Category Archives: Amish/Plattdeutsch Names

Henry, Harry, Harriet, Henrietta

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Origin: English/Germanic
Meaning: home ruler

Henry, an age old classic male name, is an anglicized version of the Germanic Heimric, which is composed of the elements heim meaning “home” and ric meaning “ruler.” The name evolved into the modern German Heinrich, the Scandinavian Henrik, the Polish Henryk, the French Henri, the Spanish Enrique and the Italian Enzo.

Henry has a lot of staying power in virtually most European countries. Like many of the other classic English names, this name came to England not through any Anglo-Saxon Germanic connections but through the conquering French Normans. It is has been a very popular choice among British and German royalty alike. It has been borne by the infamous Henry VIII all the way to our very present, Prince Henry, (aka Prince Harry), of England.

Henry has given to the world its diminutive form of Harry, which in many respects, is seen as an independent name in its own right. In Medieval England, Harry was considered the vulgar or everyday form of the name, most of England’s King Henrys were known affectionately as Harry. At one time, the name Henry was so common in the English speaking world, that the phrase, “Every Tom, Dick and Harry,” arose.

Harry is the title character of J.K. Rowling’s wizardry series, Harry Potter and again most the world knows the charming prince by his nickname versus his full name, given it a new appeal to young parents. Once seen as a stodgy and stuffy old man name, it is now seen as a classy and chic choice. Harry has recently enjoyed a surge in popularity in both the United Kingdom and the United States. Currently, Harry sits at # 644 in the 2008 most popular male names of the United States, while Henry comes in at # 76, and seems to be rising. Meanwhile, in Great Britain, Harry came in at a whopping # 5, while Henry at # 34. In France’s top male names of 2006, Henri came in at # 330, while its Italian version of Enzo, seems to be the more preferred version in recent years, Enzo came in as the # 1 most popular male name of France!

Other popular nicknames are Hal and Hank.

It also has feminine forms of Harriet and Henrietta, from both female versions the nicknames Hattie, Hettie and Etta came about. There is also the French form of Henriette, and the Italian feminine form of Enza.

Likes its male counterpart, Harriet seems to be enjoying a recent surge in popularity. In Britain and Wales’ top 100 female names of 2008, she came in at # 73, while in the United States, she still has some ways to go, in fact, she has not been in the top 1000 for at least 9 years. The name was borne by Harriet Beacher Stowe.

The designated name day for all forms of this name is July 13.

Other forms include:

  • Hanrí هنري (Arabic: primarily used among Arab Christians)
  • Endika (Basque)
  • Enric (Catalan)
  • Henrik (Croatian/German/Hungarian/Scandinavian/Slovene)
  • Jindřich (Czech)
  • Hynek (Czech: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name)
  • Henderik (Danish)
  • Henning (Danish/German/Norwegian/Swedish)
  • Driek/Dricus (Dutch: originally a diminutive form, used as an independent given name)
  • Dries (Dutch: originally a diminutive form, used as an independent given name)
  • Hein (Dutch: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name)
  • Heino (Dutch/Estonian)
  • Hendrik (Dutch/Estonian/German)
  • Henk (Dutch/Limburgish: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name)
  • Hal (English: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name)
  • Hank (English: originally a diminutive form, now used exclusively as an independent given name)
  • Enrico (Estonian)
  • Harri (Finnish/Welsh)
  • Heikki (Finnish)
  • Henrikki (Finnish)
  • Henri (French)
  • Haio (Frisian)
  • Aiko/Eiko/Haiko/Heiko (Frisian)
  • Heink (Frisian)
  • Henner (Frisian)
  • Hinrich (Frisian)
  • Hainrixi ჰაინრიხი (Georgian)
  • Heimo (German)
  • Heiner (German: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name)
  • Heinrich (German)
  • Heinz (German: diminutive form occasionally used as an independent given name)
  • Errikos (Greek)
  • Hinrik (Icelandic)
  • Anraí/Einrí (Irish-Gaelic)
  • Anrico (Italian)
  • Arrigo/Errigo (Italian)
  • Enrichetto (Italian)
  • Enrico (Italian)
  • Enzo/Enzio (Italian)
  • Richetto (Italian)
  • Rico (Italian: contracted form)
  • Rigo (Italian)
  • Henricus (Latin)
  • Indriķis (Latvian)
  • Herkus (Latvian)
  • Endrikis (Lithuanian)
  • Henrikas (Lithuanian)
  • Heng/Hari (Lexumbourgish)
  • Henno (Low German)
  • Hinderk/Hinnerk (Low German)
  • Jendrik (Low German)
  • Heimrich (Old German)
  • Hinnerk (Plattdeutsch)
  • Henryk (Polish)
  • Henrique (Portuguese/Galician)
  • Henric (Romanian)
  • Andri/Andrin (Romansch)
  • Gendrich/Genrich (Russian)
  • Eanraig (Scottish-Gaelic)
  • Hendry (Scottish)
  • Heinri/Heiri (Swiss-German: dialectical form)
  • Henrich (Slovak)
  • Hendrich (Sorbian)
  • Enrique (Spanish)
  • Hersh (Yiddish)

Female forms include:

  • Drika (Dutch)
  • Heintje (Dutch)
  • Hendrika/Hendrikje (Dutch)
  • Henriëtte (Dutch)
  • Jetta/Jette (Dutch/German: Originally diminutive forms, now used exclusively as independent given names)
  • Etta (English: contracted form)
  • Harriet (English)
  • Hattie (English: originally a diminutive form, used as an independent given name)
  • Henrietta (English)
  • Hettie (English: originally a diminutive form, used as an independent given name)
  • Henna (Finnish)
  • Henriikka (Finnish)
  • Henriette (French)
  • Hinriette (Frisian)
  • Heinriette (German: obscure)
  • Heinrike (German)
  • Henrike (German/Danish/Norwegian)
  • Enrica (Italian)
  • Enrichetta (Italian)
  • Enza (Italian)
  • Errichetta (Italian)
  • Rica (Italian)
  • Henryka (Polish)
  • Andrina (Romansch)
  • Henrika (Swedish)

Adalbert, Wojciech, Vojtěch

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: German/Polish/Czech/Slovak
(Adal-bert) (VOY-chehk); (VOY-tyek).

The name, Adalbert, is derived from the Germanic elements adal meaning “noble” and behrt meaning “bright; shining; illustrious.”

The name was borne by a 9th century saint, who was known as the apostle of the Slavs.

He was a German Bishop of the town of Madgeburg who was assigned under the Pope as a missionary to Russia, upon the request of Queen Olga. Olga’s son oppossed Adalbert’s visit, and had his companions slain while Adalbert himself barely escaped alive. He returned to Germany where he established several archbishopric’s and trained missionaries for the Slavic tribes.

His feast day is commemorated on June 20.

One of his students was St. Adalbert of Prague, also known as Vojtech, in Czech, (or Slovakian), and as Wojciech, in Polish.

He was born into a noble Czech family in Bohemia and studied in Madgeburg under Adalbert of Madgeburg. He returned to Prague and entered the priesthood, eventually becoming the Bishop of Prague.

He was noted for his rejection of wealth and insisted to live a life of poverty. As a result, he gave up his Bishop’s position and decided to become a hermit instead. However, the pope had other plans for him in mind. The pope talked him back into becoming a bishop and was sent on a mission to convert the neighboring Slavs and Prussians in Poland.

He was succesful in coverting the Polish King Boleslaw the Brave, but met resistance in the west of Poland.

He was beheaded by the locals when he attempted to cut down an oak tree. He was martyred in what is now Elblag, Poland.

King Boleslaw retrieved his body and consecrated a church, in his honour, in Gniezno, Poland, where his body is still interned. His cult is still very popular in Poland, where he is known as Wojchiech (VOY-chehk).

Other forms of the name include:

  • Apke (Frisian)
  • Adalberta (Basque)
  • Adalbertu (Corsican)
  • Adalbert (Czech/Catalan/English/French/German/Hungarian/Polish/Slovak/Slovene)
  • Adelbert/Edelbert (German)
  • Adelbrecht (German)
  • Adelspret (German: Austrian dialectical form)
  • Aðalbert (Icelandic)
  • Adalbertus (Latin)
  • Adalberts (Latvian)
  • Adalbertas (Lithuanian)
  • Ahlert/Alert (Plattdeutsch)
  • Adal’bert Адальберт (Russian)
  • Aebi (Swiss-German)
  • Adalberto (Spanish/Galician/Italian/Portuguese)
  • Edilberto (Spanish)

Feminine forms are Adalberta and Adalbertina.

Margaret, Margarita, Marguerite, Margherita

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Greek
Meaning: ‘pearl’
Eng: (MAR-gret); Fre: (mar-GUR-eet); It/Sp (mar-gay-REE-tah).

The name is derived from the Greek word μαργαρίτης, (margarites), meaning, “pearl.” It is believed that the Greek word itself is derived from the Persian word Marg, Marq or Marka meaning bird, possibly due to the resemblance of the pearl to birds’ eggs.

The name was popularized in late antiquity due to the cult of St. Margaret of Antioch.

Legend has it that she was the daughter of a powerful Antiochian priest. Due to her Christianity, she was disowned by her father and lived as a shepherdess in the hills of Turkey. A nobleman went to her father and asked for her hand in marriage. Her father consented and sent the suitor to the Turkish hills to find Margaret. There, the suitor begged her to turn away from her religion and to marry him. When Margaret said no, the nobleman had her tortured. One legend has it, that while being tortured, she had a vision of Satan appearing to her in the form of a dragon and swallowing her whole. The beast regurgitated her back up due to the golden cross she was wearing. She was finally beheaded. Her death is set around 304 A.D. and her feast is usually held around the middle of July.

In Medieval England, Margaret’s cult became especially popular. She was considered protector of pregnant women, possibly due to her incident with the dragon. She is considered to be one of the Holy Helpers who appeared to Joan of Arc.

In the English speaking world, she has been in usage since the Middle Ages, also producing the English offshoot of Margery or Marjorie, which was popular in the early Middle Ages and was revived in the 18th-century. The last time Marjorie was seen in the U.S. top 1000 was in 1994, coming in as the # 991st most popular female name. The highest she ever ranked in U.S. naming history was between 1921 and 1924 when she came in as the 16th most popular female name.

In United States naming history, she peaked 7 years in a row coming in at as the 3rd most popular female name between 1905 and 1911. Currently, she comes in as the 180th most popular female name, and other forms have outranked her.

For instance, the Welsh form of Megan, is currently the 100th most popular female name in the United States, but in previous years, she has ranked even higher, in 1985, she was the 10th most popular female name. In other countries, Megan’s rankings are as follows:

  • # 47 (Canada, B.C., 2008)
  • # 15 (England/Wales, 2008)
  • # 30 (Ireland, 2007)
  • # 170 (the Netherlands, 2008)
  • # 31 (Scotland, 2008)

In addition to her, there are several other saints who bear this name. Throughout history the name has been borne by several English and French Monarchs.

Other forms of the name include:

  • Margarid (Armenian)
  • Maharyta/Maharèta (Belarusian)
  • Marc’harid (Breton)
  • Mégane (Breton)
  • Margarita Маргарита (Bulgarian/Late Latin/Lithuanian/Russian/Spanish)
  • Margrethe (Danish/Norwegian)
  • Margretje (Danish)
  • Merete/Meret (Danish)
  • Merit/Merrit (Danish)
  • Mette (Danish/Norwegian)
  • Margreet/Margriet (Dutch/Limburgish)
  • Margaretja (Dutch)
  • Margalida (Catalan)
  • Markéta (Czech/Slovak)
  • Markit (Czech: obscure form)
  • Muchlina (Czech: obscure form)
  • Margaret (English)
  • Margo (English)
  • Marga (Estonian/Catalan)
  • Maret/Mareta (Estonian)
  • Maarit (Finnish)
  • Margareeta/Margareetta (Finnish)
  • Margariita/Margariitta (Finnish)
  • Marjatta (Finnish)
  • Marketta (Finnish)
  • Margaux/Margot (French)
  • Maguy (French: medieval diminutive form occasionally used as an independent given name. mah-GEE)
  • Marguerite (French: also the French word for daisy)
  • Margarida (Galician/Portuguese: also coincides with the Galician and Portuguese word for daisy)
  • Margalita (Georgian)
  • Margareta (German/Dutch/Finnish/Romanian/Scandinavian/Slovene)
  • Margarete/Margret (German)
  • Margaretha (German/Dutch)
  • Margarethe (German/Danish)
  • Margrit (German)
  • Margott (German)
  • Meta (German/Scandinavian: originally a diminutive form, now used exclusively as an independent given name)
  • Margarita Μαργαρίτα (Greek: Modern)
  • Margalit (Hebrew: also the modern Hebrew word for pearl)
  • Margaréta (Hungarian)
  • Margita (Hungarian/Slovakian)
  • Margit (Hungarian/Scandinavian)
  • Margrét (Icelandic)
  • Mairéad (Irish-Gaelic)
  • Pegeen (Irish-Gaelic: Gaelicization of the English diminutive Peggy, used as an independent given name)
  • Margherita (Italian: also the Italian word for cheese pizza and the daisy)
  • Malgozata (Lithuanian)
  • Margaid (Manx)
  • Margrete (Norwegian)
  • Marit (Norwegian/Swedish)
  • Magalòna (Occitanian)
  • Małgorzata (Polish)
  • Magali (Provençal)
  • Marghareta (Romanian)
  • Marghita (Romanian)
  • Maighread (Scotch-Gaelic)
  • Maisie (Scotch-Gaelic: originally a diminutive form of Maighread and Margaret, the name has a long history of usage as an independent given name. Pronounced like (MAY-zee), rhymes with Daisy).
  • Chmarietta (Slovene)
  • Marjeta (Slovene)
  • Merit (Swedish)
  • Makalesi (Tongan)
  • Marged (Welsh)
  • Mared (Welsh)
  • Megan (Welsh)
  • Mererid (Welsh)

There is also the Germanic off spring of Greta and all her various forms, once used as a diminutive form, Greta and all her variations have a long history of being used as independent given names.

In the United States, Greta is currently the 694th most popular female name, her German sister of Gretchen currently ranks in as the 945th most popular female name.

  • Greta (Danish/German/English/Plattdeutsch/Norwegian/Romansch/Swedish)
  • Grete (Danish/German/Plattdeutsch)
  • Grethe (Danish/Norwegian)
  • Greet/Griet (Dutch/Limburgish)
  • Greetje (Dutch)
  • Gretje/Grietje (Frisian)
  • Gretta (English)
  • Gretchen (German/English)
  • Gretel/Gretl (German)
  • Gréta (Hungarian/Icelandic)
  • Ghita (Italian)
  • Grieta (Latvian)
  • Greetke (Plattdeutsch)
  • Greth (Plattdeutsch)
  • Gretje (Plattdeutsch)
  • Gretjen (Plattdeutsch)
  • Grettina (Romansch)

Another diminutive offspring that has a history as an independent name is Rita, which originated as a Spanish and Italian contracted form and is now used in English, German, Hungarian, Portuguese, and the Scandinavian languages, Reeta/Reetta are Finnish forms.

There is the Italian masculine form of Margherito.

Common English diminutives are Daisy, Madge, Mae,  Maggie, Mamie, Marge, Margie, Mayme, Meg, Meggie, Midge, Peg, Peggy, and Jorie (for Marjory).

Czech diminutives are: Gita, Gitka and Gituška, Polish diminutives are Gosia, Gośka, Małgorzatka, Małgosia and Małgośka.

A Hungarian diminutive is Manci, a Spanish pet form is Tita and a Manx diminutive is Paaie.

A Swiss-German dialectical diminutive is Gretli.

Sophia, Sophie, Sofia

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Gender: Female
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “wisdom.”
(so-FEE-yuh); (so-FYE-uh)

A long time Greek classic, the name suddenly appeared in the U.S top 100 circa 2000, and budged itself into the # 6 spot in 2007.

Sophia comes directly from the Greek, and was often used as a personification for Wisdom in philosophical, Christian, Jewish and Gnostic texts.

In Christian lore, Saint Sophia was the mother of three Christian martyrs, Hope (Elpida), Faith (Pisti) and Charity (Agapi). She supposedly died from grief after the death of her daughters, and is now one of the most revered saints of the Eastern Christian churches, making the name a longstanding classic throughout Eastern Europe and modern Greece.

Sophia is the Greek spelling, which seems to be the most worn form in the Western World. However, Sofia is the variation often used in continental Europe.

Sophia was not introduced into the English-speaking world until the 18-century, when it was introduced into the British Family Tree by the German Hanovers, from whose line the names Sophie and Sophia often appear.

In English, the pronunciation of so-FEE-yah, and so-FYE-uh are interchangeable. The former is more of a modern import, and the most popular. The latter is the older English pronunciation of the name, which is seldom heard in the States but is occasionally heard in Britain.

Other forms the name include:
  • Zofiya (Amharic/Ethiopian)
  • Soffi/Soffiya (Armenian)
  • Sachveja/Sofiya (Belorusian: Zosja is a diminutive form)
  • Sofija София (Bulgarian)
  • Sofia (Catalan/Finnish/German/Italian/Norwegian/Occitanian/Portuguese/Romanian/Slovak/Swedish: in 2007, this was the 59th most popular female name in Norway and the 44th most popular in Sweden)
  • Sònia (Catalan)
  • Sofija (Croatian/Serbian)
  • Sofie (Czech: SOFE-yeh)
  • Soňa (Czech/Slovak: a translation of the Russian diminutive form, Sonya)
  • Žofia/Žofie (Czech/Slovak: ZHOFE-yah, and ZHOFE-yeh. Diminutive forms are: Žofka and Žofa.)
  • Såffi (Danish: an old Danish form of Sophia)
  • Sofie (Danish/Dutch/German/Norwegian/Swedish: so-FEE Scand; zo-FEE German. In 2008, she was the 35th most popular female name in the Netherlands, and in 2007, she was the 10th most popular female name in Norway and the 85th most popular in Sweden)
  • Fie (Dutch: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name, FEE-e)
  • Soovi (Estonian)
  • Sohvi (Finnish)
  • Sophie (French/English/German/Dutch. In 2008, this was the 74th most popular female name in the United States, the 12th most popular in Canada, the 7th most popular in England and Wales and the most popular female name in the Netherlands and Scotland. In 2007, it was the 8th most popular female name in Australia)
  • Sonja (German/Estonian/Finnish/Polish/Scandinavian/Serbian/Slovene/Sorbian: a translation of the Russian diminutive form, Sonya).
  • Sonje (German: ZONE-yeh)
  • Sophia Σοφία (Greek Modern/English/Estonian/Italian)
  • Suffi/Suffia (Greenlandic)
  • Szonja (Hungarian)
  • Zsófia (Hungarian: ZHOH-fee-aw. In 2005, this was the 5th most popular female name in Hungary. A common diminutive form is Zsófika)
  • Soffía (Icelandic)
  • Sonia (Italian/Romanian)
  • Sofija/Sofja (Latvian)
  • Sofija/Zofija/Zopija (Lithuanian)
  • Sofija/Sofijana (Macedonian: Sofa is a diminutive form)
  • Sofija (Maltese)
  • Sophi (Persian)
  • Sofi (Plattdeutsch)
  • Zofia (Polish: diminutive forms are: Sonka, Zochna, Zocha, Zofka, Zońka, Zosia, Zośka, Zosieńka, and Zosia (ZOH-shah)
  • Sónia (Portuguese-European)
  • Sônia (Portuguese-Brazilian)
  • Sofiya/Sofya София (Russian/Ukrainian: Russian diminutives include Sonya, which is used as an independent given name in other European countries, but seldom in Russia)
  • Zofija (Slovene)
  • Sofía (Spanish/Galician/Faroese, in 2006, she was the 17th most popular female name in Spain and the 5th most popular in Chile. Spanish diminutives include Chofa, Fifi, Soficita, Sofí and Sofita)
  • Sofya (Turkish)
  • Tzofiya (Yiddish)
Masculine forms include Sofko (Bulgarian), Sofus/Sophus (Danish/Norwegian/Swedish) and Sofio (Italian).

The designated name-days are: May 15 (Austria/Germany), May 25 (France), September 17 (Greece), September 30 (Lithuania/Spain),