A Very Brief History of Names in England and America
Naming Conventions and Spelling in the Upper New River Valley
Short List of Names
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Note: some names appear in more than one category. ENGLISH NAMES FROM THE MIDDLE AGES AND EARLIER (may have Germanic, Latin, Norman, or early Christian origins): Agnes, Adele, Adeline, Alice, Ann/Anne/Anna, Annabel, Annice, Arabella, Barbara, Bertha, Camilla, Cassandra, Catherine, Cecilia, Cecily, Christina, Clare, Clarice, Clementia, Dorothea, Edith, Eleanor, Elizabeth, Ella, Ellen, Emma, Emmeline, Emily, Estrilda, Eulalia, Euphemia, Felicia, Flora, Gertrude, Grace, Griselda, Helen, Hilda, Isabel, Jane, Janet/Janetta, Jenny, Joanna, Johanna, Joyce, Julia/Julian/Jillian, Katherine, Lavinia, Leanna, Leonora, Lettice, Letitia, Lillian, Lora, Loretta, Lucy, Mahald, Margaret, Marina, Mary, Matilda, Mildred, Mirabel, Nancy, Oliva, Paulina, Rosa/Rose, Rosalind, Rosamond, Sarah, Sidony, Tamsin, Thomasina, Valerie, Winifred. ENGLISH QUEENS: Anne, Catherine, Charlotte, Eleanor, Elizabeth, Isabella, Jane, Mary. BIBLICAL: Abi, Abiah, Abigail, Alva, Asenath, Barzilla, Beersheba, Bethabara, Bethany, Beulah, Candice, Chloe, Deborah, Delilah, Dinah, Dorcas, Drusilla, Elizabeth, Esther, Eunice, Eve, Hannah, Huldah, Jemima, Jeriah, Johanna, Julia, Keturah, Keziah, Leah, Lois, Lydia, Mahala, Martha, Mary, Mehetable, Michal, Miriam, Naomi, Ophrah, Orpha, Penninah, Phoebe, Priscilla, Rachel, Rebecca/Rebekah, Rhoda, Ruhamah, Ruth, Sarah, Susannah, Tabitha, Tamar, Tirzah, Zemira, Zibiah, Zillah, Zilpah, Zipporah. VIRTUES: Alethea ("truth"), Charity, Chastity, Comfort, Constance, Delight, Dorothea ("God's gift"), Faith, Grace, Honor, Hope, Joy, Joyce, Obedience, Patience, Providence, Prudence, Tace ("be silent"), Temperance, Theodocia ("God's gift"), Verity ("truth"), Waitstill. LITERARY & CLASSICAL REVIVAL (mainly 16th-18th centuries): Albina, Althea, Almira, Amanda, Amaryllis, Amelia, Angeline, Amynta, Artemesia, Aurelia, Belinda, Bithiah, Caledonia, Camilla, Celia, Cinderella, Clarinda, Clarissa, Clementina, Cora, Cordelia, Corinna, Cynthia, Delia, Delicia, Diana, Dorinda, Elvira, Esmerelda, Estrilda/Estrildis, Eurydice, Fatima, Fidelia, Frances, Harriet, Irena, Laura, Louisa/Louise, Lucinda, Lucretia, Malvina, Melissa, Melinda, Minerva, Miranda, Myra, Octavia, Olivia, Ophelia, Palmyra, Pamela, Parthenia, Penelope, Sabrina, Safronia, Selima, Selina, Selinda, Sophia, Sylvania, Sylvia, Tranquilla, Vesta. GERMAN: Adele, Adelaide, Almetta, Analiese, Bertha, Elsa, Elsina/Elzina, Jensine, Johanna, Marlena, Rosina, Seraphina, Serena, Serilda. Other 18th-century German names (gleaned from Pennsylvania German Church Records, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1983): Albertina, Anna, Appollonia, Barbara, Catharina, Christina, Cunigunda, Dorothea, Elisabetha, Elisa, Eva, Frederica, Gertraud, Hannah, Helena, Juditha, Juiliana, Licetta, Magdalena, Marcreta, Margaretha, Maria, Sara, Sophia, Susanna, Theresa, Wilhelmina. SCOTTISH: Maise (Mazy?) POSSIBLY "MELUNGEON" (Portuguese, Arabic, Native American - alternative explanations noted): Fatima (probably a literary import), Mahala (probably Biblical), Pheraby/Feraby/Fariba (may be a variation of "Phoebe"), Selima (probably a literary import), Semira (may be related to Biblical "Zemira"), Saluda, Sedilia, Wady (may be related to Puritan "Waitstill"). PLACES: America, Carolina, Columbia, Fredonia, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Philadelphia, Virginia. FLOWERS & PLANTS: Amarilla (Amaryllis), Flora, Lily, Narcissa, Olive, Rose, Violet. OTHER 18TH-19TH CENTURY IMPORTS: Eugenie (French), Josephine (French), Belvadere (Italian), Lorena (Italian), Buena Vista (Spanish). AMERICAN INVENTIONS: Araminta, Arlena, Artelia, Cena/Cenia, Dorthula, Dovey, Fredonia, Jincey/Gincey, Lagenia, Ludelia, Ludema, Ludicia, Luticia, Luella, Luvena, Marticia, Mathursa, Orlena, Perlina, Permelia, Pheraby/Feraby, Plutina, Rosinda, Saletta, Sena/Senia, Thursey, Verlitia. |
Lena* = Arlena, Orlena, Marlena
Letty = Letitia
Lethy = Alethea, Althea
Lindy = Belinda, Selinda, Malinda
Locky, Lotty = Charlotte
Ludy = Ludema, Ludicia
Manda = Amanda
Marilla = Amarilla (Amaryllis)
Mattie = Martha, Matilda
Mazy* = Mary Elizabeth
Media = Almedia
Melia = Amelia, Permelia, Mildred
Milly = Amelia, Permelia, Mildred
Mintha, Minty = Araminta
Mira* = Elmira, Lemira
Molly = Mary
Nancy* = Ann, Annice
Nelly = Eleanor, Ellen, Penelope
Olly = Olivia
Orilla = Aurelia, Amarilla
Patty, Patsy = Martha
Peggy = Margaret
Penny = Penelope, Penninah
Polly = Mary
Reba = Rebecca
Rilla, Rilly = Aurelia, Amarilla
Rinda, Rindy = Marinda, Dorinda
Sabra* = Sabrina
Sally, Sary = Sarah
Sena,* Senia* = Asenath, Lucinda,
Serena, Rosina
Sheby = Barsheba
Silla = Priscilla, Drusilla
Sinda = Lucinda, Rosinda
Sintha = Cynthia
Sissa, Sissy = Narcissa, Patience
Sookie, Suky = Susan, Susanna
Sophy, Suffina = Sophia, Sophronia
Tamsey = Tamsin (Thomasine)
Theny = Parthenia, Bethany
Thursey* = Mathursa
Tempy = Temperance
Tenny = Tennessee, Christina
Tensy = Tennessee
Tilda, Tildy = Matilda
Tincy = Tennessee
Tiny = Tennessee, Christina,
Clementine
Vina, Viney = Lavina, Malvina,
Melvina
Vista* = Buena Vista
Winnie = Winifred
Zibby = Elizabeth, Zibiah
Addy = Adele, Adelia, Adeline,
Adelaide, Artelia
Adelphia = Philadelphia
Aisley = Alice, Elsa, Elzina
Aldonia* = Caledonia
Ally = Alice, Althea, Alethea
Alphia = Philadelphia
Alzy = Elzina, Elsa
Arilla = Aurelia, Amarilla (Amaryllis)
Arty = Artelia, Artemisia
Atty = Adele, Adelia, Adeline,
Adelaide, Artelia
Barbry = Barbara
Betsy, Betty = Elizabeth
Biddy = Obedience
Bitha, Bithy* = Tabitha
Buena* = Buena Vista
Callie = Caledonia
Cassie = Cassandra
Cena,* Cenia* = Asenath, Lucinda,
Serena, Rosina
Clemmie = Clementine
Delana = Adeline
Delia* = Cordelia, Adele, Delilah,
Philadelphia
Delphia = Philadelphia
Dilly = Cordelia, Adele, Delilah,
Philadelphia
Dicey* = Theodocia, Ludicia, Diana,
Eurydice
Docey, Docia, Doska = Theodocia
Donia, Doney = Caledonia
Dora* = Theodora
Dovey* = Deborah
Drucy = Drusilla
Edie, Edy = Edith
Edny = Edna
Effy = Eva, Euphemia
Ellie = Eleanor
Elsy, Elzy = Elzina, Elsa, Alice
Ettie, Etty = Esther
Evie = Eva, Eve
Fanny, Franky = Frances
Gilly = Julia, Juliana
Ginny = Jane, Janetta, Virginia,
Lugenia, Eugenia
Hattie = Harriet
Hessy = Hester
Hiley = Mahala
Ibby = Isabel
Ina = Christina
Jilly = Julia, Juliana
Jinny = Jane, Janetta, Virginia,
Lugenia, Eugenia