Katniss Everdeen; Image via Wikipedia

Did you read the Fetching Names posts on The Hermiones?  (No?  Catch up with Part I and Part II.)  To be a Hermione, a name has to be many things, but the basic definition is this: vintage, but not delicate.  Clunky, but still cool.

On the original post punkprincessphd wrote this comment: ” … let us *raise* our daughters to be Hermiones, and don’t just stop at naming them such. But to go one step further, I wouldn’t mind if my daughter was a little bit Katniss, too.”

Katniss Everdeen, heroine of The Hunger Games trilogy, has much in common with Hermione Granger.  But her name is different.  It’s modern, but not invented.  Feminine, but not obviously so.  And like The Hermiones, the name has to exude strength.  But while Miss Granger is all about intellect, Miss Everdeen relies on an almost preternatural instinct.

And so here it is: The Katnisses, bold – even heroic – names for a daughter.

Aderyn – Katniss is an underdog from a neglected part of her world.  Something about District 12 brings to mind twentieth century Wales, and it pushes Aderyn to the top of this list.  A modern Welsh name meaning bird, Aderyn is less obvious than Lark or Wren, but still a definite nature name.  Call her Addie and she’ll blend in, but Aderyn is a stand-out.

Alix – Naming your daughter Charlie or Evan doesn’t make the list, but Alix does.  A medieval French variant of Alice worn by European royals into the twentieth century and still in use in France today, Alix splits the difference between borrowing from the boys and finding a feminine name with a unisex sound.

Briar – Like Katniss and Aderyn, Briar makes for a frills-free nature name.  This one only counts, however, if you resist the urge to pair it with Rose, the original appellation of fairy tale princess Sleeping Beauty.  Disney re-christened her Aurora, so the current generation won’t see her as a member of the tiara club, but parents and grandparents might get the reference.  Still, the image of a thorn-filled briar patch fits right in with Katniss.

Clio – Full disclosure: this is my daughter’s name.  Since Clio is originally a Greek muse, she almost qualifies for the Hermione list.  Except that -o ending screams modern, especially for girls.  Spell it Cleo and she’s a legendary Egyptian queen with a thing for eyeliner.  Similar in sound to the mega-popular Chloe, Clio is different, but still recognizable.

Echo – Like Clio, she’s not really new.  But the Greek nymph’s name sounds ever so modern.  Layer in the tough-as-nails character Eliza Dushku played on short-lived Fox-series Dollhouse and Echo resonates.

Elke – A short form of Adelaide whispered down the alley, this noble name is a cousin to fellow list member Alix, an there’s also an unrelated Hebrew name.  Elke makes the list for two reasons – she’s short and high energy, but there’s also her resemblance to the mighty elk.  Names like Fawn are sweetly feminine, but Elke has an edge.

Ever/Everild – Depending on your perspective, Ever is either a modern word name or a traditional appellation that coincidentally resembles the adverb.  Everild is one form of an old saint’s name referring to battle.  Both feel distinctively modern and sharp, as does Katniss’ last name – Everdeen.

Greer – She’s rather harsh in sound, a traditional surname related to Gregory by way of Scotland.  Oscar-winning actress Greer Garson was born Eileen; Greer was her mother’s maiden name.  Ms. Garson put the name firmly in girls’ territory.  Brooke Shields named her younger daughter Grier.

Landry – Now considered a surname, but originally a given name worn by a trio of medieval saints, Landry was one of several similar names on the very first draft of this list.  Hadley and Langley were both cut, but something about Landry endures.  While the original Landrys were male, and typically appear in the historical record as the Latinized Landericus, the name hasn’t seen much use in our era, making it fair game for both genders.

Leta – Similar names and alternate spellings include Leto, Leda, and Lida, but this version made the list thanks to über-blogger Heather Armstrong’s elder daughter, Leta Elise.  Yes, it conjures up swans and Spartan queens, but also rock icon and Runaways alum Lita Ford.  Lila and Lily are lovely, but Leta is courageous.

Luca/Lux – Luca is a traditional boy’s name, and lux is the Latin word for light.  Both have made occasional appearances on the girls’ lists.  Luca is the middle daughter of Jennie Garth and Peter Facinelli, and also a Hungarian form of Lucia - currently hovering just outside their Top Ten.  Lux is among the troubled sisters in Jeffrey Eugenides’ grim and grisly novel-turned-movie The Virgin Suicides.  We love Lucy and all of her many elaborations, but she’s not quite a Katniss.  Luca and Lux are – the feminine equivalents of another young hero, Luke Skywalker.

What names have I missed?  What should be included on the second half of the list?  And would you use any of these names, or are you more of a Hermione type?

Zona Gale; Image via Wikipedia

She’s a blast from the past, a once common name worn by a famous writer.  Today, she’s all but unknown – and not likely to return.

Thanks to Beth one from her family tree for our Baby Name of the Day: Zona.

Zona literally translates to girdle in Greek.  Plenty of ancient mythologies considered them garments of great power – Aphrodite’s could ignite love and passion.  Ishtar’s girdle kept the world fruitful and multiplying.  They could be borrowed and stolen, and men wore them, too – Odysseus had a magic one that was part-life vest, and Thor stored his weapons in one.  They’re little more than a belt.

Since then, girdles evolved to a sort of women’s foundation garment, something to cinch in the waist, and then changed once more, to something also as obsolete as a petticoat.

Zona is also the source of our word zone – a geographic belt.  The sense has expanded until zone is synonymous with area.

I’m not clear if the given name is related to the Greek word.  But here’s what I do know: Zona ranked in the US Top 1000 from 1880 through 1941.  A few possible origins include:

• Other -ona names were big in the era – Nona, Ona, Lona, Leona, Dona, Mona, Iona, Arizona, Winona, Ramona, Verona, and Frona all ranked in the Top 1000.  And short, seemingly invented Z-names were in favor, too, including Zella, Zula, Zora, Zelma, Zola, Zetta, Zilpha, Zada, Zettie, Zelda, Zoa, Zelia, and Zana.
• Zona has Serbian roots, too, though I can’t pin down a specific origin.  A 1906 novel was titled Zona Zamfirova, and it was successfully adapted for the big screen in 2002.  In the story, a rich man’s daughter – Zona – falls for an ordinary Joe.  All ends happily.

Speaking of literature, Zona Gale was born in Wisconsin in 1874, became a writer, and eventually the first woman to the win the Pulitzer Prize for drama.  Gale was well-educated – she earned a master’s degree – and worked as a journalist in New York before returning home to devote herself to fiction.  Her stage adaptation of her bestseller Miss Lulu Bett would win her the Pulitzer in 1921.  In the story, Lulu strikes out on her own, leaving an unappreciative family and a failed marriage.  Besides her literary triumphs, Gale was a suffragette and activist.

There’s another nineteenth Zona, and her story is very sad.  Zona Heaster was murdered by her husband in 1897.  The crime might have gone undiscovered, but shortly after Zona’s funeral, her mother claimed that her daughter’s ghost appeared and explained that her death was no mere accidental fall, but murder.  Her mother successfully campaigned to have her daughter’s body exhumed, and an autopsy performed.  Sure enough, Zona had met a bad end, and her husband spent the remainder of his days in prison.

All of this makes Zona feel like an intriguing forgotten name with a modern sound.  And yet there is one almost insurmountable problem.  In Hebrew, Zona translates to prostitute – and that’s a gentle translation.  In our ever-so-connected world, this fact would be readily discovered by a daughter.

If you have Zona on your family tree, she’s a lovely choice for the middle spot, with her subtle connection to mythology and her literary pedigree.  But as a given name, it seems likely to prove challenging.  There are many other Zo- names from the same era without baggage.  Then again, I’m not certain how widely known zona is as an insult in the US.  Have you heard it?  And is it a deal-breaker?

You might not recognize Lady Gaga or Katy Perry, and you’re forgiven if you can’t tell the difference between Coldplay and Franz Ferdinand.  But very few of us don’t instantly know a Beatles song.  Plenty of the titles are pleasing appellations, and even more names are mentioned in their lyrics.

Abbey – The legendary Abbey Road, one of the most successful in a long string of successful recordings brings to mind the mega-popular Abigail, a Biblical good girl that shortens to Abby.  Abbey Road is a real place, pictured on the iconic album cover and home to Abbey Road Studios – hence, the name.  There’s no song with Abby in the lyrics, but there’s a Beatles link that might still appeal.

Clarabella – Okay, I take it back.  You might not recognize “Clarabella.”  Originally written for and recorded by another pop group in the 1960s, the fab four performed this one live on the BBC in 1963.  It would be decades before it was released as a recording.  If you like frilly valentines like Arabella and Elisabetta, Clarabella has a lot of appeal – plus you get to tell those who ask that you named your girl after an obscure Beatles song.

Desmond - The single “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” is tremendous fun, and instantly recognizable, but the writing team quarreled over the lyrics and it was never performed live by the quartet.  Desmond, however, has another musical link – it is said that Paul McCartney was referring to reggae great Desmond Dekker.

Eleanor – She’s not a happy figure, dying lonely at the end of the song, but the haunting song is certainly memorable.

Harrison – Name your son John, Paul, or George doesn’t scream Fab Four.  (Though Ringo would raise a few eyebrows.)  In our age of Jackson and Carson, George’s surname isn’t necessarily a tribute, either – making it a subtle option for a superfan.

Jude – Said to be originally written for John’s son Julian, “Hey Jude” is both a single and an album title.  It’s a musical note for the Old Testament Judah, but this is no mere nickname.  Thanks to the song and Hollywood A-lister Jude Law, this name stands on its own.

Julia – Like Clarabella, this is a serious rarity, but a meaningful one.  A solo composition by John Lennon, it was written in memory of his mother, Julia.  She died in an accident when he was just seventeen.

Lennon – Maybe it is a family surname for some, but surely the majority of families who have chosen the name are thinking of the legendary John Lennon.  Lennon entered the US Top 1000 for boys in 2008 and now stands at #918.  That’s not exactly Landon, but he is catching on.  Depending on who you ask, the surname means sweetheart, blackbird, or cape.

Lucy – Despite assumptions that “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” was a not-too-veiled drug reference, the official story is that John’s son Julian drew a picture at school with the title, inspired by classmate Lucy O’Donnell.  Of course, with Lucy at #75 in 2010, the only sure signal that a little Lucy was named after the song?  If her middle name is Sky or Diamond.

Martha – A gentle love song dominated by the piano track, the explanations for Martha are several.  One indisputable fact: Paul McCartney had a sheepdog called Martha.

Maxwell – Like Lucy, this name’s popularity isn’t necessarily tied to “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.”  Unlike Lucy, you can’t quite imagine parents being inspired by the lyrics.  After all, Max offs his crush, a teacher, and finally the judge who tries to bring him to justice.

Michelle – Now firmly in the mom names camp – and, of course, the White House – Michelle was already popular when The Beatles released their ballad in 1965.  “Michelle, ma belle …” had its origins in French bohemian culture, an influence from Lennon and McCartney’s school days.  Today parents are more likely to be inspired by Belle.

Molly - Also from “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” but unlike Desmond, we’re not quite certain why that’s the name given to the wife and singer in the band.

Pamela – The poetic Pamela becomes “Polythene Pam” in a 1969 single, inspired by two things: an early fan, and some less-than-G rated exploits John Lennon remembered.  Still, “she’s killer diller when she’s dressed to the hilt.”  Pam is also mentioned in “Mean Mr. Mustard” on the album.

Penelope – Penny Lane is a street in Liverpool, and a bus route, too.  It owes nothing to the Greek Penelope – instead, Penny was the surname of an eighteenth century Liverpool merchant and slave trader, a fact that had been forgotten until recent years.  Penny has an enduring innocence, thanks not just to the song, but also to characters like the orphan girl in 1977′s animated Disney film The Rescuers.  She picked up some serious edge in 2000 when Almost Famous introduced Kate Hudson as rock groupie Penny Lane.

Prudence - With girls answering to Grace and Faith, why not this virtue name?  “Dear Prudence” was inspired by a real person – Prudence Farrow, sister of actress Mia, and a fellow yoga student during their time in India.  Prudence was so intent on her study that she became a near-recluse.  The song was John’s attempt to lure her back to the group.

Rita – Would you name your daughter after a meter maid?  Apparently McCartney was inspired to pen “Lovely Rita” after receiving a parking ticket in front of Abbey Road studios.  There’s also Hollywood icon Rita Hayworth – born Margarita - making the name a companion for Natalie and Audrey.

Sadie – Originally an affectionate form of Sarah, Sadie has risen fast on her own, inspiring parents to consider other vintage nicknames like Hattie.  Unlike many of the names in Beatles’ songs, though, there is apparently no real Sadie – sexy or otherwise.

Sally – “Long Tall Sally” was originally a hit for Little Richard back in the 1956.  The Beatles recorded a cover in their early days and it remains popular.  Like Sadie, Sally is derived from Sarah – also like Sadie, if there was a real-life Sally, she is lost to the mists of time.

Have I overlooked any great names from Beatles songs?  Would you use any of these – and if so, is it a tribute to the song or mere coincidence?

e61 by Too Far North via Flickr

Take the -ia from Olivia and Sophia, borrow the El- from Ella and Elizabeth, and you’ll arrive at a terribly pretty possibility for a daughter, one that just might have ancient roots.

Thanks to Cindy for suggesting her daughter’s name, Ellia as our Baby Name of the Day.

Ellia has multiple possible origins, from the simple assemblage of popular sounds to ties to a traditional Old Testament name.

• Ellia may simply have emerged as a variant, and perhaps even a feminine form, of Elijah and Elias.  Elijah was slimmed down to Elia in Italian and several other European tongues – think of legendary director Elia Kazan.  Census records suggest that plenty of men answered to Ellia, too, at least in the US, and almost certainly as a twist on the Biblical name.
• In more modern moments, I’ve heard Ellia connected to the French elle - she.  But since Elle is also a given name with ties to the popular Ella family, this one is probably on the fanciful side.

But here’s the most intriguing of them all.  The Roman gens Aelia was prominent for centuries in the ancient world.  The Emperor Hadrian was among their members, as were many distinguished figures well into the fourth century.  Aelia Paetina was the second wife of Emperor Claudius, so we know that Aelia was the preferred feminine form for family members.

The origins of Aelia and company are debated, but one suggestion is that it connects to the Greek helios - sun.

Plenty of names have come down to us from ancient days, and while Aelia is poorly represented on the map today, it was once common, bestowed by Hadrian and others to places where they constructed bridges or settlements.  Aelia Capitolina once stood on the site of modern-day Jerusalem.  Aelia survived in the Byzantine Empire even longer, worn by a few more empresses.

Could the personal name have trickled down over the years?  Cindy found it on her husband’s Italian family tree, traced back over several centuries.  This tracks with the census records – while some nineteenth century American Ellias were men, an equal number were women – suggesting that two separate origins for the name might be perfectly plausible.

With the exception of Cindy’s report, I can’t confirm another medieval Ellia.  Still, Italian was such a fragmented language, and written records were so slim that it means little.  It also strikes me that Ellia might have been recorded differently in Latin – could she be hiding as Elisabetta?

Two pop culture references might put Ellia on a 21st century parents’ radar:

• Actress Ellia English has had a long career, from the television adaptation of Fame in the 1980s to the present-day Disney Channel series Good Luck, Charlie.
• There was also a minor – but important – character on sci-fi series Stargate Atlantis.  Jewel Staite of Firefly fame, played Ellia.

But is Ellia the kind of name that a modern parent would consider?  Look no further than Project Nursery.

Ellia has all the markings of a stylish moniker.  Her sound fits right in with Amelia, Stella and Eleanor - strong, smart, creative names for a daughter that wear well throughout life.  And while she might strike some as invented, her roots run deep.  If you’re looking for something just a little bit different, Ellia is one to consider.

Photo by ambernectar via Flickr

It’s a classic cocktail and a medieval appellation.  Would it be a possibility today?

Thanks to Findley for suggesting Pimm as our Baby Name of the Day.

I first encountered Pimm as a nickname for the heroine’s friend in the chick lit-ish Me Times Three.  Then it was a mysterious concoction favored by all of the posh socialite types in Madeleine Wickham novels.

Pimm’s is a gin-based liqueur, touted as medicinal by inventor James Pimm in the 1820s.  The original drink is Pimm’s No. 1 Cup.  As the company expanded, additional blends were added, all with a number.  Although it is now owned by global spirits conglomerate Diageo, Pimm’s still has a certain cachet – at least from an American perspective – thanks to its associations with Wimbledon, polo, and all things English country house.

The surname predates James Pimm, found on families back to the Middle Ages.  There are two possible – and possibly overlapping – origins.

First Pimm could come from Euphemia - a Greek name that literally translates to “good speech.”  The second-century martyr St. Euphemia is a major figure in Eastern Christianity.  Chances are that she came to the attention of the English-speaking world thanks to the Crusades starting in the late eleventh century.  The saint’s relics were captured by Crusaders, and her name begins to appear throughout Western Europe around the same time.

Effie and Phemie are the logical short forms of Euphemia, but why Pimm?  It may have simply been a corruption, or it may come from the Middle English tendency to pronounce every letter.  Many medieval Euphemias actually spelled their name with an f – Effemy is one vernacular form.  Pymme, Pimme, and Pimm are all found, too.

Second, it could be derived from a Saxon masculine name Pymma.  But whether your surname related to the Saxons or developed later would be difficult to say.  A number of sites conflate the two, even though several centuries separate them.

There’s another masculine origin for Pimm.  In Dutch, he’s a short form of Willem.  Just like the English William can answer to Bill, Willem becomes Wim and Wim has morphed into Pim.  Anne Frank and her sister Margot used this nickname for their father, though his given name was Otto.

Today you might catch financial journalist Pimm Fox of Bloomberg News – I’m not certain how he came by his unusual name.

You won’t likely meet a child named Pimm, though.  It was given to fewer than five girls or boys in 2010, and has never registered in the US Top 1000.  It’s so little used that gender is impossible to assign.  On the one hand, Pimm has the same sweet simplicity as Nell or Ann.  On the other hand, with short names like Finn and Flynn on the rise for boys, parents are considering choices like Penn or perhaps even Pimm.

The alcoholic associations are probably why more parents haven’t landed on this particular sound, but there’s enough history here to consider Pimm a possible choice in the middle spot.  Or, if you dare, a simple, crisp given name that you can explain has origins that date back to well before happy hour.

Artemis was a goddess, eternally young.  Today’s choice honors the huntress, but has been worn by some rather extraordinary women.

Thanks to Christina for suggesting Artemisia as our Baby Name of the Day.

The meaning of Artemis is debated, with speculation linking her to everything from artemes - safe – to artamos - butcher to arte – great.  In any case, she was Apollo’s twin sister, a huntress and moon goddess, and a major member of the Greek pantheon.  It is no surprise to find personal names that honor Artemis.

The masculine version is Artemisios, and there are a few.  But it is the women answering to Artemisia who have been such a fascinating bunch.

First there’s the fifth century BC Ionian ruler Artemisia I of Caria.  She took the throne after her husband’s death and rode into battle with her army.

A few generations later, in the 350s BC, Artemisia II followed a similar path, succeeding her late husband.  The death of her departed husband hit her hard, and she truly mourned for Mausolus.  She lived just two years longer than her beloved, long enough to commission one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.

Artemisia remained in use, at least in Italian:

• Florence’s exclusive Academy of Arts first female member was Artmeisia Gentileschi, a seventeenth century Baroque painter known for depicting famous women from myth and the Bible.  Her most noted work is Judith Beheading Holofernes.  Holofernes was the head of an invading army.  Judith slips into his tent and cuts off his head.  Most artists show her spiriting away his head, but Gentileschi painted the actual murder, complete with gory details.
• You’d expect one of these women to inspire an opera, but the seventeenth-century work by Cavalli called Artemisia follows a conventional romantic plot about star-crossed lovers.

Artemisia appears in the US Census records, often paired with an Italian surname, but not always.  In the era of Homer and Virgil, parents rediscovering a name associated with the Mausoleum, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, is plausible.  In the mid-1800s, archeologist Charles Thomas Newton was excavating the site and brought statues of Mausolus and Artemisia back to the British Museum, where they remain on display.

She’s never cracked the US Top 1000, but here’s something to consider: Artie was a Top 1000 choice from the 1880s into the 1930s.  A feminine form of Arthur, or an adaptation of the frilly and foreign Artemisia?  At least some of the census records conflate Artie and Artemisia, so it is possible – though still very much speculation.

Elaborate choices are popular for girls today – Savannah, Alexandra, Isabella.  Artemisia is slightly clunkier than those choices – among the vintage Hermiones.  She fits in the category of elaborate A- names with tomboy nicknames, too – think of Arcadia and Astoria.

As for specific nicknames?  Artemisia could answer to Artie, Ari, Mimi, Tem, or, for an Eastern European twist, Mishka.

There’s also the French version, Arthemise, which could be gorgeous in the middle spot.

It’s also rumored that a prequel to 2007′s 300 is in the works, one that will feature Artemisia I prominently – possibly reviving this name for a new generation.

If you’re looking for an unusual ancient name worn by strong, creative women, Artemisia is one that could work.

Image via Wikipedia

We have daughters named Ruby and Pearl, Gemma and Jewel, so why not this sparkling appellation?

Thanks to Marianne and Larkin for suggesting Garnet as our Baby Name of the Day.

Before you dismiss Garnet as another modern wacky noun name akin to Apple or Blue, check out the statistics.  Garnet ranked in the US Top 1000 most years from 1884 through 1944, and I’ve stumbled across elaborations like Garnetta.  Her best decades were from the 1900s and 1910s, so she’s on track for a 100-year revival.

Garnets have been prized since as early as 3000 BC.  They don’t have to be red, but we associate them with the color.  In fact, garnet comes from the French word grenat, referring to dark red, originally from the Latin granatum.  There’s a decent case that the color words relate to the pomegranate, the dark red fruit that figures in the myth of Persephone.

This lends some ancient and elemental heft to Garnet.  She’s less showy than Diamond or Emerald, more mineral than dazzling jewel.  Garnet is the birthstone for the month of January, making her a subtle seasonal choice, too.

While Garnet’s gemstone status pushes this one into the feminine category today, that wasn’t always the case.  Garnet – and Garnett and Garnette - also have a history as surnames, either for jewelers, or possibly for makers of hinges.  The cross-garnet hinge looks like the letter T, and was around well into the American colonial period and beyond.

Lastly, I’ve found a few attempts to connect Garnet to Guarin, an Old French name meaning protector, derived from the Germanic warin – guard.  It feels like a stretch, but it isn’t completely implausible.

With the surname connection, it should come as no surprise that Garnet has a history of use for men.  Like many unisex names, it was used in the same era it was popular for girls.  Garnet ranked in the US Top 1000 for boys a handful of times between 1882 and 1924.

A few notable Garnets include:

• British Army Field Marshal Garnet Wolseley, known for his service in Africa in the 1870s and 1880s.  Such was his reputation for efficiency and order that “everything’s all Sir Garnet” became a phrase meaning that all was in order.  Wolsley was parodied by Gilbert and Sullivan with their catchy tune about the “very model of a modern Major-General.”
• World War I flying ace Garnet Malley, later an advisor to Chiang Kai-shek.

Today Garnet’s feel is almost at home with boys’ names like Garrett, Everett, Emmett and Bennett.  But with ends-in-et is big for girls, too, with choices like Juliet, Scarlett and Violet in vogue.  Factor in Garnet’s gemstone and color connections, and this one starts to feel slightly better suited for Team Pink.

But mostly Garnet is a 21st century rarity.  In 2010 just five girls received the name, along with seven boys called Garnett. That’s impressively unusual, and suggests that you could use it for either gender.  I love Isadora’s description: It’s also unisex in the best possible way. I wouldn’t think, “Oh, they must have wanted a boy,” if parents gave this name to their daughter. And I wouldn’t worry about a son getting picked on.

Overall, Garnet is colorful, unusual, and has more history than you might expect from a nature name.

She’s the princess-ogre in Shrek, an Irish(ish) option with an appealing sound.

Thanks to Melissa for suggesting Fiona as our Baby Name of the Day.

Fiona is one of the first names I ever wrote about, before Names of the Day were a feature here at AppMtn.  She’s an intriguing appellation, with less history than some, but more story than most.

Some connect her to Fionnuala, a name from Irish myth, Anglicized as Fenella or Fionala or Finola.  But Fiona isn’t heard until the eighteenth century, when James Macpherson interpreted the old legends to create a wildly popular series of writings, starting with Fragments of ancient poetry, collected in the Highlands of Scotland, and translated from the Gaelic or Erse language in 1760.  Despite the ring of authenticity, evidence suggests that Macpherson invented more than he translated.

Debates about the stories’ origins raged, even as Macpherson’s work became an international sensation, widely read and translated into most European tongues.

Irish hero Finn McCool appears in Macpherson’s writings, as does Fiona.  Fiona appears to be a feminine form, based on the original spelling of Finn – Fionn.

This gives Fiona an appealing meaning – fionn means fair.

Despite the success of Macpherson’s writings, Fiona takes a while to appear in use.  The name doesn’t appear in the US Top 1000 until 1990, though there are Fionas in Census records far earlier.

Parents might have heard the name:

• Scottish writer William Sharp wrote many of his best-known works under the pen name Fiona Macleod in the late 1800s.
• In the musical Brigadoon, Fiona is a resident of a mysterious, unchanging Scottish village that appears to outsiders for only one day every century.  A pair of visitors from New York stumble upon the village, and set events in motion.  The musical debuted in 1947, with a film adaptation ten years later, and a television movie in the 1960s.
• In 1965 James Bond film Thunderball Fiona Volpe was one of the bad guys, an  assassin sent to take down 007 – though things don’t go exactly that way.
• Lois Lowry’s 1993 novel The Giver is chock full of ahead-of-the-curve character names, including Jonas, Asher, Lily, Gabriel, and yes, Fiona.

By the early 1990s, Fiona started to edge into the US Top 1000.  She’d reached #460 by 2000.  And then along came Shrek.  Cameron Diaz voiced the lovely princess with a secret.  Princess Fiona ultimately decides to embrace her part-ogre heritage and go green, all the time.  Not only was Shrek was a smash hit, it was also the genesis for a successful franchise.

Fiona has gradually inched up the popularity rankings ever since, rising to #257 in 2010.  On sound alone, she’s right at home with Sophia and other stylish choices.  It may be that parents hesitate to let their daughters share a name with an ogre – though it is clear that character is admirable, as worthy a namesake as animation offers.

Beyond Shrek, there were characters in 1994′s Four Weddings and a Funeral; and USA Network’s Burn Notice, plus Grammy-winning singer Fiona Apple.

She’s feminine but not flimsy, current but not at all overused.  There are reasons aplenty to consider Fiona for a daughter.

Image via Wikipedia

I’m fascinated by names from the Middle Ages. They’re often quite similar to those parents love today, but tend to be almost entirely overlooked.

Nameberry has the Coolator.  I’d call this the Medievalizer, except that sounds like a torture device.

Instead, this is a list of the 2010 US Top 25 for girls, with suggestions for parents looking for something just a little different – or maybe something that would be right at home in the eleventh century.

1. Isabella

Isabella would have worn perfectly well in the Middle Ages – she was more common than Elizabeth in most places throughout much of the era.  And yet, if you’re looking for something different, consider Isabeau, Isolda, Idonia, or Belsante.

2, 26. Sophia, Sofia

Like Isabella, Sophia is a legitimate medieval appellation.  She appears as early as the twelfth century.  But for something more exotic, consider Sapphira, Simona, Sabeline, or Selova.

3. Emma

She’s another one on this list requiring no transformation, but parents could opt for an elaboration like Emmeline, Emmelina, or Emmelise.

4. Olivia

This is one of the names that sounds like it could be authentic, but is actually relatively modern.  Oliva was a second century saint, but her name had faded.  Oliver was a fairly common masculine moniker, but for a medieval girls’ name with similar sounds, consider Oriana or Oriel. 

5, 23. Ava, Avery

Av- names are available in abundance: Avelina, Avelot, Avice, and Avina are just a few that feel like they’re borrowed from a past era, while still being wearable in the twenty-first century.

6. Emily

You might have met an Emily in the fourteenth century, but there are other interesting, ends-in-y choices, like Adelie, Mabley, Cecily, and Sidonie.

7. Abigail

This one had me stumped.  There’s nothing quite like the -gail ending, and it turns out that even Ab- is relatively unused.  Amabel, the forerunner of Annabel and company, comes the closest.

8. Madison

They lack her modern, unisex sound, but this name owes her origins to medieval staples like Matilda and Maude.   Another option is Allison – but she feels very twentieth century.

9. Chloe

They’re not related, but Clotilde feels like an elaboration.  The Italian Colletta could be another possibility.

10. Mia

She’s super-short, as is period-correct Ada or Ida.

11. Addison

Like Madison, it is tough to find an ends-in-n choice for a girl.  But Adela, Adelisa and plenty of other Ad- names are present.

12.  Elizabeth

You could use Elizabeth, but Elisende or Helissent has more of that Great Hall vibe.

13.  Ella

Like Emma, she’s perfectly reasonable for much of the Middle Ages.  But Eleanor, Elinora, or Elysande might be more in the spirit.

14. Natalie

Like Abigail, a tough one to medievalize.  Nanette might come closest, or if you’re interested in the seasonal ties, there’s always Christmas.  Feast days were given as names to both genders.

15. Samantha

Samantha is a modern phenomenon, but Susannah, Sabina, and Sanchia are all options.

16. Alexis

While ends-in-n is a tough category, tailored appellations were common.  Two that seem like medieval substitutes for Alexis are Averil and Ailith.  Alexandra is another option.

17, 21. Lily, Lillian

The lovely Lily could become Lilias or Lilla.  I’m also tempted by Laurencia.  Laura was also present, but doesn’t feel like a throwback.

18. Grace

There’s Gratia or Gracia, or even Gratiosa, a rarity spotted in sixteenth-century Venice.

19. Hailey

A modern choice, Hailey’s medieval equivalent might be Hillaria or Hilde.

20. Alyssa

The obvious choice is Alice, but if that doesn’t appeal, variations like Aelis or Aleydis could work.

22. Hannah

Other H- names, like Honora or Havisa share sounds with Hannah.  Like many Old Testament appellations, Hannah wouldn’t be in regular use until the Reformation.

24. Leah

Leah isn’t found in the Medieval era, but lots of L names are, like Leolina or Leticia.

25. Nevaeh

No, you wouldn’t meet a Neveah.  But you might find a Nicola, Eva,

27. Ashley

Neveah can be medievalized, but Ashley is a tough one.  Ismay might serve.

28. Anna

There’s no need to stray far from Anne, but elaborations and diminutives like Anilla and possibilities like Antea are less expected.

I am indebted to several sources for inspiration for this post: the extensive lists at the Medieval Names Archive, Kate Monk’s Onomastikon, and The Middle Ages.

Are there other Medieval names you’d consider using in 2012? 

If Story is a name, why not this poetic choice?

Thanks to Kaela for suggesting Sonnet as our Baby Name of the Day.

A sonnet is a type of poem, a form with specific rules.  There are three major types, and then a bunch that break the rules but still count.  The average person might not be able to recite much after Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?, but would likely recognize Sonnet as a literary reference akin to Poem, Poet, or Fable.

The word itself comes from the Italian sonetto – little song, ultimately from the Latin sonus - sound.  The term first appears in English in the sixteenth century, but sonnets had been written in Italian since the 1200s.

With girls answering to Cadence and Harmony, perhaps literary terms were the logical next frontier.  Actor Forest Whitaker has a daughter called Sonnet, fitting right in with his other word-named children: Ocean, True, and Autumn.  Flickr co-founders Caterina Fake and Stewart Butterfield have a daughter called Sonnet Beatrice.

Despite these high profile uses, the name has never cracked the US Top 1000 – in fact, Sonnet is in sparing use, given to just eight girls in 2010.

But there have been Sonnets in the past, and many of them have been men.  I suspect that they’re wearing a family surname.  The late sixteenth/early seventeenth century French poet Thomas Sonnet de Courval came from a minor noble family.  There are Sonnets and Sonnetts in the US, too.

It could come from a lost Saxon name, Sinod, the origin of the surname Sinnott.  Sonnet is close enough to be related.  The elements sige – victory and nod – brave – were popular in many given names, and still survive in Siegfried and Leonard, though Sinod is long gone.  Or the -et ending could signal a diminutive form – though that’s really just a guess.  Sonnerie is the French word for ring, as in the ringing of the bells, but I’m still not sure if that’s a coincidence, another musical association.

Alternate origins or not, Sonnet has been almost exclusively female since its reintroduction sometime in the 1960s or 1970s.  Since the numbers have always been so small, it is nearly impossible to gauge – but there are a handful of women by the name who are all grown up now, suggesting that Sonnet was discovered by a few parents back in the day.

After all, word names aren’t really new.  Heather and Crystal seem ordinary, even dated, today.  But they were the height of style in the 1970s.  2010′s Top 100 includes Lily, Grace, Jasmine, Destiny, Brooke, Trinity, Faith, Autumn, Serenity, and Genesis.  From the traditional to the nouveau, word names have always had a place in the dictionary and on our daughters and sons.

Thanks to her similarity to Violet and Scarlett, Sonnet feels like a very wearable choice – poetic, frills-free, and different, but not difficult to spell or pronounce.  If you’re looking for an ahead-of-the-curve rarity, Sonnet is one to consider.