Lanwyn / Lanwynn

Meaning: (Lan: Orchid, Powerful Ruler, From the Field, Long Hill, Ridge Wyn / Wynn: Friend, Fair, White, Blessed Lanwyn / Lanwynn: Orchid Friend, Fair or White Orchid, Friend of the Fair White Orchid, Fair White Blessed Powerful Ruler, Friend of the Powerful Ruler, Fair White Blessed Friend from the Field or Long Hill or Ridge)

Origin: (Chinese, Vietnamese, French, Old English, Welsh)

Pronunciation: (Lan: Lae-N, Lawn Wyn / Wynn: Win Lanwyn / Lanwynn: Lae-N-win, lawn-win)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I was looking up Literary Agencies and potential book publishers and I saw this as the name of one of the publishers. The publisher was not on the up and up as some aren’t, do your research thoroughly writers, but I did like the name Lanwyn. I could not find a meaning for the name as a whole so I looked up the first and second parts separately, Lan and Wyn / Wynn. The meanings are very beautiful and the many combinations are quite extensive and beautiful. It would work well as a first name or last name and as a male or female name. It has a rare unique look to it that I really like. I also like that it almost looks like an Old Welsh name. All in all it is a lovely name.

Lumina

Meaning: (Luminous, Brilliant Light, Glowing Light, Sunlight, Sunshine, Romanian word for Sunshine, Luminosa is the Spanish form.)

Origin: (Slavic, Latin)

Pronunciation: (loo-MEEN-ah, luw-MIY-N-aa)

Gender: Female

This is a beautiful name. I first saw it when I saw a Barbie movie advertised on a commercial. The meanings are gorgeous and even the Spanish form Luminosa is so very lovely, beautiful and rare. In an upcoming novel I intent to write Lumina will be the youngest of seven daughters. Her twin will be named Luna *see on list of posts*. Her sisters will be named Raven, Sparrow, Rosalie, Irisa, Mariposa, and Luna. *See Sparrow, Rosalie, Irisa, Mariposa, and Luna on list of posts.* Lumina has such a unique look that I really love but some on Yahoo Answers I see don’t feel the same about this name. .

Luna

Meaning: (The Moon, Mythology: it was the name of the Roman Goddess of the Moon, frequently depicted driving a white chariot through the sky, who is usually identified with the Greek Goddess Selene, one of the names of Artemis, Goddess of the Moon.)

Origin: (Latin, Italian, Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology)

Pronunciation: (LOO-nah)

Gender: Female

I have put Selena / Selene *see on list of posts* but I have not ever added Luna. Some people will see this name and think Lunatic or think of the Harry Potter character, I see plenty of that on Yahoo Answers. This is a beautiful short name in my opinion. I haven’t always been a huge fan but I do really like it now. I have even decided to use this as one of the twin sister names in an upcoming novel I intend to write. The twins will be Luna and Lumina *see on list of posts*. I think using the Roman Goddesses name versus the Greek Goddess Selene or even Artemis that Luna seems more bohemian and modern. And the meaning The Moon is so nature connected and lovely.

Coralie

Meaning: (Little Maiden, Virgin, Apparently an elaboration of Cora or Coral, similar to names such as Rosalie. However, it may also be derived from the Italian Coralina, the traditional name of the cunning young woman in the Commedia dell’Arte. Coralie is the name of the French girl in Thackeray’s 1850 novel “Pendennis”. A popular 19^th Century jewel name.)

Origin: (English, French, Old Greek)

Pronunciation: (KOR-uh-lee, KOR-uh-lye, KAOR-aa-Liy)

Gender: Female

I was looking up a name not long ago and it had sibling names on the site. Coralie was one of the sibling names. I think Coralie is absolutely adorable. The meanings are lovely and the name has connections as an elaboration to Cora and Coral so if you want a more unique looking name that incorporates Cora or Coral then Coralie is the name for you and your character. I do like the Italian version Coralina as well. I think it is so beautiful too. It has a history to as far back as 1850 but maybe even further than that, I am unsure. I think like Rosalie, Coralie has a prettier look to it than just simply Rose / Rosa and Cora / Coral, respectively.

Aslaug

Meaning: (God, Promise, Vow, Betrothed Woman, One Who is Devoted to God, Scandinavian Mythology: Warrior Queen who was married to Ragnar.)

Origin: (Old Norse, Icelandic, Norwegian)

Pronunciation: (AHS-lowg, AHSLAO-G)

Gender: Female, possibly Uni-Sex

I saw the TV series Viking advertised, though I don’t watch it I saw the information for it and this was one of the characters. There is quite an interesting mythology history to this name which bears looking up. I couldn’t put it all here as there is much to it but definitely an intriguing myth revolving around this name. Aslaug has a connection I will say to Ragnar *see on list of posts* which Ragnar is a character name I have used in the current novel I am writing. Aslaug has lovely meanings and a unique look to English speakers but is quite common in Norway, Iceland, ect. With such a long history of use it could be used in many different eras.

Elysia

Meaning: (Blissful, Struck by Lightening, God’s Oath, and Mythology: From Elysium which is the home of the blessed, known as the “Elysian Fields.”)

Origin: (Latin, Hebrew, Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology)

Pronunciation: (eh-LIHS-iy-aa, eh-LIHZ-iy-ah)

Gender: Female

This reminds of a few other Ely names on this blog but it is separate from them. It has a pretty look and the meanings are beautiful. This could be used if trying to make a comparison to Elysium or Elysian Fields, maybe bringing a characters connection to the myth. Or completely steering away from the meaning and using it for its look alone. Really this name strikes me as a sci-fi / fantasy name so I would love to see a feisty maybe dystopian heroine named this.

Athanaric

Meaning: (Year King, King for the Year, From the Gothic name Athanareiks, derived from the Germanic element athana meaning "year" combined with ric meaning "power, ruler". Athanaric was a 4th-century ruler of the Visigoths.)

Origin: (Ancient Germanic)

Pronunciation: (athuh-naric, Ahth-uh-nar-ic, Atha-naric)

Gender: Male

I can’t remember where I saw this but I think it was on the show information for some show on TV. I think this is a strong masculine name that reminds me of Alareiks which is the Gothic form of Alaric, both names I have used before in novels. Now Athanaric has a nice long history of use and is a very handsome powerful ruler name.

Now the pronunciation is my best guess on it as I could not find a phonetic pronunciation for this name. If any one knows if I am pronouncing it wrong please do tell me.

Fintan

Meaning: (White Fire, White Bull, Little Fair One, According to legend this was the name of the only Irish person to survive the great flood. This name was also borne by many Irish saints. Anglicized form of the traditional Irish name Fiontan, derived from "finn" and "tine". Saint Fintan was an Irish abbot, whose monastery existed at a remarkable level of austerity. Fintan himself lived only on bread and water. )

Origin: (Irish, Irish Mythology, Gaelic, Celtic)

Pronunciation: (FIN-tan (Irish), FIN-tən)

Gender: Male, possibly Uni-Sex

I was looking up Fire meaning names for one of my novels and though I didn’t choose this for the novel I did like it enough to add it here. I like the meaning White Fire. It has a strong look and meanings. The history and legend is also very intriguing. It has a nice long history of use and I wouldn’t mind seeing this more often.

Epemetheus

Meaning: (Derived from Greek επιμηθεια (epimetheia) meaning "Hind Sight, Hind Thought". In Greek mythology he was a Titan, the brother of the god of forethought Prometheus.)

Origin: (Greek, Greek Mythology)

Pronunciation: (ep-ee-mee'-thee-us, Go to this site and run your cursor over the name Epemetheus to hear how it is pronounced: http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=epimetheus )

Gender: Male, possibly Uni-Sex

I was looking at Greek Mythology names and saw this one. Most have heard of Prometheus but few have seen Epemetheus. I do like the look of this name but the meaning and mythology may give some reason to rethink it but I think there could be a very good reason one might name a character this. I do like it a lot.

Ashbel

Meaning: (Flowing, An Old Fire, A Fire of Bel, Bel was a deity in the pre-Christian pantheon, Ashbel was a son of Benjamin, listed third at Genesis 46:21, but second at 1 Chronicles 8:1. In 1728 B.C.E. he came into Egypt with Jacob’s family. He appears to be called Jediael at 1 Chronicles 7:6, 10. The Ashbelites, his descendants, were registered in the census taken on the desert plains of Moab about 1473 B.C.E.—Nu 26:38.)

Origin: (Hebrew, English, Biblical)

Pronunciation: (AESHBehL, ASH-bell)

Gender: Female, possibly Uni-Sex

I was reading my bible and I saw this name. I really prefer the biblical usage rather than the pre-Christian deity usage. The meanings are strong and I could see this being more a feminine name now a days rather than the male version of old. I have recently used this as the name of a mountain range in the current novel I am writing. With such a long Biblical Christian and pre-Christian history this name could fit in just about any era though the usage would have been rare if used in the real world so it may fit better in a fantasy novel.