The Beauty of Names

  (From L-R) Rosalind Harris as Tzeitel, Neva Small as Chava and Michele Marsh as Hodel from Fiddler on the Roof When I very first saw Fiddler on the Roof , a 1971 film adaption of the musical based on a series of Yiddish stories written by Sholem Aleicham from 1894 to 1914, I fell in love. History has always been my passion, one my family kept stoked through books and movies. My mother always made sure my sister and I were exposed, especially to films, that would widen our cultural horizons. Ever since then, I've had a love and admiration for the Jewish culture, and of course that love connects to my other passion--names! Combining the two has led to this (very fun for me) post, featuring information about the names of Tevye's five strong-willed daughters. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it! Here they are, from oldest to youngest: Tzeitel - Origin: Yiddish Gender: Female Pronunciation: SZIGH-tull Meaning: A diminutive of Sarah; "Princess" Other F...

Anya Taylor-Joy Origin: Russian (Possibly Kurdish, Igbo and Amazigh) Gender: Female Meaning: Diminutive of Anna, "Strength, power", "Eye", "Rhythm, Melody" Pronunciation: AHN-ya, ANN-ya Other Forms: Anna, Hannah, Annushka, Ania, Anouk, Anneke, Annika, Anke, Antje Today's name is that of one my favorite actresses -- Anya Taylor-Joy! She's become a sort of go-to "It Girl" for many directors, and I have no doubt her name will start to receive star treatment, too. Anya is most simply a diminutive of Anna, which comes from the Hebrew Channah , meaning "favor, grace", by way of Russia. It is also said to be an old Kurdish name meaning "strength" or "power", and might mean "rhythm, melody" in the Amazigh languages, and "eye" in Igbo. It's been sporadically on and off the top 1000 since 1980, ranking highest in 2009 at #362 and lowest in 1983 at #996. Currently, it sits in that sweet spot betw...

David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man in "The Suicide Squad" Origin: Hebrew Gender: Male Meaning: "My Father is a Light" Pronunciation: AB-ner Other Forms: Avner, Abenner, Avenir, Ábner I've been trolling the depths of the top 1000, on the lookout for new and rising names, so I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Abner, a name that seemed destined to be stuck alongside similar "old fogey" names like Reginald and Ernest, deep down in the pits of name nerdery (may I clarify I find Reginald simply romantic?). Abner has just graced the charts at #971 after being absent for eighty-two years! I have to ponder what has caused it to be brought back from a seemingly permanent death? Perhaps we'll find out, below. In the Bible, Abner is not only the cousin of King Saul but the commander of his army, as well. After Saul's death, Abner supported Saul's son, Ish-bosheth, in his bid for the throne. Meanwhile, David was reigning in Hebron as King of J...

Isabella d'Este by Titian I'm back with one of my favorite series, where I try and come up with more unusual alternatives for lovely (but popular) names! Today we'll be doing the perennial Isabella. Isabella, for me, has a lot of the same qualities as Sophia  -- it's romantic, feminine, and elegant, with a long history of use and a wealth of namesakes, from the many Royal Isabellas to sultry film stars. It is quintessentially female, strong and regal.   Florence - While Florence has long been a favorite among name lovers for its soft elegance, I can really see it taking off even further due to actress Florence Pugh. Florence comes from the Latin Florentia, which itself comes from florens , meaning "prosperous or flourishing". The male form, Florentius, was used by many early Saints, like Florentius of of Peterborough and Florentius of Strasbourg. Of course, Florence is also a city in Italy, adding a hint of romanticism to the name. Currently, Florence ranks #...

Starloe - While watching Good Morning America I noticed a really interesting name! They had a segment featuring different teachers and one of them was Starloe Galleta from Florida. In a world of Harlows, could Starloe, or even Starlow, be the next big thing?  Evanora - I recently finished Auralee Wallace's first book in her newest series about a family of witches that run a B&B and happen to get caught up in some mysteries. One of her aunts is called Nora, but her full name is Evanora! I thought that was really pretty, and perfectly witchy. Evanora has another magical connection -- it's the Wicked Witch of the West's name in Oz the Great and Powerful .  In the Company of Witches comes out October 5th, and will be a wonderful choice for all your Halloween needs! Riva - I just finished one of my most coveted books of 2021 -- Sistersong (read my review here !)   by Lucy Holland. The eldest sister is named Riva, which I've always been partial to. Riva is a diminutive o...

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...

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...

"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, ...

"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...

Yara Shahidi Origin: Persian, Tupi, and Hebrew Gender: Unisex Meaning: "Sweetheart", "Strength", "Water Lady", "Honeycomb" or "Honeysuckle" Pronunciation: YAH-rah, YARR-uh Other Forms: Yaara, Iara, Uira To me this name is bursting with potential - it's short, feisty, and has a multitude of great meanings. It's already jumped a massive 312 spots from 2017 to 2018 where it currently sits at #672, and I think that's proof it's definitely one to watch out for. Yara, in Persian, can have two different meanings - "sweetheart" (or as Yara Shahidi's mother put it: "someone close to your heart"), it would seem, for girls, and "strength" for boys. In Hebrew (and more often spelled Yaara) it means "honeycomb" or "honeysuckle" which I think is gorgeous. In Tupi it means "water lady" or "lady of the water" and is the name of a character from Brazili...

"Lorelei" Lots of Name Sightings - I've heard so many great names lately at work. Annabelle Ruth, siblings named Viola, Coco, Savannah, and Reed, and a little boy named Thor. Lorelei - A friend of mine became an Uncle a while back and I just finally got to meet her. Her name is Lorelei, which I think is gorgeous. Lorelei is German and means "luring rock". In German folklore a Lorelei was a sort of mermaid or siren who would lure fishermen to their deaths. Lorelei is also the name of a rock headland on the Rhine River. Edna - I've been watching "SS-GB" which is set in an alternate history Great Britain where the Germans won WWII. One of the main characters is played by German actor Lars Eidinger, who in real life has a daughter named Edna. I just thought it was so refreshing to see. Edna in Hebrew means "pleasure", and it is also an anglicized version of Irish Eithne, which means "kernel" or "grain".

Tamara Karsavina Origin: Russian Gender: Female Meaning: "Date palm" Pronunciation: ta-MARR-ah, TAM-ah-ruh Other forms: Tamar, Tammara, Tamera, Thamar, Tamari This beautiful Russian name has almost worldwide appeal, being used in Poland, Croatia, Hungary, Italian, and Spain, just to name a few, and a rich history that lends it an almost classic appeal. Tamara comes from Biblical Tamar, a Hebrew name meaning "date palm". The fruit of the date palm, also know as the  Phoenix dactylifera,  have been a staple food in the diets of the Middle East and Indus Valley for thousands of years. In Ancient Rome they used the palm fronds from this plant to symbolize victory in triumphal processions, and renderings of these plants can even be seen in frescoes from Pompeii. And for a fun little factoid dates are referenced fifty times in the Bible; twenty times in Qur'an. The story in the Bible is as dramatic as any soap opera, but I'll try to sum it up fairly ...

Happy New Year! Timothée - The first time this name really caught my attention was on actor Timothée Chalamet, a breakout star of the coming of age film "Call Me by Your Name". It is simply the French form of Timothy, pronounced vaguely like TEE-MAW-TAE. Chalamet, who was raised primarily in Hell's Kitchen, is the son of a Jewish mother and French father, and has a sister who lives in Paris named Pauline. He is fluent in French, and spent summers in "a little village about two hours outside of Lyon". Mauricio/Maurizio/Maurício - At work there was a large foreign family, and I overheard the youngest member being called one of these names. I originally thought they were Spanish, but their pronunciation makes me lean towards the second option listed above, which is Italian. The name was really beautiful to hear, and I've taken quite a shine to it since hearing it. Caleb - I've always liked this classic, Biblical option, and 2018 is t...

Jessica Chastain (left) with Shira Haas in "The Zookeeper's Wife" Bora - Recently my father met a woman from Albania. Her name was Alba, but she also revealed her sister's name - Bora. She explained that it meant "snow", and it was chosen for her because she was born during the month of January. Shira - I saw "The Zookeeper's Wife" just a while ago (I highly recommend it!) and one of the most fascinating characters was played by a young woman from Israel by the name of Shira Haas. Shira means "singing" or "poetry" in Hebrew. Efrat - Another actress in the film is another Israeli actress named Efrat Dor. Efrat is the Hebrew form of Biblical Ephrath, meaning "fruitful place". Ephrath was not only the name of one of Caleb's wives, it was also the name of the place where Rachel is buried. Iddo - Actor Iddo Goldberg was born in Israel but his family moved to London when he was ten. Before starring...

Lady Idina Sackville Origin: Possibly Hebrew Gender: Female Meaning: Possibly "delicate" or "gentle" Pronunciation: EYE-deen-uh Other forms: Possibly Adina or Edina Mezzo-soprano Idina Menzel has been on the verge of really breaking into common knowledge for years now, originating the roles of Maureen Johnson and playing her in the film version of Broadway hit "Rent", and Elphaba in "Wicked", which won her a Tony, and playing the role of Patrick Dempsey's fiancee in Disney's "Enchanted", but it wasn't really until she voiced the character of Princess Elsa in "Frozen" that she really hit it big. Born in New York, Menzel comes from a Jewish family, and started working as a wedding and bar mitzvah singer at 15. She attended the Tisch Schools of the Arts and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drama. But where did that name come from? Well, the most probable option is that it comes from Adina, which mea...

"The Penitent Magdalene" by Tintoretto Okay, so here's the truth about me: I'm super picky about what names I would actually consider, so picky that at any given moment I have only about 2-3 names for boys and girls I actually love and would give to a child, so my list of names I'd like others to use is definitely longer. I have decided to set them free, and list what's so great about them, and feature a few combos, in the hopes that others will use them and find inspiration in them! So here is part one of a probably pretty long series, that I have split up into boy's and girl's. Magdalene - Origin: Hebrew Gender: Female Meaning: A title meaning "Of Magdala", Magdala meant "tower" Pronunciation: MAG-da-len Other forms: Magda, Malene, Magdolna Malin, Magali, Madeleine, Magdalena Combos: Cecily Magdalene, Magdalene Rose, Thea/Theodora Magdalene, Magdalene Plum. Beautiful, wonderful, forgotten Magdalene. Saint Mary Magdal...

Keomi Gray as "Vivien" by Frederick Sandys I've only got two boys names today. Keomi - Keomi Gray was the lover and model of Frederick Sandys. She was Romani and lived in a Romani camp when they met. She eventually married another man, but did have four children with Sandys; Ethel Maud, Frederick Cyril, Madeline, and Henry Herbert. With her husband she had Nellie, Florence, and Rose. I thought Keomi was very unusual and surprisingly modern for the period. One source even states her full name was Ketyumas Gray. Simeon - I went to church with my grandmother yesterday, and in one of the stories they talked about Simeon. I'm surprised it isn't mentioned at least a bit more, especially with biblical names becoming more popular. It comes from the Hebrew Shim'on meaning "he has heard". The only downside I can think of is how close it is to simian. Calico - My sister has been telling about this book she's been reading called "Nyctophobia...

Tom Mison stars as Ichabod Crane in Fox's new series "Sleepy Hollow" Origin:  Hebrew Gender:  Male Meaning:  "No glory" Pronunciation:  IK-a-bahd Other forms:  N/A Ichabod is a tricky name. There is something endearing about its clunkiness, but it is so tied to the character of Ichabod Crane, that it becomes almost unusable. But before "Sleepy Hollow", Ichabod was the son of Phinehas, who died at the battle of Aphek, and the grandson of Eli. His mother gave him the name Ichabod on her death bed, indicating that the "glory had departed from Israel". In Washington Irving's classic short story, Ichabod Crane is the protagonist, who is a superstitious schoolmaster that tries to win the hand of Katrina Van Tassel, but is bested by local hero Brom Bones. He leaves the Van Tassel's party, where he had intended to propose to Katrina, and rides through several reportedly "haunted" spots, and his imagination starts to get ...