Category: Historic Names
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By Linda Rosenkrantz
It’s Throwback Thursday, and since we’re a few days away from Martin Luther King Day, and have recently been reminded of the Civil Rights leader’s achievements and struggles in the movie Selma, we’re looking back today to our blog honoring some of the most worthy namesakes among Dr. King’s fellow barrier-breaking heroes and heroines of the movement.
2015 has finally arrived, but many berries are still seeking the perfect baby name! Here are a few great choices that are connected to the month of January, from sleek, gem-inspired appellations to monikers that are rising on the charts in Europe. Now is a great time to consider fresh name options and search for famous namesakes; an inordinate amount of high achievers, from the literary to the athletic to the all-around brilliant, seem to have been born during this festive month.
Edith–A distinctively literary name that has recently become popular in England, probably via Downton Abbey, Edith is a ladylike choice that is gaining favor among some stylish Americans as well. Even better, the nickname Edie is both pretty and sophisticated. Edith Wharton, who was one of the most brilliant writers of the 20th century, was born on January 24th, 1862. Edith is a wonderful choice for parents who are hunting for a refined, elegant name that isn’t quite as popular as Catherine or Emma.
By Linda Rosenkrantz
The Roman Empire reigned for more than five hundred years, led by 140 different emperors. In modern times, though, with a couple of exceptions, the names of these august figures were considered far too august and imposing for a twentieth/twenty-first century kid. But the times they are a-changin’ and lately several of these appellations have ridden into the realm of possibility.
Augustus—Augustus, Julius Caesar’s adopted son, who was born Octavian and given the name Augustus by the senate in honor of his great achievements, was the first of the Roman emperors. Augustus is a perfect example of a name that was well used in the 19th century, then deemed too fusty for decades, and now is back at Number 688 and a high 123 on Nameberry, recently modernized by the character nicknamed Gus in The Fault in Our Stars.
What better time than Thanksgiving to look back at the first names to arrive on our shores?
As you may remember from your third-grade history book, the first English-speaking settlement, called the Raleigh Colony, was established on the Atlantic coast in 1587, and although it didn’t survive for very long, some of its name records did. Not surprisingly, of the 99 men who settled there, 23 were named John, fifteen were Thomas, and ten were William, with a small sprinkling of Old Testament names in the mix as well.
