Claremont

Meaning: ('Cler' or 'Clair' meaning 'Bright' or 'Clear', plus 'Mont', a Hill i.e., a Prominent Hill Standing out from a Plain.)

Origin: (Old French)

Pronunciation: (KLAYR-mont, go to this link and run your cursor over the name to hear how it is pronounced: http://howjsay.com/pronunciation-of-claremont )

Gender: Uni-Sex

This is the name of a street near my place of worship and when I was driving by the other day I came to really see this name and said it is nice and decided to add it to this blog. The meanings are very pleasant and the look of the name itself is very posh and sophisticated. I can see a very gorgeous blonde woman in a red coat walking down a very picturesque European city street in the snow being named this, weird I know, lol. All in all this is a very lovely name.   

Bassey

Meaning: (Short, Little God, Bassey is a form of the English name Bass.)

Origin: (Old French, English, Nigerian, African)

Pronunciation: (BAES-EE)

Gender: Female

My list is backed up for a while so I am finally getting to these names. Back during NaNoWriMo 2015 I had posted about it and a fellow blogger Apolla 13 commented about her experience with it and then told me a bit about the story she chose to write about. So for all of my posts for March I will be doing some of the names of her characters for the story she wrote for NaNoWriMo 2015 as I really like many of these names and have yet to add them so I am adding them now.

This name reminds me of the name Massey and has decent meanings. As for the pronunciation I looked up Bass and got BAES and then I added the EE as I know this name would end that way as it is basically like Massey but with a B instead of M at the beginning. Bassey seems more like a nickname to me then a real full first name unlike the name Massey. Bassey looks like it should be a nickname for the full name Elizabeth *see on list of posts* as some nicknames for Elizabeth have been names like Bess. However Elizabeth and Bassey are not connected as far as I can tell.

I can see a rag-tag street urchin like girl character with this name. I can see her wind up hob-knobbing with the rich and famous after getting a rich patron to take her in. I can see a defiant, strong willed, sassy and brassy like character when I see this name.

Warren

Meaning: (Gamekeeper Defender, Watchman, Park Warden, A warren was originally a game preserve. The word is now used to describe human dwellings that appear like the haphazard tunnels of a rabbit. Transferred use of the surname meaning “Dweller at or Keeper of a Game Preserve”. The name is derived from the Old French Warenne (A Warren, a Game Preserve). From an English surname which was derived either from Norman French warrene meaning "Animal Enclosure", or else from the town of La Varenne in Normandy. This name was borne by the American president Warren G. Harding (1865-1923). The name was used in the late 19th century.)

Origin: (Old English, Middle English, Old French, Old German)

Pronunciation: (WAWR-ən, WAWR-in, WAHR-in)

Gender: Male

My list is backed up for a while so I am finally getting to these names. Back during NaNoWriMo 2015 I had posted about it and a fellow blogger Apolla 13 commented about her experience with it and then told me a bit about the story she chose to write about. So for all of my posts for March I will be doing some of the names of her characters for the story she wrote for NaNoWriMo 2015 as I really like many of these names and have yet to add them so I am adding them now.

Apolla 13 one main character is named this. The twin sister of Warren is Cole *see on list of posts*. I always thought Warren was a bit boring or bland but the meanings are really cool and I never knew them before. I really love the meanings behind this word turned name. It has a nice old history of use which is great for a Historical Fiction novel.

I thought that this was interesting, “The word is now used to describe human dwellings that appear like the haphazard tunnels of a rabbit.” I’ve never heard of that before but I find that is intriguing and would be cool if used like that in an urban decay post apocalyptic novel.

I have been thinking of a story about a bizarre mysterious preserve and I would love to write about it and this would be a perfect name for that story, for either a character or maybe in reference to a game preserve. I am not sure I would use this name though as I don’t like to use names of people I know in my novels but I mean it’s happened before so it’s not a rule for me or anything.

I have an uncle named Warren but I always seem to say it like WORN like worn out but that’s probably because of the way I heard it. He’s from Texas and with the accent there and the Missouri accent I have mingled with the Texas one as my parents lived in Texas and I learned to talk from them seems to have mingled together. Either that or we have cut it down and the pronunciation just stuck. So when I say it like WORN I don’t even think of it being spelled Warren anymore which is weird. So I hope everyone has a better time pronouncing this like one of the proper ways listed above under pronunciation. I unfortunately will keep saying it WORN no doubt unless I retrain myself to pronounce it the proper way.

Genevra

Meaning: (Fair, white wave, Smooth, Yielding, Juniper Tree, Lady of the People, Tribal Woman, Of the Race of Women, River Mouth, Variant of Ginevra, Italian form of Guinevere. This is also the Italian name for the city of Geneva, Switzerland. It is also sometimes associated with the Italian word ginepro meaning “Juniper”.)

Origin: (Italian, Old French, Old Welsh, Germanic, Celtic, English)

Pronunciation: (jee-NEV-rah, jeh-NEHV-rə, Z-eh-NEY-VRah)

Gender: Female

This is the name of an outfit on I think Pearson Renaissance Shoppe website. The spelling throws me off because I prefer Geneva *see on list of posts*, which I’ve used in a novel before. I think this was the full name of Ron Weasley’s sister Ginny in the Harry Potter Novels. The meanings are beautiful and I see it is an Italian form of Guinevere and if it came down to it I would choose Guinevere over Genevra as the spelling as I said throws me off.

It is a beautiful name but I am not totally sold on it as one of my characters names but I started this blog to help other authors and this might be a perfect name for one of their characters names.

Eleanora

Meaning: (Light, Torch, Bright One, Shining One, Other, Foreign, Latinate form of Eleanor. Derived from Alienor, a Provencal form of the Greek Helene, which is derived from the element ele (Light, Torch, Bright).)

Origin: (Greek, English, Old French, Old Greek, Italian, Old Provençal)

Pronunciation: (el-ə-NAWR-ə, ehLLeh-NAOR-aa, eh-lə -NOH-rə)

Gender: Female

This name has really lovely meanings that are very bright, airy and light as well, pun intended. It has an interesting look compared to the much more common Eleanor, even if an A is just added at the end. I know it sounds weird but I think it does look different. It seems to be a name I could see on a royal character. Yet this name seems also to be a name I would think would be on a character from The Wizard of Oz or something.

Aila

Meaning: (Oak Tree, From the Strong Place, Hazelnut, Bird, Bringer of Light, Bright One, Shining One, Variant of Ayla, Aila/Ayla is also a Turkish/Farsi name that means halo around the moon, and more generally it means moonlight.)

Origin: (Hebrew, Scottish, Old French, Old Greek, Finnish, Turkish)

Pronunciation:  (EYE-la, AY-Lah)

Gender: Female

I was looking on the internet at costumes or something and I think this was the name of one off the costumes. It has nice strong meanings and they are beautiful as well, especially the moonlight and halo around the moon meanings. I like this name a lot and it is short which is nice but the pronunciation would put most readers off as it has two pronunciations that don’t always looks like it is spelled.

I would however go with AY-Lah versus EYE-la if I were to see this name in a novel. Or I might even wind up saying it as AY-EYE-lah which looks more like it is spelled to me.

Aylee

Meaning: (One Who Lives Near an Oak Tree, Hazelnut, Bird, Little Cinders, Entire, The Juniper Tree. The correct spelling of 'Aylee' is 'Eilidh'. It is a Scots-Gaelic name thought to derive from 'Aveline' or 'Helen'. )

Origin: (Old French, English, Scottish Gaelic, Germanic, Gothic)

Pronunciation: (AY-lee, AYE-lee, EYLIY)

Gender: Female

Now I am not for sure but I think this was in CW TV Series Reign. I don’t watch many shows but when I read the info about it and see a name I like I add it to my list and months later when I add it to the blog I forget where I first saw it. When researching the name I think I saw it is a name on the TV Series Reign. Either if it was or wasn’t on the show or where ever I saw it this is a truly lovely name. It is as beautiful as the derivatives Aveline and Helen *see on list of posts*.

The meanings are so lovely and I just love them. I love nature names or nature meaning names. I love One Who Lives Near an Oak Tree the best but Little Cinders reminds me of Cinderella and so thus this would be a great way to have a character be Cinderella in a retelling. She can be Aylee but be Cinderella and kind of some where have it come up the connection to the meaning and the cinders as well. Anyway I love, love this name. Though some I could see would assume it was Haylee but someone forgot to put the H at the beginning.

Mal

Meaning: (Bad, Wrongful, Ill, Chief, Messenger of God, Bold Friend, Brave Friend, Disciple of Saint Columba.)

Origin: (Welsh, Irish, English, Hebrew, Celtic, Germanic, Old French)

Pronunciation: (MAEL, MAHL)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I was watching the Disney Movie Descendents a few weeks ago, which I really liked, and one of the main girls mom was villain Maleficent and this main girls name was Mal. I really like the simple name and would be great as a stand alone name or as a nickname. Most of the meanings I like, I can see from the movie where the Bad, Wrongful, and Ill meaning comes in but for a character or person the meaning may not be great but the other meanings are lovely and beautiful.

Emmeleia

Meaning: (Whole, Immense, Entire, Universal, Imitating, Rivaling, Work, and Variant of Emma. A solemn and stately dance used in ancient Greek tragedy.)

Origin: (Germanic, Latin, Greek, Old French, Gothic)

Pronunciation: (EHMM-L-IYAH, M-EE-Lay-uh, M-EE-lee, EHM-AHLEYIYAH)

Gender: Female

I forget where I at first saw this name but I think I was looking up unique names. This is an absolutely beautiful name. I love everything about this name. I have decided to use this name as the name of one of my main characters daughters; she is to be a Princess. The meanings and name itself is a variant of Emma so if you want something much more unique and rarer than Emma then Emmeleia is it. The meanings are wonderful and grand. I like that this is a solemn and stately dance used in ancient Greek tragedy. It seems even grander and even more striking a name.

It also looks like a combination name between Emme and Leia, which are two name I love separate and love even more combined together. Though I prefer to pronounce it M-EE-Lay-uh.

Mavis

Meaning: (Songbud, Song Thrush, The name was first used in English by Geoffrey Chaucer (14th century), author of "The Canterbury Tales".)

Origin: (Celtic, English, Old French)

Pronunciation: (MAY-viss, MAY-vis)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I have used this name, spelled Maviis, as the name of a Galaxy filled with beautiful humanoid creatures in my current novel I am writing. It is a beautiful name with very beautiful meanings and a beautiful look. The history of use is quite extensive so this could be used in many different eras. It has an over all good look and I would love to see this more often.

Bellamy

Meaning: (Handsome, Handsome Friend, Fine Friend, derived from the Old French Bel Amy (Fair Friend, Beautiful Friend), which is from the Latin Bellus (Fair, Beautiful) and Amicus (Friend)

This interesting surname is of Irish (Norman) and French origin, and is from a nickname for a fine friend, derived from the Old French "beu, bel", fair, handsome, from the Latin "bellus" and "ami", friend, itself from the Latin "amicus". The nickname could have been either literal or ironic. This is an example of that sizeable group of early European surnames that were gradually created from the habitual use of nicknames. The nicknames were given in the first instance with reference to occupation, or to a variety of characteristics, such as physical attributes or peculiarities, mental and moral characteristics, supposed resemblance to an animal or bird's appearance or disposition, and to habits of dress. In the modern idiom the surname can be found recorded as Bellamy, Belamy and Belami. Recordings from London Church Registers include: the marriage of Edmond Bellamy and Elizabeth Lawe on October 21st 1618, at St. Giles' Cripplegate, and the christening of Buckingham, son of Ralph Bellamy, on July 20th 1665, at St. Michael's, Bassishaw. A Coat of Arms granted to the family is a black shield, on a gold fesse, cottised silver, three blue crescents, the Crest being an arm couped habited black cuffed silver holding in the hand proper a sceptre gold, on the top a crescent silver. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Walter Belami, which was dated 1185, in the "Records of the Templars", Yorkshire, during the reign of King Henry 11, known as "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling. https://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Bellamy )

Origin: (Old French, Latin, English)

Pronunciation: (BEHL- ə-mee)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I saw this as a name of a character on a TV series. I really thing it is a beautiful name with beautiful meanings and an interesting history. As such I have decided to use it as the name of a future character who is classmates with my main character. I’ve seen it used on male and female characters before so I think either would work but most think of it as a male name but with Bella I tend to see female. The meanings also ring feminine to me as well.

Cordell

Meaning: (Maker of Cord, Rope Maker, Cord Seller)

Origin: (English, Old French)

Pronunciation: (kor-DEL, KaoRDEHL)

Gender: Male

Cordell Walker (played by Chuck Norris) from TV show Walker Texas Ranger. I saw an episode of Walker Texas Ranger the other day and I decided to add this name. It’s not something you see a lot. The meanings are decent.

Melisande

Meaning: (Strong Work, Animal Strength, Labor Strength, Also French form of Melissa (Greek) “Bee, Honey”. Medieval form of Millicent.)

Origin: (Old French, Old German)

Pronunciation:  (MEL-a-sahnd, MEH-lee-sahnd, MEH-LiySae-N)

Gender: Female

I read an episode of Game of Thrones and there was a name similar to Melisande that was used. Upon looking it up I found Melisande spelling. I think it is a beautiful name. It has a Lord of the Rings or Star Trek like look about it to me. I really like the meanings and pronunciation as well.

Blanche

Meaning: (White, Pure, Fair, Originally a nickname for a blonde, “blanc”. It became associated with whiteness as in purity, and beauty. From a medieval French nickname meaning “White, Fair”. This name and its cognates in other languages are ultimately derived from the Germanic word Blanc. An early bearer was the 12^th Century Blanca of Navarre, the wife of Sancho III of Castile. Her granddaughter of the same name married Louis VIII of France, with the result that the name became more common in France. It was introduced into England as a given name by the Normans. Blanche DuBois is a character in Tennessee William’s “A Streetcar Named Desire”.)

Origin: (Old French, Old German, English)

Pronunciation: (Blawnsh (French), Blanch (English))

Gender: Female

They brought the show Golden Girls back on TV and I have started watching it again because I remember loving that show years ago. One of the ladies is named Blanche. I never really cared for the name but after hearing it again and again it has grown on me and I love the meanings.

Milly / Millie

Meaning: (Laborious, Strength, Industrious, Striving, Work, Helper to the Priest, Rival, Eager, Bee, Honey, Gentle Strength, Brave Strength. Variant of Amelia, Camilla, Emily, Melissa, Mildred, and Millicent.)

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

Pronunciation: (MIHL-iy, MIY-Liy, m-ih-l-ee, Mil-EE)

Gender: Female

I was watching Snow White and the Huntsman a few months ago and I think one of the little girls that Snow Whites comes to know and like is named Milly, but don’t quote me on it I just think I heard that when watching the movie it very well could be something else. I always thought of Milly as an old ladies name but I came to like the name. It is cute but I prefer it spelled Millie. It is and can be a nickname of a longer name or it can be a stand alone name.  

Elin

Meaning:  (Nymph, Woman of Intelligence, Bright One, Also Finnish and Swedish form of Helen.)

Origin: (Sanskrit, Hindi, Finnish, Swedish, Welsh, Old French, Old Greek)

Pronunciation: (ee-lyn, EHL-ahN, ee-l-ih-n, ai-l-ih-n)

Gender: Female

I can’t remember where I saw this name but I came to like it. It is short and has a good look and is easily pronounced. It is also a foreign form of Helen *see on list of posts*. 

Chanel

Meaning: (Channel, Canal, Pipe, From a French occupational name and surname for pipe fitters and manufacturers. Contemporary usage may be due to the influence of the legendary fashion designer Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel (1883-1971), and a number of famous perfumes. Also the name of a 14^th Century French Missionary Saint.)

Origin: (Old French)

Pronunciation: (sha-NELL, SHAH-nell, Shaa-NEHL)

Gender: Female

This is one of those names I could see on a nice rich preppy character. I have only seen this name as a last name most notably of the fashion designer Coco Chanel but I have heard it as a first name of a character on The Cheetah Girls movies. Chanel has very industrious meanings but is associated with high fashion so that’s interesting.

Spencer

Meaning: (Someone Who Gives Out Goods, Dispenser of Provisions, Butler, Steward, Occupational Name, Familiar since the 1930’s primarily due to actor Spencer Tracy.)

Origin: (Middle English, English, Old French)

Pronunciation:  (SPEN-ser, SPEHNS-er)

Gender: Male, Possibly Uni-Sex

I used to live next door to a guy who’s name was Spencer. He had a crush on me and asked me out once. I haven’t added this name before now because this guy kind of put me off the name which is not fair to the name or any other Spencer’s out there. It has a decent meaning and is a very handsome sounding name. I think a pretty boy in novel could be named this. It has a good look and is easily pronounced.

Percival

Meaning: (Pierce the Vale, Destroyer, One who Pierces the Valley, Hard Steel, Invented by a medieval poet - Chrétien de Troyes- in the 12th century for one of King Arthur's knights. His virtue was so great that he alone could retrieve the elusive Holy Grail. The character (and probably the name) of Perceval was based on that of the Welsh hero PEREDUR. The spelling was perhaps altered under the influence of Old French percer val "to pierce the valley". Wagner's opera Parsifal is based on this knight's tale.)

Origin: (Old French, Latin, English, Welsh Mythology)

Pronunciation: (PUR-si-vəl (English), PAHRSihVahL)

Gender: Male

I was looking up the name Percy *see on list of posts* and I saw Percy was a short form of Percival. I decided since I added Percy I might as well give Percival it’s own post as well apart from Percy. I can’t remember where I heard this name but every time I say it I keep thinking I have seen this name in a popular book or movie before. It has decent strong meanings and an interesting history. It’s a bit old fashioned but I don’t mind.

Darcy / Darcie

Meaning:  (Dark, Dark One, Also a Norman place name, “from Arcy.” Denoting one who came form Arcy in France. The first name is derived from the baronial surname D’Arcy introduced into Britain during the Norman Conquest. The surname was borne by Norman barons who came from the town Arcy in Northern France and attacked Ireland after the conquest of England in 1066. The town name is itself of the Latin element arx with the meaning ‘Fortress’. It represents the transferred use of the geographic name and the surname as a given name. Literary: Jane Austen named the haughty hero of “Pride and Prejudice” (1813) “Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy”, with connotations of Norman Aristocracy. The somewhat aristocratic name has been used by English speakers since the 19^th Century.)

Origin: (Irish, Gaelic, English, Old French)

Pronunciation: (DAHR-see, DAARSiy)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I have liked the name Darcy since I first fell in love with the novel & movies Pride and Prejudice. Recently I read another book Royal Flush by Rhys Bowen where there is a character in it named Darcy O’Mara. I have heard this name often and I really do love it. The meanings and history of this name are interesting. It is an old name but it is short, easily pronounced and very handsome. I like Darcy for a male and Darcie for a girl though I guess you can have Darcy for a girl as well as I have seen it done that way. Then you don’t have to use the miss spelled Darcie. Though I really do like both of the spellings Darcy & Darcie.