Currer

Meaning: (Leather Worker, Currer Bell is the pseudonym used by Charlotte Brontë's, The three sisters chose masculine-sounding pseudonyms. This interesting surname, with variant spellings Currier and Curryer, derives from the Old French "conreeur" a currier, one who curries leather, from the Latin "coriarius", a tanner, from "corium", leather, and would have originated as an occupational surname for a "leather-dresser". The surname is first recorded in the mid 13th Century (see below), and other early recordings include: Henry le Coureer, who appears in the Calendar of Letter Books of the City of London (1281), and William le Coureour, who appeared there in 1314. Recordings of the surname from London Church Registers include: Johne Currer, who married Ruthe Rowsse on October 4th 1614, at St. Stephen's, Coleman Street; Marie Currer, who married Nathaniell Snelling on May 11th 1630, at St. Gregory by St. Paul's; and the marriage of Elizabeth Currer and Nicholas Bennett on May 1st 1649, at St. Peters, Paul's Wharf. A famous namebearer was Frances Mary Richardson Currer (1785 - 1861), a book-collector, who possessed a library of fifteen thousand volumes. She printed "Extracts from the Literary and Scientific Correspondence of Richard, M.D.", in 1835. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard le Curur, which was dated 1256, witness in the "Assize Court Rolls of Northumberland", during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. 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. http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/currer)

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

Pronunciatiuon: (kur-er)

Gender: Male, Uni-Sex

Charlotte Bronte is one of my favorite classical novelists. She and her sisters were forced tow rite under masculine names. Hers was Currer Bell. Her sister Emily and Anne wrote under Ellis and Acton *See Ellis and Acton on the list of posts.* As I said under Acton I think women like them made it possible for woman to break into a male dominated career. There lives were short but I respect what they achieved and what they went through. As for the name Currer it’s rare and I like it. It has an old fashioned feel though obviously. It has a decent meaning and a good look and sort of easy pronunciation.

Acton

Meaning: (Oak Town, Settlement of Oak Trees, Surname used as a given name. Also the pseudonym used by Charlotte Brontë's sister Anne, who wrote as "Acton Bell". The three sisters chose masculine-sounding pseudonyms. This interesting surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational name from one of the many places thus called for example in Cheshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Middlesex, Shropshire and Suffolk. The place names are recorded variously in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Actune, Aectune, Achetone, Achetune, Acton" and "Achetuna". Most of the places get their name from the Olde English pre 7th Century "ac", oak, and "tun", enclosure, settlement; hence, "settlement by the oak tree(s)". A few have the Olde English personal name "Acca" (a derivative of "ac", oak, and given with connotations of strength and reliability) as their first element, and would therefore mean "Acca's settlement". During the Middle Ages, when migration for the purpose of job-seeking was becoming more common, people often took their former village name as a means of identification, thus resulting in a wide dispersal of the name. Two of the families bearing this name are of considerable historical importance. The Worcestershire Actons, who held lands at Wolverton Hall near Pershore from the 16th Century onwards are descended from Sir Roger Acton, captain of Ludlow Castle, who was executed for treason in 1414. The historian, Lord Acton (1834 - 1902), came of a Shropshire family, first recorded in the county with William de Acton in the reign of Edward 111 (1327 - 1377). A Coat of Arms granted to the family is a red shield with an ermine fess within an ermine border. In Heraldry, red denotes Military Fortitude and Magnanimity, and ermine was an emblem of dignity. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Hugh de Acton, which was dated 1194, in the "Pipe Rolls of Shropshire", during the reign of King Richard 1, known as "Richard the Lionheart", 1189 - 1199. 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.  http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Acton)

Origin: (English, Old English, Danish, Anglo-Saxon)

Pronunciation: (AAKTahN, ACT-un)

Gender: Male, Uni-Sex
I was looking at an Anne Bronte novel on my bookshelf the other day. She had to write under a masculine pen name like her sisters. Her pen name was Acton Bell. Her sister Emily wrote under Ellis Bell *See Ellis on my list of posts*. I like the name and the meanings. The Bronte Sisters are some on my favorite classical writers. I think women like them made it possible for woman to break into a male dominated career. There lives were short but I respect what they achieved and what they went through. As for the name Acton it is unique and modern but obviously still old fashioned. It is easily pronounced and has a good look to it.

Villette

Meaning: (Small Town, Literary: the name of one of Charlotte Brontë's lesser-known novels)

Origin: (French)

Pronuncaition: (VahLEHT, VEE-yet)

Gender: Female

I was trying to decide which book I wanted to read and I saw I had Villette by Charlotte Bronte on my book shelf. I have that on my to read list for a while but I thought I might wait a while before I read it. But I like the name Villette. It has an alright meaning. It’s unique and I haven’t really seen this before. It could work as a character name I suppose. Though in the novel by Charlotte Bronte that is not a name of a character in the novel.

Virginie

Meaning: (Virgin, Maiden, Pure, Variant of Virginia, French form of Virginia)

Origin: (Latin, French)

Pronunciation: (veer-zhee-NEE, veer-juh-nee) 

Gender: Female

I was looking up something about Madame’s on the internet and I came across a lady whose real first name was Virginie. I thought instantly what a pretty name it was and how unique. Though a variant of Virginia I think the change of the ending A to an E make the name look even more sophisticated and pretty. I can’t wait to see it I am able to use this name in any of my novels.

Albany

Meaning: (Scotland, Derived from a former name for Northern Scotland, Variant of Alban, From Alba, Albany, New York)

Origin: (Latin)

Pronuncaition: (all-buhn-nee)

Gender: Female, Possibly Uni-Sex

I was watching something the other day and this ladies name was Albany. I have often thought of adding this name to my blog but I kept putting it off. Now I have added it. The name is pretty and has a good meaning. It’s a decent location name.

Britannia

Meaning: (From Great Britain, From Brittany or Great Britain)

Origin: (English, Latin)

Pronunciation: (brih-TAHN-yah)

Gender: Female

The Britannia Awards were on BBC America a few weeks ago. I thought about the name Britannia. I think it is actually pretty and I see no reason using this name would be weird. It’s unique looking but has quite a history.

Cherokee

Meaning: (People of a Different Speech, The name of one of the largest Native American tribes, used as a given name. The Cherokee originally lived in the southeastern America. They were farmers, and one of the first tribes to produce a written language.)

Origin: (Native American)

Pronunciation: (CHARE-oh-kee)

Gender: Female, Possibly Uni-Sex

I remember seeing the movie True Women which was based off a novel a few years back and then again recently. In the movie Angelina Jolie’s character names one of her daughter’s Cherokee. I thought it was weird but she names her that after her own Native American heritage. Anyway a few days ago I was in Wal-Mart and there was a lady in the long line in front of me. She had a son about four or five and a daughter about two or three and then a baby who she told the cashier that it was almost three months old. The cashier said the cute two year old girl looked like a little girl she knew and then she asked the mom what the girls name was. The mom said the girls name was Cherokee and they named her that after the Indian Tribe.

Now seeing and hearing this a lot recently I decided to add this rare given name. I have heard of Cheyenne’s but no real life Cherokee’s until I was in the store. It’s a pretty name and there could be many reasons to use a Native American tribe name as a given name in a novel.