Nicknames

Welcome to Melanie’s Treatise on the Relative Benefits/Detriments of Nicknames and Pet Forms.

When I was growing up, I desperately wanted a nickname.  Other people were called interesting things, like Fergie (her real name was Kelly) or Step (her real name was Stephanie).  I longed for the kind of popularity that would put others on a nickname basis with me.  Everyone knew who Shako was; no formal introductions were needed.

In my eyes, nicknames like that just exuded congeniality.  They were a mark of how comfortable other people were around you — how much they liked you.  Nicknames are, in many ways, affectionate.

But such social strokes were not in the cards for me.  I never really did anything spectacular that led to an event-inspired nickname (like Tripp, for the kid who fell down the stairs), and I didn’t have any prominent physical features that stuck out in anyone’s mind (though my band director did call me Shorty for awhile, as I was fairly tall).

Nicknames are different from pet forms, though I would have settled for either.  The only pet form of Melanie that seemed to stick was Mel; as a child of the 80s, all I could think of when I heard Mel was Mel’s Diner.  So I told my parents that I didn’t really like being called Mel, as that was “a boy’s name.” I guess their inventiveness gave out, because I was only and ever Melanie from that point forward (except from my dad, who insisted on calling me Mel).

When I got married, I tried again.

Me:  “Hey, George, would you give me a nickname?”

My husband:  “You can’t just come up with a nickname.  They have to happen organically.”

Well, I’ve been waiting more or less patiently for three-and-a-half years for something to happen “organically,” but I’m still just Melanie.

I think nature might need a bit of a push sometimes.

But then, my husband has a unique perspective on nicknames, as he never went by the name on his birth certificate until college.  And even then, family and close friends continued to call him by his nickname (which sounds a lot like Bubba).

I’ll hazard a guess that he likes nicknames/pet forms a whole lot because of this experience.  Sometimes I like to throw names at him, just to see what he’ll say about them.  After all, there’s a remote possibility that SOMEday we’ll have children.  Whenever I toss one of these names into the conversation, his response is usually the same:

“But what would we call him?”

This question sometimes brings me up short.  He’s got a point:  I don’t want our children to “suffer” the same lack of intimacy that comes from not having an acceptable, intuitive nickname.

I don’t want our kid to be like the kid my husband knew in high school, who, being the only one without a nickname, practically begged everyone to call him Big Red Bowl (because of his haircut).  That story ended badly, with the other kids saying … well, the same thing my husband says when I try to give myself a nickname:  you can’t give yourself a nickname.

Times have changed since the days of Big Red Bowl, however.  More and more parents are opting to forgo the traditional pet forms of their childrens’ names.  I have many students in my classes who only ever go by their full names:  Alexander (not Alex), Nicholas (not Nick), Andrew (not Andy or Drew), Elizabeth (not Liz), etc.

I don’t think we will be counted among those parents.

My Favorite Pet Forms

Girls
Betsy (Elizabeth)
Bonnie (Bonita)
Callie (Camilla, Calista)
Ellie (Eleanor, Penelope)
Emmy (Emmeline, Emily)
Francie (Frances)
Josie (Josephine)
Kate (Katherine)
Lucy (Lucienne, Lucina, Lucia)
Millie (Camilla, Matilda)
Mina (Wilhelmina, Philomena)
Minnie (Wilhelmina)
Miri (Miriam, Miranda)
Molly (Mary, Amalia)
Nell (Penelope, Anneliese)
Penny (Penelope)
Rosie (Rosemary, Rose, Rosalind)
Sadie (Sarah, Seraphina)
Tansy (Anastasia)
Viv (Vivian)

Boys
Archie (Arthur)
Eddie (Edward)
Eli (Elias, Elijah, Elliot)
Jamie (James)
Kit (Christopher)
Max (Maximillian)
Nicco (Nicholas, Nikolai)
Tad (Thaddeus)
Teddy (Theodore, Edward)
Theo (Theodore)
Patch (Patrick)
Ronnie (Ronald)
Tommy (Thomas)
Vinnie (Vincent)
Xav (Xavier)

Name of the Day: Gerard

On the first day of school this year, a thing happened which has never happened before in all of my long years of teaching elementary school.  A kindergartner named Jerry walked into my room.

I never thought I would live to see the day.

Gerard is one of those names that I had never really noticed up until a couple of years ago.  2004, to be exact.  I had just finished watching “The Phantom of the Opera” on the big screen, and — simultaneously impressed and disappointed (because the Phantom is supposed to be old, ugly, and scary) — I stuck around to watch the credits.

That was the day I discovered the name Gerard.  And Emmanuelle, but that’s a different story for a different day.

Can the name Gerard come back from NameBerry’s “grandpa name” status?  My sources say yes.

After all, over the course of the past few weeks (our school started in July), I’ve found the name Jerry to be surprisingly fresh and likable on a little boy.  It doesn’t feel musty at all; perhaps a little bit anachronistic, but in a good way.

I don’t think the kindergartner in question is named Gerard in full.  His name is just “Jerry” on my class list.  If my husband and I were ever to use this name, we would have to have a full name to fall back on.  And, like Baby Name Wizard, I strongly prefer Gerard to Gerald.  Gerald does have its charms, but I think it needs a few more years before it comes out of retirement.

Gerard, however …

If I ever came across a kid named Gerard, I would bow to his parents’ evident good taste.

Let’s bring Gerard back.  I don’t think this name is past the point of no return yet.

from AskOxford
Old French name of Germanic (Frankish) origin, introduced to Britain by the Normans. It is derived from gar, ger ’spear’ + hard ‘brave’, ‘hardy’, ’strong’. In the later Middle Ages this was a much more common name than Gerald, with which it was sometimes confused. Nowadays it is less common, surviving mainly among Roman Catholics, in honour of the many saints of this name.

from Behind the Name
Derived from the Germanic element ger “spear” combined with hard “brave, hardy”. The Normans introduced this name to Britain. It was initially much more common than the similar name Gerald, with which it was often confused, but it is now less common.

from NameBerry
Definitely a grandpa name.

from Baby Name Wizard
Style:  English, French, Saints, Solid Citizens
Sisters and Brothers:  Therese, Anita, Yvonne, Myra, Elaine, Stuart, Laurence, Jerome, Frederic, Randolph
Unlike all-American Gerald, Gerard still sounds like the medieval classic it is.  This is by far the more romantic choice of the two.

Name of the Day: Niamh

(picture by Bojana Dimitrovski)

There aren’t very many N names I like, especially for girls (thank you, nasally Mid-Western accent), but Niamh is one of them.

Every spring, for St. Patrick’s Day, I teach a very brief (one-day) unit on Irish/Celtic music.  It’s not strictly in our curriculum, but I love it so much that I can find a way to MAKE it work.  And I have to admit, it’s pretty darn funny to watch first grade boys capering around the room doing their interpretation of Irish step dancing.

Anyway, last year I pasted together a PowerPoint version of the story of Niamh and Oisin (heavily edited, of course.  I didn’t even mention his death at the end.  These kids have grown up on Disney, not the Grimm Brothers; I’m not going to be the one to scar them).  Even so, you could have heard a pin drop by the time I got to the end of the story.  They just could not believe that there were stories out there that did not end “happily ever after.”

Maybe I did scar them, after all.

The story is certainly a memorable one, anyway.  I know that ever since I first heard it (I think I was in college), I can’t help but picture a ethereal lady on a white horse when I hear the name Niamh.  And it always makes me a little sad — in a good way, if that makes sense.

Maybe not really sad so much as wistful, in the same way that people are wistful when they hear beautiful music.

I don’t think that’s a bad association for the name Niamh.  Yes, it’s tied to the story, but I think it’s plenty usable in the real world.  Apparently it’s all the rage over in Ireland, and I think it’s simple enough to cross over.  I can’t say that about all Irish names — there was a time when I was enamored of Caoilfhionn — but I think people can learn it.

Yes, they will need to be corrected the first time.  But the name is short and simple enough that they will catch on.

NEEV.  I like it.

from AskOxford
Irish Gaelic name, pronounced ‘nee-uv’, from a vocabulary word meaning ‘brightness’ or ‘beauty’. It was borne in Irish mythology by the daughter of the sea god, who fell in love with the youthful Oisín, son of Finn mac Cumhaill (Finn MacCool), and carried him off over the sea to the land of perpetual youth, Tír na nÓg, where there is no sadness, no ageing, and no death. It is now a very popular given name in Ireland.

from Behind the Name
Means “bright” in Irish. She was the daughter of the sea god in Irish legends. She fell in love with the poet Oisín, son of Fionn.

from NameBerry
An ancient Irish name that was originally a term for a goddess; rich in legendary associations, Niamh is in the Irish Top Ten. Here, the phonetic Neve would undoubtedly prove simpler, if less intriguing.

from Baby Name Wizard
Style:  Celtic, Mythological
Sisters and Brothers:  Aoife, Finola, Aine, Riona, Caoimhe, Dermot, Niall, Eamon, Colm, Cormac
An ancient Celtic goddess name, Niamh is one of the hottest choices in Ireland and Scotland today.  It’s pronounced “neev,” and in the U.S. you’d best be prepared to spell and pronounce it over and over again.  Irish folksinger Niamh Parsons is one prominent namesake.  (Actress Neve Campbell is not — her name, pronounced “nev,” is from her mother’s Dutch surname.)

Name of the Day: Cedric

Yes, alright, I admit it.  I was just looking for an excuse to post this video (be careful — it uses a few “swears”).

The first time I read through the Harry Potter books, I liked the name Cedric, though I was not terribly impressed.  But this is one of those names that has grown on me over time –in a good way, not like some kind of tumor or something.  (sorry.  It’s been a rough morning.)

If you were to take a look at the NameVoyager graph for Cedric, you would see something weird.  There is this huge spike in usage that seems to come out of nowhere, right smack dab in the middle of the 60s and 70s.  And then it falls off again.

Cedric comes across as slightly exotic — though very accessible — in the U.S.  As Baby Name Wizard (my husband likes to call it “the Wattenberg Bible”) says, it has been mostly an African American name, possibly due to Cedric the Entertainer.

Cedric the Entertainer is from our home state, in fact, which makes the name regrettably unusable for us.  Missouri produces so few celebrities that the ones we DO have are known by every Missouri schoolchild.  Sheryl?  Unusable.  Brad?  It’s all Pitt to us.  Truman?  Forget it — don’t make me sing “The Missouri Waltz.”  I’ll do it, too.

But this name may not be so tied to one association for people in other parts of the country.  And really, once a name is attached to a small person, all of the other associations kind of drift away (like the young man I knew who was named Kermit).

More names with that snappy ending (many of them are Anglo-Saxon)
Alaric
Aldric
Alec
Cormac
Dominic
Elric
Emeric
Eric
Isaac
Ludovic
Roderick

from AskOxford
Coined by Sir Walter Scott for the character Cedric of Rotherwood in Ivanhoe (1819). It seems to be an altered form of Cerdic, the name of the traditional founder of the kingdom of Wessex. Cerdic was a Saxon (Scott’s novel also has a Saxon setting), and his name is presumably of Germanic origin, but the formation is not clear. The name has acquired something of a ’sissy’ image, partly on account of Cedric Errol Fauntleroy, the long-haired, velvet-suited boy hero of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886). A well-know bearer was the film actor Sir Cedric Hardwicke (1893–1964).

from Behind the Name
Invented by Sir Walter Scott for a character in his novel ‘Ivanhoe’ (1819). Apparently he based it on the actual name Cerdic, the name of the legendary founder of the kingdom of Wessex. Cerdic is of uncertain origin, but could be connected to the British name Ceretic or Caratacos (see the Welsh form CARADOG). The name was also used by Frances Hodgson Burnett for the main character in her novel ‘Little Lord Fauntleroy’ (1886).

from NameBerry
Invented by Sir Walter Scott for an Ivanhoe character, then sissified as Little Lord Fauntleroy, a stereotype broken recently by Cedric the Entertainer.

from Baby Name Wizard
Style:  African-American, Exotic Traditional
Sisters and Brothers:  Leticia, Damaris, Maribel, Angelique, Simone, Desmond, Quincy, Orlando, Andre, Demetrius
A name with Welsh forebears, dashing Cedric was introduced by Sir Walter Scott in his novel Ivanhoe.  In the U.S., it has been primarily an African-American name.  With the glowing popularity of names like Alec and Dominic, Cedric’s now a candidate for broader use.

Name of the Day: Seraphina

Hope you’re in the mood for a really girly name today!

Seraphina/Serafina is one of those ultra ultra feminine girl names.  It’s extremely hard to picture this name on a tomboy.  I’ve never actually been a tomboy myself, per se, but I’m usually not into really girly things.  I’ve only gotten a manicure twice in my life (both times were right before weddings), I despise most shades of pink, and I hate doilies.  Side note:  my mother has 67 doilies in her house.  She claims that the affinity for doilies “skips a generation.”  Like diabetes, I guess. We’ll have to watch our kids for both of those tendencies — maybe if we can catch it early…

And yet, in spite of the frills and lace, I can’t help but like Seraphina.  When I try to picture a Seraphina in my mind, I picture either a dark-haired, exotic beauty, or else a very pale blond ethereal type.  Maybe that’s just the cultural “angelic” stereotype kicking in.

There have been a couple of threads over at BNaBBT about this name, and here are some of the descriptors that people gave for Seraphina/Serefina:  soft, delicate, fairy-like, whimsical, frilly, fantastical, lovely, overly frilly, and crazy girly.

So, as you can see, there were a few non-believers.    Most names are like that, I suppose; you can’t please everyone all of the time (yes, I am talking to myself, here).

I think the thing that wins me over about Seraphina is the meaning.  “Fiery ones.”  I picture a throng of angels with six fiery wings and blazing swords, guarding a crystal throne.  I’m sure this  mental picture is not theologically correct, but I still like it.

Possible Nicknames
Sera
Seren
Fina
Fifi

from AskOxford
Latinate derivative of Hebrew seraphim ‘burning ones’, the name of an order of angels (Isaiah 6:2). It was borne by a rather shadowy saint who was martyred at the beginning of the 5th century in Italy, Spain, or Armenia.

from Behind the Name
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Seraphinus, derived from the biblical word seraphim which was Hebrew in origin and meant “fiery ones”. The seraphim were an order of angels, described by Isaiah in the Bible as having six wings each. This was the name of a 13th-century Italian saint who made clothes for the poor. As an English name, it has never been common.

from NameBerry
Serafina:  A name so lovely it’s worthy of an angel.
Seraphina:  The highest-ranking angels, the six-winged seraphim, inspired this lovely name. It was brought into the spotlight when chosen by high-profile parents Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck.

Name of the Day: Malcolm

Malcolm is one of those names that just about everybody knows, but nobody uses.  Well, almost nobody — the name does show up on the Top 1000 chart.  It’s just not very common:  it’s been buried somewhere in the 500s for the last few years.

Malcolm is a perfectly nice, dashing Scottish name, with a couple of adorable nicknames.  Think about it:  Malcolm.  Can’t you just see the mist-covered hills and hear the bagpipes?  And yet Malcolm is perfectly accessible.  It doesn’t have the same teasing potential as a name like Hamish, but it does evoke the same images.

And, for the die-hard nerds, there’s always the association with the Star Trek:  Enterprise character.  Not a bad thing at all.

Of course, there is also Malcolm X.  He is not the only association, nor is he the first association for many people, but it is something you need to consider if you decide to use this name (in the U.S., at least).  If you live in an area where this association is very strong, you would have to decide whether or not you would want people to think of such a controversial political figure when they hear your child’s name, whether you agree with said political figure’s methods or not.

But, if you have even a vaguely Scottish surname, the political assocations would probably never even come up.  The aforementioned mist-covered-hills-and-bagpipes would win the day.  Malcolm Stewart.  Malcolm Anderson.  Malcolm Campbell.  Just try not to use it with a McLastname, because then it could turn into a bit of a tongue twister.

Possible Nicknames
Mac
Mackie
Colm
Mal

If you like Malcolm, you might like…
Brendan
Graham
Nolan
Hamish
James
Kenneth
Duncan
Edgar
Bruce
Henry

from AskOxford
Anglicized form of the medieval Gaelic name Mael Coluim ‘devotee of St Columba’. Columba, whose name means ‘dove’ in Latin, was a 6th-century monk of Irish origin who played a leading part in the conversion to Christianity of Scotland and northern England; see also Calum and Colm. He has always been one of the most popular saints in Scotland, but in the Middle Ages it was felt to be presumptuous to give the names of saints directly to children; instead their blessing was invoked by prefixing the name with mael ‘devotee of’ or gille ’servant of’.

from Behind the Name
From Scottish Mael Coluim which means “disciple of Saint COLUMBA”. This was the name of four kings of Scotland starting in the 10th century, including Malcolm III, who became king after killing Macbeth, the usurper who had murdered his father. The character Malcolm in Shakespeare’s tragedy ‘Macbeth’ (1606) is based on him. Another famous bearer was Malcolm X (1925-1965), an American civil rights leader.

from NameBerry
This warm and welcoming Scottish appellation fits into that golden circle of names that are distinctive but not odd; a royal name in Scotland and a hero name for many via radical civil rights activist Malcolm X.

from Baby Name Wizard
Style:  African-American, Celtic, Timeless
Sisters and Brothers:  Nola, Gwendolyn, Fiona, Adrienne, Cleo, Desmond, Jasper, Marshall, Duncan, Luther
Malcolm is a Scottish perennial bursting with offbeat charisma.  For African-Americans, it has also been a political statement.  Considering the name’s familiarity and broad appeal, it has remained surprisingly uncommon.

Name of the Day: Zoe

Today’s post might be a little shorter than usual.  I just went to my first portrait photography class last night, and I’m moving kind of slowly this morning.  I’ve only got about ten minutes to write!

The Name of the Day today is #58 on the U.S. popularity charts, and it shows signs of rising still higher.  There, I’ve said it!

Zoe seems to be getting a lot of love lately; it is more popular than it has ever been in the past 100 years.  It falls right in with the modern fashion:  two syllables, short and sweet, unusual first letter, lively meaning, and ends with the -ee sound (like Riley and Kylie).

Is it any wonder this name has seen a huge jump in popularity?  With all of that going for it, I ‘m guessing Zoe might climb even higher over the next few years.

But really, is that a bad thing?  I don’t think so.  After all, I’d much rather see ten Zoes than have to stumble over still more Kayla/Kyla/Kayleigh/Kylies.  At least it’s distinctive.  (No offense to anyone with those names; it’s just that it’s hard to keep them straight.)

Unfortunately, all of this popularity for Zoe comes with a price:  tryndy misspellings.  I’ve seen both Zooey and Zoey on kids at my school.  Whenever I read their names from the class roster, I always want to call them Zoo-ey.  As in, I have to physically MAKE my tongue turn it into Zoe before I embarrass us all.

I don’t know if I will put this name on the list for our hypothetical future child (Hypothetical Future Child:  that should be a band name!) — it sure is tempting.  Usually I prefer longer, frillier names, but there’s just something I love about Zoe.  It’s brisk and sweet; lively and ladylike.

I’m happy for its recent popularity.  Really.

Viva Zoe! 

Less Popular Alternatives to Zoe
Daphne
Xanthe (somebody use it, please!)
Circe
Phoebe
Zora
Xenia
Xena
Zara

from AskOxford
From a Greek name meaning ‘life’. This was already in use in Rome towards the end of the classical period (at first as an affectionate nickname), and was popular with the early Christians, who bestowed it with reference to their hopes of eternal life. It was borne by martyrs of the 2nd and 3rd centuries, but was taken up as an English given name only in the 19th century.

from Behind the Name
Means “life” in Greek. From early times it was adopted by Hellenized Jews as a translation of EVE. It was borne by two early Christian saints, one martyred under emperor Hadrian, the other martyred under Diocletian. The name was common in the Byzantine Empire, being borne by a ruling empress of the 11th century. As an English name, Zoe has only been in use since the 19th century. It has generally been more common among Eastern Christians (in various spellings).

from NameBerry
Zoe has been zooming up the popularity lists (up 450 places in fifteen years). It was chosen by celebs from Rosanna Arquette to Woody Harrelson and used for a popular TV character name; a perfect fitting in/standing out choice — though it’s increasingly leaning toward the fitting in side of the equation.

from Baby Name Wizard
Style:  Greek, Little Darlings, Nickname-Proof
Sisters and Brothers:  Maya, Chloe, Nia, Ava, Piper, Ian, Noah, Liam, Eli, Wyatt
If you want to know how surprising the popularity of Zoe is, just look at Sesame Street.  They like to keep their Muppet names far from the mainstream:  Kermit, Grover, Elmo.  When the character Zoe was created, it seemed a safe bet.  But the vitality of this name was bound to catch on eventually, and it has in a hurry.  A lovably quirky hit.

Welsh Names for Boys

Part II:  same disclaimers as yesterday.

So, does a person have to actually have Welsh heritage to use any of these names?  I’m not entirely sure where I stand on that question.

Of course, if your grandparents came straight over from Wales fifty years ago, you’re golden.  I can’t imagine that anybody would roll their eyes if you named your son Dafydd.  If they did, then they would be a jerk.

But what about someone who has no ties whatsoever with Welsh culture?  What about someone who spent a couple of years in Wales when they were in college, but they live in the U.S.?  What about someone who just likes the sound of Welsh names?  These are trickier questions.

I’m not sure how I would feel if I met a young Culhwch (it means “hiding place of the pig;” isn’t that cute?) whose parents obviously had no Welsh heritage or ties whatsoever.  It could easily sound just the teensiest bit pretentious; I think it would probably depend on the name, though.

Which is why I have considered these lists carefully.  I’ve tried to include only names that would be usable in the U.S., but even so, there is a spectrum involved here.  Anybody and their brother could get away with being called Rhys, since that name now has plenty of associations (though it still sounds Welsh).  Disgleirio, though?  Well, you’ll have to use your own judgment.

If your surname sounds either Welsh, British in some fashion, or culturally ambiguous, then I think you’ll have an easier time with the world in general if you want to use a Welsh name.

Cymru am byth!

Aeron – berry
Alwyn – (the name of a river)
Arwel – (unknown)
Berwyn – white head
Bevan – son of Evan
Bran – raven
Bryn – hill
Cadoc – battle
Cadogan – glory in battle
Caradoc – beloved
Carwyn – blessed love
Dafydd – (Welsh form of David)
Dai – to shine
Delwyn – pretty and white/blessed
Dylan – great tide
Ellis – kind
Emrys – immortal
Gareth – (unknown)
Gawain – white hawk
Glyn – valley
Griffith – prince
Howell – eminent
Idris – ardent lord
Ivor – bow warrior
Llywelyn – Lug and Belenus (two god names)
Nye – noble
Owain – (possibly) youthful lamb
Rhodri – wheel king
Rhys – enthusiasm
Trevor – big village
Tristan – riot, tumult
Tudor – ruler of the people
Urien – privileged birth
Wynn – blessed, white, fair

Welsh Names for Girls

I’ve recently had the brilliant (at least it seemed that way last night) idea to make lists of names from different countries that would probably work well in the United States.  So, every other week or so, I plan to post said list on this-here blog thingy.

Fair warning:  I have not actually been to any of these countries.  I don’t know anyone from any of these countries.  I do not speak the languages, nor do I consider myself any kind of an expert in any way as to whether or not these names are currently usable in their respective countries of origin.  All I’m doing is listing names that I think would transfer well to the U.S.

In order for a name to make my lists, it has to be fairly intuitive to pronounce, or else easily/already Anglified (yes, I just made that word up.  The real word is Anglicized; I just like Anglified better).

The names on these lists also have to have a certain feel to them — a feel that “hey, this name belongs distinctly to the country in question.”  Yes, Maria is used in lots of different countries, but it feels so international that it probably won’t make any of these lists.  Some of the names on these lists will be cognates of other names, but I’ve included them because they still have that exotic feel to them.

And so, without further ado …

Welsh Girl Names

Is there a language more utterly incomprehensible to English speakers than Welsh?  You don’t have to answer that question — I’m sure we’ll find some more as we go. 

There is something so romantic about Welsh names.  They make me think of rolling hills, covered in lush green grass and sheep.  Which is probably the very association the Welsh Assembly Government wants us to have.

I think Welsh names are great for people who like the feel of Gaelic names but are bored with all of the fake-y Irish names being used out there (I’m looking directly at you, Kaitlyn).

I’ve also included the meanings of these names; I love the meanings of Welsh names possibly even more than I love the sound of them.

So, who do I think should actually USE Welsh names?  Stay tuned tomorrow to find out!  (I know, you’re on the edge of your seat!)

**********

Alis – (Welsh form of Alice)
Angharad – more love
Anwen – very beautiful
Bethan – (Welsh form of Elizabeth)
Blodwen – white flowers
Branwen – beautiful raven
Bronwen – white-breasted
Carys – love
Ceridwen – blessed poetry
Deryn – bird
Eilwen – white brow
Eira – snow
Eirian – bright, beautiful
Eirlys – snowdrop
Eirwen – white snow
Eleri – (unknown)
Enid – soul, life
Ffion – foxglove
Guinevere – white wave
Gwen – white, fair, blessed
Gwendolen – white ring
Gwenllian – white flax
Hefina – summer
Lewella – Lug and Belenus (two god names)
Mairwen – blessed Mary
Meinwen – slender and white
Morwenna – maiden
Myfanwy – my woman
Nimue – (unknown)
Owena – (possibly) youthful lamb
Rhiannon – great queen
Rhonwen – fair spear (or hair)
Seren – star
Tegan – fair
Tesni – warmth from the sun
Winifred – fair peace

Name of the Day: Wesley

When I was in high school, I had a friend who was into Star Trek.  We’re talking REALLY into Star Trek.  As in, she had a wall mural of Saturn, posters of the crew of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701D, and model starships suspended via fishing line from her ceiling.  When we exchanged notes in class, she always signed them LLAP.  If you know what that stands for, you are one of us.  Bwa ha ha.

Like any good devot, she dragged me down into her madness.  During my freshman year of high school, I had a vague sense of who Jean Luc Picard was, but that was about it.  By the end of my senior year, not only did I have a uniform, but I had actually worn it in public.  On a couple of occasions.  And it was a medical officer’s uniform, commander rank.  With a (borrowed) communicator.  That chirped.

As was the case with all truly devoted young Trekkers of the mid-90s, both of us shared a marked antipathy toward the wunderkind of the crew:  Dr. Crusher’s son Wesley.  That annoying, snivelling little smart kid.  Just because the captain had the hots for Wesley’s mother, Wesley got to be an “honorary” member of the bridge crew.  And — because he was clearly a genius — he actually did save the ship on several occasions during the first season.

Our mantra was, “Shut up, Wesley.”

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that we were probably jealous.  To two outcast-by-default teenage girls, Wesley represented those people to whom everything comes easily in life.  People whose talents were recognized and appreciated by the grown-ups.  Popular, arrogant people.

Man, how I hated Wesley Crusher.

But over the years, I have come to learn a few things about myself — one of which being the fact that things which annoy me are usually pretty good indicators of my own insecurities.

So the name Wesley no longer inspires the kind of mental retching that would have been typical for me fifteen years ago.  In fact, I have come to like the name quite a bit, now that I have been able to separate it from the character.

Wesley is originally a surname, which causes it to lose some points in the minds of some Namies.  I’m not wild about that fact, but it still doesn’t change my overall positive opinion of the name.  And, since I had a student named Wesley last year, I have seen firsthand how the name wears in daily life.  It stands out nicely from all of the other boy names out there nowadays.  Imagine, if you will, a teacher reading out the roll call:  “Aidan, Jacob, Cayden, Ben, Jayden, and … Wesley.”  The rhythm is very distinctive.

Go ahead and use Wesley with my blessing.  Resistance is futile.

Till next time, LLAP!

from AskOxford
From the surname of the founder of the Methodist Church, John Wesley (1703–91), and his brother Charles (1707–88), who was also influential in the movement. Their family must have come originally from one or other of the various places in England called Westley, the ‘western wood, clearing, or meadow’. The given name was at first confined to members of the Methodist Church, but is now widely used without reference to its religious connotations.

from Behind the Name
From a surname which was derived from a place name meaning “west meadow” in Old English.

from NameBerry
Though not very fashionable — and with a feminine lilt thanks to its similarity to Lesley and Ashley — this surname of the founder of Methodism is still given to around two thousand baby boys each year.

from Baby Name Wizard
Style:  Last Names First, Timeless
Sisters and Brothers:  Lindsay, Whitney, Kristen, Courtney, Lacy, Marcus, Jesse, Bryant, Clayton, Bradley
Wesley was originally used to honor Methodist Church founder John Wesley, but it’s now well established as a secular name with a preppy style.  Action movie star Wesley Snipes has lent it some much-needed toughness, and the nickname Wes helps tone down the preppiness.