Tag Archives: J.K.Rowling

Hermione, Ermioni

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Greek
Ερμιόνη
Eng (/hərˈmaɪ.ɵniː/ hər-MYE-o-nee); mod Grk (air-MYOH-nee)

She probably reminds you of Hermione Granger, the character from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. The name is of ancient Greek origin and it is derived from the masculine name Hermes.

In Greek mythology, Hermione was the only daughter of Helen and Menelaus. The name is also found in the calender of Saints, Hermione of Ephesus was an early martyr, and as an interesting side note, the Hermione of Harry Potter is named for the saint and not for the maiden of Greek Legend.

Hermione of Sicily is a character featured in Shakespeare’s Play, A Winter’s Tale (1610).

The name, though quirky and a bit extravagent, seems to have been a common moniker in Britain prior to Harry Potter fame. It is borne by several British actresses, Hermione Baddeley (1906-1986), Hermione Cockburn (b.1973) Hermione Gulliford, Hermione Hannen (1913-1983) and Hermione Norris (b.1968). It is also borne by British painter, Hermione Hammond (1910-2005).

It is also the name of an Opera, based on the Hermione of Greek Mythology.

In modern Greece, the name is often transliterated as Ermioni and Ermione where its designated name day is September 4th. It is also the name of a town in the Peloponnese.

In Italy, Ermione is the prefered form.

Despite the charming associations with Harry Potter, the name has not ranked in the US top 1000. In Britain, it does not appear in their top 100, but I have seen many instances of babies with the middle name or even the first name of Hermione in the British birth announcements. Other forms Herminie and Hermia. To hear the way the name is pronounced in Italian, you can listen to it here: http://www.forvo.com/search/Ermione/

Other forms include:

  • Hermiona (Croatian/Czech/Serbian)
  • Hermioné (Czech/Hungarian)
  • Hermelien (Dutch: could also be a feminine form of Herman)
  • Hermine (German/Norwegian)
  • Hermione (French)
  • Ermione (Italian: air-MYOH-nay)
  • Hermiona (Lithuanian/Polish)
  • Ermion (Piedmontese)
  • Hermiuona (Saimogaitian)
  • Hermíone (Spanish/Portuguese)

Henry, Harry, Harriet, Henrietta

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Origin: English/Germanic
Meaning: home ruler

Henry, an age old classic male name, is an anglicized version of the Germanic Heimric, which is composed of the elements heim meaning “home” and ric meaning “ruler.” The name evolved into the modern German Heinrich, the Scandinavian Henrik, the Polish Henryk, the French Henri, the Spanish Enrique and the Italian Enzo.

Henry has a lot of staying power in virtually most European countries. Like many of the other classic English names, this name came to England not through any Anglo-Saxon Germanic connections but through the conquering French Normans. It is has been a very popular choice among British and German royalty alike. It has been borne by the infamous Henry VIII all the way to our very present, Prince Henry, (aka Prince Harry), of England.

Henry has given to the world its diminutive form of Harry, which in many respects, is seen as an independent name in its own right. In Medieval England, Harry was considered the vulgar or everyday form of the name, most of England’s King Henrys were known affectionately as Harry. At one time, the name Henry was so common in the English speaking world, that the phrase, “Every Tom, Dick and Harry,” arose.

Harry is the title character of J.K. Rowling’s wizardry series, Harry Potter and again most the world knows the charming prince by his nickname versus his full name, given it a new appeal to young parents. Once seen as a stodgy and stuffy old man name, it is now seen as a classy and chic choice. Harry has recently enjoyed a surge in popularity in both the United Kingdom and the United States. Currently, Harry sits at # 644 in the 2008 most popular male names of the United States, while Henry comes in at # 76, and seems to be rising. Meanwhile, in Great Britain, Harry came in at a whopping # 5, while Henry at # 34. In France’s top male names of 2006, Henri came in at # 330, while its Italian version of Enzo, seems to be the more preferred version in recent years, Enzo came in as the # 1 most popular male name of France!

Other popular nicknames are Hal and Hank.

It also has feminine forms of Harriet and Henrietta, from both female versions the nicknames Hattie, Hettie and Etta came about. There is also the French form of Henriette, and the Italian feminine form of Enza.

Likes its male counterpart, Harriet seems to be enjoying a recent surge in popularity. In Britain and Wales’ top 100 female names of 2008, she came in at # 73, while in the United States, she still has some ways to go, in fact, she has not been in the top 1000 for at least 9 years. The name was borne by Harriet Beacher Stowe.

The designated name day for all forms of this name is July 13.

Other forms include:

  • Hanrí هنري (Arabic: primarily used among Arab Christians)
  • Endika (Basque)
  • Enric (Catalan)
  • Henrik (Croatian/German/Hungarian/Scandinavian/Slovene)
  • Jindřich (Czech)
  • Hynek (Czech: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name)
  • Henderik (Danish)
  • Henning (Danish/German/Norwegian/Swedish)
  • Driek/Dricus (Dutch: originally a diminutive form, used as an independent given name)
  • Dries (Dutch: originally a diminutive form, used as an independent given name)
  • Hein (Dutch: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name)
  • Heino (Dutch/Estonian)
  • Hendrik (Dutch/Estonian/German)
  • Henk (Dutch/Limburgish: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name)
  • Hal (English: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name)
  • Hank (English: originally a diminutive form, now used exclusively as an independent given name)
  • Enrico (Estonian)
  • Harri (Finnish/Welsh)
  • Heikki (Finnish)
  • Henrikki (Finnish)
  • Henri (French)
  • Haio (Frisian)
  • Aiko/Eiko/Haiko/Heiko (Frisian)
  • Heink (Frisian)
  • Henner (Frisian)
  • Hinrich (Frisian)
  • Hainrixi ჰაინრიხი (Georgian)
  • Heimo (German)
  • Heiner (German: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name)
  • Heinrich (German)
  • Heinz (German: diminutive form occasionally used as an independent given name)
  • Errikos (Greek)
  • Hinrik (Icelandic)
  • Anraí/Einrí (Irish-Gaelic)
  • Anrico (Italian)
  • Arrigo/Errigo (Italian)
  • Enrichetto (Italian)
  • Enrico (Italian)
  • Enzo/Enzio (Italian)
  • Richetto (Italian)
  • Rico (Italian: contracted form)
  • Rigo (Italian)
  • Henricus (Latin)
  • Indriķis (Latvian)
  • Herkus (Latvian)
  • Endrikis (Lithuanian)
  • Henrikas (Lithuanian)
  • Heng/Hari (Lexumbourgish)
  • Henno (Low German)
  • Hinderk/Hinnerk (Low German)
  • Jendrik (Low German)
  • Heimrich (Old German)
  • Hinnerk (Plattdeutsch)
  • Henryk (Polish)
  • Henrique (Portuguese/Galician)
  • Henric (Romanian)
  • Andri/Andrin (Romansch)
  • Gendrich/Genrich (Russian)
  • Eanraig (Scottish-Gaelic)
  • Hendry (Scottish)
  • Heinri/Heiri (Swiss-German: dialectical form)
  • Henrich (Slovak)
  • Hendrich (Sorbian)
  • Enrique (Spanish)
  • Hersh (Yiddish)

Female forms include:

  • Drika (Dutch)
  • Heintje (Dutch)
  • Hendrika/Hendrikje (Dutch)
  • Henriëtte (Dutch)
  • Jetta/Jette (Dutch/German: Originally diminutive forms, now used exclusively as independent given names)
  • Etta (English: contracted form)
  • Harriet (English)
  • Hattie (English: originally a diminutive form, used as an independent given name)
  • Henrietta (English)
  • Hettie (English: originally a diminutive form, used as an independent given name)
  • Henna (Finnish)
  • Henriikka (Finnish)
  • Henriette (French)
  • Hinriette (Frisian)
  • Heinriette (German: obscure)
  • Heinrike (German)
  • Henrike (German/Danish/Norwegian)
  • Enrica (Italian)
  • Enrichetta (Italian)
  • Enza (Italian)
  • Errichetta (Italian)
  • Rica (Italian)
  • Henryka (Polish)
  • Andrina (Romansch)
  • Henrika (Swedish)