Annalina

Meaning: (Graceful Light)

Origin: (Swedish)

Pronunciation: (A-nə-LEE-nə, AN ah LEE nah)

Gender: Female

I was hitting a name drought so I got my character naming book off my shelf and flipped through and came across this name. It is beautiful but also just basically like a combination of double barrel names like Anna and Lina. It’s a beautiful combination of one common name Anna and one less common name Lina. The meaning is so light and airy and feminine and the whole name as a whole just seems so breathtakingly beautiful.

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.

Andren

Meaning: (Male, Manly, Brave, Virility, Defender of Men, Latinized patronymic from the personal name Andreas. This ancient surname recorded world-wide in over two hundred and fifty spellings, and including as examples Andre, Aindrias, Andrew, Anders, Jendrusch, Vondrak, Dandy, Andriol, Andretti, Ondracek, Vondraeck, Andress, Jedrzejewicz, and Andriuis, is of pre Christian Greek origins. It derives from the personal name "Andreas", meaning manly, and was held by the first of Christ's disciples. Prior to the 10th century a.d., the name as a first name only, there were no surnames before the medieval period, was almost exclusively held by members of the church, one of the first of such recordings being that of a monk "Andreas", in the English Domesday Book of the year 1086. The name gained in popularity throughout Europe after the 12th century Crusades to free the Holy Land. These expeditions were largely unsuccessful, nethertheless it became the normal practice for returning soldiers to name their children after biblical and particularly Christian, saints or martyrs. St Andrew is the patron saint of both Scotland and Russia, and legend has it that his remains were brought to what is now the city of St. Andrew's in Scotland, in the year 900 a.d.. Certainly the name is very popular in that country. The surname was also one of the earliest settler names in America. Anthony Andrew being recorded in the first listings for the state of Virginia in 1623. The very first recorded spelling of the family name anywhere, is probably that of William Andreu, which was dated 1237, in the ancient charters of the county of Buckinghamshire, England, in the year 1237. 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/Andren )

Origin: (Swedish, Latin, Old Greek)

Pronunciation: (AENDerAHN, AN-dren)

Gender: Male, Possibly Uni-Sex

I first saw and came to like this name when looking up longer names with Ren in them as I have a character named Ren I thought to give a longer name to and have him be nicknamed Ren but I decided against it and kept Ren as his full name. But I added Andren to my list for my blog. The meanings are strong and brave. It has a long history of use or rather all its variants have long history of uses.

Embla

Meaning: (From an Elm, Meaning uncertain, perhaps related to Old Norse almr "elm". In Norse Mythology Embla and her husband Ask were the first humans. They were created by three of the gods from two trees.)

Origin: (Norse Mythology, Icelandic, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish)

Pronunciation: (EM-blah (Icelandic, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish), EHM-blah (Swedish))

Gender: Female, Possibly Uni-Sex

I was on Pearson’s Renaissance Shoppe website and a commenter had this name. So since then I have used it as the name of my main character Sawa *see on list of posts* mother in a short story I wrote and entered in this years Nelson Algren Literary Awards Short Story Contest, fingers crossed that I win or am a runner up or finalist at least! :~) Sawa and Embla’s last name is Almund *see on list of posts*.

When I saw the name Embla I thought it looks like Ember *see on list of posts* a bit and so that is why I really liked it. However Embla’s meaning is not at all connected to Ember but that doesn’t really matter. I think Embla looks a bit Scottish or Irish but the Origin is not Scottish or Irish at all which makes me rethink all I know about the Origins of names, lol. Mans origins Norse mythology was pretty interesting, it reminded me of a few other mythological stories about mans origins. It’s a nice older name but with a youthful freshness about it as well and a great meaning and its unique but not too crazy looking.

Eldar

Meaning: (Dweller Near the Elder Trees, God Resides, Possessor, Warrior who Fights with Fire"(Eld+ar (ar=Harjar)) Eld=fire, It is also a name meaning “Ruler” in the Turkic language. "El" means state or country in Turkic language, dar is a suffix from Persian language. It is also the word for “Fire” in the Icelandic, Swedish (eld) and Norwegian (ild) language. It is also a common first name among the Tatars, the Crimean Tatars, the Azerbaijanis, the Georgians and the Bashkirs.)

Origin: (Hebrew, English, Norse, Turkish, Persian, Icelandic, Swedish, Azerbaijani)

Pronunciation: (EHLD-R, EHL-dar)

Gender: Male

I used this name as the name of an Island in one of my short stories I intend to enter into a writing contest. I think I first heard this in The Hobbit movie; it was used by the Elves I think. The meanings are beautiful and strong and nature related. It has an interesting use as to its origins and I really like it. It seems to me to be similar to Elder and so it makes me think this would be cool on a wise character but it also has a youthful appearance as well.

Tobias

Meaning: (The Goodness of God, In England it became popular after the Protestant Reformation.)

Origin: (Greek, Hebrew, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English)

Pronunciation: (to-BEE-ahs (German), tə-BIE-əs (English), Tah-BAY-ahS (English), Tow-BIY-aaS (German), toh-BIY-əs)

Gender: Male

I was watching the Divergent movie (also a book) and the main male character Four had a real name which was Tobias. I love the name and the meanings. I also like the long history of use of this name. The obvious nickname will be Toby but that’s cool.

When I see this name I see a knight or peasant in medieval times. This has a very on a pilgrimage look or a I will save the fair maiden look which I love in a way but would also look great in the modern era as well. So a very diverse name.

Anja

Meaning: (Grace of God, Gracious, Full of Grace, Diminutive of Anna.)

Origin: (Russian, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, Croatian, Serbian, German, Portuguese)

Pronunciation: (AHN-yə, AHN-ya, AHN-yah, AHN-zha (Portuguese))

Gender: Female

I was either reading the yearbook published by Jehovah’s Witnesses or the Watchtower by Jehovah’s Witnesses and saw this name. The meanings are pretty and the name is unique. It was interesting to me that it is a derivative of Anna. It is a pretty name but I am afraid it may not be so memorable to me. If I saw this in a novel at least I know now how to pronounce it.

Gunnar

Meaning: (Lighter, Battler, Warrior, Fight, Army, Battle Strong, Derived from the Old Norse Gunnarr, which is from the word Gunnr (War, Strife, Battle). The name Gunnar was borne by several interesting characters in Norse Legend, one of whom was the son of Giuki and Grimhild. He was the brother of Gudrun and the husband of Brynhild. Also known as 'Roland.' The name Gunnar means fighter, soldier, and attacker, but mostly is referred to by the Viking saying which means Brave and Bold warrior (gunnr "war" and arr "warrior").)

Origin: (Norse, Scandinavian, Swedish, Danish, Norse Mythology, German)

Pronunciation: (GOO-nar, GOON-ar, GUW-N-er, GAHN- aaR, GUH-ner)

Gender: Male

I was reading a novel called, “Listen for the Whisperer” by Phyllis A. Whitney last month and the main male character was named Gunnar. I came to like the name a lot and I had no problems with pronunciation at all. I immediately knew it as GOO-nar. Americans may hear this as GUH-ner though but I prefer the correct pronunciation as it sounds much better and stronger. GUH-ner sounds like GUN-er and thus excuse me sounds a tad bit redneck like.

The meanings are strong and this strikes me as such a masculine brave name even had I not known the meanings. It has a nice old history of use and I do love Viking names. All in all I love it and would love to see this name used a bit more often.

Erica / Erika / Erykah

Meaning: (Forever Strong, Complete Ruler, Honorable Ruler, Eternal Ruler, One Ruler, Ever Kingly, Ever Powerful, Powerful, Regal, Latinate feminine form of Eric, and also a flower name, as the Latin word Erica means "heather". Scandinavian name revived in the 19th century.)

Origin: (Norse, Scandinavian, Swedish, Latin, English, Teutonic)

Pronunciation: (AIR-a-ka, ER-i-kə (English), EH-ri-kə, Eh-rik-AH, Eh-RI-kah)

Gender: Female

I already added the male version Eric *see on list of posts*. But I decided to add the feminine version as its own post after I had seen the name Erica and Erykah a few times. I like best the spelling Erika and Erykah. It did at one time seem very popular and for that reason I am still not a fan but the meanings are wonderful and anyone who reads my name posts will know I am in love with names that have Royal meanings. It does seem very regal and for that reason I like it a bit.

Cecilia

Meaning: (Latinate feminine form of the Roman family name Caecilius, which was derived from Latin caecus "blind". Saint Cecilia was a semi-legendary 2nd- or 3rd-century martyr who was sentenced to die because she refused to worship the Roman gods. After attempts to suffocate her failed, she was beheaded. She was later regarded as the patron saint of music and musicians.

Due to the popularity of the saint, the name became common in the Christian world during the Middle Ages. The Normans brought it to England, where it was commonly spelled Cecily - the Latinate form Cecilia came into use in the 18th century.)

Origin: (English, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Finnish, Dutch, German, Latin)

Pronunciation: (sə-SEE-lee-ə (English), sə-SEEL-yə (English), che-CHEE-lyah (Italian), the-THEE-lyah (Spanish), se-SEE-lyah (Latin American Spanish), SE-see-lee-ah (Finnish), sess-seel’yah (English))

Gender: Female

I have never been a huge fan of this name because I didn’t care for the pronunciation but since looking up Shyla *see on list of posts* and it being a variant of it I like it a bit. Though I don’t like the meaning which is a bit off putting and not at all pretty. It has an interesting look and it has an old history which would make this name an ideal name in a Historical Fiction novel. I have heard this name a few times on TV but perhaps that is why I don’t care for it either as the people named this weren’t so great, one was a killer. Though the variant spellings of this name are endless so that is kind of cool.

 

All in all it's not a name I will at present be using in any of my novels but I could see this becoming a name that winds up changing my view of it when the right character, whether book I read or one I write, comes along.

Dahlia

Meaning: (From the Valley, Flower named for 18^th Century Swedish Botanist Anders Dahl.)

Origin: (Norse, Swedish, Scandinavian, English)

Pronunciation: (DAH-lee-ə, DAL-yah, DAL-yə)

Gender: Female

I had a character name come to me and the first name is Dahlia with the nickname Dahl pronounced like Doll. I don’t know who the character will be but I loved the name and so I decided to add it to my blog. Also if you go to my Book Worm Blog you’ll see that I made a Purple Dahlia Barrette and I put pictures of it on there, here: http://tabularasacoker.blogspot.com/2015/05/take-look-at-my-purple-dahlia-flower.html

The flower itself is beautiful and the name has an interesting history of use, especially with The Black Dahlia reference to the mysteries brutal murder of Elizabeth Short in 1947 Los Angeles. Because of the murder and such the name sometimes can be seen as a negative but since so much times has passed I think maybe the younger generation won’t have heard of it much, if at all.

Afton

Meaning: (Afternoon, Evening, From the River Afton, From Affa’s Settlement, Also the name of a river, which appears in a song, Place Name: a town in Southern Scotland. From a geographical term; Aftonian- coming from the ice relating to glaciers.

Poet Robert Burns wrote a love sonnet featuring a small river named Afton. First Verse:

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among the green braes!

Flow gently, I’ll sing thee a song in thy praise!

My Mary’s asleep by the murmuring stream—

Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream! )

Origin: (Old English, Swedish)

Pronunciation: (AF-tun, AHFTahN)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I can’t remember why I added this name to my list but I like the look and the meanings. It isn’t too memorable a name to me because I don’t see it enough but if I did it could grow even more on me. Unfortunately it will probably be a name I easily forget which I hate. I think it looks like it would make an awesome ships name or a fantasy characters last name.

Anki

Meaning: (God is Gracious, God Has Shown Favor, Learning by Heart, Memory Work, Variant of Ann.)

Origin: (Swedish, Dutch, Nordic, Finnish, Hebrew, Japanese)

Pronunciation: (AENGKIY, AHN-key)

Gender: Female

I think this was one of the names of the mother of one of my favorite music artists. It’s been a while so I can’t really remember if this is it. So this I believe was one of the names and the other was Alla *see on list of posts*. I think this is a pretty name that has good meanings. I like the foreign to English speakers look.  

Alla

Meaning: (Deity, God, The Other, Of a Noble Kind, Defender of Men, Noble, Honorable, Ornament, Brightness, Variant of Ella and Alexandra.)

Origin: (Swedish, Icelandic, Finnish, Russian, Old Greek, Germanic, Hebrew)

Pronunciation: (AALLaa, ahl-lah)

Gender: Female

I think this was one of the names of the mother of one of my favorite music artists. It’s been a while so I can’t really remember if this is it.  I think though short it has a good look. I don’t think I would particularly like it as a characters first name but maybe if it was part of double barrel name I would like. The meanings are lovely and strong. I like the name but am not like in love with it.

Maisa

Meaning: (Table, Variant of Mesa, Variant spelling of Majsa)

Origin: (Spanish, Swedish, Finnish, Danish, Norwegian)

Pronunciation: (MAY-sah)

Gender: Female

I forget where I saw this but I think it was on a TV show. It is pretty but reminds me of a mess hall because of the variant Mesa and the meaning table, LOL. I think this is another really pretty exotic name that has a good look and is easily pronounceable.

Ragnar

Meaning: (Strong Army, Judgment Warrior, Army Rule, Related to German and Scandinavian names like Reginald and Rainer.)

Origin: (Old Norse, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Scandinavian, German)

Pronunciation: (RAG-nahr, R-AW-NG-n-ah-r, RAA-JHNaa-R)

Gender: Male

I saw the TV series Viking advertised and apparently one of the main characters is named Ragnar. I have recently decided to use this name in one of my short stories. It is a very strong masculine name that I really do love.

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*. 

Tippi / Tippie/ Tippy

Meaning: (Yellow Horse, Yellow, Golden, Fair, Corrugated Roof, From the Swedish nickname "Tupsa" meaning "sweetheart". Also possibly from the German "tippe", an occupational name for a tub maker. Made famous by actress Tippi Hedren, whose birth name was Nathalie Hedren.)

Origin: (Old Greek, Hebrew, Swedish, German, Japanese)

Pronunciation: (TIHP-iy, TIP-ee)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I was watching the movie Birds with Tippi Hedren in it. I at first thought it was funny but it has grown on me. It's not a name that would fit too many characters but it has great meanings and seems kind of cute.

Evelina or Evalina

Meaning: (Light, Gives Life, Life, Desired, Literary: name of Fanny Burney's popular 18th-century novel "Evelina". It was revived by the author Fanny Burney for the heroine of her first novel 'Evelina' (1778). It is often regarded as a variant of the related name Evelyn.)

Origin: (Latin, English, Italian, Swedish, Celtic, Hebrew, German)

Pronunciation: (ev-eh-LEE-na, ev-uh-LEE-na)

Gender: Female


Evelina is the name of one of my friends daughter. It is a pretty name with a pretty meaning. I try to not use names of friends or people I know for characters *Try is the word, sometimes I just like the name and I do use it*. So I won't be using this name but someone else out there can use it for there character.