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Tag Archives: Breton names

Boys Names from the Top 100 of the 1940s

08 Sunday Mar 2015

Posted by A.O. in Name Themes and Lists

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Anglo-Saxon names, animal names, aristocratic names, aristocratic surnames, aristocratic titles, Biblical names, Breton names, CB radio voice procedures, classic names, english names, ethnonyms, fictional namesakes, French names, Gaelic names, germanic names, Greek names, Irish names, Latin names, locational names, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name trends, names from television, names from video games, names of flags, nicknames, Norse names, papal names, Roman names, royal names, saints names, Scottish names, slang terms, surname names, US name trends, Welsh names

AUGUST-15-1945-Ern-Hill-the-Dancing-Man-in-Eliza-5741858

Alan
Breton name, common amongst aristocracy, introduced to England by the Normans, where it became one of the most popular names. The meaning is uncertain – the word alan was used in Brittany to mean “fox”, but evidence suggests it originally meant “deer”. The two meanings may both refer to someone with red hair, or to indicate speed. There is also an Irish name Ailin, meaning “little rock”, very similar to the Irish/Scots Gaelic word alainn, meaning “handsome”, while the Welsh Alun may mean either “nurturing” or “wandering”. When the Normans brought Alan with them, the name spread to Scotland as Breton lords gained lands there – perhaps partly because the Scots already had similar names. Another theory is that the name comes from the Alans, Indo-Iranian peoples who settled in parts of France and Brittany in the Middle Ages; their name has the same origin as Aryan, meaning “noble”. There are several saints named Alan. Alan is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #55 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1940s at #20, leaving the Top 100 in the 1980s. It has recently had a small rise in popularity, and is around the 300s. Surname variants Allan and Allen have also been popular; Allen is back on the charts, while Allan has disappeared. I have seen a few babies named Alan and Allen lately.

Cecil
English form of the Roman family Caecilius. The Caecilii traced their ancestry back to the mythical figure Caeculus, a son of the smith god Vulcan. According to legend, Caeculus had mastery over fire, and was unharmed by it, although the smoke damaged his eyes, which were smaller than usual – his name means “little blind boy” in Latin. Another story is that the Caecilii were descended from Caecas, a follower of the legendary Roman hero Aeneas: his name means “blind” as well, although it also can be translated as “dark, secret”. Of course both these tales are just folklore. The name Cecil has been used since the Middle Ages, and it was also given in honour of the noble Cecil family, whose surname comes from the name Seisyll, Welsh form of the Roman name Sextilius, from Sextus, meaning “sixth”. Cecil was #18 in the 1900s, and was #89 in the 1940s. It left the Top 100 the following decade, and dropped off the charts in the 1970s. I recently saw a baby Cecil, and I think this name seems pretty hip.

Clifford
English surname, from a village in Herefordshire meaning “ford at the cliff”. The Cliffords are a noble family who originally came over with the Normans, and were prominent in medieval England. One of their members was Rosamund Clifford, “The Fair Rosamund”, who was the mistress of Henry II. Clifford has been used as a first name since at least the 16th century. Clifford was #61 in the 1900s, peaking in the 1910s and 1920s at #59. It was #92 in the 1940s, left the Top 100 the following decade, and was off the charts by the 1990s. This name will remind many parents of the classic children’s book series, Clifford the Big Red Dog. It seems strong and solid.

Desmond
Anglicised form of the Irish surname O’Deasmhumhnaigh, meaning “son of the man from Desmond”. Desmond is the original name for South-West Munster, and means “south Munster”. Munster means “land of Muma”; Muma was a goddess associated with writing. Desmond became prominent as an aristocratic title, as the Earls of Desmond were lords of Ireland, related to royal houses in England and France. Their family name was FitzGerald, and US President J.F. Kennedy is believed to have been descended from them. Desmond has been used as a personal name since the 18th century, and originated outside Ireland. Desmond was #127 in the 1900s, joined the Top 100 in the 1920s, and peaked in the 1940s at #66. It left the Top 100 in the 1960s, and dropped off the charts in the early 2000s. This name is rising in popularity in the US, and I wonder if that could happen here too? Desmond Miles from the Assassin’s Creed video game series, and Desmond from Lost are contemporary namesakes.

Gregory
From the Greek name Gregorios, meaning “watchful”. Because the Latin for “flock” is grex, it became understood as “shepherd”, the idea being that the shepherd would keep watch over his flock. Because of this, it became a popular name for monks and bishops to adopt, and there have been dozens of saints and 16 popes with the name Gregory. Pope Gregory I was known as Gregory the Great, and he is famous for sending Christian missionaries to England to covert the Anglo-Saxons, and for the Gregorian chant, which is attributed to and named after him. Because of him, Gregory has been a common English name since the Middle Ages. Gregory is a classic name which has never left the charts. It was #143 in the 1900s, and joined the Top 100 in the 1930s. It was #34 in the 1940s, and peaked in the 1950s at #7 (when Gregory Peck was big in Hollywood). It didn’t leave the Top 100 until the 1990s, and is currently around the 600s and fairly stable. It may not be stylish, but this is a solid choice.

Maurice
French form of Roman name Mauritius, derived from Maurus, meaning “man from Mauretania”. Mauretania was a region of the Roman Empire where north Africa is today, so the name is often understood as “dark-skinned”, and sometimes translated as “a Moor” (the old name for someone from northern Africa). The name became commonly used because of St Maurice, a 3rd century Egyptian who served in the Roman army. According to legend, he was part of a Christian legion who refused to kill other Christians, and were martyred together. As a Roman soldier, St Maurice was patron of the Holy Roman Emperors and many of the royal houses of Europe, so his name became used by royalty and nobility. Prince Maurice of Battenberg was Queen Victoria’s youngest grand-child; he was killed in action during World War I. Maurice was #71 in the 1900s and peaked in the 1920s at #52. It was #82 in the 1940s, and left the Top 100 the following decade; it dropped off the charts in the 1990s. Maurice has a rather nerdy image, although AFL fans may be reminded of footballing great Maurice Rioli. It can be said muh-REES or MOR-is, with Reese or Morrie as the nicknames.

Norman
Germanic nickname or surname meaning “north man”, referring to Vikings. The Normans were descendants of Vikings who had taken over and settled the region of northern France now known as Normandy. Later a Norman duke named William conquered England, so that the Normans became an important part of British history and culture. The name Norman or Normant was used in England even before the Conquest, and became more common after 1066, although dropped off again in the late Middle Ages. It never went out of use, but became much more popular in the 19th century, due to the Victorian love of anything antique-sounding. In Scotland, it was used to Anglicise the Norse/Gaelic name Tormod, meaning “courage of Thor”. Norman was #19 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1920s at #14. It was #46 in the 1940s, left the Top 100 in the 1960s, and disappeared from the charts in the 1990s. There are many Australian namesakes, from artist Norman Lindsay to comedian Norman Gunston to pop star Normie Rowe. Many people still remember Norm, from the Life. Be in it fitness campaign, representing a pot-bellied man as “the norm”.

Raymond
The Germanic name Raginmund is composed of ragin, meaning “advice, counsel” and mund, “protection”; it is sometimes translated as “protected by good counsel”. The Normans introduced it to England in the form Reimund, where it became very common in the Middle Ages. It was a traditional name amongst medieval nobility, and there are several medieval saints called Raymond. Never out of use, Raymond is a classic name which has always remained on the charts. It was #33 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1940s at #9. It left the Top 100 in the 1990s, and hit its lowest point in 2009 at #326. Since then it has improved its popularity ranking, and is currently in the 200s. With Roy- names so fashionable, Ray- names cannot help getting a boost as well, and Raymond is not only a solid classic choice, but one which has recently gained some cachet. Plenty of parents love Raymond!

Roger
From a Germanic name meaning “famous spear”. The Normans introduced the name to England in the form Rogier, where it replaced the Anglo-Saxon form, Hroðgar or Hrothgar, which is found in the poem Beowulf as the name of a Danish king. The name was common in medieval England, heavily used by the aristocracy, and there are a couple of saints named Roger. It has never gone out of common use, even though roger was a slang term for “penis” – possibly because of the spear connection. More recently, roger has become understood as “to have sexual intercourse”. It has often been chosen for comic characters, such as the Beano‘s Roger the Dodger, Roger Ramjet, Roger Rabbit, Roger the alien from American Dad, and Roger the Shrubber from Monty Python’s Holy Grail (not to mention “Welease Woger” in The Life of Brian). Roger was #155 in the 1900s, joined the Top 100 in the 1930s and peaked in the 1940s at #57. It left the Top 100 in the 1970s, and dropped off the charts in the late 2000s, albeit with a sudden burst of use in 2009, when it got up to #384. Although perhaps too many jokes have been made at its expense, the pirate flag of the Jolly Roger, and radio procedure call of Roger give it a rollicking feel.

Stephen
English form of the Greek name Stephanos, meaning “wreath, crown”, to denote the laurel wreath worn by those who achieved victory in contests. In the New Testament, St Stephen was a deacon of the early church who was martyred by stoning. As the first martyr, St Stephen’s name seems apt, and he is often said to have won his martyr’s crown. There are several other saints with the name, and nine popes. The name Stephen became more popular in England after the Norman Conquest, and although it is a common name for royalty in eastern Europe, there has only ever been one English king with the name. Stephen of Blois was a grandson of William the Conqueror who took the throne in controversial circumstances; his rule marked a period of anarchy as he fought the Empress Matilda for the right to rule. In the end he failed, and his name has never been used again for a British king. Never out of common use, Stephen is a classic name which has remained on the charts. It was #72 in the 1900s, was #36 in the 1940s, and peaked in the 1950s at #5. It didn’t leave the Top 100 until the early 2000s, and is currently fairly stable around the 300s. The variant Steven, in use since the Middle Ages, is more popular than Stephen, around the 200s.

POLL RESULTS
People’s favourite names were Desmond, Stephen and Gregory, and their least favourite were Roger, Maurice and Norman.

(Picture shows the famous “dancing man” from the joyous celebrations in the streets of Sydney which marked the end of World War II in August 1945)

Famous Name: Harvey

28 Wednesday May 2014

Posted by A.O. in Famous Names, Requested Names

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

birth notices, Breton names, english names, famous namesakes, French names, Gaelic names, Gallic names, Irish names, mythological names, name history, name meaning, name popularity, Old Breton names, popular names, retro names, saints names, surname names, UK name trends, US name trends

 

world-no-tobacco-day-rose-graphicFamous Namesake
On May 31 it will be World No Tobacco Day, encouraging smokers to abstain from tobacco for just 24 hours. World No Tobacco Day was started by the UN’s World Health Organization in 1987, and each year there is a new theme: this year it is “Raise taxes on tobacco”. Should you wish to celebrate No Tobacco Day by giving up smoking, information and support can be gained from a number of government and community services.

The number of Australian smokers has dropped dramatically since World War II. In 1945, about three-quarters of men and a quarter of women smoked every day. Today it’s 16% of men and 13% of women, with numbers continuing to fall, making us one of the most successful countries at reducing smoking in the English-speaking world. That can be attributed to vigorous public anti-tobacco campaigns running since the 1980s.

Australia’s campaign against smoking began with William Harvey, a distinguished thoracic physician who devoted his lengthy career to the study and treatment of tuberculosis after his father (also a doctor) contracted the disease. Harvey had the satisfaction of seeing TB become less common, due to better testing and treatment, but over time he became concerned at the growing incidence of lung cancer.

In 1965 he helped found the Australian Council on Smoking and Health as part of his campaign against smoking, and was its president from 1966 to 1975. This didn’t make him popular with some, especially tobacco companies, who continued to deny there was any link between smoking and disease. However, William Harvey had been a POW during World War II who continued caring for his patients even as disease threatened his own life. He didn’t believe in giving up.

He visited schools and sporting bodies, he wrote to the newspapers, and he persuaded other doctors and medical organisations to join him in his campaign against tobacco. One of his achievements was the banning of cigarette vending machines in hospitals. Progress seemed slow, but he persisted, saying that he had great faith in “the inevitability of gradualness”. A devoted family man, Harvey was a keen gardener and surfer into his twilight years, and played golf, tennis and bowls. He passed away suddenly in 1981 at the age of 84 – a good advertisement for a life of healthy non-smoking.

William Harvey didn’t live to see the big government campaigns against smoking of the 1980s, but their existence and determination owe a great debt to his dedication and energy. And if I can reveal my hand, I have friends and family members who have given up smoking, and as a result I have got to spend many more years with them, or seen them live happier, healthier lives. Every one of them was convinced to give up by anti-smoking campaigns, so from the bottom of my heart, I thank you William Harvey.

Name Information
Harvey is an English surname, and one of the earliest recorded. It is derived from the Breton personal name Huiarnuiu derived from the Old Breton name Huiarnviu, meaning “blazing iron”. The Gallic form of the name is Hervé, and St Hervé (or St Harvey) is one of Brittany’s most popular saints.

Hervé was born blind, and was a 6th century hermit and bard known for his humility. According to legend, he had the power to cure animals, and was always accompanied by a wolf. The story goes the wolf had eaten the ox that the saint used for ploughing, and St Hervé made such an eloquent sermon that the wolf volunteered to pull the plough instead, in penitence.

One of the followers of William the Conqueror during the Conquest was named Hereueu, another form of the Breton name. Use of the name as a surname followed almost immediately after the arrival of men with the first name, and is first found in Norfolk, where the Harvey family were granted lands for their services at the Battle of Hastings.

In Ireland, Harvey was used to Anglicise the Gaelic surname O’hAirmheadhaigh, meaning “grandson of Airmed”. Airmed is a goddess from Irish mythology, known for being a healer during a great battle. As she wept over the grave of her brother, who had been slain by her father, all the healing herbs of the world sprang up, watered by her tears. Airmed gathered them into her cloak, but her father scattered the herbs, so that no person can ever know all the secrets of herbalism – only Airmed. Her name is identical to a word meaning “a measure of grain”, although I’m not sure if that is the origin of the name.

Harvey was also used to Anglicise the Gaelic surname Ó hEarchaidh, meaning “son of Earchadh”. Earchadh is an Irish name that I have seen translated as “noble warrior”. By the way, William Harvey was very proud of his Irish Protestant heritage, so his surname was Irish, although most likely of English origin rather than Gaelic.

The name Harvey was #167 in the 1900s, and peaked in the 1940s at #141 – perhaps because of a family of cricketers from Victoria with the surname Harvey who flourished around this time. Harvey disappeared from the charts from the 1960s to the 1980s, but made a comeback in the 1990s when it ranked at #581.

Interestingly, this was the time when retail chain Harvey Norman, co-founded by maverick businessman Gerry Harvey, became a “superstore” business, with massive expansion. The name Harvey zoomed up the charts to make #314 for the early 2000s and #243 for the late 2000s. Harvey peaked in 2010 at #149, and then began dipping the next year – this coincides with Gerry Harvey’s unpopular campaign to make consumers pay Goods and Services Tax on items bought online from overseas websites.

Although Harvey is in the 100s in New South Wales, it is a Top 100 name in Victoria. Harvey entered the Victorian Top 100 in 2010, debuting at #100, and last year made #64. If you are in Victoria you probably think of Harvey as a popular and rising name, while in other states, Harvey may seem fashionable but underused. It is not clear at present if other states will follow Victoria’s lead, but as Harvey is Top 100 in the UK, and rising in the US, international trends suggest Harvey’s popularity here may be increasing.

Harvey is a cute, spunky name for boy, but there’s also something strong and masculine about it. This retro name has been underused for most of its history, and is now making a comeback – in at least one state, it is more popular now than at any other time. This may give some parents the jitters. Although it has only ever charted as a boy’s name, I have seen Harvey on a few girls in birth notices, and the Irish goddess does give this some legitimacy as a name for both genders.

POLL RESULT
Harvey received an excellent approval rating of 75%, making it one of the highest-rated names for 2014. People saw the name Harvey as strong and manly (20%), cute and boyish (16%), and traditional without being stuffy (13%). However, 11% were reminded too strongly of Harvey Norman stores. There was a strong preference for Harvey being reserved for boys only, with 18% saying it was only suitable for boys, and just 2% believing it could be used for both genders.

Thank you to Vanessa for suggesting the name Harvey be featured on Waltzing More Than Matilda.

Names From Bonds Baby Search: British-ish Names

17 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by A.O. in Baby Contests

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

Breton names, Cornish names, Irish names, mythological names, Scottish names, Welsh names

These are names from the British languages of Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, Scotland and Brittany. I’ve called the list “British-ish” because many of the names have been Anglicised or are otherwise “inspired” by these languages rather than being strictly authentic. If you’re thinking there are many names missing, they could well turn up on other lists … Pronunciations and origins to the best of my knowledge.

GIRLS

Aneira (Welsh)

Aoife (EEF-ya – Irish)

Ashleen (variant modern Irish)

Bree (Anglicised Irish)

Bridget (Anglicised Irish)

Cailin (ka-LEEN – faux-Irish)

Carys (modern Welsh)

Ciara (KEE-ruh – Irish)

Eilish (EE-leesh – Anglicised Irish)

Fianna (fee-ANN-uh – Irish)

Isibeal (ISH-ih-bale – Irish)

Maela (MAH-el-uh – Breton)

Niamh (NEEV – Irish)

Nimueh (NIM-oo-ay – variant mythological Welsh)

Rhiannon (mythological Welsh)

Saoirse (SEER-sha – modern Irish)

Seren (modern Welsh)

Shayla (faux-Irish)

Sian (SHAHN – Welsh)

Sinead (SHIN-ayd – Irish)

Siobhan (SHIV-on – Irish)

Tegan (modern Welsh)

 

BOYS

Braith (Welsh?)

Brendan (Latinised Irish)

Bryn (Welsh)

Cadel (Welsh)

Caelan (KAY-len – Anglicised Irish)

Cian (KEEN – Irish)

Cillian (KIL-ee-an – Irish)

Denzel (variant Cornish?)

Duncan (Scottish)

Eamon (AY-mon – Irish)

Eoghan (O-in – Scottish/Irish)

Ewan (Anglicised Scottish/Irish)

Fergus (Anglicised Scottish/Irish)

Finlay (Anglicised Scottish/Irish)

Fionn (FIN – Irish)

Griffin (Latinised Welsh)

Ian (Scottish)

Jock (Scottish)

Kormak (variant Scottish/Irish)

Lorcan (Irish)

Malachy (MAL-uh-kee – Irish)

Morgan (Anglicised Welsh)

Neil (Irish/Scottish)

Oistin (OHS-teen – Irish)

Ronan (Irish)

Ruairidh (RAWR-ee – Irish)

Seirian (modern Welsh)

Shea (SHAY – Anglicised Irish)

Talisyn (variant mythological Welsh)

Taryn (variant modern Welsh?)

Tighe (TYGE – Irish)

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