Category Archives: Dutch Names

Zephyr

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “west wind.”
Ζεφυρος
(ZEF-er)

The name is derived from the Greek Zephyros (Ζεφυρος), meaning, “the west wind.”

In Greek mythology, the name is borne by one of the four wind gods, known as the Anemoi.

Zephyr was the god of the west wind; harbinger of gentle breezes and warm air that comes with late spring and early summer. He was the husband of Chloris (greenery) and the father of Carpos (fruit).

Another form is Zephyrinus, which was borne by a 3rd-century martyr and also borne by a Pope.

His Roman counterpart is Favonius.

Other forms include:

  • Zefirinus (Afrikaans)
  • Zèfir/Zeferí (Catalan)
  • Zeperino (Cebuano)
  • Zefirin (Croatian)
  • Zefyrinus (Czech/Danish/Dutch)
  • Zefyr (Danish/German/Norwegian/Polish/Swedish)
  • Zéphyr/Zéphyrin (French)
  • Zephyros Ζεφυρος (Greek)
  • Tzafrir צַפְרִיר (Hebrew)
  • Zephürosz (Hungarian: very obscure)
  • Zefiro (Italian)
  • Zephyrus/Zephyrinus (Latin)
  • Zefyras/Zefyrinas (Lithuanian)
  • Zefiryn (Polish)
  • Zéfiro/Zeferino (Portuguese)
  • Zefirin (Romanian)
  • Céfiro/Ceferino (Spanish/Galician)

Nicknames include Zef.

Feminine forms are

  • Zéphyrine (French)
  • Zeferina (Italian)
  • Zeferyna (Polish)

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.

Laura

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “laurel.”
Eng (LORE-uh); It/Span (LOW-rah).

The name first came into usage during the 9th century in Spain, due to the cult of Saint Laura of Cordova, (864).

She was a widow who decided to become a nun, but was put in a vat of molten lead and was boiled to death by her Moorish captors.

Laure de Noves, was the object of the poet, Petrarch’s affection (1308-1348). The Italian poet refers to her as Laura in his writings.

Laura, illustrated by her virtues and well-celebrated in my verse, appeared to me for the first time during my youth in 1327, on April 6, in the Church of Saint Claire in Avignon, in the first hour of the day; and in the same city, in the same month, on the same sixth day at the same first hour in the year of 1348, withdrew from life, while I was at Verona, unconscious of my loss…. Her chaste and lovely body was interred on the evening of the same day in the church of the Minorites: her soul, as I believe, returned to heaven, whence it came. (Petrarch)

Laure de Noves was the wife of Hugh de Sade, (the ancestor of the Marquis de Sade in which the name Laure appears often in the Sade family tree), who ultimately dies from the plague. She was the symbol of unrequited love and was transformed into a Beatrice type character after her death in many of Petrarch’s poems.

The name has always been relatively common in the English speaking world. Laura currently comes in at # 215 of the U.S. top 1000. In other countries her rankings are as follows:

  • Australia # 78 (2007)
  • Belgium # 3 (2006)
  • Chile # 43 (2006)
  • France # 26 (2006)
  • Hungary # 12 (2005)
  • Ireland # 32 (2007)
  • the Netherlands # 31 (2008)
  • Scotland # 77 (2007)
  • Slovenia # 36 (2005)
  • Spain # 4 (2007)

Other forms include:

  • Llora (Catalan pronounced YOH-rah)
  • Laure (French, diminutive form Laurette)
  • Lára (Icelandic pronounced LOW-rah)
  • Lavra (Slovenian/Russian)

Diminutive forms of Laura include Laurie, Lori, Lorie and Lauretta (Italian); Laurita (Spanish) and Laurette (French).

Masculine forms are the Italian Lauro and the late Latin Laurus.

The Laura form is used in most Romance speaking countries including Italy, Romania and is used among Portuguese speakers. It is also used throughout Central Europe such as the German speaking countries, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

The name is borne by former first lady of the United States Laura Bush, children’s author Laura Ingalls Wilder, Laura Esquival author of Like Water for Chocolate. British designer and clothing brand Laura Ashley. Actress Laura Linney.

It is also the name of a river that runs through the Ukraine and Romania and the name of a village in Gliwice County, Poland.

Coincidentally, in Greek Lavra and Laura was a term used in the Eastern Orthodox church to describe a cluster of cells or caves, designed for monastic hermits. In this case, the name is derived from the Greek meaning an “alley” or “passage way.”

(Pictured above: Laure de Noves).

Chiara, Clara, Clare, Claire

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “clear; see through”

    Chiara (kee-AH-rah), (KYAH-rah), has been in usage in Italy since the early Middle Ages. Chiara is also the Italian feminine adjective for the word, chiaro meaning, “clear” or “bright.”

    It was borne by Saint Chiara d’Assisi. (1194-1253). She was a companion of St. Francis of Assisi, both of whom believed in self-mortification and helping the poor. Chiara decided to start an order, known as the Poor Clares, while Francis went off to start his own order known as the Franciscans.

    Chiara is still a very popular first name in Italy. In 2006, she was the 5th most popular female name.

    The French form of Claire, also came into usage during the early Middle Ages. No doubt due to the cult of the male St. Clair of Dauphine, the patron saint of tailors.

    The name came to England via the Normans in the form of Clare, and the male Latin form of Clarus was borne by a British saint of Rochester, a Benedictine monk. Both forms of Clare and Clara were very popular prior to the Reformation in England and both names were revived during the 19th century.

    In recent years, for whatever reason, the French spelling of Claire has often times been the preferred choice among American parents. In 2008, Claire came in at # 62 in the U.S  Top 1,00o Female Names, while its elder English counterpart of Clare came in at # 679. In fact, even the Latinate version of Clara is far more prevalent than Clare, coming in at # 206.

    Clara/Klara is a popular choice throughout Northern and Central Europe.

    Other forms of the name include:

    • Clarice (English/French/Italian)
    • Clarissa (English)
    • Klára (Hungarian/Czech)
    • Claritia (Latin)
    • Claritta (Romansch)
    • Bistra/Jasna (Serbo-Croatian/Slovene: both literally mean “light; clear” and are used as indigenous cognates)
    • Clarisa (Spanish)
    • Clarita (Spanish: initially a diminutive form, commonly used as an independent given name)

    Diminutive forms are the French, Clairette, the Italian, Chiaretta, Chiarina and Claretta.

    There is the masculine Latin form of Clarus and the French masculine form of Clair.

    Farahild

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    Gender: Feminine
    Origin: Frankish/Germanic
    Meaning: “family battle”
    English: (FAIR-uh-HILD); German: (fah-rah-HILT)

    The name is derived from the Germanic fara meaning “family, lineage, kind” and the element hild meaning “battle.” Hence “family battle.”

    The name was born by Farahild of Neustria, Belgium (593-684), wife of Wandregisi, the mother of St. Amalberga.

    There is a Dutch and German alternative of Farahilde. There is also the modern Dutch contraction of Veerle (FAIR-leh).

    The advantage of this name is its possible nickname option of Fara.

    Olivia

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    Gender: Feminine
    Origin: Latin
    Meaning “olive”
    (o-LIV-ee-ah)

    The name is often believed to have been an invention of William Shakspeare for his play Twelfth Night, however, the name was borne by a 9th century Sicilian saint. She is considered one of the patron saints of Palermo, and legend has it that she was kidnapped by Muslim invaders and taken into slavery to Tunisia. Her captors were so impressed with her sincerity, virtue and beauty that they permitted her to remain a Christian and to live as a hermitess in a cave.

    She was known for performing miracles among the local Tunisians, and many had converted to Christianity as a result. She was imprisoned and tortured and then burnt at the stake. Legend pertains that when they lit the fires at the stake, the flames would not touch her and she was decapitated instead. For whatever reason, she is also considered the patron saint of music.

    The name was then possibly introduced into the English speaking world through William Shakespeare in 1599 for one of his characters in the play Twelfth Night. Since then, the name has been in usage in the English speaking world. In the States, the name has been in the top 1,000 since 1880. The name has gradually climbed its way up to the top 10 the last 20 years. In 1989, Olivia came in at # 179 the following year of 1990 saw it jump all the way up to # 72, by 2001 it reached position # 1o and as of last year, 2008, it has made itself a niche at # 6. In Poland, it is at # 5 as the most popular female name, spellt Oliwia. The name is in the top in Canada and the United Kingdom.

    The name is used in virtually every European country.

    Other forms include:

    • Olivija (Croatian/Serbian/Slovene)
    • Olivie (Czech: ah-LEEV-yeh)
    • Oliva (English/Italian)
    • Olive (English)
    • Olivie/Olivia (French)
    • Olivette (French: obscure)
    • Olívia (Hungarian/Portuguese/Slovak)
    • Olivana/Oliviana (Italian: obscure)
    • Oliveira/Oliviera (Italian)
    • Olivetta (Italian: obscure)
    • Oliwia (Polish: o-LEEV-yah)

    Nicknames include: Ollie, Liv, and Livy. A German nickname is Livchen.

    A very rare Polish masculine form is Oliwjusz.

    Amerigo

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    Origin: Italian
    Gender: Male
    Meaning “home ruler.”
    (ah-MARE-ee-go)

    Amerigo is an obscure Italian male name made famous by Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian explorer, navigator and cartographer.

    The continents of South and North America get their names from him. America being a feminized latinate version of Amerigo.

    Amerigo itself comes from the Germanic elements haim meaning “home” and rich meaning “power, ruler; authority.”

    Other forms of the name include:

    • Emerika (Basque)
    • Amèric/Emeric (Catalan)
    • Emmerik (Dutch)
    • Americ/Amery (English)
    • Emery (English: currently the 744th most popular male name in the United States-2008)
    • Aimeric/Aymeric/Émeric (French)
    • Aymeri/Aimery (French)
    • Emmerich (German)
    • Imre/Imrus (Hungarian)
    • Almerigo/Almerico (Italian)
    • Americo (Italian: modern form)
    • Emerico (Italian)
    • Merico/Merigo (Italian)
    • Americus (Latin)
    • Emerikas (Lithuanian)
    • Ajmeryk (P0lish)
    • Amalaryk/Amalryk (Polish)
    • Embryk/Emeryk (Polish)
    • Emmeric (Romanian)
    • Imrich (Slovak/Czech)
    • Américo (Spanish/Portuguese)
    • Emerico (Spanish)
    • Emerik (Swedish/Croatian)

    A feminine form is the Spanish, América, currently borne by Ugly Betty star, America Ferrer.

    Other feminine forms are:

    • Ameriga/Almeriga (Italian)

    Aubrey

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    Gender: Masculine
    Origin: English
    (AW-bree)

    The name is a Norman French form of the Germanic, Alberich and was very common in Medieval England.

    The name Alberich itself is derived from two Germanic elements, alb meaning “elf” and rich meaning “power, authority or rule” hence the name means either “elf power” or “elf ruler.”

    Alberich appears in Germanic mythology as the name of a malevolent elf king. The same character appears in the Nibelungenlied.

    The name was borne by a 12th-century English saint. He was known for founding the Cistercian order of monks.

    It was also borne by Alberich Zwyssig a Cistercian monk, (born Johann Josef Maria Zwyssig also known as Father Alberich or Father Aleberik), he is credited for composing the Swiss Psalm or the present day, Swiss national anthem (1841).

    In recent years, in the United States, the name has been used as a female name. In 2007, the name came in at # 42 for girls. The name was last seen for males in 2002, coming in at # 937. In England, the name is still used as a masculine name.

    A more feminine alternative, is the flower name, Aubrieta.

    Other forms include:

    • Auberon (English)
    • Albéric (Flemmish)
    • Aubéron (French)
    • Aubery/Aubry (French)
    • Obéron (French)
    • Elberich/Olberich (German)
    • Alberico (Italian)
    • Albericus (Latin)
    • Alberichas (Lithuanian)
    • Alberyk (Polish)
    • Alberik (Russian)

    (Pictured at right, Alberich of the Nibelungenlied by Arthur Rackhum).

    Elsabe

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    Gender: Female
    Origin: Afrikaans
    Pronunciation (EL-sah-BAY)

    An old lower Germanic form of Elizabeth, the name was first recorded in Germany in a 1492 Hamburg census as Ilsabe and Ilsabeen.

    The name has not been in wide usage in Holland or Germany since the Renaissance, but it is still prevalent among Afrikaan speakers in South Africa.

    (Johannesburg pictured at right).