Zenobia is composed of the Greek elements, Zeus (Zeus) and bios (life). It was notably borne by a 1st-century Armenian queen of Georgian descent and later a 3rd-Century Queen of Palmyra who tried to expand into Roman territory but was defeated by Emperor Aurelian.
Zenobia of Palmyra’s name might have been a Hellenized form of her birth name, Bat-Zabbai, which is from the Aramaic meaning “daughter of Zabbai.” Zabbai itself is an Aramaic male name. It seems to be a theophoric name, meaning “gift of–.” The latter part refers to an unknown deity. It may have actually been an Aramaic form of the Hebrew female name, Bathsheba.
Speculation has also linked it with the Arabic female name Zaynab, which can either mean “father’s beauty” or be from the name of a type of flowering tree.
It was borne by the 3rd-century martyrs, Ss. Zenobia and Zenobius, two early Christians who were siblings and beheaded under Emperor Diocletian. Their feast and name-day is October 30.
In the English-speaking world, it is first recorded in Cornwall and Devon, England in the 16th-century. Early English forms of Synibie, Sinobie, Senobie, Cenobie, and Cenoby (Sen-e-bee; SIN-e-bee), would make interesting revivals in the spirit of Sydney and Willoughby. A common English diminutive was Nobby.
Zenobia appeared in the U.S. Top 1000 Most Popular Female names between 1881-1925, peaking at #669 in 1909.
Zenobia is no stranger to English literature, it is the name of a character in Nathaniel Hawthorn’s The Blithedale Romance (1852); Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome (1911); and is even used by Anne Rice in her the eighth book of her vampire series, Blood and Gold (2001).
Zenobia “Nobby” Hawthorne appears as a character in the P.G. Wodehouse series, Jeeves.
Tina Fey used this as the middle name of daughter, Alice Zenobia.
S.L. Uckelman. “Zenobia”. In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2023, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2023/1/name/Zenobia.
S.L. Uckelman. “Zenobius”. In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2023, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2023/1/name/Zenobius.
The root name is the Frankish Audomar, which is composed of the elements aud (wealth, fortune), and mari (fame).
It was borne by an 8th-century saint and monk, an abbot of St. Gall, Switzerland and a 7th-century Frankish saint, after whom the French commune of St-Omer was named.
The name is derived from the Latin perpetuus, meaning “continous; perpetual.” It was borne by a 3rd-century Christian matyr and saint, the companion of St. Felicity and it was also the name of the sister of St. Augustine of Hippo.
Perpetua and its various forms have been in sporadic use throughout the Catholic world. In Italy, it became synonymous with a priest’s housekeeper. This is due to the eponymous character in Alessandro Manzoni’s 19th-century novel, “The Betrothed.“
It experienced sporadic use in England in the 1920s after the release of the now lost 1922 film, Perpetua also known as Love’s Boomerang.
It has recently appeared in English literature as the name of minor characters in Bridget Jones’s Diary (Helen Fielding), and in the Harry Potter series (J.K. Rowling).
It was borne by Scottish landscape painter, Perpetua Pope (1916-2013).
It is the name of Cape Perpetua Oregon which was named for St. Perpetua as well as a typeface.
It’s designated name-day is February 1, March 6th and March 7th.
The name is of debated origin and meaning. It is argued to be derived from an unknown Iberic phrase indal eccius meaning, “messenger of the Gods,” though this etymology seems dubious. It has also been linked with the Basque element, inda meaning “strength.” It has been associated with the neolithic Indalo symbol found in Almería, Spain, now used as a good luck symbol and a popular motif found throughout the town. It was born by St. Indalacio of Almería of the 1st-century C.E. who was said to have evangelized the town of Almería and thus became its first bishop. He was later martyred by the pre-Christian Iberians.
The name is rare but does continue to experience usage in Almería and to a lesser extent, the rest of the Spanish-speaking world, a notable bearer was the Spanish politician, Indalacio Prieto (1833-1962).
The name is of uncertain origin or meaning, it may derive from the Greek place-name, Ephesus or the Greek elements, εὖ (eu), meaning “good” and φύσις (physis) meaning, “nature.” It was born by a 3rd-century Sardinian saint, the patron of Cagliari on Sardinia.
It is mainly used on Sardinia.
It was borne by Sardinian scientist, Efisio Arru (1927-2000), and Sardinian scientist, Efisio Marini (1835-1900).
The name was born by an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon female saint who did missionary work in Germany. It is composed of the Anglo-Saxon element, weald (power) and burg (fortress). Her feast day was celebrated on May 1st and the day before is called Walpurgisnacht (St. Walpurgis’ Eve).
In German-speaking countries, the name is most common in Bavaria and Austria, more so at the turn of the 20th-century.
In the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, this is the name of the mother of Sirius Black.
The name spread in use across Europe, especially in Nordic and Germanic countries. Other forms include:
Wealburh (Anglo-Saxon)
Valpurga (Catalan, Italian)
Valburga (Czech, Hungarian, Portuguese, Spanish)
Valborg (Danish, Norwegian, Swedish)
Walburga (Dutch, German, Polish)
Walburg (English)
Valba, Valbe (Estonian)
Valli (Estonian)
Valbjørg (Faroese, Norwegian)
Vappu (Finnish)
Valpuri (Finnish)
Gauburge (French)
Walburge, Valpurge (French)
Waldeburg (German, archaic)
Walpurga (German)
Valbjörg (Icelandic)
Válbor (Sami)
Várbu (Sami)
A common German short form is Wally, while a Swedish nickname is Bojan.
Italian masculine forms are Valburgo, Walburgo, Walpurgo and Valpurgo.
The name is borne in the Bible by the son of Joseph and Asenath, who is considered a patriarch, as he is a founder of one of the 12 trubes of Israel. According Genesis 41:52, he is named thus by Joseph because “God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”
The name was also borne by a few early Christian saints, including St. Ephraim of Syria (4th-century, CE).
Ephraim appeared in the U.S. Top 1000 between 1880-1914, it disappeared for 99 years and reappeared in the charts in 2013. For its first centennial cycle, it peaked at #403 in 1880. As of 2023, it was the 992nd most popular male name.
Its Spanish counterparts of Efraín and Efrén have also appeared in the U.S. Top 1000, Efraín appeared between 1950 and 2014, peaking at #469 in 1981 whilst Efrén appeared between 1966-2007, peaking at #768 in 1990.
The name comes from the Hebrew meaning, “who is like God?; who is equal to God?,” “who is asked for?” and according to Hitchcock Bible names, “lent.” The name is borne by three male characters in the Bible, one mentioned in (Exodus 6:22) as one of the sons of Uzziel, the uncle of Moses and Aaron and most notably, it is the Hebrew name of Meshach (Dan. 1:11, 19) one of the three youths who refused to worship idols and were thrown in a furnace but miraculously survived.
Misael currently ranks in as the 192nd most popular male name in Mexico (2021) and the 790th most popular male name in the United States (2022).
In the Coptic Church, it is borne by St. Misael the Anchorite (7th-century CE).
Its feminine version of Mishaela is a pop song by Israeli pop singer, Achinoam Nini and has experienced sporadic usage in Israel and the English-speaking world. It is also the name of a character in Shining Force Gaiden: Final Conflict.
Drew is the modern English form of the Anglo-Norman Dreu(x) which ultimately comes from the Frankish, Drogo, which is likely derived from the Proto-Germanic, *draugaz (illusion, mirage), which later transformed into the Saxon drog (ghost, illusion), compare to the Old Norse word draugr, a type of vampiric supernatural being in Old Norse folklore. The name was introduced into England by the Normans. It has also been linked with the Slavic dragan (dear, precious) but this etymology is less likely.
Dreu(x) was borne by a son of Charlemagne (8th-century CE). It was also borne by a 12th-century saint of Flanders, who has the distinction of being the patron saint of coffee.
It is the progenitor of the French surname Drieux.
Dreux is also the name of a commune in France, but this has a different etymology, possibly related to the Latin Drocus (unknown meaning).
In the 20th-century, Drew was often listed as an offshoot of Andrew in many baby name books. It also was occasionally bestowed on females.
Drew currently ranks in as the 512th most popular male name in the United States (2022), and the 840th most popular female name. As of 2021, it was the 790th most popular male name.
Notable bearers are Drew Carey and Dr. Drew Pinsky.
Drogo is the name of several Hobbits in the Tolkien universe and of the name of the Dothraki lord in the George R.R. Martin book, A Throne of Ice and Fire.
