Onomasticity
For those of us to whom a rose by any other name would NOT smell as sweet.Archive for Araminta
Names I’m Loving
These are some names that I’ve been liking a lot lately (meaning I use them for characters in stories or games, put them on future baby name lists, etc). Feel free to leave your thoughts on them or request a feature on other names.
Girls:
Nicolette- I love this French diminutive of Nicole much more than the much more popular original. It’s cute without being cutesy, and I love the boyish nickname Nico.
Marisol- This Spanish combination of Maria and Sol (the Spanish word for sun) is beautiful and evocative and would work well on any girl, regardless of heritage.
Lavinia- Though to be of Etruscan origin, this unique and ancient name would work well on a modern girl. I also love the nickname Vinnie for a girl.
Rosario- A fresh alternative to other names beginning in “Rose,” and a great pathway to the cute nickname Rosie. It means rosary in Spanish and comes from a title given to the Virgin Mary (Nuestra Senora del Rosario). Rosario Dawson proves that it can work with non-Hispanic surnames.
Lourdes- This name of a French town where a young girl supposedly had a vision of the Virgin Mary has a pretty sound and an evocative meaning. Personally I prefer the Spanish pronunciation, “LOOR-des.”
Linden- the name of a sweet-smelling flowering tree that is a great alternative to the trendy London and the outdated Linda. I knew a girl in high school with this name.
Hortensia- Ever heard of the phrase, ‘So out it’s in?’ This kind of epitomizes it for me. Thought to have been derived from the Roman word for garden, it has a clunky-pretty sound that really appeals, at least to me,
Araminta- Very popular in Britain, I think it could cross the pond very easily and has a lot of potential. It is of unknown meaning and origin, and was Harriet Tubman’s real name. It has a pretty sound, and the “mint” sound gives it a nature connection.
Severine- Although the “sever” sound is a little bit off-putting, and it comes from a Roman family name that meant “stern,” this French name has a lot of appeal. The -ine ending would allow it to easily fit in with more popular names, but its very low popularity in the US makes it a great stand-out choice. There is also the etymological connection with the Harry Potter series’ Severus Snape… 🙂
Magnolia- This pretty flower name stands out without being too out-there. The nickname Maggie is also cute.
Beatrice- I used to despise this name, but it has slowly grown on me. It is a little clunky, and some may say old-fashioned, but I prefer vintage. Bea is also a cute nickname.
Carmel- Coming from the title of the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Carmel, it is a very old name with no relation to caramel candy. It is pronounced “car-MEL,” and is also the name of a town in California. Very pretty and evocative name for any girl.
June- Another old-fashioned name I think is ready for resurrection. The transitional month between spring and summer- what could be more beautiful?
Audrey- Every time I hear this name, I think of Audrey Hepburn and her classic beauty and style. It’s a diminutive of a long-forgotten Old English name, but works perfectly on its own. A timeless classic that would work for any girl.
Louise- Another vintage charmer that I think is ready to go back into the naming pool. And would you believe that this pretty French-flavored name ultimately came from the German Ludwig? Also love the nickname Lou.
Iona- This name of a Scottish island is very pretty and evokes images of rugged Scotland while remaining simple enough for American tongues to pronounce.
Scarlett- So many connections. Gone With the Wind, Scarlett Johansson…the list goes on. The name ultimately comes from a a kind of cloth, but also has a strong color connection. Very strong choice.
Lilou- A diminutive of Lily, and currently one of the most popular names in France. I try to ignore the Fifth Element connection, but that may be a positive influence for some people. It’s very cute without being prissy and would adapt well any culture.
Boys:
Chanson- Means song in French, and would traditionally be pronounced “shahn-SOHN,” but of course this is impractical here. “CHAN-son” doesn’t sound too bad, and would fit in with more popular names like Jason, Jackson, etc.
Tadhg- First heard this a while back in an Irish movie called The Secret of Roan Inish (which is a fantastic film by the way). Pronounced “Tieg,” it means poet in Irish. No doubt it would be met with serious pronunciation/spelling issues here in the US, but I love the sound and feel of it.
Roux- Pronounced “roo,” it means redhead in French, and was the name of Johnny Depp’s dashing gypsy character in the movie Chocolat. It’s cute but would age well, and the spelling is half of the appeal.
Dexter- Clunky-nerdy names seem to be the thing lately, and I fully embrace the trend. Dexter has a nice sound to it, and isn’t too high on the popularity list either. It means skilled in Latin. I also quite like the nickname Dex.
Kingsley- Means “king’s wood” in Old English, and is also a sound-alike to the word “kingly.” What could be more appealing? Also has a Harry Potter connection for all you nerds out there (of which I am proudly one).
Demetrius- Ultimately comes from the Greek goddess Demeter, which gives it great appeal, and was also the name of several kings and saints. With a long history and an appealing sound, it’s a prime name candidate with Demi or Dimitri as nickname options.
Eamon- I also heard this Irish form of Edmund, pronounced “AY-mun,” in the movie The Secret of Roan Inish. Familiar-sounding without being overly popular, it has a pleasant, warm feel to it.
Lucien- I must admit, the movie Underworld first made me fall in love with this French form of Lucius. The French pronunciation, “loo-syahn,” is beautiful, but, unfortunately, impractical here. “LOO-shin” is nice, and very respectable. The name itself is a little bit “bad-boy,” but that’s part of its appeal.
Stanton- I am usually not a very big fan of “surname-names,” but this one stands out in a good way. Stan would make a good nickname.
Tucker- What was I saying about surname-names? I like this one mostly because it comes with the nickname Tuck, and does not sound ridiculous as many surname-names do.
Onomasticity 