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Showing posts from 2020

Eugenia

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Origin: Latin, Greek Gender: Female Meaning: "Well Born" Pronunciation: yoo-JEEN-ee-ah, yoo-JEEN-yah Other Forms: Eugeneia,    Eugénie, Yevgeniya, Eukene, Uxía; Eugene, Eugenios, Owen, Eugen Our Holiday names come to a close with the name of a Saint whose Feast is on Christmas day. Eugenia of Rome, according to the popular rendition of her story, was the daughter of Philip, a Duke of Alexandria and Governor  of Egypt. She left her father's home, dressed as a man, and was baptized by Helenus, a Bishop of Heliopolis, and later became an Abbot, still under her disguise. Eugenia would later cure a woman of her illness, and when the woman made sexual advances towards her, which she declined. That woman, incensed and embarrassed, made a public accusation, that would bring her before the court. She declared Eugenia an adulterer, and came before the judge, her father, still as a man. When it was revealed she was not only a woman but his very daughter, she was instantly exonerated

Garland

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Origin: English, French and Italian Gender: Unisex Meaning: "A Braid" Pronunciation : GARR-lend Other Forms: N/A Sorry for missing yesterday's post! Christmas Eve just got away from me, so I will be posting the last name tomorrow for Boxing Day! This is a guilty pleasure of mine that I could really see working. For girls, it has the vintage glam of Judy Garland, for boys it is a coveted unisex nature name, and absolutely perfect for a Christmas baby. The word garland comes from the French guirlande , which itself came from the Italian ghirlanda , which meant "a braid". Garlands are a typical decoration for a celebration, from Christmas' tinsel and popcorn garlands, to the traditional Hawaiian lei , which is often given at graduations and weddings. In India, flower garlands are popular for any sort of festival, and are often bestowed on the effigies of their Gods, the most common flowers being jasmine. In the 16th century, both northern and eastern Europeans

Chione

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Origin: Greek Gender: Female Meaning: "Snow" Pronunciation: KYE-oh-nee, kye-OH-nee Other Forms: Khione; Chion Today's name is that of a lesser known Greek Goddess or nymph, one who I, even Greek mythology nut that I am, didn't even know of! Chione, according to which tale you ascribe to, is either the daughter of an Athenian Princess named Orithyia and Boreas, the God of the North Wind or calls the naiad Callirrhoe and the God of the Nile River, Neilus, her parents. It is said that Zeus had Hermes turn her into a snow cloud, and that is where Chione gets its meaning. Later, Chione would become pregnant with a son of Poseidon, named Eumolpus, which she tossed into the waters in fear of the father. He was rescued by Poseidon, and came to rule as a King of Thracia. Though most likely unusable for a modern child, I can't help but be entranced by this name. Maybe it's best left to the myths, or perhaps, a cat.

Lior

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Art by Simon Claude Origin: Hebrew Gender: Male Meaning: "Light for Me" Pronunciation: lee-OR Other Forms: Liora, Liorit A favorite of mine ever since Christina Aguilera used it as a middle name for her son, Lior would make an excellent choice for a baby born during Hanukkah, or as it's sometimes know, The Festival of Lights. Lior, which means "Light for Me", could easily represent the lighting of the Menorah. The Menorah is a nine-branched candelabrum, with eight candles that are lit each night of the celebration, with the ninth candle being used to light the others. To those who are kosher, the shamash (which means "helper" or "assistant"), or the ninth candle, must be placed either lower or higher than the other candles. Hanukkah itself is a celebration of the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem in 164 BCE. To put it very simply, the Jewish, led by the Maccabees, a group of five brothers, revolted against the Greek and the growing Hell

Solstice

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"The Shortening Winter's Day is Near a Close" by Joseph Farquharson Origin: Latin Gender: Unisex Meaning: "Sun Standing Still" Pronunciation: SOL-stis Other Forms: N/A Happy Winter Solstice everyone! This name has recently become a guilty pleasure of mine, and I think it would just be fabulous, especially in the middle spot, for a baby born around the solstice! It is certainly hippy-dippy, but that's half of the charm. A solstice is an event in which the sun appears to reach either its most northerly or southerly arc, also known as the sun's path. It occurs twice a year, once on June 21st and later on December 21st. During the summer solstice we receive the most sunlight and in the winter solstice we receive the least, which in turn leads to the longest night of the year. Culturally, both solstices were of great import, as with most astronomical events, and could be considered in the mating of animals and the sowing of crops. In Sweden, the summer solsti

Pine

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"Tannenwald (Pine Forest)" by Gustav Klimt Origin: English Gender: Unisex Meaning: From the Name of the Tree; "Resin" Pronunciation: PYNE Other Forms: N/A Happy Holidays to all of my readers! I hope you are having a good one and your family is staying healthy, despite the hard times we're all going through. In celebration I've decided to post a Holiday related name everyday for the next five days! Amongst the ever popular Frasier Firs, Blue Spruces, Douglas Firs, and Balsam Firs, lurks the equally beautiful Scotch and White Pines as some of the best choices for Christmas Trees. The Christmas tree tradition has roots dating back all the way to the Medieval era, where "Trees of Paradise" were common motifs in mystery plays, usually performed on the 24th of December, Adam and Eve's common name and commemoration day in Europe. A tree would be decorated with apples and wafers to represent the Eucharist. Similarly, in Livonia (which is now Estonia an

On My Mind: 12-13-20

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Rhiannon Ashlee, Delilah, and husband Doug I've recently been getting more into Youtube, and one thing I really enjoy is vlogs, especially ones of families. As someone who has always loved children and babies, I find them fascinating. And, of course, I love finding out their names! Today's On My Mind will be all about children of Youtubers. Rook - Ashley at " Embers and Ash " is all about motherhood, minimalism and intentional living. I love her style and so I wasn't surprised to learn she had chosen something really spectacular for her baby! She has a little boy named Rook which I think is a great choice for someone looking for a strong and masculine nature name. A Rook is a bird that is part of the Crow family that ranges all the way from Scandinavia and eastern Siberia to Western Europe. It is very intelligent, as all members of the Crow family are, and are known to be able to solve simple problems. It would also be a great choice for a Chess lover! Delilah - A

Romee Strijd Welcomes Baby Girl!

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Romee and Laurens Dutch model Romee Strijd has given birth to her first child, a girl, with husband Laurens van Leeuwen. They have named her Mint van Leeuwen.

Abby Elliott Welcomes First Child!

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Actress and Comedian Abby Elliott has welcomed her first child, a girl, with husband Bill Kennedy. They named her Edith Pepper Kennedy.

Giallo Names

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Below is a guest post written by my sister, Abby, who occasionally blogs over on The Beautiful Strange . We hope you enjoy this post and have a fun and safe Halloween! What exactly is Giallo ? The Italian word for yellow, originally a term to used to describe cheap mystery books with yellow covers that enjoyed an immense amount of popularity in Italy, but in the late 1960s, a genre of film emerged that would take the same name.  A traditional Giallo film includes many themes that would ensure its skyrocketing popularity in the early-to-mid 1970s: mystery elements, thrills, psychological horror, sometimes with black-gloved slashers or wide-eyed mediums. While all of these aspects are not always guaranteed to be featured, and many critics argue about how to define a genre so unique and with so many archetypes, one thing you’re certain to find in every film is great style and European aestheticism. If you’re a big fan of the 70s’ and 60s’, horror films, and intriguing thrills, be sure to

Noel Fielding Welcomes Second Child!

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Lliana and Noel Comedian and host of The Great British Bake-Off, Noel Fielding, has recently welcomed his second child with British Radio Host Lliana Bird, a girl who they named Iggy. Their other daughter is named Dali.

Regan

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"The Three Daughters of King Lear" by Gustav Pope Origin: English, Celtic Gender: Unisex Meaning: N/A Pronunciation: RAY-gehn, REE-gehn Other Forms: Reagan, Raegan Note: Hello! I hope you've been enjoying my Halloween names so far! I was hoping to do more but my cockatiel that I've had since I was sixteen has been having some health issues and I've just been wracked with worry over him! But I do have a really special guest post that will be coming out on the day of Halloween which I hope you'll all enjoy! Much love, Bree. Growing up, Regan was just the sort of name I would have wanted. Short, strong, frills-free and tomboyish, Regan isn't just a popular "Surname" style of name - it also has the esteem of being a character from Shakespeare's "King Lear". But what it's most famous for is the reason I chose it for my series of Halloween names, and I bet it's the namesake you thought of as well. That of Regan MacNeil from "

Ichabod

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"The Headless Horseman Pursuing Ichabod Crane" by John Quidor Origin: Hebrew Gender: Male Meaning: "No Glory" Pronunciation: IK-eh-bahd Other Forms: N/A Ichabod has been a guilty pleasure of mine since I can remember - something about the strong C sound and it ending with with the equally strong D I think. It's just fun to say! Ichabod is roughly translated to mean "no glory", which at first seems like a rather horrible meaning for a name. But in actuality there is so much more to it. In the Bible, Ichabod is the son of the priest Phinehas and an unnamed woman. His mother went into labor hearing that the Ark of God, also known as the fabled Ark of the Covenant, had left Israel and fell into Philistine hands. In the Book of Samuel it is explained his name means "the glory has departed from Israel". Of course the most well-known Ichabod is Ichabod Crane, the protagonist of Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". Crane,

Harvest

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"At Harvest Time" by Jules Bastien-Lepage Origin: English Gender: Unisex Meaning: "The Season for Gathering Crops; To Gather or Catch" Pronunciation: HARR-vist Other Forms: N/A This is the first of my Fall/Halloween inspired posts this year! If you have any suggestions on ones you'd like to see, drop a comment below. I've always had a love for word names, the more unusual the better, and Harvest is no exception. I love the image it evokes, autumn leaves, the warmth of a fire, full moons, and the cozy feeling it gives me. I also love how well it would work for either a boy or a girl! The word Harvest has comes from the Old English  hærfest , meaning "autumn" or "harvest-time", eventually evolving into the Middle English hervest. Harvest has been celebrated all over the world, from Thanksgiving in the States and Canada, to the week-long Jewish festival called Sukkot. In Britain, since Pagan times, a good harvest has traditionally been celeb

Lucky Blue Smith Welcomes Second Daughter!

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Nara and Lucky Model Lucky Blue Smith has just welcomed his second child, a girl, the first child for his wife, model Nara Pellmann. They named her Rumble Honey. He previously had a daughter, Gravity Blue, with Stormi Henley.

If You Like Noah, Then You'll Love...

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"The Entry of the Animals into Noah's Ark" by Jan Brueghel the Elder Hello! I'm back with more alternatives to popular names and this time we're talking about Noah. Biblical, classic, and catchy, there's no surprise Noah shot up the charts all the way to #2. For the US, Noah has featured in the Top 1000 since its inception in 1880, when it sat comfortably at #126, and only ever dipped as low as #696 in 1963. When I think of Noah I think specifically of how it has an ending which is most often found in girls names, and of a wholesome, quiet sort of strength. Noble - Noble has to be my favorite virtue name for boys (#2 being Valor!), and I think it's just a great alternative to Noah. It comes from the Latin nobilis , meaning "well-known, excellent, superior, of high-birth", which in turn came from the earlier gnobilis , "knowable". Originally used mostly to refer to a well-known, well-to-do family during Ancient Rome, the later meaning o

On My Mind: 10-4-20

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Hermine from GBBO Season 8 Bona - I stumbled across the unusual name while researching royals and found out there is not only one but two Princess who bore it! The first Princess was Bona of Savoy, Duchess of Milan, who lived from 1449 to 1503 and married into the famous Sforza family. The second was Princess Bona, or Maria Bona, of Savoy, who married Prince Konrad of Bavaria. She lived from 1896 to 1971. Bona is Latin and means "good", "noble", or "kind". In Italy when you call a girl "Bona" you mean that she is beautiful. Hermine and Sura - I've started the newest season of the Great British Bake Off, one of my favorite shows ever, and as usual there are some interesting names in the mix! I'm especially intrigued by Hermine, the French and German feminine form of Herman, meaning "army man", and Sura, which is Arabic and means "Highness of Status" or "Glory". Gudrid - Gudrid  Thorbjarnardóttir ( Guðríður  Þo

Caradoc

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King Arthur's Knights Seeing a Vision of the Holy Grail (King Caradoc is in blue) Origin: Welsh Gender: Male Meaning: "Love" Pronunciation: ka-RA-dock Other Forms: Caradog, Caratacos, Caratacus This strong Welsh name has a surprisingly soft meaning - it comes from the Celtic car , meaning "love" and shares this root with the girl's name Carys. In mythology (some believe he was real, or at least a amalgamation of few a historical figures) King Caradoc Freichfras, also known as Caradoc Strongman, lived during the 5th- or 6th-century and was a knight of the Round Table. He was said to be a King of Gwent, a medieval Welsh kingdom that laid between the rivers Wye and Usk, and existed from the end of Roman rule until the Normans invaded in the 11th-century.  In the Welsh Triads, medieval scripts that have preserved much of Welsh myth and history, he is said to be Arthur's chief elder at Celliwig in Cornwall. Cellwig is one of the earliest named locations for A

The Children of Sylvia Storey

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Sylvia Storey, Lady Poulett , was born Sylvia Lillian Storey to William Frederick Clayton Storey and Lilian Margaret Thorley Holmes . Like her parents, Sylvia was an actress and also a dancer and Gaiety Girl. She married William Poulett, 7th Earl of Poulett . She had two children with him: George Amias Fitzwarrine Poulett, " George Poulett, 8th Earl of Poulett " Bridget Elizabeth Felicia Henrietta Augusta Poulett, " Lady Bridget Poulett " She also had a child with Major Percy Howard Hansen : Phoebe Amie Sybil Poulett, " Lady Phoebe Poulett "

Bisera

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Origin: Slavic Gender: Female Meaning: "Pearl" Pronunciation: BIH-ser-uh, BEE-ser-uh Other Forms: Biserka I've been really into Slavic names lately, and this lovely name, used most commonly in Bulgaria, Macedonia, is no exception!  Bisera comes from the South Slavic word biser , meaning "pearl". Pearls are the lustrous object produced within the soft tissue of shelled mollusks, and like their shell is made up of calcium carbonate. While most pearls today are cultured, also known as farmed, a naturally formed pearl is still considered the best quality. Pearl hunting can be traced all the way back to 543 BC, when the only way to gather them was to use free divers who would have to swim to a depth of more than 100 ft on a single breath. Indians harvested freshwater pearls from the lakes and rivers in Ohio, Tennessee, and Mississippi. The beautiful pearls produced in the waters around the British Isles were one of the big attractions for Julius Caeser. I found two f

The Children of Blanchette Rockefeller

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Blanchette and John Blanchette Rockefeller was born Blanchette Ferry Hooker to Elon Huntington Hooker and Blanche Ferry . Blanchette was an American art sponsor and philanthropist. She married John D. Rockefeller III . Their children were: Jay Davison Rockefeller, " Jay Rockefeller IV " Hope Aldrich Rockefeller Sandra Ferry Rockefeller Alida Ferry Rockefeller

Ed Sheeran Welcomes Baby Girl

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Cherry and Ed Ed Sheeran and his wife, Cherry Seaborn, just welcomed their first child, a little girl! Her name is Lyra Antarctica Seaborn Sheeran. Many believe the name is inspired by Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" books, as Ed is a fan of them.

Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom Welcome Baby Girl!

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Katy and Orlando Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom have welcomed their first child together, a girl who they named Daisy Dove. Bloom already has a son, Flynn Christopher, from his previous relationship with model Miranda Kerr.

On My Mind: 8-23-20

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Jördis Triebel at the "Dark" Premiere Julika and  Jördis - A couple of weeks ago I finished my favorite series of all time - Netflix's "Dark". After getting past the emotional trauma of the finale I thought I would write about to of the most interesting names associated with Dark, that of Julika Jenkins and  Jördis Triebel.  Julika Jenkins plays one of the most mysterious and important characters of the show during middle age, Claudia Tiedemann. The daughter of a Welsh and German couple, Julika was born in Heidelberg, West Germany, in 1971. Julika is pronounced YOO-lee-kah, sort of like Yulia with a K, and is commonly a Hungarian diminutive of Julia. Jördis plays Katharina Nielsen, the mother of the Nielsen children, and she was born in Prenzlauer Berg, which was once the hub of East Germany's counterculture, which including the gay community, bohemians and Christian activists. The name Jördis is the German form of the more modern, Swedish,  Hjördis, which i

The Children of Maria of Austria-Este, Queen of Sardinia

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Maria of Austria-Este and Victor Emmanuel with three of their daughters Maria Theresa of Austria-Este was born Maria Theresia Josefa Johanna to Archduke Ferdinand of Austria and Maria Beatrice d'Este . She married Victor Emanuel I of Sardinia .  Their children were: Maria Beatrice Vittoria Giuseppina, " Princess   Maria Beatrice of Savoy " Maria Adelaide Clothilde Xaveria Borbonia, " Princess Maria Adelaide of Savoy " - Died in Childhood Carlo Emmanuele, " Prince Charles Emmanuel of Savoy " - Died in Childhood A Daughter Who Died in Infancy Maria Teresa Fernanda Felicitas Gaetana Pia, " Princess   Maria Teresa of Savoy " Maria Cristina Carlotta Giuseppina Gaetana Elise, " Princess   Maria Cristina of Savoy "

If You Like Sophia, Then You'll Love...

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Sophia Loren When I love a name that's sometimes just a little too popular for me I always wrack my mind trying to come with something similar, whether it be in style, sound, meaning, etc. So I decided to make a few posts detailing what I would choose if I wanted an alternative to one of these popular names! Enjoy, and tell me what you think of my choices. Now, when I think of Sophia I think feminine, classic, and elegant, and I believe these names deliver that same feeling. Carina - This lovely Latin name is one I've been really liking lately. It has all the sounds that should make it popular, yet it hasn't graced the US name charts since 2010. Coming from the Latin cara , which means "dear" or "beloved", Carina is also the name of a 4th Century Saint and Martyr, giving it Catholic appeal. When talking about the star Carina, which was originally apart of the constellation Argo Navis, the ship of Jason from Greek Mythology, it comes from a different Lati

The Children of Princess Margaretha of Luxombourg

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Princess Margaretha and Prince Nikolaus Princess Margaretha of Luxembourg  was born Margaretha Antonia Marie Félicité to Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg  and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium . She married Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein .  Their children are: Leopold Emmanuel Jean Marie, " Prince Leopold of Liechtenstein " Maria-Anunciata Astrid Joséphine Veronica, " Prince Maria-Anunciata of Liechtenstein " Marie-Astrid Nora Margarita Veronica, " Princess Marie-Astrid of Liechtenstein " Josef-Emanuel Leopold Marie, " Prince Josef-Emanuel of Liechtenstein "

Navarana

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Navarana Mequpaluk Origin: Greenlandic Gender: Female Meaning: "One Who Alternates Between Parties" Pronunciation: N/A Other Forms: Navaranaaq, Navarapaluk, Navagiaq, Navarat Recently I've developed a fascination with Greenlandic names, mostly because they are so underrepresented, and also because of the beautiful meanings, for example Qupanuk (snow bunting), Sikkersoq (bud, sprout, or blossom), Tukuummeq (wild thyme) for girls and Aqissiaq (ptarmigan chick), Nanoq (polar bear), and Uvdloriaq (star) for boys. This name is no exception, and comes with a fascinating story, too. Navarana, an Inuit Greenlandic woman started out life as Mequpaluk, which means "little feather", before choosing to call herself Navarana. Navarana comes from naverar , "to trade", "to borrow", but, in more poetic fashion, is translated as "One Who Alternates Between Parties".  A hard worker who had known famine and heartbreak, Navarana had lost a little broth

The Children of Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna of Russia

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Alexandra with her five eldest children Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna of Russia  was born Alexandra Friederike Henriette of Saxe-Altenburg to  Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg  and  Amelie Therese Luise, Duchess of  Württemberg . She married  Grand Duke Constantine Nikolaevich of Russia . Their children were: Nikolai Konstantinovich, " Grand Duke Nicholas Kontantinovich of Russia " Olga Konstantinovna, " Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna of Russia ", later " Queen of the Hellenes " Vera Konstantinovna, " Grand Duchess Vera Konstantinovna of Russia " Konstantin Konstantinovich, " Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich of Russia " Dmitry Konstantinovich, " Grand Duke Dmitry Konstantinovich of Russia " Vyacheslav Konstantinovich, " Grand Duke Vyacheslav Konstantinovich of Russia ", or "Slava"

On My Mind: 8-10-20

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Katherine Langford as Nimue in "Cursed" Nimue - I've been watching and loving Netflix's "Cursed", a new take on Arthurian myth that follows Nimue, a Fey sorceress who comes to own Excalibur. I've always loved Arthurian mythology and Nimue is one of the most beautiful names from it. The origin of this name is unknown, with some conflating it with the Celtic Nemain, the Irish Goddess of war, which means "venomous", and others with the Greek word Mneme , "memory". I've always pronounced it as "NIM-oo-ay" but in the show they pronounce it "NIM-way". If you love mythology and fantasy with the added bonus of a female lead and a diverse cast, you should check it out! Harriet, Called Hal - I recently read "The Death of Mrs. Westaway" by Ruth Ware, one I've been meaning to get to for some time. I loved it (you can read my review for it here ), and I also loved what a big part names played in the mystery.

The Children of Maria Luisa of Parma

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Maria Luisa of Parma Maria Luisa of Parma  was born Luisa María Teresa Ana to  Philip, Duke of Parma  and  Louise Élisabeth of France . She married  Charles IV of Spain .  Their children were: Carlos Clemente - Died in Childhood Carlota Joaquina Teresa Cayetana, " Doña Carlota Joaquina of Spain " Maria Luisa - Died in Childhood María Amalia, " Infanta María Amalia of Spain " Carlos Domingo - Died in Childhood María Luisa Josefina Antonieta Vicenta, " Infanta María Luisa of Spain ", later " María Luisa, Duchess of Lucca " Carlos Francisco de Paula and Felipe Francisco de Paula - Died in Childhood Fernando Francisco de Paula Domingo Vincente Ferrer Antonio José Joaquín Pascual Diego Juan Nepomuceno Januario Francisco Javier Rafael Miguel Gabriel Calisto Cayetano Fausto Luis Raimundo Gregorio Lorenzo Jerónimo, " Ferdinand VII of Spain " Carlos María Isidro Benito, " Infante Carlos, Count of Molina " María Isabel, " María Isa

The Children of Princess Margaretha of Sweden

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Princess Margaretha in her wedding dress Princess Margaretha of Sweden was born Margaretha Sofia Lovisa Ingeborg to Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark . She married Prince Axel of Denmark . Their marriage was a love match with her mother remarking that they were so in love the couldn't be left alone in a furnished room. Their children were: George Valdemar Carl Axel, " Prince George Valdemar of Denmark " Flemming Valdemar Carl Axel, " Prince Flemming Valdemar ", later " Count Flemming Valdemar of Rosenborg " after renouncing his Princely title Margaretha with Prince George Valdemar and Prince Flemming Valdemar

The Children of Persida Nenadović

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Persida Nenadović Persida Nenadović was born to the Voivode Jevrem Nenadović and Jovanka Milovanović . She married Alexander Karađorđević, Prince of Serbia . Their children were: Poleksija, " Princess Poleksija of Serbia " Kleopatra, " Princess Kleopatra of Serbia " Aleksij, " Prince Aleksij of Serbia " Svetozar, " Prince Svetozar of Serbia " Peter, " Prince Peter of Serbia ", later " King Peter I of Serbia " Jelena, " Princess Jelena of Serbia " Andrej, " Princess Andrej of Serbia " Jelisaveta, " Princess Jelisaveta of Serbia " Đorđe, " Prince Đorđe of Serbia " Arsenije, " Prince Arsenije of Serbia "

Usain Bolt Reveals Name of Baby Girl

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Olympia Lightning Bolt Earlier in the year Olympian Usain Bolt and his longtime girlfriend, Kasi Bennett, welcomed their first child, a girl. They have now revealed that her name is Olympia Lightning Bolt.

The Children of Princess Helen of Serbia and Yugoslavia

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Princess Helen and Prince John's engagement photo Princess Helen of Serbia and Yugoslavia was born Princess Helena Karađorđević to Peter I of Serbia and Yugoslavia and Princess Zorka of Montenegro . She married Prince John Constantinovich of Russia , who was called "Ioanchik". It was a love match and shocked family members because they believed John might become a Russian Orthodox Monk. Their children were: Vsevolod Ivanovich Romanov, " Prince Vsevolod Ivanovich " Yekaterina Ivanovna Romanova, " Princess Catherine of Russia ", later " Catherine, Marchesa Farace di Villaforesta "

Names from Agatha Christie: From Ariadne to Septimus

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Zo ë  Wanamaker as Ariadne Oliver and David Suchet as Hercule Poirot I have a confession to make: I am addicted to Agatha Christie shows. Now I do have plans on reading the novels, as I feel it's a requirement for anyone wanting to write mystery, and specifically historical mystery, just to see where these sort of novels originated. I call them my guilty pleasure simply because I do not particularly like Christie as a person, her racism being just the tip of a very large iceberg. But I have noticed she has some very interesting names in her works and I thought it would be great to take a look at them! Please let me know your favorites, or some I might have missed! Women:  Adelaide Jefferson Adele Fortescue Ariadne Oliver Cherry Baker Cicely Beauclerk Cora Van Stuyvesant Dolly Bantry Elsie Holland Elvira Blake Evadne Willett Florrie Frankie Derwent Ginger Corrigan Griselda Clement Gwenda Halliday Gwenda Vaughn Hester Argyle Honoria Waynflete Jolly Bellever Kanga Lady Eileen "Bu

Milan

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Milan Kundera by Václav Chochola Origin: Slavic Gender: Male Meaning: "Gracious, dear" Pronunciation: MI-lahn, mi-LAHN, MEE-lahn Other Forms: Milen,  Milán,  Miloš,  Miłosz; Milena, Mila, Bohumila This name may have Slavic roots but its developed a Pan-European style, placing in the top name charts of Belgium, England and Wales, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, and even the United States. Milan comes from the Slavic element milu which means "gracious" or "dear" and started off life as a short form of names containing that element. This name has been a staple in the Czech Republic since 1935 and hasn't missed placing one year. Milan is also a place name, though the beautiful Italian city got its name from a very different source - the Ancient Latin Milan, which meant "eager, laborious". There are a plethora of namesakes, from Milan Kundera, the Czech born author of "The Unbearable Lightness of Being", to several athletes, and more r

The Children of Princess Hélène of Orléans

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Princess Hélène of Orléans Princess Hélène of Orléans was born Hélène Louise Henriette d'Orléans to Prince Philippe, Count of Paris and Princess Marie Isabelle of  Orléans . She married Prince Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta . Their children were: Amedeo Umberto Isabella Luigi Filippo Maria Giuseppe Giovanni di Savoia-Aosta, " Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta " Aimone Roberto Margherita Maria Giuseppe Torino di Savoia-Aosta, " Prince Aimone, Duke of Aosta "

The Children of William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp

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William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp was born to Frederick Lygon, 6th Earl Beauchamp, and his first wife Lady Mary Catherine . When politcial enemies threatened to reveal the truth that William was gay he resigned from his office to live a life in exile. His family was the basis for the Marchmains in Evelyn Waugh's "Brideshead Revisited". He married Lady Lettice Grovesnor . Their children were: William Lygon, " William Lygon, 8th Earl Beauchamp " Hugh Patrick Lygon, " The Hon. Hugh Lygon " Lettice Lygon, " Lady Lettice Lygon " Sibell Lygon, " Lady Sibell Lygon " Mary Lygon, called " Maimie ", later " Lady Mary Lygon, Princess Pavlovsky-Romanovsky " Dorothy Lygon, called " Poll ", " Pollen ", or " Coote ", " Lady Dorothy Lygon " The Lygon Family

New Book (and more!) Blog

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I recently started a new blog called "Whispers from the Library" for things like book reviews, movie and TV recommendations and anything else I feel like posting that isn't name related! If you're interested in any of that then please come and check it out.

On My Mind: 6-15-20

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Magnolia Earl I've been meaning to write something new forever but I'm currently going through a bad relapse of my OCD and depression, which is being exacerbated by quarantine and COVID-19. My posts may be a little more infrequent again, but know there will be some! I hope every one is feeling safe and heard during this trying time and know that if you aren't, you are not alone! Rio and Tiago - I was such a huge fan of the original Starz production "Penny Dreadful", and despite that ending, which still infuriates me, I looked forward to their new show: "Penny Dreadful: City of Angels". Unfortunately it hasn't quite met my expectations, though I do love the inclusion of more characters of color! The main character is Santiago, called Tiago by his family. I can see this name taking off big time, along with the short and unisex name of another character, Rio. Names that contain a strong O sound or ending are becoming more and more popular, and I'll