Gender: Feminine
Origin: Finnish
Meaning: “pussy willow; goat willow.”
(RAHEE-ta)
The name comes directly from the Finnish, raita, meaning “pussy willow; goat willow.”
The designated name-day is April 1.
Sources
Raita
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Category Archives: Finnish Names
Pulmu
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Finnish
Meaning: “snow-bunting.”
(POOL-moo)
The name is derived from the Finnish, pulmunen, meaning “snow bunting.”
The bird is especially prevalent throughout the Arctic, Finland included.
The designated name-day is April 1.
Sources
Charles, Caroline
Gender: Masculine
Origin: German
Meaning: “man; free man”
The name is derived from a Germanic root word describing someone who is of the farm or peasant class. It corresponds with the Anglo-Saxon term ceorl (churl) and the Old German word karl. Both words were used to describe a male member of society who came from the lowest ranks but was not considered a servant or thrall. It is believed that its Old High German counterpart, karal, was originally used to describe any man. Interestingly enough, in the Poetic Edda, the progenitor of the peasant class is named Karl.
Its usage as a given name seems to have begun with the Frankish King and Holy Roman Emperor, Charles the Great also known as Charlemagne. As a result, the name became extremely common among French royalty and was later introduced to the British Royal Line when Mary Queen of Scots named her son Charles, later known as Charles I Stuart. Since Mary of Scots grew up in France, it is believed that her naming choices may have been influenced by her early habitation among French royalty.
The name was also extremely common among Swedish, German and Spanish Royalty.
It has also been borne by several saints.
Charles remains a fairly prevalent name throughout the Western World. In the English-speaking world, Charles’ rankings are as follows (vernacular forms are italicized):
- # 72 (Australia, 2008)
- # 85 (Canada, B.C., 2008)
- # 2 Karlo (Croatia, 2009)
- # 56 (England/Wales, 2008)
- # 21 Carlos (Spain, 2008)
- #63 (United States, 2008)
Its diminutive form of Charlie is often used as an independent given name, sometimes ranking even higher on the charts than its formal counterpart. His rankings are as follows:
- # 26 (Australia, 2008)
- # 7 (England/Wales, 2008)
- #29 (Ireland, 2008)
- # 1 (Isle of Man, 2009)
- # 8 (Northern Ireland, 2009)
- # 22 (Scotland, 2009)
- # 42 (Sweden, 2009)
- # 307 (United States, 2008)
Other forms of the name include:
- Karlo (Albanian/Croatian/Finnish/Serbian)
- Kirollis كيرولوس(Arabic: used primarily among Arab Christians if used at all)
- Carllos (Asturian)
- Carlos (Asturian/Galician/Portuguese/Spanish)
- Karla/Karlos (Basque)
- Karol (Basque/Polish/Slovak)
- Xarles (Basque)
- Charlez (Breton)
- Carl/Karl Карл (Bulgarian/Finnish/German/Russian/Scandinavian/Ukrainian)
- Carles (Catalan)
- Charlys (Cornish)
- Carlu (Corsican/Sicilian)
- Karel (Czech/Dutch/Limburgish/Slovene)
- Karelius (Danish/Norwegian: archaic)
- Carolus (Dutch/Latin)
- Kaarel (Estonian)
- Kaarle/Kaarlo (Finnish)
- Charles (French/English)
- Charlot (French: originally a diminutive form, now completely out of usage. SHAR-lo)
- Keerl/Kerll (German: rare form)
- Karolos Κάρολος (Greek: Modern)
- Kale (Hawaiian)
- Károly (Hungarian: Kah-roi)
- Séarlas (Irish-Gaelic)
- Carlino/Carolino (Italian)
- Carlo (Italian/Welsh)
- Kārlis (Latvian)
- Charel (Lexumbourgish: KAH-rel)
- Sjarel (Limburgish. SHAH-rel)
- Karolis (Lithuanian. kah-roh-lis)
- Karlu (Maltese)
- Carol (Romanian)
- Carli (Romansch)
- Carule/Carlus (Sardinian)
- Tèarlach (Scottish-Gaelic)
- Korla (Sorbian)
- Kalle (Swedish: a diminutive form commonly used as an independent name. KAHL-le)
- Siarl (Welsh: SHARL)
Czech diminutives: Karlík, Karlíček.
English diminutives: Charlie, Chas, Chaz, Chip, Chuck, Chuckie
French diminutives: Charlie, Charlot
Hungarian diminutives: Karcsi
Italian diminutives: Carletto, Carluccio
Polish diminutives: Karolek, Lolek
Portuguese/Spanish diminutives: Carlito, Carlitos
Its feminine offshoot of Caroline is a French borrowing. Pronounced (kare-uh-LINE) in English, it has always been a common name. She is currently the 94th most popular female name in the United States, (2008), her rankings in other countries are as follows: (vernacular forms are italicized)
- #5 (Denmark 2009)
- # 6 Carolin/Caroline (Estonia, 2007)
- # 9 (Luxembourg, 2008)
- # 74 (Norway, 2009)
Its more elaborate versions of Carolina/Karolina are also fairly prevalent in other countries. Carolina has had a history of usage among English-speakers as well, but among Americans, the name is usually associated with the States, both of which were named in honour of Charles I.
Currently, Carolina is the 355th most popular female name in the United States, (2008). Her rankings in other countries are as follows:
- # 33 (Chile, 2006)
- # 4 Karolína (Czech Republic, 2009)
- # 14 Karolina (Poland, 2009)
- # 54 (Spain, 2008)
Charlotte (see Charlotte entry for more info)
- Carlota/Carlotta (Liechtenstein, 2008)
- Carlota # 41 (Spain, 2008)
Carla/Karla
- Carla (Catalonia Spain, 2008)
- # 39 (Chile, 2006)
- Karla # 7 (Croatia, 2009)
- # 42 (France, 2006)
Other feminine forms include:
- Carolina (Catalan/English/Italian/Portuguese/Spanish/Swedish)
- Karla (Croatian/Czech/Dutch/German/Scandinavian)
- Karola (Croatian/Czech/German/Hungarian)
- Karolina (Croatian/German/Hungarian/Latvian/Lithuanian/Polish/Scandinavian/Slovak/Slovene)
- Karolína (Czech)
- Karoline (Danish/German/Norwegian/Swedish)
- Carla (Dutch/English/German/Italian/Portuguese/Spanish)
- Carola (Dutch/German/Italian/Scandinavian)
- Carolien (Dutch: cah-ro-LEEN)
- Caroline (Dutch/English/French/German/Scandinavian)
- Charlotte (Dutch/English/French/German/Scandinavian)
- Carly (English: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name)
- Carolyn (English)
- Charla (English: contraction of Charlene)
- Karoliina (Finnish)
- Carole (French)
- Charlène (French/English: In French pronounced shahr-LEN, imported into the English speaking world where it is pronounced shar/char-LEEN)
- Charline (French: shahr-LEEN)
- Carolin (German: cah-ro-LEEN)
- Karline (German)
- Sarlott (Hungarian)
- Séarlait (Irish-Gaelic)
- Carletta (Italian)
- Carlina (Italian)
- Carlotta (Italian)
- Carlottina (Italian)
- Carluccia (Italian)
- Tèarlag (Scottish-Gaelic)
- Carlota (Spanish)
- Charlotta (Swedish)
Their bearers are too numerous to list. Its designated name-days are: March 2 (France), November 4 (France).
For Caroline and her variations, May 9 (Poland), May 20 (Sweden), June 3 (Slovakia), July 5 (Lithuania/Poland), July 18 (Poland), August 6 (Lithuania) and February 2 (Hungary).
Usko
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Finnish
Meaning: “faith.”
(OOS-ko)
The name comes directly from the Finnish word for “faith.”
Its designated name-day is March 30.
Short forms include: Uki, Ukki, Uskali and Uski.
Sources
Rose
Gender: Feminine
Origin: English/French
The name was originally a Norman form of the Germanic name Rohese/Roese, which was composed of the elements hrod meaning “fame” and heid meaning “kind, sort, type.”
The name was revived in the 19th-century by which time it was associated with the flower. In the floral case, the word is derived from the Latin rosa.
Consequently, it is also the word for pink in several European languages.
In the United States, Rose is probably one of the most common middle names given to baby girls, but as a first name, it is rather unusual. Currently, Rose only ranked as the #343rd most popular female name, (2008).
Her rankings in other countries are as follows:
- # 92 (Australia, 2008)
- # 91 (France, 2006)
In the Netherlands, Rosa was the 89th most popular female name (2008); and in Ireland, its vernacular form of Róisin ranked in as the 28th most popular female name, (2008).
Other forms of the name include:
- Arrosa (Basque)
- Ruža (Bosnian/Croatian/Slovene: common diminutive is Ružica)
- Rozenn (Breton)
- Roza Роза (Bulgarian/Croatian/Serbian/Slovene/Russian)
- Ruzha Ружа (Bulgarian/Macedonian)
- Rosa (Catalan/Dutch/English/Finnish/Galician/German/Italian/Portuguese/Romanian/Scandinavian/Spanish)
- Rosen (Cornish)
- Růže (Czech)
- Roos (Dutch/Limburgish/Estonian: ROWS)
- Roosje (Dutch: originally a diminutive form, occasionally used as an independent given name. RO:-shə)
- Rohesia (English/Latin: Latinized version of Rohese. ro-HEE-zee-uh; ro-HEE-zhuh)
- Rose (English/French/Scandinavian)
- Royse (English: a Medieval Cognate, the name was actually a feminine given name, but due to its associations with Royce, it is often mistaken for a male name)
- Roosa/Ruusa/Ruusu (Finnish)
- Roseline (French)
- Roselle (French)
- Rosette (French)
- Rosine (French)
- Róza (Hungarian)
- Rozina (Hungarian)
- Rozita (Hungarian)
- Rózsa (Hungarian: RO;jaw: Rózsi is the diminutive)
- Rós (Icelandic)
- Róis/Róise (Irish-Gaelic)
- Róisin (Irish-Gaelic: ro-SHEEN; ROSH-een; ROW-sheen)
- Rosella/Rossella (Italian)
- Rosellina/Rossellina (Italian)
- Rosetta (Italian)
- Rosina (Italian)
- Rosinella (Italian)
- Rožė (Lithuanian: ROO-zhey)
- Róža (Polish: ROO-zhah)
- Rosita (Spanish: originally a diminutive form, occasionally used as an independent given name)
- Rhosyn (Welsh)
- Raisa (Yiddish: RYE-zah)
- Raisel (Yiddish)
Common Italian compound names include: Annarosa, Mariarosa, Rosangela, Rosanna and Rosamaria.
Common English/French compounds are: Rosanne, Rosemary and Rosemarie.
A common English pet form is Rosie.
Italian masculine forms include: Roso, Rosello, Rosino and Rosetto.
Vernacular forms
These are names found in other languages that literally mean “rose” but which are also not related to the Latin/Germanic form of Rose/Rosa.
- Qızılgül (Azeri)
- Gul (Farsi)
- Vardo (Georgian)
- Vered וֶרֶד (Hebrew)
- Mawar (Indonesian)
- Kolab (Khmer)
- Kulap (Thai)
- Gül (Turkish)
- Hòng (Vietnamese)
- Huòng (Vietnamese: can also mean pink)
An Armenian masculine form is Vartan.
The name is also borne by a few Catholic saints.
The designated name-days are: August 23 (France), July 2 (Sweden).
Sources
Armas
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Estonian/Finnish
Meaning: “dear; darling.”
(AHR-mahs)
The name comes directly from the literary/poetic Estonian and Finnish term of endearment.
Its designated name-day in both Estonia and Finland is March 28.
Other Estonian forms include Arm, Armo and Kallis (the latter which means the same thing).
Finnish forms include Arkka, Armias, Arpas and Arska.
Sources
Patrick, Patricia
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “patrician.”
Patrick is derived from the Latin designation, patricius, meaning “patrician” or “nobleman.” Its usage as a given name started after the fame and cult of St. Patrick of Ireland.
St. Patrick was believed to have been a Romanized Briton who was captured by Irish raiders and enslaved. After six years of slavery, he was able to return to his homeland, but felt a call to return to Ireland to bring Christianity. He was able to establish a bishopric in Armagh. He is considered a national folk hero for the Irish and is also considered the patron saint and apostle of Ireland. Many legendary miracles were attributed to him during his life.
It is also believed that Patrick (or Patricius) was a nickname or title given to him by the Druid chieftans and that his real name was Succat.
St. Patrick’s Day which falls on March 17 is a national holiday in Ireland and also a popular festival in the United States and other English-speaking countries with large Irish immigrant populations.
Patrick is still a very common name in Ireland. As of 2008, he ranked in as the 19th most popular male name. His rankings in other countries are as follows:
- # 54 (Australia, 2008)
- # 25 (Hungary, 2008)
- # 397 (the Netherlands, 2009)
- # 34 (Slovenia, 2005)
- # 127 (the United States, 2009)
Other forms of the name include:
- Patirki (Basque)
- Padrig (Breton/Welsh)
- Patrik Патрик (Bulgarian/Croatian/Czech/Hungarian/Russian/Serbian/Slovak/Swedish/Ukrainian)
- Pitrik Питрик (Bulgarian)
- Patrici (Catalan)
- Patrick (Danish/English/Estonian/Finnish/French/German/Norwegian)
- Pátrikur (Faroese)
- Patrice (French)
- Patrikios Πατρίκιος (Greek: Modern)
- Patrícius (Hungarian)
- Patrekur (Icelandic)
- Patrizio (Italian)
- Pádraic/Pádraig (Irish-Gaelic: PAW-dric; PAW-drig)
- Patricius (Latin)
- Patriks (Latvian)
- Patrikas (Lithuanian)
- Patrizju (Maltese)
- Paden (Manx)
- Pherick (Manx)
- Patariki (Maori)
- Patryk (Polish: more common form)
- Patrycjusz (Polish: rare)
- Patrício (Portuguese)
- Patrique (Portuguese)
- Patriciu (Romanian)
- Patritziu (Sardinian)
- Pàdraig (Scots-Gaelic)
- Patricio (Spanish)
Common male French diminutives include: Pat, Patoche, Patou and Patounet.
Common English diminutives are Pat, Paddy (Irish) and occasionally Rick.
Patricia is its Latin feminine equivalent and is used in Danish, English, French, German, Hungarian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish. At one time, Patricia was one of the most popular female names in the United States, peaking at # 3 between 1937 and 1952. Currently, she ranks in at a measly # 498 (2008). In other countries, her rankings are as follows:
- # 67 (Hungary, 2008)
- # 15 (Poland, 2008)
- #50 Patricija (Slovenia, 2005)
- # 52 (Spain, 2008)
Other feminine forms include:
- Patricija (Croatian/Slovene)
- Patricie (Czech: pah-TREET-sye)
- Patrizia (German/Italian: pah-TREET-see-ah)
- Patrizie (German)
- Patrícia (Hungarian/Portuguese/Slovak: pah-TREET-syah in Slovak)
- Pádraigín (Irish-Gaelic: PAW-drig-EEN)
- Patrizja (Maltese)
- Patrycja (Polish: pah-TRITS-yah)
Common English diminutive are: Pat, Patsy, Patty, Tricia and Trish. In the English-speaking world, Tricia is occasionally used as an independent given name.
German short forms are Patti and Patze. A common Spanish short form is Patti.
The Polish diminutive is usually Tysia.
The designated name-day is March 17.
Sources
- Elizabeth Gidley Withycombe, The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names (1945)
- Kálmán Béla, A nevek világa
- http://www.askoxford.com/firstnames/patrick?view=uk
- http://www.behindthename.com/php/find.php?name=patrick
Roderick
Gender: Masculine
Origin: English/Scottish/Welsh
Meaning: “famous power.”
Eng (RAHD-rik)
The name is derived from the Germanic elements hrod “fame” and ric “power.”
The name was first introduced into England via Scandinavian settlers and later by the Normans. However, the name seems to have died out by the late Middle Ages and wasn’t revived until the beginning of the 19th-century, thanks in part to Sir Walter Scott’s famous poem The Vision of Don Roderick (1811) where it is used as a vernacular form of the Spanish, Rodrigo.
Its Spanish cognate of Rodrigo, has always been fairly common in Spanish-speaking countries, it was borne by the last Visigothic king of Spain who died fighting Muslim invaders. Another notable Spanish bearer was the legendary El Cid whose real name was Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar. The same name forms the basis of the common Spanish surname, Rodriguez.
As of 2006, Rodrigo was the 32nd most popular male name in Chile. In Spain, he was the 38th most popular name for 2008.
Roderick is also used as an English equivalent for the unrelated Welsh male name, Rhydderch.
Other forms of the name include:
- Hroderich (Ancient Germanic)
- Hrēðrīc (Anglo-Saxon)
- Ludhriq لذري (Arabic)
- Roderic (Catalan)
- Roderich (Czech/German)
- Roderik (Czech/Danish/Dutch/Finnish/German/Hungarian/Norwegian/Slovene/Swedish)
- Rodéric (French)
- Rodrigue (French)
- Rodrigo (Galician/Italian/Occitanian/Portuguese/Spanish)
- Roric (German)
- Rodrigó (Hungarian)
- Roderico (Italian)
- Rodericus (Late Latin)
- Rørik (Old East Norse)
- Hrœrekr (Old West Norse)
- Rurik Рюрик (Russian/Ukrainian)
- Roderyk (Polish)
A common Galician short form is Roi and a Spanish diminutive is Rui.
A Scots feminine form is Rodina.
Common English short forms are Rod and Roddy.
The designated name-day is March 13 (France).
Sources
Tarmo, Tarmu
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Estonian/Finnish
Meaning: “energy, power, gusto.”
(TAHR-mo; TAHR-moo)
The name is used in both languages and ultimately has the same meaning, it comes directly from the Finnish/Estonian word describing “energy; power; force; drive; gusto; brio.”
The designated name-day in both countries is March 6.
A Sami form is Dárbmu.
Sources
Kauko
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Finnish
Meaning: “far away.”
The name is derived from the Finnish meaning, “far away.” It is also associated as a variation of Charles.
As of 2008, approximately 23, 697 men bore the name Kauko in Finland.
The designated name-day is March 3.
A common short form is Kake.
Sources