--coined in the mid 1800s! Guy was a name long before that, most famously borne by Guy Fawkes, who tried to blow up Parliament in 1605. It's also thanks to him that guy is now a term for "man"--his tale was romanticized in a popular book, and guy entered general terminology meaning "shabby man", later expanded to any male.
Despite this, Guy remained in common use for quite some time, only dropping off the US charts 5 years ago.

And for such a short name, it has a surprising amount of variation from language to language. This is partially because its original form sounded almost identical to a Latin name, Vitus, and where the two languages overlapped, they were treated as the same name. Consequently, it's difficult to separate which modern form evolved from Vitus, and which from Wido.

Original Germanic form: Wido (VEE-doh)
Modern French form: Guy (GEE)

Other forms:
  • Guido (GEE-doh)--German
  • Guido (GWEE-doh)--Italian
  • Gvidas (GVEE-dahs)--Lithuanian
  • Veit (FITE)--German
  • Vid (VEED)--Croatian, Slovene. Feminine is Vida.
  • Wide (WEE-deh)--Frisian
  • Wit (VEET)--Polish