Indigo

Meaning: (Blue Dye, Blue Dye from India)

Origin: (Greek, English, English Nature Name)

Pronunciation: (in-dih-goh, in-di-goh)

Gender: (Uni-Sex)

I have a novel idea for a few years now that has a main character named Indigo and when I was thinking of a name to add I realized I haven’t added Indigo and I wondered why because it is such a cool name. It has a nature based meaning and honestly the color itself is a beautiful blue purple so it would be a cool name if associated with a character based on a physical attribute like indigo colored eyes or hair or something, not to say that a name has to be based on a physical attribute but it could. A fun thing would be to pair it with other color/plant names like Periwinkle *see on list of posts*, Lilac *see on list of posts*, Lavender *see on list of posts*, Rose ect. All in all I like this name and can’t wait to bring my edgy girl Indigo to the page, she’s going to be a fun one, lol!

Cassian

Meaning: (Empty, Hollow, From the Roman family name Cassianus, which was derived from CASSIUS. This was the name of several saints, including a 3rd-century martyr from Tangier who is the patron saint of stenographers and a 5th-century mystic who founded a monastery in Marseille.)

Origin: (Latin, English, Ancient Roman)

Pronunciation: (KASH-ən (English), KAE-SH-ahN )

Gender: (Male)

I saw this name the other day and I think it is a very attractive rare name that has great possibilities and I’d love to see it used a bit more often. The meanings are interesting and its history is very old and so this could be used in virtually any era which I love as well. It would make a great alternative to the female Cassia which I have seen of late and like as well.

Eirlys

Meaning: (Snowdrop)

Origin: (Welsh, English) 

Pronunciation: (EY-RLihS) 

Gender: (Female, Uni-Sex) 

I was looking for a snow related name to change one of my characters last names to in an already finished novel from a few years ago. I found this one and it fits the theme of the name and it fits the origin of the fantasy nation they are from as they have many Welsh and Old English names. I think this name reminds me of another character in the novels name Eirwyn *see on list of posts* and both I love the look and meaning and pronunciations so much! I intend to look into more welsh names soon. This name reminds me of a beautiful maiden bright and crisp as her name sake.

Lacy or Lacey or Lacie

Meaning- (Belonging to Lacy or Lassy, Resembling or Consisting of Lace)

Origin- (English, French) 

Pronunciation: (LAY-see) 

Gender: (Female) 

So my brother-in-law Andrew (my husbands brother) is getting married September 1^st 2018 to a sweet lovely young woman named Lacy. So the name Lacy is an old fashioned but still relevant name with lots of charm. It could fit in many different eras and fit a wide range of characters. I think I like the spellings Lacey and Lacie best but any spelling is truly pretty and the name meaning is pretty cause who doesn’t like lace!

Ivalyn

Meaning: (A climbing evergreen ornamental plant, Ivalyn is an alternate form of Ivy)

Origin: (English, Old English, English Nature Name)

Pronunciation: (IHVAHLihN)

Gender: Female

My boyfriend Anthony had a cat when growing up that he nicknamed Ivalyn though her name was Ivy. Ivalyn is such a pretty unique take to give more depth to the simple name Ivy. Ivalyn seems an old lady like name but if used in a Historical Fiction novel it could be used on a younger character. It is very beautiful and ethereal in a way and Ivy plants are very much plants I associate with fairy tales. This could be very pretty if used for either a peasant girl or a girl of nobility like Lady Ivalyn or Princess Ivalyn or Duchess Ivalyn.

Rinehart

Meaning: (Great Judgment, Wise, Bold, Courageous, Brave-Hearted, is the Americanized spelling of the German surname Reinhardt. The Reinhardt surname is of pre 7th century Germanic origins. It is a German and Jewish surname that comes from a male personal name Raginhard, composed of the elements ragin, meaning Counsel, with Hard, Hardy, Brave, Strong. Recorded in some forty spelling forms from Reynard, Reinhard, Renhard and Reignard, to Reinaert, Raardot, and Reintsema, this interesting surname is ultimately of pre 7th century Germanic origins. However spelt it derives from the male personal name "Raginhard", composed of the elements "ragin", meaning counsel, with "hard", hardy, brave, strong. The given names "Rainardi" and "Rainart" are noted in the Domesday Book of Norfolk (1086). This name was borne by the cunning fox in the popular medieval cycle of beast-tales, with the result that from the 13th Century the Old French "goupil", fox, was replaced by the modern form "renard", fox. This suggests that the surname may also have originated as a nickname for crafty individuals, referring to the fox's reputation for cunning. The surname is first recorded in the early 13th Century (see below), and recordings of the surname from medieval times include Heinrch Reinhard of Bonnigheld, Germany, in the year 1286, and Heinrici reinhart of Homburg, Germany, in 1315. Church register recordings in England include: the christening of Beatrice, daughter of James Reynard, on July 29th 1571, at St. Botolph without Aldgate; city of London. The first recorded spelling of the family name anywhere in the world is shown to be that of Elias Reynardi, which was dated 1205, at St. Benet Holme, Norfolk. This was during the reign of King John of England, known by the nickname of "Lackland", 1199 - 1216. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. Throughout the centuries surnames in every country have continued to "develop", often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling. http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Reinhart )

Origin: (English, Germanic, Americanized, Danish, Norwegian)

Pronunciation- (rahyn-hahrt)

Gender: Uni-Sex

There is a street near my place of worship that is named Rinehart and so I added it to my list for the reason I’ve seen this name used in variant spellings for characters before. The meanings are strong and the look is very strong as well and I believe with this name it would do well as a surname but also a middle name but if spelled differently then would be ok as a first name. It has a nice history of use and good background so it could be used in different genres and different backgrounds.

Anthony

Meaning: (Highly Praiseworthy, Priceless, of Inestimable Worth, from a Roman clan name. In the 17^th Century, the spelling Anthony was associated with the Greek anthos meaning flower. English form of the roman family name Antonius, which is of unknown Etruscan origin. The most notable member of the Roman family was the general Marcus Antonius (called Mark Antony in English), who for a period in the 1^st Century BC ruled the Roman Empire jointly with Augustus. When their relationship turned sour, he and his mistress Cleopatra were attacked and forced to commit suicide, as related in Shakespeare’s tragedy ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ (1606).

The name became regularly used in the Christian world due to the fame of Saint Anthony the Great, a 4th-century Egyptian hermit who founded Christian monasticism. Its popularity was reinforced in the Middle Ages by the 13th-century Saint Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of Portugal. It has been commonly (but incorrectly) associated with Greek ανθος (anthos) "flower", which resulted in the addition of the h to this spelling in the 17th century.)

Origin: (English, Latin, Etruscan)

Pronunciation: (AN-thə-nee, AN-tə-nee)

Gender: Male

My boyfriend is named Anthony. The meanings are very strong and masculine and very noble! It has a great history of use and is a common enough name to be recognizable but not so common it’s over used or anything in literature! I really do love this name and not just because it’s my boyfriends name! My boyfriend has had a few women say his name is sexy in the last few months, lol! This is a name that could fit in many different genres and backgrounds!

Vincent

Meaning: (derived from the Latin name Vincentius meaning "Conquering" (from Latin "Vincere" - "to Conquer"). The French brought the name to the English and the Irish. The Gaelic forms of Vincent are “Uinseann” and “Uinsionn.” This name was popular among early Christians, and it was borne by many saints. As an English name, Vincent has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it did not become common until the 19th century. Famous bearers include the French priest Saint Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) and the post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890).)

Origin: (Latin, English, French, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Slovak)

Pronunciation: (VIN-sənt (English), ven-SAWN (French))

Gender: Male

My boyfriend is named Anthony *that shocking yet extremly exciting new development will be discussed shortly on my Book Worm blog so tune in to that blog for more details not too far off. Oh and Anthony’s first name will be on next months list of posts so come back to check it out then* whose middle name is Vincent so I decided to add it as I’ve yet to add it to this blog. The meanings are very strong and definitely have a masculine flare. It has a long history of use and a varied one which makes it diverse. I love the paintings of post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh so I like this name just because of him. The name would do well I believe if used in a fairy-tale retelling as it does seem a very noble title bearing name and one of someone who champions for the less fortunate because he’s in a place to do so.

Lynlee

Meaning: (Lake, Beautiful, Affectionate, Adoring, Coming from the Castle, Pool below a Waterfall, Ruddy-Complected, a form of Lynn.)

Origin: (English, Welsh, Irish, Gaelic, Italian)
 

Pronunciation: (LYNN-lee)

Gender: Female

I was reading an article the other day that said a baby girl named Lynlee was the first baby to be taken from her mother’s womb and had a surgery and then was put back in the womb, so she was the first baby to successfully be born twice. She has thus far reached all her milestones and is healthy so I found that to be really quite interesting and I really came to like her name Lynlee. The meanings are all very gorgeous and feminine and exude a delicate beauty as does the name itself. I see an artistic shy girl with an amazing imagination being named this. This is a lovely name that I wouldn’t mind seeing a bit more often.

Maureen

Meaning: (Dark, Black, Bitter, Anglicized form of Máirín, a pet form of Máire, which is the Irish cognate of Mary, which is in turn derived from the Hebrew Miriam. It may also be a feminine form of Maurice.)

Origin: (Irish, English, Hebrew)

Pronunciation: (maw-REEN, MAWR-een, moh-REEN)

Gender: Female

A friend of a friend of mines name is Maureen and the funny thing is she is married to a man named Charlton *see on list of posts*. Both their names are also names of famous older actor and actress from classic movies, Maureen O’Hara and Charlton Heston! Maureen is a nice older classic name with decent meanings! I do think of an old classic Hollywood type when I hear and see this name as I do think of actress Maureen O’Hara! I can see a historical fiction novel surrounding a country girl who moves to Hollywood or Manhattan looking to break into the 1920’s – 1940’s screen or stage scene!

Tymber

Meaning: (Wood, variant of Timber.)

Origin: (English, English Nature Name)

Pronunciation: (Tim-bur, Tim-ber, TAM-ber, TAYMB-er)

Gender: Female, possibly Uni-Sex

I was watching an episode of Law & Order: SVU (Special Victims Unit) and in that episode one of the main abused characters sisters was named Tymber and I really kind of love it with a Y instead of an I. The meanings are normal and decent and it has a very cool nature look and is easily pronounceable if one can realize Tymber is actually Timber with a Y. For some reason I see a character of nobility being named this or perhaps a fairy or woodland prominent creature being named this. I can see a logger naming his child Tymber, lol! Can you imagine someone being named Tymber being a huge hugger, tree hugger, lol!

Trevor

Meaning: (Prudent, Industrious, Tight, Large Village, Goodly Town, also a habitational name from any of the numerous places in Wales, in particular the one near Llangollen, from the Welsh tre(f), meaning "Homestead", or "Settlement" and a form of mawr, meaning "Large, Big". Transferred use of the English surname meaning "belonging to Trevear." Trevear is a place-name in Cornwall meaning "the Big Farm, the Big Estate." It is derived from the Cornish and Welsh tre (a Homestead, an Estate) and mear, mawr (Great, Large). Alternatively, Trevor was used as an Anglicized form of the Irish Treabhar (discreet).)

Origin: (Welsh, Irish, English, Cornish)

Pronunciation: (TREH-ver, TRE-vər (English))

Gender: Male

I saw a movie advertised the other day and the male lead actors first name is Trevor and this is a name I associate with both a handsome slightly sexy guy and a very preppy guy as well and that can be handsome and sexy in a way too. I love all the meanings a lot and it has a good interesting history. It’s a name though that is too common for my actual character naming tastes but I don’t mind seeing it in other author’s novels and at least it’s easily pronounceable.

Brychan

Meaning: (Speckled, Spotted, Brychan Brycheiniog was a legendary 5th-century king of Brycheiniog (Brecknockshire, alternatively Breconshire) in South Wales. Celtic hagiography tells us that Brychan was born in Ireland, the son of a Prince Anlach, son of Coronac, and his wife, Marchel, heiress of the Welsh kingdom of Garthmadrun (Brycheiniog), which the couple later inherited. Upon his father's death, he returned to Garthmadrun and changed its name to Brycheiniog. Brychan's name may be a Welsh version of the Irish name Broccán and that of his grandfather Coronac may represent Cormac. The Life of St. Cadoc by Lifris (c. 1100) portrays Brychan fighting Arthur, Cai and Bedivere because of King Gwynllyw of Gwynllwg's abduction of his daughter St. Gwladys from his court in Talgarth.

He is occasionally described as an undocumented saint but the traditional literature does not call him a saint, referring to him as a patriarch instead, and he has no churches named for him. A 15th-century stained glass window in the parish church at St Neot in Cornwall, supposedly depicts Brychan, seated and crowned, holding in his arms eleven children. This, however, has been described by a standard modern guide as "God with Souls in his lap". ^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brychan} Brychan is a derivative of the English Bryce.

This is a locational surname. It can be English, Scottish or Welsh. It may originate from the village of Brecon in the former county of Breconshire or Brecknockshire, East Wales, or from the village of Bracken in Yorkshire, or the town of Brechin in Tayside, Scotland. The English and Welsh origins are probably the same from the Olde English pre 5th century word "braecan", which does mean bracken. The town in Scotland is from the Olde English word "breac", a break or new arable land, and the diminutive suffix "-in"; hence "A patch of new arable land". It is also possible that for some name holders the origin is from the Gaelic O 'Breacain, meaning "a male descendant of Breacan", a personal name translating as freckled or speckled! Early examples of the surname recordings include Magister Hugh de Breychin who witnessed a confirmation by Symon Loccard in Scotland in the year 1180, whilst in Swansea in the year 1292 and then written as Sweynssaye, we have the recording of Nicholas de Brachan. In the surviving registers of the county of Yorkshire we have the recording of Mary Brecken who married John Green on June 19th 1715 at Middleton by Pickering. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Ysaac de Brechyn. This was dated 1178, during the reign of King William, known as "The Lion" of Scotland", 1165 - 1214. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was often known as the Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling. http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Brychan)

Origin: (Welsh, Gaelic, Celtic, Scottish, English)

Pronunciation: (BRIYCH-aeN)

Gender: Uni-Sex

Here is another name I can’t quite remember where I saw it but I really like it and apparently I have added quite a few Welsh names this go around which is funny as my new friend Cameron *see on list of posts* is of Welsh background, lol! Anyway this name is very interesting and I like the spelling and the meanings a lot as I love the name Bryce *see on list of posts* which this is a derivative of. Brychan has a great long history of use and for that reason it would be amazing in really older medieval historical fiction novels!  

Brandewijn

Meaning: (From Branden ‎(“to Burn, Distill”) +‎ Wijn ‎(“Wine”), A brandy, type of strong liquor distilled from wine or another alcoholic beverage.)

Origin: (Dutch, English)

Pronunciation: (Brand-Wyne, Brandy-Wyne)

Gender: Female, Possibly Uni-Sex

I think I was looking up something to do with the name Balor *see on list of posts* and stumbled upon this one somehow. That is so cool that in Dutch this is basically in reference to Brandy. Its interesting this basically means burned wine but I’ve used other words that basically mean a type of liquor before like Sangria *see on list of posts*.

I really like the over all look of this name though as it has a very old look like it could have come from the Irish or Welsh origin rather than Dutch though really Dutch names can be old as well. I can see this as the name of a mountain in a fantasy novel or maybe the name of a brave and strong heroine who is very much as strong as any liquor, lol!

I had to look up Wijn to see the pronunciation which I found to be Wyne so I paired that with the suggested pronunciation for the first part Brande which is Brand or Brandy to create the pronunciation above under pronunciation. I prefer Brand-Wyne.

Harleen

Meaning: (Meadow of the Hares, Within the Love of God, One Absorbed in the Lord's Love, Feminine of Harlan.)

Origin: (English, Indian, Punjabi)

Pronunciation: (HAR-leen, HHAARLiyiyN)

Gender: Female

With the movie ‘Suicide Squad’ having recently come out this name has been everywhere as it is the full first name of one of the characters in the movie, also in the comics and cartoons, Harley Quinn. Harley *see on list of posts* is a good nickname for this name. The meanings are very nice and some are very beautiful indeed! I don’t see ever using this name but it is a good name that is rarely used which I would like to see used more often in novels if used on the right character.

Integrity

Meaning: (One who is Truthful; Of Good Character, the Quality of being Honest and having Strong Moral Principles, Moral Uprightness.)

Origin: (English, English (Rare), American)

Pronunciation: (ihNTEHGRAHTiy)

Gender: Female

I saw this word when I was driving and saw a billboard that said Integrity Hills and I was like that’s gorgeous and I wonder if it could be used as a name. This is a virtue that is a rare name unlike other virtue names like Honor, Serenity, Justice, Prudence, Chastity, Mercy, Felicity, Truly (pretty rare too), Clarity (pretty rare too), Cherish (pretty rare too), and Harmony *see all these on list of posts*. I love the meanings. Also since one of the bearers of the name Aristides *see on list of posts* was said to be just and was renowned for his Integrity it would be cool if Aristides was paired somehow with the name Integrity.

Ava

Meaning: (A variation of Eve. May be from the Latin "Avis," meaning "Bird." It could also be a short form of the name Chava ("Life" or "Living One"), the Hebrew form of Eve. Saint Ava was a 9th-century princess, daughter of Pepin II of Aquitaine. Ava was also the name of a medieval German woman poet. This name is the origin of the Norman French name of Aveline, which in turn gave rise to the English given name of Evelyn.

As evidence for the name is lacking between the later medieval and the modern period, the Oxford Dictionary of First Names supposes that it was coined anew as a modern innovation, presumably as a variant of Eva or (like Eva) used as an Anglicization of the Irish name Aoife.

Beautiful, Radiant, and Joyful. Known as the greatest woman warrior in the world, Aoife was the mother of Cuchulainn’s only son, Connlach. Aoife Dearg (“Red Aoife”) was a daughter of a king of Connacht who had her marriage arranged by St. Patrick himself. In 2003 Aoife was the third most popular Irish girls name for babies in Ireland.)

Origin: (Hebrew, Latin, Greek, Germanic, French, English, Irish)

Pronunciation: (AY-və, A-və, Ah-vah)

Gender: Female

I was in a nursing home visiting two friends who are of the same religion that I am and when walking to their rooms I was looking at the tags of names on the outside of the doors and saw Ava and said you know I’m not usually one for short common names but maybe others are and the name Ava has a lot to offer an author for their character. It has great meanings and is easily recognized and pronounceable. It has a great history of use and such a long history that it could be used in just about any era.

It says that Eva which Ava comes from is an Anglicization of Aoife *see on list of posts* which I had forgotten about which is surprising as Aoife is one of my favorite Irish names and I think I’ve used it before in one of my novels but can't remember. Anyway Ava would be great as a first or middle name or it could maybe be in a double-barrel name like Ava Marie or Ava Belle or Ava Kelly.

Grimsley

Meaning: (From the Dark Meadow, from an English surname of unknown meaning (originally from the name of a lost or unidentified place in England, possibly in the Midlands, where it is now concentrated)

Recorded in several spelling forms including Grimcy, Grimsey, Grimsley, Grimsy and Grimsie, this is a surname which is generally accepted as being of English origins. It is clearly locational, although no such place appears to be recorded in any of the known (surname) spellings in England. The only near spelling is Grimsay, an island in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. However if this island is the spiritual home of the surname, we have not been able to establish any conclusive Scottish recordings, all early recordings being found in England. In our opinion the surname is a development of the village name of Grimley, in Worcestershire, or it is from a now lost village. Grimley, recorded as "Grimanlea" in the famous Domesday Book of England for the year 1086, has the meaning of "Grima's farm", from Old English pre 7th century personal name "Grima", meaning a Mask or a Masked Person, or even a Ghost! As such it was originally a byname bestowed on male children to secure the protection of the gods at a time when the fear of the supernatural was at its height. The Old English word "Leah", can describe a Wood or a Clearing in a Wood, or even a farm, whilst the "eg" now "ey" in the modern surname, if it is not a development of "Leah", may refer to an Island. Early examples of the name recording taken from early surviving church registers of the post medieval period include: Frauncis, the daughter of John Grimesley, christened at Upton on Severn on September 27th 1563, Mary Grymsey who married Robert Bossock at St. James church, Clerkenwell, in the city of London, on June 7th 1612, and Robert Grimsey, who married Elizabeth Buffitt on November 11th 1759, at St Giles Cripplegate, also in the city of London.

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Grimsley#ixzz4HYkC5OXl)

Origin: (English)

Pronunciation: (GR
IHMZLiy)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I really like the meaning From the Dark Meadow as it gives it a bit of a creepy aspect at first but when you look at it closer it does seem very beautiful or strong depending on the gender you apply it to. I’ve been thinking of naming a quirky, eccentric, smart and sassy female character this if the right story comes about, its forming in my head but as of right now I’m already writing a novel so it will be on my to be written list if the story develops further in my brain. It has a very fairy-tale like quality which I like a lot as well. The 7^th century meanings too give it a darker vibe, but given that eras beliefs its not surprising, but that can be avoided or exploited by an author depending on if it matters to their story and their characters life. Also because it has such a long history of use it would fit in just about any era whether as a first name or a surname.

Grady

Meaning: (Illustrious One, Noble, Man of Rank, From an Irish surname which was derived from Ó Grádaigh meaning "Descendant of Grádaigh". The name Grádaigh means "Noble" in Gaelic.)

Origin: (Irish, English, Gaelic)

Pronunciation: (GRAY-dee)

Gender: Male  

I heard it as the last name of Owen *see on list of posts* an ex-navy guy who works with the Velociraptor on the Island in the Jurassic World movie and first name of one of the new Dual Survival guys. I love the meanings a lot as I love Noble meaning names as everyone who reads my blog well knows. I don’t think I will ever use the name for a character as the name doesn’t really make me love it. I mean I love the meanings but the name itself doesn’t really flow that great for me. I might use it as a surname but as a first name I just don’t see it but maybe if the right character came along then I might very well use it.

Melanie

Meaning: (Derived from the Greek μελανία (melania), "Blackness" and that from μέλας (melas), meaning "Dark". Borne in its Latin form by two 5^th Century saints: Melania the Elder (-410) and her granddaughter Melania the Younger (383-439), the name was introduced to England by the Normans in its French form Melanie. The name was used by English speakers in the Middle Ages, introduced via French settlers, but its use did not persist. It saw a revival in the mid 17th century, and received another boost in the 20th century from a character of the same name in the highly popular Margaret Mitchell novel Gone with the Wind (1936) and subsequent film. It was originally given to children with dark complexion, hair, or eyes.)

Origin: (Latin, Old Greek, English, German, Dutch, French)

Pronunciation: (MEL-ə-nee (English), ME-lah-nee (German), MEH-lə-nee, MEHL-ah-Niy (English) or MEH-Laa-Niy (German))

Gender: Female

I came to like this name more when seeing it as the name of Melanie Martinez the singer whose song ‘Pity Party’ I really love right now. I of course have heard of this name my whole life. I had a friend in middle school whose name was Melanie. The meanings are very lovely and exotic in my opinion. It variant forms and this form have been used for so many years and have such a long history of use and such a prominent use as well that it would make using this anywhere in any era acceptable. And of course the nickname options are nearly endless: Mel, Mellie, Melly, Mels, Lanie, Anie (pronounced like Annie), Elan, Lane, Melan, the list can go on.