Arabella Churchill; Image via Wikipedia

Nicole requested this frilly, feminine confection ages ago – and she’s very much in the news this week.

With congratulations to Ivanka and Jared, today’s Baby Name of the Day is Arabella.

Looking at the US Top 100, you could easily declare a -belle, -bella, -ella, -elle craze among parents today.

But there must have been a similar phenomenon in medieval Scotland.  Amabel – lovable – was the first.  She also appears as Amabilia, Mabella, and Mabel.  Some parents smooshed Amabel and Anna to arrive at Annabel.  Others took Amabel, factored in the Latin orabilis – invokable, able to be called upon, as a saint – and arrived at Orabella or Arabella.

Mirabel – from the Latin for wondrous – appears in the same era, as do variants of that name.

Her lofty meaning combines with a frothy, lacy sound, and an intriguing list of figures, like:

• The well-born Lady Arbella Stuart was considered a possible heir to the English throne, a successor to Queen Elizabeth I.  Plenty of suitors vied for her hand, but Arbella married William Seymour – just two places behind her in the line of succession.  Because they married without the sovereign’s permission, the duo was arrested.  They escaped – and nearly got away.  Instead, Arbella died in prison on a hunger strike.  Some say the details of her attempted flight inspired Shakespeare’s character Imogen – like the fictional character, Arbella dressed as a man;
• The well-born Arabella Churchill – yup, the same family as future prime minister Winston – was mistress to King James II in the seventeenth century.  Their youngest child shared a name with mom – but that’s likely where the similarity ended, as young Arabella became a nun;
• In 1712, poet Alexander Pope penned “The Rape of the Lock.” It was an overnight sensation.  The second edition included a dedication to Arabella Fermor, the celebrated beauty who had, indeed, had an infatuated suitor, Robert Petre, cut off a lock of her hair – the inspiration for Pope’s work.  The Petre and Fermor families are lampooned in the poem, but apparently Arabella liked being depicted as the beautiful Belinda.

Others surface in the same era: a ship called the Arabella brought the Puritans to New England in 1630; there’s social reformer Lady Arabella Denny and famed singer Arabella Hunt; the heroine of Charlotte Lennox’s 1752 novel The Adventures of Arabella, a female version of Don Quixote.  The name never completely disappears, but by the nineteenth century, she was fading fast.  Her last appearance in the US Top 1000 was 1893.

And then came the renaissance of -bella names, fueled by celebrity babies called Isabella.

By 2005, Isabella ranked #6 in the US, and Arabella re-entered the charts.  By 2010, there’s:

• Isabella at #1;
• Bella at #48;
• Annabelle at #117;
• And Arabella at #386.

That’s leaving out quite a few variants, too.

Arabella sounds regal – quite the right kind of name for a Trump grandchild.  But she can be dressed down, with nicknames ranging from the obvious Belle and Bella to Arie or even Abby.  All My Children’s Arabella Carey Chandler is always known as Babe.

The name has been leaping up the charts in recent years, and this high profile use should give Arabella another boost.  She’s a tremendously pretty name, but perhaps a bit tough to wear if your daughter prefers Tonka trucks to tiaras.

Ella Fitzgerald; Image by The Library of Congress via Flickr

Hello, Ella.  Where did you come from?

Thanks to Ivy for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day – the short, sweet Ella.

Ella has a long history of use, both as an independent given name and as a short form of several equally long-standing appellations.  She is likely derived from ali – a Germanic element meaning foreign or other.  Remember the evolution of Eleanor?  Plenty of other meanings have been suggested, mostly based on other names that could use Ella as a nickname.

It’s a long list.  Ella could be a short form of:

• Eleanor
• Elizabeth
• Ellen
• Elena
• Elvira

Or pretty much any other starts-with-El name, from Elsinore to Elliot, as well as any ends in -el, -elle, or -ella name, like Isabella, Gabriella, or Marcella.  Or hey, even Cinderella.  The fairytale princess’ name is usually explained as a combination of cinder – ashes – and Ella, thanks to her humble, pre-glass slipper status.

In 1880, Ella ranked #13 in the US.  In 2010, Ella ranked #13 in the US.  This implies stability, but nothing could be further from the truth.  Though she spent decades in the Top 100, she also spent decades out of favor.  Ella returned on Emma’s coattails, and was boosted by a few notable uses early in the 21st century:

• Gail Carson Levine’s Ella Enchanted won a Newberry Medal of Honor after its 1997 publication.  Levine’s Eleanor of Frell was given the gift of obedience by a well-intentioned, but bumbling, fairy.  The gift turns out to be a burden, and the story tells of Ella’s attempts to undo the damage.  The book was adapted for the screen in 2004, with Anne Hathaway as the comically obedient Ella.  The movie isn’t faithful to the book, but the character is admirable in both versions – and certainly gave the name a boost;
• A string of starbabies received the name.  In recent years, you’ve spotted celebrity dads John Travolta toting Ella Bleu (born in 2000), Ben Stiller with little Ella Olivia (born in 2003) and Mark Wahlberg with his firstborn Ella Rae (born in 2003).  And they keep on comin’ …

Ella ranked #265 in 2000, climbed to #190 in 2001, to #89 in 2002, and to #44 in 2003.  She’s wildly popular throughout English speaking world, as well as Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Belgium.

Beyond her simple sound, Ella conjures up jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald, known for her renditions of jazz standards over a six-decade career that netted her 13 Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts and a Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Tristan and Isolde by Herbert Draper; Image via Wikipedia

She’s been a tragic heroine for centuries, and yet her name sounds surprisingly modern.

Thanks to Sadie for suggesting Isolde as our Baby Name of the Day.

A bad ending doesn’t doom a name.  Look at fair Juliet, currently leaping up the US rankings to #285 in 2010, her vaguely French vibe meeting a generation of moms who remember Claire Danes wearing angel wings and kissing a very young, pre-Titanic Leonardo DiCaprio.

Isolde is also trapped in an affair fated to bring unhappiness to all, but in many accounts it is of her own making.  The story generally goes something like this: Isolde is a princess, betrothed to King Mark of Cornwall.  The king dispatches his nephew Tristan to retrieve his bride.  All’s well so far.  But Isolde ends up with a love potion in her possession, and somehow, she and Tristan drink it down together.  Even though Tristan dutifully delivers the princess and she obediently promises to love, honor, and obey her intended groom, the die is cast.  The pair conduct a scandalous affair, which Mark ultimately discovers.

In some accounts, Isolde is said to have tricked Tristan into drinking the potion with her; in others, their actions are accidental.  Either way, their story ends unhappily.  It was probably first written down during the twelfth century by a Norman poet named Béroul and a French poet called Thomas; but like many a legend, it is almost certainly much older.

There are other Isoldes in myth and literature, but she’s the one that we remember, especially because her story has been told and re-told, time and time again:

• Tennyson was just one of the nineteenth century poets to revisit the tragedy;
• Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde remains one of the composer’s most important works;
• Film adaptations began a silent movie in 1909 and have continued, at least one most decades, right into our era;
• The most recent movie was 2006, with James Franco as Tristan and Sophia Myles as the leading lady.  In this version, there is deception on the part of both lovers, but there is also plenty of room to forgive them both.

Maybe if the movie had been a hit, Isolde might have attracted more attention.  Instead, she’s never appeared in the US Top 1000, even as the similar-sounding Isabella stands at the very top of the popularity charts.

As for the origins of her name, just like Tristan, there’s no consensus.  Some say Celtic, others say Germanic.  Variants abound: Eseld in Cornwall, Esyllt in Wales.  You’ll find Isot, Iseult and Yseult, too.  Isolde is no modern innovation, however; she appears as early as the 13th century.  Isotta is Italian – and also the name of Isabella Rosellini’s twin sister.  Isolda also surfaces in romance languages.

That last one – Isolda – is probably the closest to a phonetic pronunciation of the name.  While Iseult would probably reduce her sound to just two syllables and the French say ee ZOLD, the consensus appears to be that Isolde’s final -e is not silent.  Some favor more of a z-sound: ih ZOL dah, while others prefer a softer s-sound: ih SOL dah.

A little Isolde would probably endure some teasing – Isolde what?  Did you get a good price for it? – but considering how very in-step she is with current trends, I suspect this rarity that would fit in with other wildly romantic, yet restrained choices, from Juliet to Giselle.

Elettra in Pleiades star cluster; Image via Wikipedia

Seeking an authentic Italian heritage choice that leads to the nickname Ellie?  Here’s a celestial, operatic rarity that just might suit.

Thanks to Sarah for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day: Elettra.

No matter intriguing her sound, Electra usually ends up on the discard list thanks to her backstory.

King Agamemnon and Queen Clytemnestra had four kids, including eldest daughter Iphigenia.  Agamemnon was to lead the Greek fleet into battle in the Trojan War, but their ships stalled in the harbor, with no wind to move them forward.  An oracle revealed that Agamemnon had angered a goddess, and the only solution was the sacrifice of Princess Iphigenia.  In some versions of the tale, she is reprieved at the last second.  In others, not so much.

Either way, Clytemnestra was furious, and while her husband was at war, she took a lover.  When Agamemnon came home, instead of a tender reunion,  the queen and her paramour exacted revenge.  As if murder wasn’t enough Greek tragedy, Orestes – their only son and Agamemnon’s heir – later kills his mother with sister Electra’s help or encouragement – accounts vary.

Carl Jung proposed “the Electra syndrome” as the counterpart to Sigmund Freud’s Oedipus complex.

But there are other associations, like Marvel Comic’s heroine-turned-assassin-turned-heroine Elektra, played by Jennifer Garner on the big screen in 2005.

There are even other figures in Greek myth, including one of the seven Pleiades, the daughters of Atlas, best known as a constellation.  Sister Maia has been quite popular as a baby name in recent years; Taygete and Asterope seem less likely to catch on.

Elettra is simply the Italian version of Electra, and she’s just different enough that you may never have to explain that you named your daughter after a star, not a matricidal daughter.

Elettra might also bring to mind:

• In Mozart’s opera Idomeneo, the soprano is Elettra;
• Isabella Rossellini has a daughter named Elettra – a model, and second generation starbaby since she can claim Ingrid Bergman as a grandmother;
• The electric version of the Fiat Cinquecento was called the Elettra.

Elettra also features in the history of radio.  Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi would score a Nobel prize and a fancy title for his work on radio broadcasting.  Marconi had just one daughter, Maria Elettra, known by her second name.  Dad named his yacht in her honor, and Il Panfilo Elettra played an important role in his experiments.

But again, it is quite the Italian reference.

There was one more – or so I thought.  Plutarch’s granddaughter and mother shared a name.  I thought the poet’s mother was named Elettra, but when I started digging, I discovered that both women in his family were likely named Eletta – no r, and probably an unrelated name.

Too bad, because that would almost finally rescue Elettra from Greek dysfunctional family hell, and put her firmly in the Italian heritage choices column

And yet, Elettra is tempting.  She’s slightly severe and regal, but Ellie, Ettie, and Lettie are great short forms.

If you don’t mind the possible reference to the ill-fated Greek princess, Elettra is an intriguing option.

Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua; Image via Wikipedia

Anthony is a saintly staple.  Antoinette was a doomed queen.  How would this Italian spin wear today?

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

Check the US Top 100, and you’ll find no shortage of elaborate feminine forms of evergreen masculine names:

• Samantha (#15)
• Brianna (#29)
• Victoria (#32)
• Gabriella (#33)
• Alexandra (#64)
• Natalia (#98)

Antonella fits perfectly, not just for her feminissa style, but for her potential nicknames.  She shares her -ella ending with Gabriella and the chart-topping Isabella.  Other short form options include Nell and Annie, as well as the obvious – if dated – Toni.

Anthony has been a steady Top 100 pick since before 1900.  He’s a truly ancient appellation, with this roots stretching back to the ancient world.  The Roman general Marcus Antonius – better known as Marc Antony – had a good run before losing a definitive battle to the future Emperor Augustus.  His story, and the tale of his suicide with his ally and lover Cleopatra, were immortalized by none other than William Shakespeare.

The name endured, and was worn by a handful of early saints.  The thirteenth-century Saint Anthony of Padua was born in Portugal, but lends the name his Italian style.

In English, Anthony picked up his -th thanks to an error: at some point, it was assumed that Anthony was related to anthos – flower.  That’s not the case, and even in Medieval English, you would find men called Antony.

The feminine forms tend to omit the -h.  There’s the literary Antonia, the French Antoine and Antoinette, as well as the more elaborate Italian options Antonina and Antonella.  Spelled Antonela, you can find her in Croatia, too.

Most famous bearers in recent years have been Italian:

• Olympic athletes including Antonella Confortola, a cross-country skier, and Antonella Bellutti, a cyclist;
• Hollywood gives us Oscar-nominated costume designer Antonella Cannarozzi;
• Actresses include Antonella Lualdi, who made it big in French cinema during the 1950s, and named her daughter Antonellina, as well as Antonella Costa, and Chile’s Antonella Rios.

Ms. Rios may be the reason the name has enjoyed a burst of popularity in Chile in recent years.

In 2007, Antonella Barba competed on American Idol.  She didn’t make it as far as the top twelve, though, so her name remains relatively obscure.

Yet overall, Antonella seems like the kind of name we should hear more.  She fits with stylish options from Isabella to Francesca, and has more nickname options than many a frilly, feminine choice.  If you’re heartbroken that every other girl in your ‘hood is answering to Olivia, this is one choice that is both completely different and perfectly in step.

For those many families with an Anthony or three to honor, she’s also an option that takes the traditional Italian favorite in another direction.

Image by hartlandmartin via Flickr

She brings to mind a shoe-shopping politician’s wife, but her roots are far deeper.

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

On sound alone, Imelda has some possibility.  She shares the three-syllable, ends-in-a rhythm of many girls’ favorites, from Amanda to Sophia.  And plenty of parents are looking for an alternative to Isabella, making Imelda’s I attractive.

But most parents probably hear Imelda and think shoes.  Unlike Carrie Bradshaw’s lust for Louboutins, this is no harmless fetish.  Imelda Marcos was the First Lady of the Philippines from 1965 through 1986.  She was a well-born beauty queen who helped her husband ascend to the presidency.  The couple lived large, courtesy of the nation’s coffers.

Marcos’ regime was toppled by a revolution, and the President and First Lady fled to exile.  But after her husband’s death, Imelda returned to the Philippines, and is now back in the House of Representatives.  She earned the nickname Steel Butterfly for her perseverance.  No word on the size of her shoe collection these days, but I assume she’s learned to edit.  At the time of her hasty departure, the media reported that she owned more than 2,700 pairs.

The name has traces of overindulgent consumerism, but her roots are immaculately Catholic.  Back in the fourteenth century Imelda Lambertini was a well-born Italian girl, eager to receive holy communion, nearly fanatical in her zeal.  She entered a convent at the earliest age possible, but was too young to receive communion.

Legend has it that young Imelda was eleven when she was finally permitted to take holy communion, and as soon as she did, she swooned.  But this was no mere swoon, for when her sister nuns went to help Imelda to her feet they realized that she had died.  She was beatified in the nineteenth century, but never canonized – that means she’s Blessed Imelda, not Saint Imelda.  It is either incredibly appropriate or vaguely gruesome that she’s the patron of first communion.

Neither story betrays Imelda’s Germanic roots.  She’s derived from Irmhild, a name formed from the same elements that form Emma – universal – and Brunhild – battle.  Just like Brunhild becomes Brunella in Italian, so Irmhild transforms.

Donizetti’s 1830 opera Imelda de Lambertazzi could give the name serious style points.  It wasn’t Donizetti who chose the name; that distinction belongs to Gabriele Sperduti, the author of the 1825 drama that inspired the opera.  It was something of a Romeo and Juliet story, with Imelda in Juliet’s shoes.  But since the story isn’t well known or often performed, you’d have to be quite the opera buff to think of Donizetti before Marcos.

The other Imelda that might come to mind is veteran British character actress Imelda Staunton, currently famous for playing the cruel, kitten-loving Professor Dolores Umbridge in the Harry Potter series.  Staunton has serious credentials, too.  She was Oscar-nominated for her star turn in Vera Drake.

Image by work the angles via Flickr

What a week!  Mariah’s twins receive a double dose of daffy, starbaby-certified names, and the Social Security Administration releases their 2010 data as their annual Mother’s Day gift to the world.

Speaking of Mother’s Day, I hope it is a happy one!

Elsewhere online:

• Girls Gone Child is expecting twins, and it looks like they are both girls.  She has yet to share her name list, but I cannot wait!  Her firstborn is son Archer Sage, followed by daughter Fable Luella.  With Fable, she did something absolutely impossible: put a completely new option on the table that sounds like it has always been a name.
• Waltzing More Than Matilda considers the idea of honoring someone with a name that is only vaguely related to the namesake’s moniker.  Apparently starbaby Flynn was inspired by Orlando Bloom’s grandmother, Evelyn – you can watch a video clip of his explanation in her post.  I’m on board with a stretch to honor a loved one; Waltzing isn’t so sure.
• Did you take For Real’s gender-bending quiz?  She’s posted the answers.  I scored a mere 4 out of 10, but then, so did pretty much everyone else.  I wonder if the parents considered that issue before naming a daughter Lyric Ryan or a son Winter Lee?
• I had no idea that some parents still avoid giving daughters middle names, on the assumption that someday she’ll marry and won’t need it anymore.
• Here’s another question: Nancy asks if more babies are being named Jersey, as in the reality show?  I remember someone from the Yahoo! message boards years ago saying that she had a daughter named Jerzee.  Or was it Jurnee?
• Haddie was one of the  Top Five brand new names at Nymbler in April.  She’s a logical successor to Maddie and Addie, boosted by a character on Parenthood.  The other four debuts were Raylan and Posey for girls, and Finch and Eisley for boys.

Here’s a quick round-up of some of the early SSA list analysis, with more to follow this week I’m certain!

• My initial impressions of the 2010 data for girls are here.
• Nancy has a list of new names on the Top 1000 list, plus some gems from beyond the rankings.  The boys’ list is here, and the girls’ list is here.
• Nancy also does some analysis of the fastest falling names.
• Laura Wattenberg analyzed the fastest rising names.  Teen Mom Maci and baby Bentley
• Wattenberg also updated her annual “Rhymes with Aiden“ index.
• And then there’s the non-analysis appearing in dozens of headlines like “So long, Susan, hello trendy baby names.”  Okay, that’s actually from Vancouver, but I anticipate reading dozens of these over the next few weeks.  Others have been touting the return of classics like Isabella.  Sigh.

In starbaby news, the arrival of Moroccan Scott and Monroe Cannon grabbed all the headlines, but we also welcomed:

• Antonio Sabato’s son, Antonio III, a little brother for Jack and Mina;
• Bryan Adams’ daughter arrived on Good Friday, and wears an Easter-themed middle to prove it: Mirabella Bunny;
• Jay Mohr welcomed a son and attempted to reclaim a name for Team Blue with Meredith Daniel.

Last week’s Nameberry post was Bridesmaid Names; tomorrow’s Nameberry post heads to the baby boutique for inspiration.

That’s all for this week.  As always, thank you for reading!

• -lynn is catching on quickly, with both Gracelynn and Braelynn debuting in the Top 1000.  (Their -lyn versions already ranked.)   Raelynn, Adalynn, Adelynn and Evelynn all climbed.
• Speaking of Addie, she’s the big winner for 2010.  Addilyn, Adele, and Adelina were all new to the rankings.
• No, Isabella is not about Twilight.  But the rise of Rosalie and the debut of Esme owe something to Stephenie Meyer’s paranormal romances.
• Ashley continues to fall, but Tenley was the highest debut for girls.  Mckinley and Kinley also rose more than 200 places.  Hadley and Kenley weren’t far behind.
• It’s good to be a Disney princess (Tiana), a Teen Mom (Maci), a reality show star (Giuliana), or a singing cheerleader (Quinn).  All four names were among the fastest rising in 2010.  A wronged wife (Elin) and a departed actress (Farrah) also inspired parents.
• A surprise French revival: Aimee, possibly thanks to the continuing interest in French names sparked by the birth of Vivienne Jolie-Pitt.
• Mini names like Kai, Mae, Ali and Gia fared well.
• Eloise is a hit!  She soared to #530.
• Keep an eye on Sloane, too.  She rose to #593.

Silvana Mangano; Image via Wikipedia

Silver is a metal, Sylvester is a cat.  How would this similar-sounding name wear on a daughter?

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

90210′s Erin Silver – little sister of original series’ character David Silver, and West Beverly High’s resident gossip girl blogger – answers mostly to her surname.  It has some daring parents considering Silver.

But Silvana comes not from the jeweler’s shop but from the forest.  The Latin silva – woods – is the origin of Roman forest god Silvanus, as well as a host of given names:

• Sylvia and Silvia are probably the best known;
• There’s also the French Sylvie and Sylvaine
• Sylviane and Sylvianne are somewhere between the French forms and a smoosh of Sylvie and Anne.

Silvana surfaces in Italian, as well as Spanish and a few other languages.  Some of her portability may come from Carl Maria von Weber’s 1810 opera Silvana, but it isn’t especially well known.

Notable bearers of the name include:

• The current Countess of St. Andrews is Sylvana Windsor, born Sylvana Tomaselli;
• Actress Silvana Arias was born in Peru, and made her name in telenovelas.  She also spent three years on NBC’s soap opera Passions as Paloma Lopez-Fitzgerald;
• Italian actress Silvana Pampanini started out as 1946′s Miss Italy, became a big star in her native country, but never made the transition to international fame;
• Silvana Mangano was also a pageant winner turned Italian cinema star.  Her career spanned four decades.  Even if you’ve never heard of Mangano, her granddaughter, celeb chef Giada De Laurentiis, is probably familiar.

Adding to her Italian style, Spring 2011 Fendi gave the name to a bag, inspired by the legacy of Silvana Mangano.

She’s never ranked in the Top 1000, but US Census records turn up plenty of Silvanas, including enough in Puerto Rico to make me think the name must’ve been very much in vogue at one point.

I’ve heard that she’s considered dated in Italy, but in the US, she’d fit right in with Olivia and Gabriella.  Remember Elisabeth’s Le tante sorelle di Isabella?

Today her -ana ending would fit right in with:

• Top 100 picks Ariana and Arianna, Gianna, Savannah, Brianna, and Hannah;
• Hovering just outside, we find Adriana and Adrianna, Liliana, Briana, Juliana and Julianna.

That’s not counting the many flowing, long names with easy short forms that are so popular for girls.  Silvie, Sylvie, or even Silver would all make great nicknames.

Perhaps she never caught on in the US because of Sylvania televisions.  While the parent company still exists, my sense is that the televisions are relatively uncommon today.

If you’re looking for a rarity that would be distinctive but still easy to pronounce and spell, Silvana is one to recommend.

T44 by Too Far North via Flickr

Tammy is stuck in the 60s, but this unrelated import could wear well in 2011.

Thanks to Fran for suggesting Tamsin as our Baby Name of the Day.

Tammy typically comes from Tamar and Tamara, names with Hebrew and Sanskrit roots.  Tammy and Tamara had their moment in the sun in the 1960s, propelled by a series of films starting with 1957′s Tammy and the Bachelor.  The cinematic Tammy was actually short for Tambrey.  There was also a short-lived television adaptation, and actresses like Debbie Reynolds and Sandra Dee made their names as the Southern-fried good girl looking for true love.

Even if Tammy hadn’t been a Top Ten pick from 1966 through 1971, the pop culture reference is enough to make her feel dated.

Tamsin shares a first syllable, but has a totally different story.  She’s a contracted form of the equally rare Thomasina.

Given all the men named Thomas over the years, it isn’t surprising that there’s a feminine form. Thomas comes from the Aramaic word for twin.  Saints and other notables have made him a classic.  Girls have answered to names like Tomasa and Tommie; the latter is almost certainly the most popular feminine form in the twentieth century.

In Thomas Hardy’s 1878 Return of the Native, one of the main characters is Thomasin, often called Tamsin.  The name picks up a literary vibe thanks to the novel.

When you go looking for women named Tamsin or Thomasina, they’re almost always found in the UK.  Or, possibly, they are cats.  In 1964, Disney’s The Three Lives of Thomasina adapted a 1957 novel about a rather special cat and her family.