Category Archives: Russian Names

Rufus, Rufina

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220px-William_II_of_England

King William II

The name comes directly from the Latin word meaning “red-headed.” It was a common Roman cognomen and was borne by a man who is referenced in Romans 16:13 and another who is referenced in Mark 15:21. According to Eastern Orthodox tradition, the aforementioned are one and the same person and is venerated as one of the Seventy Disciples mentioned in the Gospel of Luke. He is also popularly believed to be the son of Simon of Cyrene.

The name is borne by several other saints.

It was the nickname of King William II of England, known as William Rufus III on account of his red-hair.

The name appeared in the U.S. Top 100 2 times, in 1880 & 1882, peaking at #88 in 1880. It remained in the Top 1000 1988.

In England & Wales, the name was the 264th Most Popular Male Name in 2018.

Rufus is used in Dutch, Czech, English, Finnish, German, Latvian, Polish & the Scandinavian languages.

Other forms include:

  • Rufit (Albanian)
  • R’owp’osy Ռուփոսյ (Armenian)
  • Rufess (Bavarian)
  • Ruf Руф (Bulgarian, Catalan, French, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Ukrainian)
  • Roufaous (Coptic)
  • Rufinus (Dutch, German, Latin, Scandinavian)
  • Ruffe (Finnish)
  • Ruuhva, Ruuhvus (Finnish)
  • Ryffe, Ryyfys (Finnish)
  • Rufin (French, German, Polish)
  • Rhouphon Ροῦφον (Greek)
  • Rúfusz (Hungarian)
  • Ruffo (Italian)
  • Rufillo, Ruffillo (Italian)
  • Rufino (Italian, Portuguese, Spanish)
  • Rufo (Italian, Portuguese, Spanish)
  • Rufinus (Latin)
  • Rufas (Lithuanian)
  • Rupuha (Maori)
  • Rúfus (Slovak)

150px-Santa_RufinaIts feminine form of Rufina was borne by a couple of early saints, one of whom was from Seville, she was a pottery maker who refused to sell her wares for a pagan festival.

Feminine forms include

  • Roufina (Coptic)
  • Rufe (French)
  • Rufine (French)
  • Rufina Руфина (Dutch, English, German, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Ukrainian, Scandinavian, Spanish)
  • Rufa (Italian)
  • Rufilla (Italian)

Sources

Jemima, Jemimah

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800px-Job_and_His_Daughters_Butts_set

Job & his 3 Daughters by William Blake

The name is mentioned in Job 43:14 as the name of the eldest daughter of Job after his tribulations. It derives from the Hebrew יְמִימָה‎, (Yemimah), meaning “dove.”

As a given-name, it came into popular use after the Protestant Reformation, especially in England, though it appears in occasional use by the 19th-century in Finland, Scandinavia & Protestant parts of Germany and the Netherlands.

Among Jews, this name was never used, though the Yiddish Taube and Toybe (dove) does exist. It is not certain if the latter is used in reference to Jemimah, Jonah or an earlier Medieval German female name that fell out of use among Christians but remained common among Ashkenazi Jews. It should be noted that in some German translations of the Bible, Jemimah is merely referred to as Täubchen (turtledove; also a term of endearment).

It is the same case in other languages where the passage in which the name appears is translated literally as Columba (Italian), Touterelle (French), Dies (Vulgate Latin translation) & Täuberl (Bavarian).

The name was quite common in England and Colonial America in the 18th-century. It was borne by the daughter of Daniel Boone, who is famous for being captured by Native Americans in 1776. Other early notable bearers include Jemima Yorke, 2nd Marchioness Grey and Countess of Hardwicke (1723-1797); Scottish painter, Jemima Blackburn (1823-1901); and Irish writer, Baroness Jemima von Tautphoeus (1807-1893). It was the birth name of the non-binary Quaker preacher known as the Public Universal Friend (1752-1819) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Universal_Friend (interesting story).

Today, in the United States the name has somewhat loaded racial connotations, due to its associations with ‘Aunt Jemima’ (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Aunt_Jemima)

However, in England, the name has remained a posh favourite. It is currently borne by British actress, Jemima Kirke (b. 1985).

The name is also a common favorite in many African countries.

Currently, Jemima is 297th Most Popular Female Name in England & Wales.

Common English short forms are Mima, Mimi, Jem, Jemmy.

Other forms include:

  • Emima Емима (Bulgarian, Russian)
  • Jemima (Czech, Dutch, English, German, Scandinavian)
  • Jemimah (English)
  • Mima (English)
  • Jemina (German, Finnish, Polish, Scandinavian, Spanish)
  • Jémina (French)
  • Gemima (Italian)
  • Jémima (Hungarian, Icelandic)
  • Jamima (Lithuanian)
  • Hemaima (Maori)
  • Yemima יְמִימָה (Modern Hebrew)
  • Iemima (Romanian)
  • Jamina (Scandinavian)
  • Jemine (Scandinavian)
  • Jemi (Scandinavian)

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Rudy, Rudolph, Rolf

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200px-Rudolf_IV

  • Origin: German
  • Meaning: “famous wolf.”
  • Gender: Masculine

The name is derived from the Germanic Hrodulf, which is composed of the elements hrod (fame) and wulf (wolf). The name was borne by several European rulers.

In England, it has been in use since Anglo-Saxon times, its Anglo-Saxon form of Hroðulf was usurped by the Norman Rudolph and Rodolph in the 11th-century.

In the English-speaking world, the name has come to be associated with the Christmas folk hero, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, based on a children’s book written by Robert L. May in 1939.

Rudolf appeared in the U.S. Top 1000 between 1887-1932, and peaked at # 715 in 1916. He appeared 3 times in the French Top 1000 in 1914, 1931 and again in 1933, peaking at #454 in 1934. He was in the German Top 20 between 1893 and 1936, peaking at #11 in 1899 and in 1916.

In France, it’s native form of Rodolphe appeared in the Top 1000 between 1900 and 2001 and peaked at #79 in 1970.

Its contracted form of Rolf has been in occasional use in England since the 11th-century. It was a favorite in German-speaking countries in the 1920s-50s, peaking at #11 in 1947. In Norway, it peaked at #14 in 1945. Rolf has also appeared in the American and French charts, though not very high. Rolf peaked at #210 in France in 1943 and #772 in 1960 in the U.S.

It his diminutive form of Rudy, often used as an independent given-name, is the one which has gained some traction in recent years. Rudy appeared in the French Top 100 between 1979-1984, and peaked at #76 in 1980. Rudy’s current rankings in the popularity charts are as follows:

  • #271 (England & Wales, 2018)
  • #822 (U.S.A., 2018)

Rudolf is used in Albanian, Armenian, Czech-Slovak, Dutch, Hungarian, Icelandic, Polish, Serbo-Croatian, Slovene, the Scandinavian languages and Russian.

Other forms include:

  • Hroðulf, Hrothulf (Anglo-Saxon)
  • Roel, Roelof, Ruud (Dutch)
  • Rodolf (Catalan)
  • Rolph (English)
  • Rudo, Ruudo, Ruudolf (Estonian)
  • Róðolvur (Faroese)
  • Ruuto, Ruutolffi, Ruutolhvi, Ruutolppi (Finnish)
  • Rodolphe (French)
  • Roele, Roelef, Roelf, Rolef, Rolof, Roloff, Roluf, Roolof (Frisian)
  • Rudolp რუდოლფ (Georgian)
  • Roff (German)
  • Rudi (German, Hungarian, Serbo-Croatian, Slovenian)
  • Rudo (German)
  • Rul (German)
  • Rûtulfe, Ruutuulfi (Greenlandic)
  • Rhodólphos Ροδόλφος (Greek)
  • Rúdólf (Icelandic)
  • Rodolfino (Italian)
  • Rodolfo (Italian, Portuguese, Spanish)
  • Ridolfo (Italian)
  • Rudolphus (Latin)
  • Rūdolfs, Rūdis (Latvian)
  • Rudolfas, Rudas (Lithuanian)
  • Doffen (Norwegian)
  • Roffe (Norwegian, Swedish)
  • Hróðólfr, Hrólfr (Old Norse)
  • Rudulf (Polish, archaic)
  • Duff, Dusch, Riedi, Ruosch (Romansch)
  • Ruedi (Swiss-German, diminutive form, occasionally used as an independent form)

Feminine forms include:

  • Rudolfia (Danish, Norwegian)
  • Rodolphine (French)
  • Rudolfine (German, Scandinavian)
  • Rodolfa, Rodolfina (Italian, Spanish)
  • Rodolfetta (Italian)
  • Rudolfa (Polish, Scandinavian)
  • Rudolfina (Hungarian, Polish, Scandinavian)

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Sephora, Zipporah

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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

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Cassius

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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

Sapphire, Safira, Sapir,

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220px-Point-19_carat_diamond_cut_blue_Yogo_sapphireCROP

From the name of the blue precious gem, many etymologists believe Sapphire is derived from the Greek σαπφειρος sappheiros meaning “sapphire” or “lapis lazuli,” which is ultimately derived from the Hebrew סַפִּיר (sappir), which is connected to an older Semitic word for “beauty.” Others believe it is derived from the Sanskrit Shanipriya (favoured by Saturn), as the sapphire is believed in Vedic astrology to be protective against the ill-affects of the planet Saturn.

As a female given-name, there is enough evidence to show that this name can trace its origins to ancient Israel. In the Bible, Shiphrah, which shares the same root with סַפִּיר (sappir), is the name of one of the midwifes who refused to kill Hebrew baby boys. Shiphrah also spawned the common Ashkanazi surnames of Shifrin & Shapiro.

Among Hellenized Jews, the form Sapphira would have been in use. It is the name of a woman in the Acts, in the New Testament, who is struck down by God for lying about money to the Holy Spirit.

The Ancient Greek Sappho has also been linked with the Sapphira, but the etymological connection to the former is highly disputed.

Safira, Zaffira and its masculine form of Zaffiro, experienced sporadic use in Medieval Northern Italy.

Sapphire, Sephare appear in use as a female name in Anglo-Norman England, albeit rare.

Sapphira experienced a minor revival among the Puritans in the 18th-century due to its Biblical connotations; the Puritans didn’t seem to care about the character of some Biblical figures when choosing a baby name.

In Portugal, Safira is currently the 100th Most Popular Female Name (2018).

Sapphire is currently the 361st Most Popular Female Name in England & Wales (2018).

Other forms include:

  • Sappheire Σαπφειρη (Biblical Greek)
  • Safir (Catalan)
  • Safira (Dutch/Polish/Portuguese/Scandinavian/Spanish)
  • Saphire (French)
  • Sephirine (French)
  • Saphira (German/Scandinavian)
  • Zafira (Hungarian/Spanish)
  • Saffira (Italian/Latin)
  • Sapfeira Σαπφείρα (Modern Greek)
  • Sapirit (Modern Hebrew, literally meaning “little saphire)
  • Zaffira (Medieval Italian)
  • Sapfíra Сапфи́ра (Russian)
  • Safina (Scandinavian)
  • Zefira (Polish)
  • Zefiryna (Polish)

Masculine forms include, Saffiro (Italian), Zaffiro (Italian) & Zafiro (Spanish).

Other associations include:

  • Saphira is the name of a species of white grapes.
  • Saphira is the name of the dragon in the series of fantasy books known as The Inheritance Cycle, by Christopher Paolini
  • Opel Zafira is the name of a make of car produced by General Motors and introduced in 2011
  • American poet Sapphire, (born Ramona Lofton in 1950)
  • Sapphire is the name of a fictional superheroine in the DC Comics Universe
  • Sapphire is the name of a character on the British web series, Corner Shop Show
  • Sapphire is the name of the main character on the British sci-fi series, Sapphire & Steele
  • Princess Sapphire is the main character in the manga series, Princess Knight
  • Sapphire, a 1959 British film recounting the murder of an eponymous mixed-race girl from the West Indies in London

The name is also borne by Dutch model, Safira de Wit (b.1989).

Sources

Igor, Ingvar

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Radzivill_Igor-945

Ingvar is the modern Scandinavian form of the Old Norse, Yngvarr, meaning “Ing’s warrior.” It was introduced into Russia in the 10th-century by the Varangians, which gave the world the Igor form. The latter was borne by 2 Grand Princes of Kiev and has been a favorite in several Slavic countries since.

Currently, Igor is the 19th Most Popular Male Name in Poland (2018) and the 48th Most Popular in Moscow, Russia (2018), while in England he currently ranks quite low at #497 (2018).

Igor is used in Bulgarian, Czech-Slovak, Dutch, Estonian, German, Hungarian, Italian, Macedonian, Portuguese, Romanian, Serbo-Croatian, all modern Scandinavian languages, Slovene, & Spanish

Other forms of the name include:

  • Ihar Ігар (Belarusian)
  • Ingvar (Danish, Estonian, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish)
  • Iku (Finnish)
  • Ingwar, Ingwer (German)
  • Ingvaari (Greelandic)
  • Ingvâre (Greenlandic)
  • Ígor (Icelandic)
  • Inguarus (Late Latin)
  • Ingvars, Igors (Latvian)
  • Igoris (Lithuanian)
  • Ignar (Nowegian)
  • Yngvar (Norwegian)
  • Yngvarr (Old Norse)
  • Ingwar (Polish)
  • Inguar (Portuguese)
  • Ingor (Swedish)
  • Ihor Ігор  (Ukrainian)

Sources

Alfred, Alfreda

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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

Nora, Nour

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1024px-Dawn._Buryatia,_Russia

This multicultural name has recently experienced a revival. In European countries, the name stems from any name ending in the -nora element, such as Honora & Eleanora. In Arabic, Nora is a variant transliteration of Nurah, which is a strictly feminine version of the unisex Arabic name, Nur (light). Nur is used as one of the 99 attributes of Allah, al-Nur (the light).

The name was used by Henrik Ibsen for his main character in his play, A Doll’s House (1878).

Outside of East Asia, there isn’t a counry where Nora is unhead of or is not in use. Nora has been in out of the U.S. Top 100 since 1880! She currently ranks in as the 30th Most Popular Female Name in the United States. Her rankings in other countries are as follows:

  • #2 (Norway, 2018)
  • #10 (Netherlands, 2018)
  • #11 (Hungary, 2018)
  • #14 (Switzerland, 2018)
  • #15 (Denmark, 2018)
  • #20 (Belgium, 2018)
  • #23 (Austria, 2018)
  • #26 (Catalonia, Spain, 2018)
  • #28 (Sweden, 2018)
  • #38 (Canada, BC, 2018)
  • #47 (Spain, 2018)
  • #64 (Norah, Netherlands, 2018)
  • #79 (Bosnia & Herzegovina, 2018)
  • #84 (Norah, Canada, BC, 2018)
  • #85 (Italy, 2018)
  • #119 (France, 2018)
  • #140 (Norah, United States, 2018)
  • #184 (Norah, France, 2018)
  • #197 (England & Wales, 2018)
  • #283 (Norah, England & Wales, 2018)

Its Dutch version of Noor also ranks high in several popularity charts. This name is also used by Muslim families as a variation of Nur. Her rankings in other countries are as follows:

  • #10 (Netherlands, 2018)
  • #25 (Belgium, 2018)
  • #279 (England & Wales, 2018)
  • #311 (France, 2018)

Noortje is another Dutch version which currently ranks in as the 203rd Most Popular Female Name in the Netherlands.

Other forms of its European version include:

  • Nora Нора Νόρα (Bulgarian, Greek)
  • Noera (Dutch)
  • Noor (Dutch)
  • Noortje (Dutch)
  • Norah (Dutch, English, French)
  • Nonie (English)
  • Noreen (English, Irish)
  • Noora (Estonian, Finnish)
  • Nóra Но́ра (Faroese, Hungarian, Irish, Russian)
  • Nuura (Finnish, Scandinavian)
  • Nóirín (Gaelic)
  • Norina (Italian, Provençal, Romansch)
  • Norá (Sami)
  • Norea (Scandinavian)
  • Norena (Scandinavian)
  • Noria (Scandinavian)
  • Norita (Spanish, Scandinavian)

The Arabic Nur is traditionally a unisex name which is popularly used in many Islamic countries. Its Maghrebi form of Nour currently ranks in the following popularity charts for girls:

  • #40 (Belgium, 2018)
  • #48 (Catalonia, Spain, 2018)
  • #48 (France, 2018)
  • #76 (Spain, 2018)
  • #137 (Italy, 2018)
  • #197 (Netherlands, 2018)

Nur is currently the 87th Most Popular Female Name in Bosnia & Herzegovina (2018).

Other forms of the Arabic version include:

  • Noora, Nura (Arabic, strictly feminine)
  • Noura (Maghrebi Arabic, strictly feminine)
  • Núria (Catalan)
  • Nor (Malay, unisex)
  • Nuru (Swahili, strictly feminine)

Sources

Albert, Alberta

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Prince_Albert_-_Franz_Xaver_Winterhalter_1842

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