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ArchivesNames invented by poets/playwrights/authors
I know of these:
- Arwen (Tolkien)
- Ayla (Jean Auel)
- Miranda (Shakespeare)
- Pamela (Philip Sydney)
- Sabrina (John Milton)
- Vanessa (Jonathan Swift)
- Ronja/Ronia (Astrid Lindgren)
- Atreyu (Michel Ende) has already been mentioned.
Maybe Jessica also was invented by Shakespeare.
Do you know of more such names? Or did these names exist before the poet etc. used it?
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
- Arwen (Tolkien)
- Ayla (Jean Auel)
- Miranda (Shakespeare)
- Pamela (Philip Sydney)
- Sabrina (John Milton)
- Vanessa (Jonathan Swift)
- Ronja/Ronia (Astrid Lindgren)
- Atreyu (Michel Ende) has already been mentioned.
Maybe Jessica also was invented by Shakespeare.
Do you know of more such names? Or did these names exist before the poet etc. used it?
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
This message was edited 10/14/2005, 5:34 PM
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Replies
stella was also made up by philip sydney, i believe.
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Yesenia was created by the Mexican author Yolanda Vargas Dulche around 1970 for the gypsy heroine of a telenovela.
Orville was invented by Fanny Burney for the character Lord Orville in her novel Evelina.
Tawny seems to have been first used as a girls' name for the title character of the novel Tawny by Donald Henderson Clarke:
http://www.grrl.com/sleaze47.html
In addition to Arwen, Tolkien's character names Galadriel and Eowyn have been given to real girls.
Amaya was created in 1879 by Spanish author Francisco Navarro Villoslada for the title character of his novel Amaya which deals with the conversion of the Basques to Christianity. There is a Japanese name Amaya mentioned on this site, but since the frequent use of Amaya as a girls' name in the USA seems to be the result of the appearance of a young woman of Spanish descent named Amaya on the MTV show The Real World, the Spanish novel seems a more likely source.
Orville was invented by Fanny Burney for the character Lord Orville in her novel Evelina.
Tawny seems to have been first used as a girls' name for the title character of the novel Tawny by Donald Henderson Clarke:
http://www.grrl.com/sleaze47.html
In addition to Arwen, Tolkien's character names Galadriel and Eowyn have been given to real girls.
Amaya was created in 1879 by Spanish author Francisco Navarro Villoslada for the title character of his novel Amaya which deals with the conversion of the Basques to Christianity. There is a Japanese name Amaya mentioned on this site, but since the frequent use of Amaya as a girls' name in the USA seems to be the result of the appearance of a young woman of Spanish descent named Amaya on the MTV show The Real World, the Spanish novel seems a more likely source.
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Two more - Perdita and Titania
Perdita and Titania are also used by Shakespeare and perhaps invented by him.
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
Perdita and Titania are also used by Shakespeare and perhaps invented by him.
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
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ALSO
These may have already been mention if so sorry
Ornella created by Italian Author Gabriele d'Annunzio
Myra - Fulke Greville
Lucinda - Cervantes
Lorna - R D Blackmore
Haidee - Byron
Eniko - Mihály Vörösmarty
Grazyna - Adam Mickiewicz
Csilla - Mihály Vörösmarty
Caspian - C. S. Lewis
Amanda - Colley Cibber
Also not sure if this is true that Geraldine is an invented name too
Geraldine
Etymology:
Geraldine is the feminine form of Gerald, the English form of an Old Germanic name, Gairovald. Originally it meant “Spear Ruler,” from “ger” (spear) and “wald” (rule).
History:
Geraldine began life as an adjective meaning “of the Fitzgerald family.” It was used in 1540 by Henry Howard Surrey to describe the Lady Elizabeth Fitzgerald. It was used occasionally by other poets until the early 19th century. One of the earliest noted bearers was Geraldina Eugenia Wallace (1811-1820) and Geraldine Jewsbury (born 1812). It was popularized by a character in Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Christabel (1816).
A childs smile is worth more to me than Gold
These may have already been mention if so sorry
Ornella created by Italian Author Gabriele d'Annunzio
Myra - Fulke Greville
Lucinda - Cervantes
Lorna - R D Blackmore
Haidee - Byron
Eniko - Mihály Vörösmarty
Grazyna - Adam Mickiewicz
Csilla - Mihály Vörösmarty
Caspian - C. S. Lewis
Amanda - Colley Cibber
Also not sure if this is true that Geraldine is an invented name too
Geraldine
Etymology:
Geraldine is the feminine form of Gerald, the English form of an Old Germanic name, Gairovald. Originally it meant “Spear Ruler,” from “ger” (spear) and “wald” (rule).
History:
Geraldine began life as an adjective meaning “of the Fitzgerald family.” It was used in 1540 by Henry Howard Surrey to describe the Lady Elizabeth Fitzgerald. It was used occasionally by other poets until the early 19th century. One of the earliest noted bearers was Geraldina Eugenia Wallace (1811-1820) and Geraldine Jewsbury (born 1812). It was popularized by a character in Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Christabel (1816).
A childs smile is worth more to me than Gold
This message was edited 10/15/2005, 2:18 PM
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Ayla is a "yes and no" situation - see my reply to Miss Claire.
♦ Chrisell ♦
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. - J.R.R. Tolkien.
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. - J.R.R. Tolkien.
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Talking about Astrid Lindgren …
A.L. made up a number of names for her books: Pelje, Pippi(lotta), Tomte. I'm not sure about Tjorven and Skrållan. Ronja she made up from a map of northern Sweden - and later found out that it existed before: as a Russian pet form of Weronika or else a pet form of Roxana.
A.L. made up a number of names for her books: Pelje, Pippi(lotta), Tomte. I'm not sure about Tjorven and Skrållan. Ronja she made up from a map of northern Sweden - and later found out that it existed before: as a Russian pet form of Weronika or else a pet form of Roxana.
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Birk is another
Birk is Ronja's friend in "Ronia, the Robber's daughter". But I'm not sure if Astrid made this up or if it is an old forgotten name. Birk sound like it means "birch". But though Ronja is popular as a girl's name the same is not true for Birk as a boy's name.
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
Birk is Ronja's friend in "Ronia, the Robber's daughter". But I'm not sure if Astrid made this up or if it is an old forgotten name. Birk sound like it means "birch". But though Ronja is popular as a girl's name the same is not true for Birk as a boy's name.
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
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BIRK is a pet form of BURKHARDT
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Tjorven and Skrållan are nick names
Maybe Astrid made them up, but they are not used as names for persons (but for pets and dolls). Pippilotta is not used as a name either. But Madicken (originally a nn for Margareta) is used.
Pelje I don't know of. Do you mean Pelle, an old nn for Per? "Tomte" means either brownie or Father Christmas, not used as a name.
Interesting that Ronja existed as a nn in another language.
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
Maybe Astrid made them up, but they are not used as names for persons (but for pets and dolls). Pippilotta is not used as a name either. But Madicken (originally a nn for Margareta) is used.
Pelje I don't know of. Do you mean Pelle, an old nn for Per? "Tomte" means either brownie or Father Christmas, not used as a name.
Interesting that Ronja existed as a nn in another language.
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
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Tjorven is derived from "tjorva", dialectal for being mischievous, not obeying. Skrållan is probably derived from "skrålla", an old dialectal word for "wrinkled" as in having wrinkled clothes after playing.
Pippi has been used, but only as a middle name. Madicken is called Mardie in the U.K., Meg in the U.S. and Madita in Spanish-speaking countries.
Ronja is derived from a place name in northern Sweden, "Juronjaure", but I don't know what it means.
I wish I were as crazy as people say I am
~ Loesje
Pippi has been used, but only as a middle name. Madicken is called Mardie in the U.K., Meg in the U.S. and Madita in Spanish-speaking countries.
Ronja is derived from a place name in northern Sweden, "Juronjaure", but I don't know what it means.
I wish I were as crazy as people say I am
~ Loesje
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Ayla: Hebrew name used before Auel's books
Jessica: believed to be a European form of the Hebrew Biblical name Isska, "the one who sees".
Tolkien invented many names, like Arwen, Eowyn, Galadriel...
~~ Claire ~~
My ! are Alia, Eidel, Enola, Israel, Dudel, Yuri, Lina, Lorelei, Leilani, Owen, Julian, Glorinda, Mirinda
My ? are Hillel, Meshullam, Johnny, Ginny, Cordelia, Fiammetta, Yocheved
My ~ are Tehila, Tilda, Hailey, Gillian, Huldah
My / are Aglaia and July
Jessica: believed to be a European form of the Hebrew Biblical name Isska, "the one who sees".
Tolkien invented many names, like Arwen, Eowyn, Galadriel...
~~ Claire ~~
My ! are Alia, Eidel, Enola, Israel, Dudel, Yuri, Lina, Lorelei, Leilani, Owen, Julian, Glorinda, Mirinda
My ? are Hillel, Meshullam, Johnny, Ginny, Cordelia, Fiammetta, Yocheved
My ~ are Tehila, Tilda, Hailey, Gillian, Huldah
My / are Aglaia and July
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Personally the idea that Jessica is a form of "Iscah" has never convinced me. The reasoning for this seems to be that since in one early English translation of the Bible "Iscah" is printed as "Jesca" that Jesca must be the source of Jessica. But no one knows how Shakespeare came up with the name and it's always seemed to me to be more logical that he was simply creating what he thought would be an "Italianate" sounding feminine form for the prominent Old Testament name Jesse rather than scouting around for a really obscure Old Testament female name and then modifying that.
At least a derivation from Jesse seems just as plausible to me as a derivation from Iscah.
At least a derivation from Jesse seems just as plausible to me as a derivation from Iscah.
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Is Isska used as a girl's name now?
Where in the bible is this name used?
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
Where in the bible is this name used?
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
1
My name book describes Isska as "very common" in Israel, although the only one I know is American. :)
~~ Claire ~~
My ! are Alia, Eidel, Enola, Israel, Dudel, Yuri, Lina, Lorelei, Leilani, Owen, Julian, Glorinda, Mirinda
My ? are Hillel, Meshullam, Johnny, Ginny, Cordelia, Fiammetta, Yocheved
My ~ are Tehila, Tilda, Hailey, Gillian, Huldah
My / are Aglaia and July
~~ Claire ~~
My ! are Alia, Eidel, Enola, Israel, Dudel, Yuri, Lina, Lorelei, Leilani, Owen, Julian, Glorinda, Mirinda
My ? are Hillel, Meshullam, Johnny, Ginny, Cordelia, Fiammetta, Yocheved
My ~ are Tehila, Tilda, Hailey, Gillian, Huldah
My / are Aglaia and July
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I see it is also a Turkish name
Though parents who are not Hebrew nor Turkish may take Ayla from Auels novels.
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
Though parents who are not Hebrew nor Turkish may take Ayla from Auels novels.
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
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If one looks at the figures on the SSA site, it's quite clear that most American parents who have named daughters Ayla were inspired by Auel's character, not the Hebrew name. Plus, the more common transliterations of that Hebrew name into the Roman alphabet in Israel itself seem to be Ela and Elah. Ayla is an Americanized spelling to avoid the possibility of people pronouncing Ela to rhyme with Sheila.
This message was edited 10/16/2005, 3:38 PM
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One of my father's friends has a daughter named Ayla, and her mother did indeed get the name from Auels novels. I didn't actually know it was a Hebrew name until I came to this site.
PP's in Profile
♥"Mada"♥
Bren: I'm a statistic, you're a statistic, we're all statistics! Heartless, souless, walking figures!
Raleva: Bren....go back to sleep!
My characters have issues... X-/
PP's in Profile
♥"Mada"♥
Bren: I'm a statistic, you're a statistic, we're all statistics! Heartless, souless, walking figures!
Raleva: Bren....go back to sleep!
My characters have issues... X-/
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Dorian seems to be the only male name
Interesting that all the others are female. Some of them are really popular too, but Dorian is not. I belive parents are more conservative when it comes to sons, so new names are not so readily accepted.
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
Interesting that all the others are female. Some of them are really popular too, but Dorian is not. I belive parents are more conservative when it comes to sons, so new names are not so readily accepted.
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
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It should, logically, take off round about now, what with the vogue for geographical names ... I've only ever met one Dorian (who had brothers named Ashley and Mark), but there's a Dorianne here in South Africa who used to be on morning TV as a continuity person. I suspect it was probably Dorothy-Anne rather than feminised Dorian.
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