She’s romantic, she’s feminine and she’s quite rare. Could this intriguing choice catch on with modern parents?
Thanks to Annelise for suggesting Idonia as Name of the Day.
First, a confession: I cannot determine if Idonia or Idonea is closer to the original spelling. Truth told, I’m not entirely certain that I’ve landed on the name’s roots.
Most sources suggest that either spelling is a Latinized version of Idony, which, in turn, is an Anglicized version of Iõunn, a Norse goddess, sometimes also called Idun, Ydun, Idunn or Iduna.
The goddess appears in medieval collections based on earlier oral traditions. There’s a lively debate about her role. She’s sometimes shown holding apples, often considered a symbol of fertility. Others link her given name to words conveying the idea of eternal youth and immortality. And lists of spring goddesses often include her name.
Jacob Grimm linked her to the idisi, a group of warrior goddesses. (In Beowulf, Grendel’s mother was referred to as one.) This may be why her origins are sometimes given as Germanic.
Just when I thought I’d untangled the riddle, a third attribution emerged. Some suggest that the Spanish girls’ name Idonea comes from the Latin idoneus, meaning proper, suitable or fitting.
Her origins are unclear, but her sound is appealing. When those adventurous Victorians went combing through histories to dig up fresh options, a few stumbled on this name. She turns up in at least three artistic works:
- James Burnley’s Idonia and Other Poems, of 1869;
- Arthur Frederick Wallis’ Idonia: A Romance of Old London, published in 1913;
- Sir John Lavery’s portrait “Idonia in Morocco” was completed circa 1890.
Idony is sometimes listed as a “not uncommon” or “fairly common” medieval name. That might be a stretch, but the historical record shows that Idony, Idonia, Idonea and related variants were in use between the 1100s and 1300s. Novelist Peter Ackryod used the name Idonea for a character in his recent novel The Clerkenwell Tales, set in 14th century London, cementing her reputation as a medieval moniker.
A handful of more current references include:
- A male Idonia is part of the Jamaican dancehall music scene. Born Sheldon Aitana Lawrence, he took the “don” from Sheldon and came up with his snappy stage name;
- Kate Spade is currently offering a lovely strappy sandal called the Idonia for just about $198;
- The quirky Robyn Hitchcock recorded a song titled “Idonia” about a dark-haired girl he spied in the market;
- There’s an Idonia Street in London today;
- Idonia Van der Bijl sells quirky housewares in London’s Spitafields shopping district.
Overall, Idonia is an appealing choice. She has a medieval flavor and perhaps even something of an aristocratic tone. While she’s never charted in the US Top 1000, she would fit in nicely with a kindergarten class of Isabellas and Sophias.
If you’re hoping for something both feminine and rarely heard, Idonia is one to consider.
Hi, just stumbled across this, as it is my name day today (norwegian/scandinavian tradition). My name is Idunn, and Wikipedia told me the English version was “Idony or Idonea”. If they are the direct forms of Idunn, they would definately mean the norse goddess of youth, or the more literal meaning, id = again and unna = loved. At least that’s the only explanation I’ve ever heard, but the other ones are interesting! As far as I know, my version of the name is only used in Iceland, Norway, the Faroe Islands, Denmark and Sweden. And Is usually pronounced ee-dunn.
Hi All
Mary here
I was Idonia’s neice and always called her Auntie
I was devastated when she died and still miss her loads as we all do
I’m Valerie’s daughter (she is the eldest of 4 girls), then there’s Liz, Zoe and there was Idonia
I’m off to see the other aunties in March which I am really looking forward to
I’ve lost touch with Tony which is a shame, but as I now know he still lives in Islington, i will drop him a line
As a teenager I used to go along to Ladbrook grove on a saturday morning (70’s) feeling very cool, poor girl was probably in bed with a boyfriend, so she used to give me a shopping list & money and send me off shopping for fruit and veg
she took me to my first pub, bought me my first half pint of cider adn introduced me to avocado and then prawns, plus of course gin and tonic
She was absolutely the best person
if anyone wants to get in touch you can at marydbird@googlemail.com
Hi Lucy,
nice that this line is continuing. I remember meeting Jill and hearing Idonia talk of her and her family often. Great that the shop is still going. I think Andrew still lives there but haven’t kept in touch with him so not sure. See my earlier post above.I met Idonia at the Central School of Art & Design in 1976 and now live in New Zealand. i visited her in 2000 when she became ill. Still miss her and keep in touch with Tony who is still in the flat in Highbury Fields.
Best wishes,
Janet
Hi Janet,
I saw Lucy’s comment earlier today and your own answer and was racking my brains about what Idonia was up to in the 70s. I vaguely remember visiting her a few times sometime in the later 70s (say 77/78) at a flat over a shop in Ladbroke Grove and meeting some friends of hers from college. Maybe one of them was you 🙂
George
Hi George,
yes , I think we must have met. I was regularly at the flat in Ladbroke Grove. We were at Central School of Art & Design from 76 – 79 doing a ceramics degree. After Ladbroke Grove Idonia moved into a flat in Highbury Fields with Tony Clarke, who still lives there. !3 A Highbury Place. Maybe you were there too.I came back to New Zealand in 1988, but kept in touch and visited Idonia a couple of times, the last time in 2000 when she was very unwell. Sadly that was the last time I saw her.She made quite an impression on everyone she knew.
Best wishes,
Janet
Hello George, Zoe and Janet,
Idonia was cousin to my father, Chris Geering. He is the son of Quinn and Jill Geering, and Jill was twin sister to John, Idonia’s father. We were very sad when Idonia died, I still visit her Spitalfields shop. Are you related to the Geerings?
With best wishes
Hi Lucy,
Jill is a cousin of mine so Idonia and I are sort of faux cousins. I stayed with Jill and Quinn sometime during the 70s so I also got to know Chris and Helen….also Toby, who was very young at the time.
To my shame, I haven’t really been in touch since Sheila’s demise and have had no news of the family for many years. How is everyone and what are they doing?
Please do get in touch directly if you like, at dunescratcheur@yahoo.fr
All the best,
George
Idonia van der Bijl (Columbia Road shop) was my late sister and she was named after our great-aunt Idonia who was Irish. Idonia loved her name and gave her shop the same name.
Hi Zoe,
just been reminiscing about Idonia, googled her and found your comment on this site. Idonia was my best friend and I still miss her and think of her often. Although I now live in New Zealand I’m surrounded by reminders of her. She spoke of you often.
Best wishes,
Janet
Dear Janet
I remember Idonia talking about you. I miss her a lot and always admired her artistic talent and energy. Just loved her for being herself.
Mary forwarded me an article about your beautiful house in NZ.
Love, Zoe
Hi Zoe,
nice to be in touch with you all through this website.
I have some of Idonia’s pots here in NZ.
Fond memories,
Janet x
Hi Zoe,
To my shame I don’t ever remember Idonia mentioning a sister but I hadn’t seen her for a very long time – last time was in the early 90s at Columbia Rd and I wasn’t aware that she’d died.
I knew her from her time with the Geerings (my cousins) but saw her only infrequently after that as I’ve lived abroad for quite a while.
Please do get in touch
Idonia was my great grandmother’s name. She lived in Mississippi and was born sometime around 1900. I like the name. I think it would be high up on the list if I were to have a daughter. My great grandmother used the “eye” pronunciation.
I forgot to address the pronunciation issue – d’oh! Everything official indicates that she is said “eye” rather than “eh.” But I don’t see it. I would say “eh/ih” instead, and given how rare she is, I think you can ignore the guides without repercussion.
I also neglected to mention something I find quite charming about Idonea/Idonia – she could be a formal name for the (completely unrelated) Ida. I love Ida, but always feel like she’s a bit brief. But as a nickname for Idonia? I think it would be really lovely.
And yes, Sarah – I think she’d HAVE TO grow up to be a model. 🙂
I wish I could like this name, but I keep thinking “I don’t know” ia when I read the name. Unless it is pronounced eh-don-ee-ah with a short o instead of long o. I’d probably like the name a lot more on other people – I could particularly see it on a run-way model, or line of clothing. In a classroom, I’m sure Idonia would be a breath of fresh air compared to all the Sophia’s and Isabella’s along side her:)
Idonia’s pretty! I’m familiar with Idony and would probably go with that one myself, but I see nothing wrong with Idonia. I do wonder how she’s said. Without too much trouble, I say Ih-dough -nyah (the dough is like in Doughnut, not dough by itself) but am I right? I have no clue. I do like Idonia either way, though. Very pretty indeed.
Wow, you dug up quite a bit on Idonia! Thanks, I could never have found all this! I love Idonia. She’s elaborate, but not too long, and has enough good consonants keep her grounded (and to match my consonant-y last name). She’s beautiful, but also strong. The Norse goddess origin is my favorite, although I hadn’t heard of the idisi–I like that too. The pronunciation and spelling could be potential problems, but as an Annelise, I know that it’s worth it to have a great name.