Someone Knows my Name

By snowwhite · Updated February 2023

Names82

Pages5

Total Names82

Across 5 pages

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of 5

About this list

Unusual names from the 'Book of Negroes' Part 1. A list composed to let them know that their names live on and that we respect them as individuals not property. It would be an honour to name a child after one of these strong people.

The names

Showing 1–20 of 82

Silas
Aramaic, Latin, Greek
"of the forest; or prayed for"
Sleek and smart, with a hint of mystique about it, Silas is a recent addition to the US Top 100. Both mythological and Biblical in origin, Silas joins the ranks of Isaiah, Atlas, Elias, and…
Jude
Latin diminutive of Judah, Hebrew, Arabic
"praised; to be generous, to be good to others"
Jude is a modern star, maintaining a steady level of popularity — but not TOO much popularity, in the US at least. Thank Jude Law and the great Lennon-McCartney song "Hey Jude", both responsible for…
Israel
Hebrew
"he who struggles with God"
Though it was used by the Puritans in the sixteenth century, the founding of the modern Jewish state in 1948 transformed Israel from a traditional favorite into an icon of Judaism. In the Bible,…
Prince
Latin
"chief, prince"
Prince rose to its highest ranking in a century in 2015, and the tragic death of its most famous bearer in April 2016 propelled it even higher. The Purple Rain legend isn't its only tie to pop…
Emanuel
Spelling variation of Emmanuel, Hebrew
"God is with us"
Fewer letters does not always mean easier—the traditional spelling is the one most people will recognize.
Flora
Latin
"flower"
Flora, the name of the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, who enjoyed eternal youth, is one of the gently old-fashioned girls' flower names that's making a big comeback. Short and sweet, it joins…
Marianna
Italian, Polish, English
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + grace"
While Marianna looks like a spelling variation of Mariana, the two names have different etymologies. While the one-N spelling derives from the Roman name Marianus, Marianna is a combination of two…
Wallace
Scottish
"foreigner, stranger"
Wallace is so square could almost be ripe for a turnaround, especially with the hipness imparted by the British Claymation series Wallace & Gromit . And Wally makes an adorable Leave it to Beaver…
Moriah
Biblical place name; Hebrew
"the Lord is my teacher"
Where Abraham took his son Isaac to sacrifice him. Taylor Hanson chose this as the middle name for his son Viggo, his fourth child, but most will see it as a girls’ name . Make life simpler and spell…
Nelly
Variation of Nellie and Nell
"light"
Nelly or Nellie is an adorable nickname name that can be short for a wide range of more formal appellations or that can stand on its own, and is typical of the vintage nickname genre that is growing…
Tabitha
Aramaic
"gazelle"
Though never as popular as the name of her Bewitched mother, Samantha, Tabitha has its own quirky, magical charm. The name of a charitable woman who was restored to life by Saint Peter in the Bible,…
Ishmael
Hebrew
"God will hear"
Ishmael is most familiar through "Call me Ishmael," the opening line spoken by the youthful narrator of Moby-Dick . Few American parents have followed that advice, though the Spanish and Arabic…
Lucinda
English, Spanish, and Portuguese variation of Lucia
"light"
Lucinda, an elaboration of Lucia created by Cervantes for his 1605 novel Don Quixote , is a pleasingly pretty alternative to Lucy. It was subsequently used by Moliere in his play The Doctor in Spite…
Dolly
English, diminutive of Dorothy
"gift of God"
Sweet and cosy with a touch of sass, this nickname-y choice was a familiar option up until the sixties in the US. Then, for a while, it was a bit of a one-person name, associated with singer Dolly…
Cornelius
Latin
"horn"
Cornelius, the New Testament name of a third century Pope and saint, is one of those venerable Latin names on the edge of consideration, despite the corny nickname alert. Cornelius has some magical…
Charity
English word name
"charity"
Charity is one of the Big Three abstract virtue names, along with Hope and Faith, though far less widely used than the others. But as Faith, Grace and Hope grow more common, some parents are…
Venus
Latin
"love, desire"
The name of a heavenly planet and the Roman goddess of beauty and love was an intimidating no-no until tennis champ Venus Williams put an athletic, modern spin on it. Associated with the Greek…
Prudence
Virtue name
"caution"
Prudence, like Hope and Faith, is a Puritan virtue name with a quiet charm and sensitivity that is slowly returning to favor, though it hasn't yet registered on the charts. The White Album Beatles…
Cato
Latin
"all-knowing"
Cato conjures up images of ancient Roman statesmen and southern antebellum retainers; it could have revival potential, with its 'O' ending and the current interest in the names of Greek and Roman…
Dempsey
Irish
"proud, haughty"
Spunky Irish surname that still has a pugnacious feel from its lingering association with one of boxing's greatest champs, Jack Dempsey. Many people may associate it more with Patrick Dempsey these…

Someone Knows my Name

About this list

The names

Silas

Jude

Israel

Prince

Emanuel

Flora

Marianna

Wallace

Moriah

Nelly

Tabitha

Ishmael

Lucinda

Dolly

Cornelius

Charity

Venus

Prudence

Cato

Dempsey