Viola, Violet

Posted on October 31, 2009 by Sebastiane

Gender: Feminine
Origin: Latin
Botanical Name
Eng: VIE-lət, VIE-ə-lət. vaɪˈoʊlə, VIE-oh-LUH

One of the very few floral name to have been in usage since the Middle Ages, Violet is the English form of the French Violette, which was introduced to the English speaking world via the Normans. In England, Violet wasn’t very common till the 19th-century, it has been in prevalent usage in Scotland since the 15oos.Viola is a latinate form that was common in the Middle Ages and appears in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

Violette was derived from the Old French Violaine which was from the Latin Viola which in itself is derived from the Greek ion and viera meaning “weaving; flexible; sinous.” Violet is also synonymous with the colour purple in most languages and is a shade of purple in English.

Both names have been in and out of vogue in the United States since the 1880s, its peak year was 1910 where it came in at # 79. The name fell out of the top 1000 by the 1960s. In recent years, the name has become more and more fashionable, as of last year, she stands as the 184th most popular female name, meanwhile in Canada, she comes in even higher at # 71.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner named their eldest daughter Violet.

Usually the designated name-day is October 30. The violet is an autumnal flower, depending on the species.

Other forms of the name include:

Vjollca (Albanian)
Violeta (Bulgarian, German, Lithuanian, Romanian, Portuguese, Spanish)
Viola (Czech, English, German, Hungarian, Italian, Latin, Spanish, Swedish)
Jolana (Czech/Slovak)
Viol (Danish)
Jolanda (Slovene/Dutch)
Fjóla (Faroese/Icelandic)
Viula (Finnish)
Violette (French)
Iolana (Hawaiian)
Jola/Jolán/Jolánta (Hungarian)
Viole (Italian)
Violetta (Italian)
Violanta (Latin/Italian)
Violė/Vijolė (Lithuanian)
Iolanda/Violante (Medieval Spanish/Portuguese forms)
Violaine/Yolande (Old French)
Jolanta (Polish: Jola is the diminutive)
Wiola/Wioleta/Wioletta (Polish)
Vióla/Violétta (Russian/Ukrainian/Icelandic)
Vijoleta (Slovenian)
Yolanda (Spanish)

There are two Italian male forms: Violo and Violetto

Severin, Soren

Posted on October 26, 2009 by Sebastiane

Soren Kierkegaard

Gender: Masculine
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “stern”
Eng(SEV-rin); Germ(Ze-ve-reen)

The name is derived from an old Roman family name which was derived from the Latin name Severus meaning “stern.” The name was borne by several saints, including a pope and a Roman theologian put to death under Theodoric 1.

The name is also borne by Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), Søren is a fairly popular form throughout Scandinavia, especially Denmark and is even in usage in Germany.

The designated name-day is October 23.

Other forms of the name include:

Søren/Sørinus/Sørn (Danish/Norwegian)
Servin/Sevrin/Sørin (Faroese)
Severi (Finnish: diminutive forms include Seeve and Sever, Veeri)
Sévère (French)
Séverin (French)
Severin (German/Romansch)
Severinus (German/Latin)
Szevér/Szeverin (Hungarian)
Szörény (Hungarian)
Severino (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese)
Severo (Italian, Spanish)
Severus (Latin)
Severins (Latvian)
Severas/Severinas (Lithuanian)
Sevre/Sevri/Sevrin (Norwegian)
Söffren/Söfring/Sövrin (Old Swedish: out of usage)
Sewer/Seweryn (Polish)
Suulut (Saami)
Sören (Swedish)
Severián (Ukrainian)

Female forms include:

Sørina/Sørine (Danish/Norwegian)
Severiina (Finnish)
Séverine (French)
Severina (German, Italian, Lithuanian, Portuguese, Spanish)
Szörénke (Hungarian)
Sevrina/Sevrine/Søverine/Søvrina/Søvrine (Norwegian)
Sewera/Seweryna (Polish)
Severyna (Ukrainian)

Cordula

Posted on October 22, 2009 by Sebastiane

She has a similar feel to the romantic Cordelia, in fact, it is even argued that Cordelia came from Cordula, but I will go further into that in a different entry in the future. For now, the focus is on the lovely Cordula. According to legend, St. Cordula of Cologne was one of the 11,000 companions of St. Ursula, when her friends were being massacred, Cordula cowardly hid in fear and survived, feeling guilty that she survived while her friends were dead, she presented herself to the Huns the next day and was promptly executed. Supposedly Albert the Great found her remains hundreds of years later. Her body was in perfect condition and on her head was written “Cordula, Queen and Virgin.” Her feast day is October 22.

The name is believed to be derived from the Late Latin cor, cordis meaning “heart” with the diminutive feminine suffix -ula attached to the end, hence “little heart.” It has been a common enough name in Germany, due to the popularity of the Saint’s cult.

Cordula was an epic German poem written by Max Waldau in 1854. It is also the name of an orchid from the slipper orchid genus.

Other forms of the name include Kordula which is another form used in Germany but is also used in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. The Slavic diminutive forms are Kordulka, Dula, Dulka and Dalinka.

Ursula

Posted on October 21, 2009 by Sebastiane

ursulaBritishMuseum Gender: Feminine
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “little she-bear; she-cub; little female bear.”
Eng (ERS-uh-LAH)

The name is of Latin origin but is suggested that is may be a latinization of the old Germanic female name Yrsa meaning “bear” and was popularized by a medieval Christian saint said to be martyred in Cologne. Not much is known about the saint, other that she was martyred under Huns along with 11,000 other virgins, which is now believed to be a misprint from the written source of the legend. What is known for sure is that there was a basilica built in honour of a virgin Christian martyr in Cologne and from this arose several different legends referring to a St. Ursula and St. Cordula. According to the legend, St. Ursula was a British princess who was sent by her father to Germany to marry a prince, along with her, were sent 11,000 maidens, however, her ship was taken off course due to a storm and instead ended up in France where she then decided to do a pan-European Christian pilgramage before meeting her future husband. She made a pilgramage to Rome where she tried to pursuade the pope to do a pilgramage with her and her 11,ooo companions. When she reached cologne she and her companions were massacred by the Huns.

The legend is based off of a 4th century inscription written in the Basilica which was built in the saint’s honour. It is believed that the 11,ooo handmaidens was confused with a female martyr named Undecimilia, Undecimila or Xemilia and that the abbreviation XI.M.V was misread as a number. The same saint has also been referred to under the names Pinnosa or Vinnosa. The name was quite prevalent in Great Britain before the Reformation and went out of usage afterwards. The name is also borne by Swiss actress Ursula Andress (b. 1936). It has also appeared in popular culture as the name of the evil sea-witch in Disney’s the Little Mermaid and as the name of the wife of Nigellus Phineas Black in the Harry Potter Series.

In Poland, the name is associated with a great piece of Polish Literature written by Jan Kochanowski. Known as Laments (Treny) 1580, they are a series of 19 elegies which talk about the author’s grief after the death of his two and half year old daughter Orszola (Urzula) which he refers to as the Slavic Sappho.

Other forms of the name are (divided alphabetically by nationality):

Orsula (Corsican)
Uršula (Croatian/Czech/Slovakian/Slovenian)
Yrsa (Danish/Faroese/Icelandic/Norwegian/Swedish)
Orsel (Dutch)
Ursule/Ursuline (French)
Ursula/Ursel (German/Dutch/Estonian/Finnish/Spanish: German diminutive forms are Ulla, Uli and Uschi)
Orsolya (Hungarian: or-SHOH-lah was the 56th most popular female name in Hungary in 2006)
Úrsúla (Icelandic)
Orsina/Orsola/Orsolina (Italian)
Ursa (Latin)
Urzula (Latvian)
Uršulė (Lithuanian)
Urszula/Orszola/Warszula (Polish: Latter two forms are older forms and are rarely used. Diminutive form is Ula and Urszulka. Older diminutive forms are Ulicha and Ulita)
Úrsula (Portuguese)
Ursetta/Ursina/Urschla (Romansch)
Urška (Slovenian: originally a diminutive now used as an independent given name, it was the 51st most popular female name in Slovenia in 2005)
Orscheli (Swiss-German: ORSH-lee)

There are a few male equivalents which include:

Orso/Orsino/Ursio/Ursino (Italian)
Urs (German)
Ursinus/Ursus (Latin)
Ursyn/Ursycjusz (Polish: very rare)
Ursin/Urosin (Romansch)

Wendel, Wendelin

Posted on October 20, 2009 by Sebastiane

401px-Pfärrenbach_Wandmalerei_Hl_Wendelin Gender: Masculine
Origin: German/Dutch
Meaning: “vandal.”
Eng (WEN-dle); Germ (VEHN-del)
Eng (WEN-deh-LIN); Germ (VEHN-deh-LEEN)

Wendel is derived from an Old Germanic element wendal meaning “a Vandal” someone who is a member of a Germanic tribe of the same name. It is the name of a municipality in northeastern Saarland Germany, which was named for St. Wendelin of Trier. St. Wendelin of Trier (577-617) was a German hermit and abbot known for his piety. He is a popular saint among German-speaking Catholics and is regarded as the patron saint of herdsmen and country people. The designated name-day is October 20 and October 22, depending on the country. Wendelin was originally a diminutive form of Wendel. Other forms of the name include:

Vendelin (Croatian)
Vendelín (Czech/Slovak)
Wendell (English)
Vendel (Danish/Hungarian/Norwegian/Swedish)
Vandalius (Lithuanian)
Wandal/Wandalin (Old High German)

Feminine forms are:

Vendelina (Croatian)
Vendelína (Czech/Slovak)
Vendele (Danish)
Wendy (English)
Wendela/Wendeltsje/Wendeline (Dutch)
Wendelina (German)
Venla (Finnish)
Vendella (Latvian)
Vendela (Swedish: was the 93rd most popular female name in Sweden in 2006)

Gereon

Posted on October 17, 2009 by Sebastiane

Gender: Masculine
Origin: Greek/German
Meaning: “old man.”
(GER-eh-on).

The name comes from the Greek Υερων (geron) meaning “old man.” The name has been in usage in Germany and Denmark, particularly in the region of Cologne, due to a 4th-century Roman saint martyred there. Known as the Golden Saint, it is alleged that he was a soldier of the Theban legions who was martyred under the Emperor Maximian. He is the patron saint against migrains. There is a large basilica dedicated to him in Cologne where it is said his relics are kept. Its designated name-day is October 10. Another German form is Gerion (GEH-ree-on), Dutch form is Jeroen and the Romansch forms are Geronas, Gironas and Jaronas.

Flemming

Posted on October 17, 2009 by Sebastiane

Gender: Masculine
Origin: Danish/Norwegian
Meaning: “from Flanders.”
(FLEM-ming).

He has a modern surname appeal but is actually derived from the Old Norse male name Flaemingr meaning “from Flanders.” In recent years, it has remained a staple in Denmark and is occasionally used in the other Scandinavia countries, though rather sparsely. Other forms of the name include Fleming and the Icelandic Flemmingur. Its designated name-day is October 16. The name is borne by Danish news journalist Flemming Rose (b. 1958) who sparked controversy in 2005 when he commissioned drawings of the prophet Muhammad in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.

Bror

Posted on October 16, 2009 by Sebastiane

Gender: Masculine
Origin: Swedish/Norwegian
Meaning: “brother.”

The name, which in modern Swedish and Norwegian still means brother, is from an Old Nordic name, Bróðir meaning “brother.” It was originally bestowed on a second son. It was very common in the 19th-century, and is now considered rather dated in Scandinavia. There is a more unusual Latinized Danish form, Broderus. Its designated name-day is October 5. The name was borne by Bror von Blixen-Finecke (b.1886-1946) a key subject in the novel, (written by his wife Karen Von Blixen) Out of Africa. Other forms of the name include the Dutch Broder, German Bruder, the East Frisian Broer; the diminutive is Brörke (Credit goes to Capucine for suggesting the latter four variants).

Callistus, Callista

Posted on October 16, 2009 by Sebastiane

443px-François_Boucher_012 Origin: Greek/Late Latin
Meaning: “most beautuful.”

Callistus and Callista is a Late Latin form of the Greek Καλλιστοσ (Kallistos) meaning “most beautiful” which is ultimately derived from the Greek feminine name Kalliste or Kalliste.

In Greek mythology, Callisto was the daughter of King Lycaon of Arcadia, she was a hunting companion or nymph of the goddess Artemis, and took an oath to remain a virgin. Zeus disguised himself as Artemis in order to get close to the virgin, upon embracing the false image of Zeus, Zeus took on his true form and raped Callisto. When Artemis discovered that one of her virgin maids was pregnant and defiled, she turned Callisto into a bear and Callisto gave birth to her son Arcas. Zeus placed Callisto and her son in the constellation Ursa Minor. Later, Kallisto became an epithet for the goddess Artemis Kalliste. A moon of Jupiter was also named in the nymph’s honour.

In later years, the masculine form of Callistus was borne by three popes, also known as Callixtus, one of which was canonized a saint. His designated name-day is October 14.

The feminine version is borne by actress Calista Flockhart (b.1964). It was also borne by a 19th-century American female Baptist missionary Calista Vinton (1807-1864).

Spelled Callista, it is the name of a genus of molusc, and an orchid genus. It was also the name of the title character in the 1855 novel by John Henry Newman (Callista). A fictionalized version of Christians in ancient Rome.

Kallista is the name of a suburb of Melbourne Australia, and Kalista is the name of a village in Bulgaria.

Other forms of the name include, male versions:

Calistu (Corsican)
Kalist (Croatian/Slovak)
Calixus (Danish)
Kallistus/Kalixtus (German)
Kallistos (Greek)
Callisto (Italian)
Callixtus/Callistus (Late Latin)
Kalikstas (Lithuanian)
Kalikst (Polish)
Calisto/Calixto (Spanish/Portuguese)

Female forms include

Kalliste/Kallisto (Classic Greek)
Calista (English spelling, has been in usage since at least the 18th-century. Also used in Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries)
Callista (Late Latin/Italian)
Kallisti (Modern Greek)
Kalista/Kaliksta (Bulgarian, Czech/Slovak, Croatian, Polish)
Calixta (Spanish/Portuguese)

English nickname options include Calla and Callie.

Hedwig

Posted on October 15, 2009 by Sebastiane

Lesseur-Jadwiga Gender: Feminine
Origin: German
Meaning: “heathen war; battle, combat, war.”
Eng (HED-wig); Germ (HED-vig)

The name probably conjures images of Harry Potter for you, maybe you were looking for a good “Halloween” themed name for a pet, or heck, even a child, and you stumbled here.

Hedwig is an old Germanic name either composed of the elements hadu meaning “battle; combat” and wig meaning “war.” It has even been suggested to be composed of the Germanic elements hede meaning “heathen” and wig meaning “war.”

The name used to be quite prevalent in German speaking countries as well as in Scandinavia, but is now considered a dated name. Its Polish form of Jadwiga (jahd-VEE-gah) has been somewhat common in Poland for centuries.

It was borne by two Polish queens and saints. One was a German import who most likely first introduced the name into Poland. She was the Duchess of Silesia (1174-1243) and the wife of Henry I the Bearded of Silesia. She chose to enter a convent upon his death. St. Hedwig was known for her piety and charity, refusing to wear shoes as a sign of humility, and she is also known for establishing German culture in Poland, particularly in the region of Silesia.

The other Jadwiga 1373/4-1399, also a canonized saint, was proclaimed King instead of Queen to reflect her sovereignty. She was the daughter of Louis I of Hungary and Elisabeth of Bosnia. She was known for her well-rounded education, (she could speak six languages fluently), and her extreme piety. Among her contributions to Polish society was the restoration of the Krakow University (now known as Jagiellonie in her honour), and her union with Jogaila, the Lithuanian duke. Due to their marriage, Lithuania became Christian and a strong ally of Poland.

Many legends have been attributed to the female king’s sanctity, one of which was that she would smuggle food out of her comfortable surroundings and distribute it among the poor. It is even said that she miraculously brought a drowned boy back to life.

Other notable bearers of this name include Hedwig Countess of Mons (970-1013) she is also known as Avoise, Hadevide, and Haltude. Hedwige of Saxony (910-965), Jadwiga of Kalisz (1266-1339). Of course we all know that Harry Potter’s pet owl boasts this name. It was also the full name of actress Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000). It is also borne by Hedvig Raa-Winterhjelm (1838-1907) a Swedish stage actress who contributed greatly to Finnish theatre, by uttering the first lines in Finnish in theatre history.

Other forms of the name include. Divided alphabetically by nationality

Hedvika (Czech/Slovak: diminutives include Heda, Heddy, Hedva, Hedine and Viky)
Jadviga (Czech/Latvian)
Hedevig (Danish)
Hadewych (Dutch)
Hedvi (Estonian)
Heivi (Estonian)
Heiðvík (Faroese)
Helvi (Finnish)
Heta (Finnish)
Avoise/Edvige (French: Avoise is the medieval form which has gone out of usage, Edvige is the more modern French form)
Hedy (German/Dutch: originally a diminutive form, sometimes used as an independent name)
Hedí (Icelandic)
Heiðveig (Icelandic)
Edvige (Italian/Corsican)
Hedvigis (Late Latin)
Eda/Ede (Latvian/Estonian)
Hedija (Latvian)
Jadvyga (Lithuanian)
Hadewig (Old German)
Jadwiga (Polish: common diminutives include Jadzia and Iga).
Hedvig (Scandinavian/Hungarian)
Hedda (Swedish/Norwegian: currently a very popular name in Norway)
Hedviga (Slovak/Latvian/Croatian)

Its designated name-day is October 15.

Legitimate Baby Names

names that are not made up and have had a history

Category Archives: Danish Names