Atreus

Posted on October 12, 2020 by Sebastiane

Photo by Jose Antonio Gallego Vu00e1zquez on Pexels.com

Origin: Greek Ἀτρεύς
Meaning: “to not tremble; fearless.”
Gender: masculine
Pronunciation: Eng (AY-tree-us); Grek (ah-TRAY-oos)

The name is composed of the Greek elements, ἀ-, “no” and τρέω, “tremble,” hence meaning, “fearless.”

The name is borne in Greek mythology by the son of Pelops & Hippodamia and the father of Agammennon & Menelaus. Atreus and his brother were expelled from their kingdom after killing their elder brother for the throne. Atreus took refuge in Mycenae where he sat-in as a temporary king while Eurystheus was fighting in a war, but ultimately, Atreus took over the the throne. His descendants thereafter are known as Atreides.

In Frank Herbert’s Dune Series, House of Atreides is the name of one of the great houses.

The name has recently entered the U.S. Top 1000 in 2019, currently ranking in as the 788th most popular name in the United States.

Other forms include:

Atreüs (Breton)
Atreu (Catalan, Portuguese, Romanian)
Atreus (Dutch, English, German, Latin, Scandinavian)
Atrée (French)
At’revsi ატრევსი (Georgian)
Atreusz (Hungarian, Polish)
Atreos Ατρέας (Modern Greek)
Atreifur (Icelandic)
Atreo (Italian, Spanish)
Atrėjas (Lithuanian)
Atrey Атрей (Russian, Ukrainian)
Atrej (Serbo-Croatian, Slovenian)

Sources

Marcus, Mark

Posted on January 20, 2020 by Sebastiane

Il_Pordenone_-_San_Marco_-_Budapest

From one of the most common Roman praenomen, its origin and meaning is uncertain. A popular etymology is that it relates to Mars, others suggest it may be from the Etruscan Marce, which may come from mar (to harvest). It is said the name was originally bestowed on those who were born in March.

Marcellus and the name of the month of March likely shares the same etymological root.

It was borne by several notable Romans, including Mark Antony, Marcus Aurelius & Cicero.

It was the name of one of the Evangelists who authored the eponymous Gospel, known as St. Mark in the Christian world, he is revered as the founder of Christianity in Africa and is traditionally believed to have founded the Church in Alexandria. Coptic Christians hold him in high regard. His bones were smuggled out of Egypt in a barrel of pork fat by Venetian merchants from Alexandria when Egypt fell under Islamic rule and were transported back to Venice where they were eventually installed and dedicated in the Basilica of San Marco.

The name was borne by a 2nd-century pope as well.

Marcus, Mark and Marc have been quite popular in several countries. Marcus was in the U.S. Top 100 between 1970-2000, Sweden’s between 1998-2008, New Zealand’s between 2008-2014, England & Wales between 1996-2003, and in Denmark’s between 1994-2006. Currently, his rankings in other countries are as follows:

#54 (Canada, BC, 2018)
#87 (Australia, 2018)
#100 (Norway, 2018)
#209 (United States, 2018)
#213 (France, 2018)
#236 (England & Wales, 2018)
#406 (Netherlands, 2018)

Its latinate form of Marco, which started off as a mainly Italian form, became widespread across the continent. His rankings in the following countries are as follows:

#11 (Galicia, Spain, 2018)
#16 (Spain, 2018_
#23 (Italy, 2018)
#65 (Catalonia, Spain, 2018)
#81 (Portugal, 2018)
#358 (United States, 2018)
#436 (England & Wales, 2018)
#446 (France, 2018)

It’s English form of Mark appears in the legend of Tristan & Isolde as the name of the King of Cornwall, supposedly the name was not common in the English-speaking world until the 19th-century, but became a hit by the Mid-1900s. Mark appeared in the U.S. Top 100 between 1944-2002, which is quite a long stretch. Mark peaked the highest in popularity between 1955-1970, peaking at #6, six years in a row between 1959-1964. Marks’s rankings in other countries are as follows:

#5 (Slovenia, 2018)
#6 (Moscow, Russia, 2018)
#21 (Hungary, 2018)
#83 (Ireland, 2018)
#210 (U.S., 2018)
#253 (England & Wales, 2018)
#298 (the Netherlands, 2018)

Marc is the French, Catalan & Welsh form and has been popularly used in the English-speaking world, it is currently the most popular male name in Catalonia, 2018 and between 1968-1976 it was in the U.S. Top 100. Marc’s rankings in the popularity charts are as follows

#26 (Spain, 2018)
#313 (France, 2018)
#825 (US, 2018)

Other forms of the name include:

Mark Марк (Albanian, Belarusian, Breton, Dutch, English, Maltese, Russian, Ukrainian)
Marḳos ማርቆስ (Amharic)
Marqus مَرْقُس‎ (Arabic, mainly used among Arab-Christians)
Marghos (Armenian)
Marko (Basque)
Marko Марко (Bosnian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Finnish, Macedonian, Serbian, Slovene, Ukrainian)
Markos Μαρκος Ⲙⲁⲣⲕⲟⲥ (Coptic, Greek)
Margh (Cornish)
Marcu (Corsican, Romanian)
Mokus (Croatian, Serbian)
Marek (Czech, Polish, Slovak)
Marco (Catalan, Dutch, Galician, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish)
Marc (Catalan, French, Occitanian, Welsh)
Marcus (Dutch, English, German, French, Scandinavian)
Markus (Dutch, Estonian, Faroese, Finnish, Frisian, German, Scandinavian)
Marghus (Estonian)
Markko, Markku (Finnish)
Marke (Finnish)
Marcas (Gaelic)
Marx (German, archaic)
Maleko (Hawaiian)
Márk (Hungarian)
Markús (Icelandic)
Marchino (Italian)
Marcolino (Italian)
Marcuccio (Italian)
Mareks (Latvian)
Marks (Latvian)
Markuss (Latvian)
Markas, Morkus (Lithuanian)
March (Lombard)
Markys (Manx)
Marquét (Poitvin, diminutive form)
Marcos (Portuguese, Spanish)
Kusi (Swiss-German diminutive form)
Marqōs ܡܪܩܘܣ‎ (Syriac)
Mår (Walloon)

It’s feminine forms include Marca but and sometimes Marcia was used as a feminine form, though it is more the feminine equivalent of Marcius.

Other feminine forms include:

Markusine (German, obscure)
Marchina (Italian)
Marcolina (Italian)
Marcuccia (Italian)

Sources

Sephora, Zipporah

Posted on January 14, 2020 by Sebastiane

Zipporah

Zipporah is derived from the Hebrew צִפוֹרָה, Tsippōrāh, “bird.” It is the name of the wife of Moses in the Book of Exodus. The name was often transliterated from the Greek as Sephora.

Pronounced ZIP-pe-ruh in English (kind of rhymes with Deborah), it was first used by Protestant non-Jews in the English speaking world in the 16th-century. Both Zipporah but more often Sephora were occasionally used in 16th-century England and Colonial America.

Zipporah has always been a popular name in the Jewish diaspora, which has spun-off some colourful offshoots. A favorite among Ashkenazi Jews since Medieval Times, it is the inspiration of the Yiddish name, Faigel, which is from the Yiddish פֿויגל (foigl) meaning “bird.” Pre-Yiddish Knaanic Jews of Slavic lands, particularly in Poland used Sójka (blue jay) as a vernacular form. Due to its similar sound, European-Jews also used Cypriana as a form of Zipporah though the names have no etymological relation.

The name of the cosmetic store was named in reference to Moses’ wife.

Other forms include:

Safura, Safrawah صفورا (Arabic)
Səfurə (Azeri)
Zipora (Breton, German)
Sèfora (Catalan)
Sipóra (Czech)
Sippora (Dutch, Finnish, Scandinavian)
Séphora, Zéphora (French)
Zippora (German)
Sepphora Σεπφώρα (Biblical Greek)
Tziporah, Tziporrah צִפּוֹרָה (Modern Hebrew)
Cipora, Cippóra (Hungarian)
Sefora (Italian)
Chipora (Judeo Anglo-Norman)
Cipiora, Çapora (Ladino)
Seffora (Latin)
Ṣaffūrah (Malay)
Cippora, Cyppora, Sefora (Polish)
Séfora (Portuguese, Spanish)
Zípora (Portuguese)
Sepfora Сепфора επφώρα (Russian, Modern Greek)
Zipóra (Spanish)
Cypojra, Cypra (Polish-Yiddish)
Bayerle (Medieval Judeo-German)
Beverlin, Beverle, Böverle, Böverlin (Medieval Judeo-German)
Paye, Payerlayn, Payerl, Payerle, Payerlin (Medieval Judeo-German)
Pura, Pure, Purlin (Yiddish)
Tsipere, Tsipoyre, Tsipure, Tsipor, Tsipur (Yiddish)
Tsiporlin (Yiddish)

Popular diminutive forms are Zippy and Tsipi

Sources

Cassius

Posted on January 14, 2020 by Sebastiane

Cassius

The name is of uncertain origin or meaning, it has been linked with the Latin cassus, meaning “hollow, empty, vain,” and the Latin cassis (metal helmet). It has also been suggested to be of Etruscan origins. It was the name of a Roman gens, which produced such Roman notables as Gaius Cassius Longinus (died 42 C.E.) who was one of the assassins of Julius Caesar; and Roman historian Cassius Dio (died 235 C.E). The Via Cassia is a namesake of the same clan.

The name was subsequently borne by several early saints, including Cassius of Clermont (3rd-Century C.E.) and Cassius of Narni (d. 558 C.E.). Its feminine forms of Cassia & Cassiana are also borne by several female saints.

A more recent notable bearer is Cassius Clay (1942-2016), which was the birth name of the American Boxer, Muhammed Ali, who was in turn named for his father who was named after the American abolitionist and politician Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr (1810-1903).

Cassius has been in and out of the U.S. Top 1000 since 1880, between 1880-1895, it was among the Top 1000 and peaked at #425 in 1880. Between 1896-1964, the name did not appear in the U.S. Top 1000. He made a brief appearance in 1964 coming in as the 859th most popular male name. His sudden appearance in 1964 may be due to Muhammed Ali winning the world heavyweight championship of the same year. Between 1964-2008, Cassius was once again expelled from the top 1000. As of 2018, Cassius was 595th Most Popular Male Name in the United States. In England & Wales, he ranks in at #333.

Traditionally pronounced CASH-es in English, it is often shortened to Cash. Another form is Cassian (KASH-en).

Other forms include:

Kasi (Basque)
Kasian (Breton)
Cassi, Cássius (Catalan)
Kasije (Croatian, Serbian)
Kasián (Czech)
Cassianus (Dutch, Latin)
Cassius, Kassius (Dutch, German)
Cassian (German, Occitanian)
Kassian (German)
Cassie, Cassien (French)
Cassiano, Cassio (Italian)
Casiano, Casio (Spanish)
Kasiani (Kiswahili)
Kasijus (Lithuanian)
Kasjusz, Kasjan (Polish)
Cássiano, Cássio (Portuguese)
Kassij Кассий, Кассій (Russian, Ukrainian)

Feminine forms include:

Cássia, Cássiana (Catalan, Portuguese)
Kasija (Croatian, Lithuanian, Serbian)
Cassia, Cassiana (English CASH-uh, Italian, Occitanian)
Cassiane, Cassienne, Cassie (French)
Kasja, Kasjana (Polish)
Kassija (Russian, Ukrainian)
Casia, Casiana (Spanish)

Sources

Ciarán, Kieran, Ciar

Posted on January 13, 2020 by Sebastiane

Ciaran

Origin: Gaelic
Meaning: “black”
Gender: masculine
Pronunciation: KEER-an; KYAIR-en, KEER

Ciarán is a diminutive form of Ciar, which comes directly from the Gaelic word for black.

In Irish legend, Ciar mac Fergus was the son of Fergus mac Róich. He was legendary progenitor of the Ciarraid people who gave their name to County Kerry in Ireland.

The name is borne by two Irish saints who are considered 2 of the 12 Apostles of Ireland, Ciarán the Elder & Ciarán the Younger (5th-century C.E.).

St. Ciarán the Elder was believed to be a contemporary of St. Patrick and he is often lauded as the first native born Irish saint. According to legend, his mother Liadán swallowed a star while pregnant with him and was told by the Druid priests that it meant her child would grow up to be an important man. Scholars debated whether he preceded Patrick in converting to Christianity or even met him or if he was converted by St. Patrick himself and was considered one of his helpers; the latter hypothesis seems to be the most popular.

St. Ciarán the Younger was the founder of the monastery in Clonmacnoise, one of the most important Christian centres in Medieval Ireland.

Other forms include:

Kenerin (Breton)
Kerne (Breton)
Kerrier (Breton)
Kyran (Breton)
Piran (Cornish)
Queranus (Dutch, Latin, German)
Keiran (English)
Kieran (English, French, Scots)
Kieron (English)
Queran (English, French, German)
Chiarain (French)
Kiéran (French)
Cirán (Galician)
Kiaran (German, Polish)
Ciarano (Italian, chyah-RAH-no, Spanish, syah-RAH-no, thyah-RAH-no)
Chierano (Italian, kyeh-RAH-no)
Ciaranus, Kyaranus (Late Latin)
Cieran (Welsh)

In the British Isles, Ciarán was quite popular in the early 2000s. In Northern Ireland, he peaked at #28 in 2000, #58 in 2004 in Scotland and #127 in England & Wales in 1997. In Ireland, it was the same case, peaking at #28 in 2002 and fell off the charts in 2017. Its anglicized form of Kieran currently ranks in the following countries:

#380 (England & Wales, 2018)
#496 (USA, 2018)

Its feminine form is Ciara

Sources

Alfred, Alfreda

Posted on December 31, 2019 by Sebastiane

alfred

The name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon, Ælfræd, which is composed of the Anglo-Saxon elements, ælf “elf” and ræd “counsel. A notable bearer was the 9th-century Anglo-Saxon King, Alfred the Great.

This is one of the few Anglo-Saxon male names to survive popular usage after the Norman Conquest and slowly waned in use by the end of the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 18th-century.

Though quite uncommon in the United States in this day and age, it has never completely fallen outside the U.S. Top 1000, and once reigned in the U.S. Top 100 between 1880 and 1951. Alfred peaked at # 32 in 1886.

Alfred reigns supreme in the Scandinavian charts, he is currently the 8th Most Popular Male Name in Denmark (2018), the 12th Most Popular in Sweden (2018) and the 42nd Most Popular in Norway (2018).

He ranks much lower in the U.K., coming in at #106 and even lower in France, ranking in as the 491st Most Popular Male Name (2018).

Alfie, a diminutive form which has become a much loved independent given-name in the U.K, is currently in England & Wales’ Top 100 Baby Names, ranking in at #15 (2018).

Alfred is used in Danish, Dutch, German, Polish, Norwegian & Swedish

Other forms of the name include:

Ælfræd (Anglo-Saxon)
Alfredo (Aragonese, Galician, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish)
Alfredu (Asturian)
Alperda (Basque)
Aofred (Breton)
Alfréd (Czech, Hungarian, Slovak)
Alfie (English)
Alfre (Finnish, Greenlandic)
Alfreeti, Alfreetti (Finnish)
Alfrédos Αλφρέδος (Greek)
Alfreð (Icelandic)
Alfredino (Italian)
Alfredus (Late Latin)
Alfrēds (Latvian)
Alfredas (Lithuanian)
Al’fred Альфред (Russian)
Alfrid, Allfrid (Scandinavian)
Arfredu (Sicilian)

Its feminine form of Alfreda also has an Anglo-Saxon counterpart in the form of Ælfthryth. It was borne by a 9th-century English saint.

Alfreda is used in Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish & Swedish.

Other forms of the female form include:

Alfrede (Danish)
Elfrida (Croatian, Italian, Spanish)
Alfriede, Alfrieda (German, Scandinavian)
Elfriede (German)
Alfrède (French)
Alfrédie (French)
Alfride (French)
Alfreðsína (Icelandic)
Afreda (Italian)
Alfredina (Italian)
Alfrida (Scandinavian)

Sources

Yuna, Jeune

Posted on December 26, 2019 by Sebastiane

Chapelle_Sainte-Jeune_de_Plounévez-Moëdec_-_01

The name is of Breton origins, but its exact meaning is uncertain.

According to legend, it was the name of a 7th-century saint who emigrated from Wales to Brittany with her brother Envel. Each sibling built their own monastery just a couple of kilometres away from each other. They took a vow to never physically see each other again, with the one condition that Yuna would ring the bell of her church each morning so her brother would know she was still alive and well. One day, Envel did not hear the bell toll and he knew his sister had died. St. Jeune or Yuna is considered the patron saint of clog-makers.

Her chapel in Plounévez-Moëdec still stands.

Yuna is currently the 135th Most Popular Female Name in the Netherlands (2018) and the 270th Most Popular in France (2018).

Its Gallicized form is Jeune but its never received much usage in France. Another form is Jûna.

Sources

Albert, Alberta

Posted on December 24, 2019 by Sebastiane

Albert is a Norman contracted form of Adalbert that was introduced into England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Though there is an Anglo-Saxon form of Æðelberht, it was completely usurped by its Norman version.

The name fell out of use in England by the end of the 13th-century but was revived in the 19th-century when Queen Victoria of England chose a German prince by the name of Albert to be her husband. Speaking of which, Albert was a much-loved name among German royalty.

Between 1880-1967, Albert remained in the Top 100 Most Popular Male Names. He peaked at #14 in 1910. As of 2018, he currently ranks in as the 452nd Most Popular Male Name.

Albert is currently quite popular in Europe. These are his rankings in the following countries:

#37 (Denmark, 2018)
#55 (England & Wales, 2018)
#84 (Norway, 2018)
#422 (Netherlands, 2018)

Albert is used in Albanian, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Icelandic, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Slovakian, Slovenian & Ukrainian.

Other forms include:

Alberzh (Breton)
Aalt (Dutch)
Aalbert (Dutch)
Aalbertus (Dutch)
Aelbrecht (Dutch)
Albercht (Dutch)
Alberd (Dutch)
Albertus (Dutch, Late Latin)
Appe (Dutch)
Brecht (Dutch)
Elbert (Dutch, German)
Ethelbert (English)
Alpertti (Finnish)
Albertin (French)
Aubert (French)
Aubertin (French)
Abbe, Abe (Frisian)
Ailbeart (Gaelic)
Alberte (Galician)
Albertos (Galician)
Alberti ალბერტი (Georgian)
Albrecht (German)
Albertinello (Italian)
Albertino (Italian)
Alberto (Italian, Portuguese, Spanish)
Alperto (Italian)
Ulberto, Ulperto (Italian)
Albaer (Limburgish)
Baer, Bèr (Limburgish)
Alberts (Latvian)
Albertas (Lithuanian)
Albertet (Occitanian)
Olbracht (Polish)

Its feminine for of Alberta was borne by Princess Louise Caroline Alberta (1848-1939), daughter of Queen Victoria & Prince Albert. The Canadian province was named in her honour.

Alberta is used in Albanian, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovakian, Slovenian, Spanish & Ukrainian.

Alberte is currently the 12th Most Popular Female Name in Denmark. Alberte (ahl-BARE-teh) is also used in French, but pronounced differently from its Danish counterpart (AHL-BAIRT). Other feminine forms include:

Alberthe, Albertha (Danish, Swedish)
Albertina (Dutch, German, Hungarian, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish)
Brechtje (Dutch)
Bertina (English, Hungarian, Italian)
Albertine (French, German, Danish, Norwegian)
Auberte (French)
Aubertine (French)
Bertine (French)
Abelke (Frisian)
Albertin (Hungarian)

Sources

Noan, Nohan, Noane

Posted on December 23, 2019 by Sebastiane

220px-Lamb_09807-a

The name is derived from the Breton an oan (the lamb). Its Gallicized form of Nohan currently appears in the French Top 500 Most Popular Male Names, coming in at #400 (2018).

Noan itself has been in and out of the French Top 500 since 2006.

Noan currently comes in as the 356th Most Popular Male Name in the Netherlands (2018).

Feminine forms are Noann (Breton spelling), Noane, Noanne & Nohane.

Sources

https://www.prenoms.com/prenom/NOAN.html

Teilo, Thélio, Télio

Posted on December 20, 2019 by Sebastiane

Saint_Teilo

Pronunciation: (Tay-lo; Tay-lee-o)

The name is most likely a diminutive form of the Welsh name Eliudd.

It was borne by a 6th-century Welsh Catholic Saint who founded the first Church in Llandreff. He is considered the patron saint of Cardiff, Wales.

Several places in Wales and France, especially Brittany, bear his name.

Its modern French offshoot of Thélio recently appeared in the French top 500 in 2018, coming in as the 496th most popular male name.

Other forms include

Teliau (Breton)
Telo (Breton)
Télo (French)
Théleau (French)
Teliavo (Italian)
Teliaus (Late Latin)
Teliarus (Late Latin)
Teliavus (Late Latin)
Teliaw (Polish)

Sources

Legitimate Baby Names

names that are not made up and have had a history

Category Archives: Breton Names

Atreus

Marcus, Mark

Sephora, Zipporah

Cassius

Ciarán, Kieran, Ciar

Alfred, Alfreda

Yuna, Jeune

Albert, Alberta

Noan, Nohan, Noane

Teilo, Thélio, Télio