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Time for the names in the news 2.15.26!
I finally saw Hamnet. I haven’t read the book, but the film is based on Maggie O’Farrell’s take on what real life experiences might’ve inspired William Shakespeare’s masterpiece, Hamlet. We know that Shakespeare’s only son, Hamnet, died at the age of eleven, possibly from the plague.
There’s so much written about Shakespeare that I won’t even begin to share the little I know, except for one interesting thing: the personal names Hamnet and Hamlet were used interchangeably in the era. Hamnet Sadler, a local baker, was also recorded as Hamlette. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources lists both Hamnet and Hamlet as forms of the Germanic Haimo, ultimately a cousin to Henry.
It’s confusing to English speakers in 2026, of course. Millie and Lily are very different names. Althony looks wrong; so does Lincomn. The letters just aren’t interchangeable in any sense today, and consonant clusters, like MN and ML, are rare.
There’s a case to be made that Hamlet and Hamnet have completely separate, distinct origins. And yet, it’s clear they were understood as related in Shakespeare’s time.
That’s why tracing names is such a gargantuan task. For everything written, known, and understood, there’s the mystery of how real people, living rich and nuanced lives, thought about names in their moment.
But that’s also freeing. Because just like parents in 16th century England would’ve drawn on their personal understanding of names? We’re free to do the same in 21st century America. Or any other time or place.
That’s the gift of language and culture, all distilled into a handful of letters and sounds on birth certificate – then and now.
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Identical twin sisters Anna and Allison welcomed their daughters on the same day. How wild is that? More interesting to me: both girls received A names, just like their mothers. Allison’s daughter is Adeline. (Or possibly Adalyn, as the spelling is not specified.) Anna’s daughter is Amelia.
It’s okay to struggle to pronounce someone else’s name, but trying matters. I’ve shared stories like this before, but I think it bears repeating. Effort matters, even when we can’t get it quite right.
This one’s just for fun: Glamoratti baby names, or Medici-meets-mob wife. I am so here for this trend because there is absolutely a universe in which I name my children Cosima and Lucien. (Except … have you noticed that Cosima is slightly awkward to say in American English? I’m here for it in British English, but I can’t quite make it roll off my tongue when I try to say it.)
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Speaking of names I can’t say naturally in American English … Etienne is such a great take on Stephen, but I think something gets lost in translation.
I’m a huge fan of international, mysterious Zella. I think it’s very wearable, but also slightly Goth – in the best possible way.
Is it me, or does the Sex and the City character still define the name Charlotte?
That’s all for this week. As always, thank you for reading – and have a great week!
The association is still quite strong for me with Charlotte and more so Miranda! I love it though. I watch And just like that reruns now and again.