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ArchivesRe: ***ADVICE FOR A NOVEL: Does origin matter?***
in reply to a message by Sylvia
very unrealistic. the nazis were extremely anti-anything of foreign origin. most members of the nazi party were born during the last 20 years of the 19th century, a time when prussian names, strong in tutonic tradition were common. however, if you really do love the name and cannot find something similar from the germanic tradition, perhaps you could make it clear that your character comes from a french border region such as alsace-lorraine, known for causing problems between the french and the german over mining territory.
good luck.
good luck.
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I'm finding that I also like "Adriane," and several online sources (except this one) say that it is German. Does anyone know of an accurate off-line source?
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Finding an off-line source specializing in German first names might be a bit difficult and somewhat expensive. However, I have a B.A. in German and can, hopefully, help...
Adriane is initially of Greek origin, an adaptation of Ariadne. Many names which are now considered *German* are not Germanic in origin, but simply names which have recently been popularized in German speaking countries. The trend in Germany toward foreign names (Adriane, for example) is very current. In all likelihood, your character would bear a traditional Germanic-Norse name, such as Adele, Maria, Liese, Klara, Heike, Ilse, Annike, or Marit. Even translations of Latin names would have been more common, such as Aurelie, as the Romans had a far more profound influence in Germany than the Greeks.
Adriane is initially of Greek origin, an adaptation of Ariadne. Many names which are now considered *German* are not Germanic in origin, but simply names which have recently been popularized in German speaking countries. The trend in Germany toward foreign names (Adriane, for example) is very current. In all likelihood, your character would bear a traditional Germanic-Norse name, such as Adele, Maria, Liese, Klara, Heike, Ilse, Annike, or Marit. Even translations of Latin names would have been more common, such as Aurelie, as the Romans had a far more profound influence in Germany than the Greeks.
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