Kate Monk's Onomastikon

(Dictionary of Names)


Early Modern England

Although most of these names had been in existence for many years, they did not become popular or were not found at all in Britain before the 17th century. Biblical names did not become really common until after the Reformation. Classical Greek and Latin names became popular during the 18th century, especially for girls. Fanciful adaptations of existing girls' names, often with the addition of '-bel' or '-inda' were made. The Latin forms of male names which had only been found in written form during the Middle Ages were revived as spoken forms (Phillippa, Juliana) and the practice of adding '-ine' or '-ina' to a male name to form a female one resulted in many new girls' names.

In the 19th century, there was a revival of interest in the Saxon and Norse mythologies which resulted in many long disused names being used, sometimes in Anglicised forms. Surnames began to be used as first names quite frequently, many of them those of noble families (such as Sidney, Neville).

Male

Given Name and Variants Diminutives Origin and Meaning

Alberic   Lat form of Aubrey (OG elf + power)
Algernon Algy 'with moustaches'
Almarick    
Aloysius   Lat form of Louis
Angel   Gk angelos 'messenger'
Aquila   Lat 'eagle'
Aretas    
Augustus Gus, Gussie Lat great/magnificent
Aurelian   Lat aureus 'golden'
Baptist   In honour of John the Baptist
Benezer   From Ebenezer
Bonamy   Lat 'good friend'
Chrysogon    
Clarence Clarrie, Clary  
Cosmo   Gk kosmos order/beauty
Endymion    
Erasmus   Gk Erasmos eran 'to love'
Ernest Ernie OHG eornost 'seriousness'
Eubule, Ewball    
Euseby   Gk Eusebios 'respectful, pious'
Horace, Horatio   Etruscan
Hosanna   Heb
Jessamy    
Justinian   Lat 'just/fair'
Percy   Lat Persius
Sacheverell   Norman placename Saute-Chevreuil 'roebuck-leap'
Sholto   Gaelic Sioltach 'sower'
Sidney   Nor/FR surname Saint Denis or OE 'wide meadow'
Theophilus   Gk god + friend
Ybel    

Female

Given Name and Variants   Origin and Meaning

Albertine   Fem of Albert
Albina, Albinia   Lat albus white (nomen)
Alethea, Alethia, Aletha, Aletea, Alithia, Althea, Alatheia, Aletea, Aletheia, Alethia, Alithea   Gk aletheia 'truth'
Allegra   It allegro 'gay/jaunty' (a daughter of Byron)
Alma   Lat almus 'nourishing/kind' (infl Battle of Alma)
Aloisia   Fem of Aloysius
Althea   Gk Althaia
Amanda   Lat 'lovable'
Ancilla, Annzella   Lat
Angel   Gk angelus 'messenger'
Anthea   Gk antheios 'flowery'
Aquila   Lat 'eagle' (cognomen)
Armine, Armin, Arminel   Ger Herman
Artemisia   Gk Artemis
Aspasia    
Augusta   Lat fem of Augustus
Aurea   Lat aureus golden
Aureola, Auriol    
Aurora   Lat 'dawn'
Berenice   Gk Pherenike 'bringer of victory'
Brilliana   For a girl born in Brill
Britannia    
Carina   From Cara or Karin
Clorinda    
Corisande    
Delia   Gk 'from Delos' (name for Artemis)
Dillian, Dilliana    
Dorinda   From Dora
Douglas   surname
Elizabella   Eliza + Bella
Elma   From Guglielma
Frusannah   Form of Susannah
Jacinth   Hyacinth
Lucasta   Fem of Lucas
Mariabella   Maria + Bella
Philadelphia   'brotherly love' (US placename)
Saranna   Sarah + Anne
Sophronia    
Ulalia   Form of Eulalia
Urania   Fem of Uranus
Venetia   From Venice
Zenobe   Gk 'Zeus + life'


This collection of names was compiled by Kate Monk and is ©1997, Kate Monk.

Copies may be made for personal use only.


tekeli.li home|Onomastikon home