Padme

Meaning: (Lotus Blossom, From the Tibetan chant, “Om Mani Padme Hum”, meaning “The Jewel is in the Lotus”. Name of a fictional “Star Wars” Queen, Padme Amidala, who was the secret wife of Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader) and the mother of Luke & Leia.)

Origin: (Persian)

Pronunciation: (PAD-may, pad-MAH)

Gender: Female

I was watching a bit of Star Wars III the other day. I have always thought Queen Padme Amidala was such a cool character and she had such pretty names. So I decided to add Padme. It is a pretty name with lovely meanings. It has a beautiful foreignness to it.

Ceridwen / Ceridwyn

Meaning: (Blessed Song, Blessed Poetry, White, Fair, Fair Poetry, From “Cerdd Gwen”. Celtic Mythology: Name of the Goddess of Poetic Inspiration. Also supposedly the name of the mother of the legendary Sixth Century Welsh Hero Taliesin.

In Welsh Medieval legend, Ceridwen was an enchantress. She is the mother of a hideous son, Morfran, and a beautiful daughter, Creirwy. Her husband was Tegid Foel, and they lived near Bala Lake (Llyn Tegid) in North Wales. Medieval Welsh Poetry refers to her as possessing the cauldron of Poetic Inspiration (Awen) and the Tale of Taliesin recounts her swallowing her servant Gwion Bach who is then reborn through her as the poet Taliesin. In 19^th Century literature and etymology the name Ket, Ked and variants were assumed to relate to the Goddess Ceridwen. The earliest documented permutation of the name KERDWIN is Cyrridven, which occurs in the Black Book of Carmarthen. It was rarely used in the medieval period, but saw a revival in the 19^th Century.)

Origin: (Welsh, Welsh Mythology, Celtic Mythology)

Pronunciation: (ke-RID-wen, Keh-RIHDWehN)

Gender: Female

I was researching the Welsh name Ceri *see on list of posts* and this name came up. So you could either use Ceri as a full name or have a character named either Ceridwen or Ceridwyn (my favorite spelling) and be nicknamed Ceri. I love the meanings and the mythology is interesting. I think it is a beautiful name with a wonderful look. I could see the pronunciation tripping up a reader but if maybe there is a pronunciation guide with the book people would be fine. 

Eos

Meaning: (Dawn, This was the name of the Greek Goddess of the Dawn, Roman equivalent of Aurora. In Greek Mythology, Eos is a Titaness and the Goddess of the Dawn, who rose each morning from her home at the edge of the Oceanus.)

Origin: (Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek)

Pronunciation: (EE-aws (English), E-os (Ancient Greek), IYaoS)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I was watching 2011’s syfy movie Red Faction: Origins, the other day and saw this name. It was the name of one of the towns. It is a simple yet beautiful name. I am also thinking of using this name as a race name for one of my future novels. The meanings are lovely and the mythology is interesting. It is also a nice alternative for those that don’t like the name Aurora.  

Tallulah

Meaning: (Abundance, Lady, Princess, Bubbling Water, Leaping Water, Related to the Choctaw word for Water, “Oka”. The Choctaws lived near the Tallulah Waterfall, which derives its name from the Hitchiti (Creek) Indian word for “Town”. The name also possibly derives from a Gaelic name meaning “Fruitful Woman”.)

Origin: (Native American)

Pronunciation: (Tuh-Loo-La, TAH-loo-lah)

Gender: Female

I had never been a huge fan of this name. I first saw it as the name of British actress Tallulah Riley, in 2005’s Pride & Prejudice. I however have now looked into it and I do like it a lot. The meanings are pretty and it’s seemingly pronounceable by many different people no matter there accent and heritage. On my fathers side we come from the Choctaw Indian heritage, so I am particularly drawn to this name. It would be cool to use this as a nod to my heritage. That being said I don’t love it enough to ever name a future child this, except if it was a middle name. I might however use it as a future characters name. It is lovely, unique and has a good look to it.

Miranda / Myranda

Meaning: (Worthy of Admiration, She Who Must be Admired, Derived from Latin mirandus meaning “Admirable, Wonderful”. The name was created by Shakespeare. In Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” (1611), Miranda is an innocent girl raised and educated on an isolated island by her magician father. It did not become a common English given name until the 20^th Century. This is also the name of one of the moons of Uranus.)

Origin: (Latin, English)

Pronunciation: (mer-ANN-dah, me-RAN-da, mee-RON-dah)

Gender: Female

I was watching Ravenswood the TV series the other day and one of the main characters is named Miranda. I have also used this name as one of my characters names in the novel I am currently writing, but I spelled it Myranda. I like the lovely meanings and the easy pronunciation. It’s also a very old name dating back to at least 1611.

Caleb

Meaning: (Faith, Devotion, Whole Hearted, Heart, Dog, Biblical: Caleb, a companion of Moses and Joshua, was noted for his astute powers of observation and fearlessness in the face of overwhelming odds; his devotion to God is symbolized by the “Dog” in some traditions. The name was popular among the Puritans, and was introduced by them to America in the 17^th Century.)

Origin: (Hebrew, Biblical)

Pronunciation: (KAY-leb)

Gender: Male

I was watching Ravenswood the TV series the other day and one of the main characters is named Caleb. I had never thought to add this but after seeing Ravenswood I decided to. The meanings are good and strong. The name has a long history and a biblical background. It’s an easily recognized and pronounceable name as well.  

Cameron / Kameron

Meaning: (Crooked Nose, Bent Nose, Highlands Clan name derived from the facial feature (Gaelic “cam sron”). Also possibly means “Crooked Stream” or “Crooked Hill”. Nickname of an especially valorous ancestor that became the surname of one of the oldest clans in Scotland. There were also Cameron’s in the Lowlands, linked with Cambernon in Normandy.)

Origin: (Scottish, Gaelic, Celtic)

Pronunciation: (KAM-er-en, KAEMahRahN, KAEMRahN)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I have never been a fan of this name primarily because it is too popular and I have never liked the look of it, I’m not sure why. Of course I know a Kameron in real life, so no offence to anything I say about the name. Another reason I don’t care for it is the main meaning “Crooked Nose”, but then again my name primarily means “Curly Haired” which might not please some (I don’t mind it). But one shouldn’t primarily base a name pick off of the meaning. But fortunately there are other meanings that are decent with this name if one is choosing a name for the meaning. I do however like that it’s one of the oldest clan’s names in Scotland. An author could use this name in reference to a characters background and connection to the Highlands and Lowlands Clans of Scotland.

If being used I prefer Cameron with a C not Kameron with a K because I want to think Kardashian when I see C names starting with a K. The Kameron I know has two sisters, Krystal and Kayla. So the K thing was a family thing just like the Kardashians. But I shouldn’t speak as I have done the same thing for a trio of my 2 brothers and 1 sister characters in one of my novels, all their names started with K’s.

Anyway before I come off even snarkier (honestly not trying to sound that way) I decided to add this because I have seen and heard this name a lot lately. I was watching a show the other day with Cameron Diaz in it and then I saw it on another show. So I decided to add it because there are authors and writers who will love this name and see it as the perfect name for their character. Good Nicknames: Cam, Cammy (Female), and Ron. A saving grace for me with this name would be to have it with the nickname Cam, which I think is cute and could do well on either gender.  

Rhyce

Meaning: (Enthusiasm, Ardor, Rashness, Variant of Rhys.)

Origin: (Welsh)

Pronunciation: (Reese, Rice, RIY-Z, RYS (English), HHRIYS (Welsh))

Gender: Male, Possibly Uni-Sex

I was looking up a name that was a variant of Rhys and saw Rhyce that too is a variant of Rhys. The meanings are nice and agreeable. The spelling is what I like particularly. It has a unique unseen quality. And again it is a Welsh name, which I love. I would love to use this name as a character name if a character should arise who seems to be a Rhyce. I would love to see this used more often.   

Symphony

Meaning: (Musical Piece for Orchestra, Sounding Together, Concordant in Sound, Consonance of Sounds, Harmony, especially of Sound or Color. The English word Symphony is itself of the Greek “Symphonos”. The name is usually chosen for its association with music. It was made known by the British science fiction TV series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (1967-1968), in which the five female pilots were codenamed Rhapsody, Symphony, Harmony, Destiny, and Melody.)

Origin: (American, English, Greek)

Pronunciation: (SIHMFahNiy, SIMF-uh-nee)

Gender: Female

When I was looking up Rhapsody *see on list of posts* I came across Symphony.  Just like Rhapsody, Symphony is a very beautiful musical name. I also found it cool that it was one of the names that was made known by the British science fiction TV series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (1967-1968), in which the five female pilots were codenamed Rhapsody, Symphony, Harmony, Destiny, and Melody *see on list of posts, except Destiny which isn’t on this blog*. I had never heard of the show so I looked it up. They used marionettes but I think it would be cool if remade now into a live human cast TV Series, because it sounds pretty cool.

Now I could see any real life person or story characters named Symphony being very talented and dedicated, I could see a dancer, perhaps a ballerina, very beautiful, kind soul girl, and one to stick up for family and friends.

Just like Rhapsody, Symphony is easily recognized and pronounceable. And both are lovely.

Rhapsody

Meaning: (Derived literally from the common word Rhapsody, Musical Composition, The name is usually chosen for its association with music. It is a style of instrumental music that has inspired composers since the 1800’s. The word “Rhapsody” originally referred to an epic poem intended to be recited, such as Homer’s “Odyssey”. In ancient Greece, such literature would be recited by a “Rhapsodios”, whose name was a hybrid of “Rhaptein” (to stitch) and “Oide” (song).

By the Romantic era in the 19^th Century, the word’s associations with poetry in a relatively unrestrained style led to “Rhapsody” being used to describe a musical composition, usually in one movement and with no fixed structure. Czech composer Vaclav Tomasek was the first to use the term musically, applying it to a set of piano pieces he wrote in around 1810. Franz Liszt did the most to popularize the label, however, composing some 19 folk-influenced “Hungarian Rhapsodies” between 1846 and 1885.

As the Romantic era faded and the 20^th Century dawned, composers continued to write increasingly loosely structured rhapsodies for solo instruments, chamber ensembles and orchestras, enjoying the freedom to paint musically in different shades, evoking strong emotion and conjuring colorful imagery.

Because of the rhapsody’s liberated, almost spontaneous character, there are no absolute requirements for the style. George Gershwin used a jazz band as the medium for his “Rhapsody in Blue” (1924) Sergei Rachmaninov’s “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (1934) also could be described as a piano concerto and the British band Queen named its greatest rock hit “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1975).

It was made known by the British science fiction TV series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (1967-1968), in which the five female pilots were codenamed Rhapsody, Symphony, Harmony, Destiny, and Melody.)

Origin: (English, French)

Pronunciation: (RAP-suh-dee, RAEPSahD-iy, raeps-uh-dee)

Gender: Female

I have added this name to my Favorite Female Names List on the right side of this blog. I forget what made me think to add this but I absolutely love it as a name. It is beautiful and musical. “Composers continued to write increasingly loosely structured rhapsodies for solo instruments, chamber ensembles and orchestras, enjoying the freedom to paint musically in different shades, evoking strong emotion and conjuring colorful imagery.” So I could see a person in the real world or a character with this name being very free and slightly flippant, being fun and light hearted, sweet and sassy, layed back but not a push over. In short I could see a very artistic person being named this.

If you don’t believe people name real life kids this I found on www.babynamewizard.com that a few people talked about having named their daughters this. They seemed to have mostly stuck with more common middle names so as to not, I think, come off too flamboyant.

I love this name so much that I wish I had the courage to say if I ever have a daughter in the future I would name her Rhapsody, but I really don’t think anyone in my family would care for it. They tend to not agree with my naming style. But if is should still love it in the future when I am married and have a child I might try to persuade my future husband to allow me to name our future daughter Rhapsody.

I also found it cool that it was one of the names that was made known by the British science fiction TV series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons (1967-1968), in which the five female pilots were codenamed Rhapsody, Symphony, Harmony, Destiny, and Melody *see on list of posts, except Destiny which isn’t on this blog*. I had never heard of the show so I looked it up. They used marionettes but I think it would be cool if remade now into a live human cast TV Series, because it sounds pretty cool.

Kendra

Meaning: (Water Baby, Magical, Greatest Champion, From Cynwrig which also possibly means “High Hill”. Also possibly from the Gaelic name MacEanraig meaning “Son of Henry”, or the Old English names Ceneric meaning “Bold Power”, and Cyneric meaning “Royal Power”. Also possibly a modern blend of Ken and Sandra or Andrea. Also recently coined as a feminine version of Kendrick.)

Origin: (Welsh, Gaelic, Celtic, English)

Pronunciation: (KEN-drah, KEHNDRah)

Gender: Female

I have a good friend named Kendra. I don’t tend to name characters I have after people I know in the real world, so I have never used this name. But there is nothing stopping me from adding it here on my blog for other authors and writers to potentially use. I hope my friend doesn’t mind me adding her name here. It took me quite a while to add it after adding her daughters name Evelina *see on list of posts* a long time ago. I actually never knew what her name meant but now I do and I really like the meanings a lot. I especially like the meaning Water Baby, which is super adorable.

There are also so many ways for this name to be chosen and brought about in a story. Like maybe the characters parents combined their names to make Kendra. Or they were expecting a boy and were going to name him Kendrick but had a girl instead.

Kendra is a pretty popular name so most will know how to pronounce this name, so no worries there.

Zain / Zein / Zayn

Meaning: (Handsome, Beauty, Pretty, God is Gracious, Variant of Zane.)

Origin: (Arabic, Hebrew, English)

Pronunciation: (Zayn, Rhymes with Jane)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I have heard this name quite a bit lately. I keep seeing and hearing it as the name of one of the CNN correspondents. Also I saw it the other day as the name of one of those boy banders, from I think One Direction of The Wanted, LOL. I have no clue about the boy and girl bands of this era. I could tell you all the member’s names of the boy and girl bands I listened to growing up in the ’90’s and early 2000’s. But ask me to name one member from a band now I am lost, LOL. I feel so out of touch with bands now. :~)

Anyway either spelling is good in my view but I tend to like Zayn and Zain the best. The meanings are lovely and it is an easily pronounceable name. But it tends to often scream BORING. There isn’t anything unique or flashy for my taste. It just seems blah and bland to me but it is a decent name and seemingly likable so I wouldn’t hate it on a person in the real world or a book character.

Eola

Meaning: (Violet, Flowery, Feminine of lolo.)

Origin: (Greek, Welsh)

Pronunciation: (ee-oh-lah, ay-oh-lah)

Gender: Uni-Sex

This name looks a bit like Enola *see on list of posts* just minus the letter N. I saw Eolas on a TV series but had no clue if it was a real name or word so I went to the internet. After some searching I saw it came from an Irish word meaning basically Knowledge. It was hard work finding it so I went with Eola. The meanings are pretty and the look is interesting.   

Coty / Cote

Meaning: (Riverbank, Coast, Small Slope, Hill Side, Place name and Surname. Use as a given name has probably been influenced by the popular Cody. The first name is derived from the English surname, which is itself from the nickname for someone who lives near a Coast, Riverbank, or else a place so named.)

Origin: (French, Celtic, English)

Pronunciation: (KowTAY, KowTIY, Co-Ty)

Gender: Female, Possibly Uni-Sex

I had seen this name (the Cote spelling) as the name of the actress that used to be on NCIS, she played Ziva David. I never really knew how it was pronounced. I thought it was odd really. Then I was watching a show about a girl who became a killer and they kept saying it and I thought it was Cody but when they showed family and friends below their names on screen it would say Coty’s mother or Coty’s sister. So I was like so that’s how that is pronounced. So I Googled it and saw that Cote and Coty are the same name and pronounced the same. So at least now I know how to say this. I do like it better than Cody and I think it looks unique and foreign but I like it. I don’t think I will use it and I think authors should use it sparingly because most won’t know how to pronounce this name. The meanings are good and decent as well.

Enola

Meaning:  (Possibly the reversal of the word “Alone”. The name Enola is often taken as a Native American name, but its probable etymology is an English one: simply “Alone” backwards. The name appeared in the late 19^th Century and gained popularity with similar names like Zola, Nola, and Leola. Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima during WWII. The airplane was named after the pilot Paul Tibbet’s mother, Enola Gay Tibbets, who was in turn named after the heroine of a novel. The name has also appeared in literature, borne by a character also called Enola Gay in Martin Amis’ black comic novel London Fields (1989).)

Origin: (English, American)

Pronunciation: (ee-NO-luh, iy-NOWLuw)

Gender: Female, Possibly Uni-Sex

I was watching the 1995 movie Waterworld the other day. It’s been on quite a lot recently. Anyway it was about the world having no more land, supposedly. Everyone lives in floating cities and towns, as the whole world is water, as the title entails. So this little girl who is the key to it all is named Enola. I won’t spoil the movie for anyone who hasn’t seen it but I just wanted to give details on where I at first saw this name.

The name always intrigued me since I first saw the movie when it came out in ‘95. Now that I saw it again I decided to add it here. I found it quite interesting that this name had such a famous history as being the name of the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima during WWII.

I usually don’t like names that are just words spelled backwards….ex. Nevaeh which is Heaven spelled backwards. But Enola really doesn’t peeve me off at all like some backward spelled word / names. It seems fresh but with an interesting history of use. I am actually thinking of using it as the name of one of my races of people in one of my future stories. The story will be using the names Amita and Jensi too *see on list of posts*. Anyway in the story Enola is more than just interesting looking the meaning of Alone ties into the races background. Anyway I really just like this name a lot. I would love to see this used more, but in a proper setting.

Faron

Meaning: ("Handsome Servant". From "Faeger Hine". May also have derived as an Old English occupational name for Oxen Herders, or from the Gaelic personal name Faramund, which might mean "Thunder". Also possibly from a French surname which was derived from the German given name Faro. Saint Faro (seventh century) was a French bishop.)

Origin: (Old English)

Pronunciation: (fah-ROHN)

Gender: Female, Possibly Uni-Sex

I can’t remember where I at first saw this name but I really liked the look. I like the meanings and history as well. It is a nice strong handsome name. I wouldn’t mind seeing this name more often.

Ceri

Meaning: (Beloved, Fair, Blessed Poetry, It is derived from the word Car which is of the meaning ‘Love’. The name is a modern Welsh coinage and equivalent of the English Amy; it grew in popularity under the influence of names such as Glady’s, and was promoted by the Welsh singer-songwriter Cerys Matthews (1969- ). In addition, Ceri is a contracted form of the English and Welsh Ceridwen in the Welsh language. May also come from the word “Caru” meaning “To Love”. )

Origin: (Welsh, French, English)

Pronunciation: (Kerry, KE-ri)

Gender: Uni-Sex

Recently I have watched a show with an all English (British) cast. One of the main characters mother is named Ceri. I love the meanings and I love how this name doesn’t to some seem like it would be pronounced Kerry. Most think its pronounced SEER-ee. But given that my name (Cassidy) is of similar origin I was able to grasp the pronunciation of Ceri better. The C in Cassidy sounds like a K just like the C in Ceri. So like you wouldn’t pronounce my name as it sounds. If you did it would sound something like Sass-sih-dee instead of KASS-sih-dee.

I really do like the look of Ceri as well. I love Welsh names and this is one I really like a lot right now. I also just like the over all look of Ceri better than Kerry, even though they are seemingly the same. But I think it is the spelling Ceri I really like over Kerry.

Madeline

Meaning: (Woman from Magdala. Variant of Madeleine, which is the French version. Place Name: Magdala was a town on the Sea of Galilee, the possible home of Mary Magdalene, whom Jesus healed and who was present at his crucifixion. Literary: Ludwig Bemelmann’s children’s books had a French schoolgirl character wearing a wide brimmed hat name Madeline.)

Origin: (Hebrew, English)

Pronunciation: (MAD-a-linn, MAD-uh-line, MAEDahLayN, MAEDahLihN (English), MaeDahLIYN, MaeDLIYN (French)

Gender: Female

Recently I have watched a show with an all English (British) cast. The main character is a girl named Madeline. I really like the look of this name and I have even added the nickname Maddy to my Favorite Female Names List on this blog. I tend to lean toward pronouncing this MAD-uh-line but most people pronounce it MAD-a-linn. Either way is right. It is also a pretty cute name but it could age well too. 

Amita

Meaning: (Endless, Limitless, Boundless, Truth, Friend, Friendship, Variant of Amit.)

Origin: (Sanskrit, Hebrew, Italian)

Pronunciation: (ah-MEE-tah, aa-Miy-Taa)

Gender: Female, Possibly Uni-Sex

I had a thought the other day and it sort of evolved as I daydreamed about it. I might write a story about it sometime in the future. So I was brain storming about potential names for the main two characters, male and female. I don’t know why but Amitalyn popped in my head. Then I thought I don’t really care for the Lyn part. Then I wondered is Amita even a name. I mean I know some people who think they created a name but in truth it already was a name but I have never been one of those people, I mean once I thought I had just combined some letters and made a name but I found out years later it was actually a Japanese name, LOL. So I thought perhaps I have heard this name somewhere and just forgot. So I Googled it and found out it is a real name and is actually perfect for my character, it has another world look to it and the meanings are spot on to that characters abilities and job. It was all by accident I thought of this name but it’s perfect for her. Then I was watching The Millionaire Matchmaker and a lady on there was named Jensi (JEN-see) and I thought that was cool but upon Googling it I saw it was mostly a male name. So I named my male character Jensi *See on list of posts*.

As for Amita the name, it is unique and has very lovely meanings.

Armin

Meaning: (Soldier, Man in the Army, derived from the element ‘Ermen’ meaning “Whole, Immense, Universal”. Variant of Herman. The name was recorded by the Roman historian Tacitus as the form Arminius (Latin), which could have been an old Latinized form of Herman. Arminius (18 BC-21 AD) was an ancient chieftain of the Germanic tribe Cherusci who defeated the Roman army in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. Like Herman, the name saw a rise in popularity during 19^th Century German nationalism, which emphasized military prowess.)

Origin: (German, Armenian)

Pronunciation: (AHR-meen, AA-RMihN)

Gender: Male

I was looking up another name and stumbled upon this one. The going trend so far this month is names that start with the letter A. Armin has rare look and I really like the strong meanings. It is also a good and stronger variant of Herman. It also has really nice history. I could see a strong German character named this.

Male Stalker like Character…Weird or Hot?

Whose thinks writing about an obsessive male character is a good hot idea. I have seen this in a few books and heard of a few like that. There is one being turned into a movie right now and the author is like excited about the scene where the guy follows the main female character across the country and is like obsessive about her, before their relationship gets hot and heavy. This concept was in Twilight as well.

Like who says oh ok this character is getting stalked but you know that’s hot so I’ll have the female character jump in bed with that guy. That would not end well in real life, so why in books.

I think if a guy were to follow A.K.A Stalk a person across state lines or even around town that is reaching odd levels and someone should get a restraining order. I am sorry but a dude no matter how good looking shouldn’t be all stalkery *not a word sorry*. I don’t think demanding a woman to do what they *male characters* want or something is right or entertaining.

Anyone care to weigh in on this topic?

Atis

Meaning: (Sugar Apple, Sugar-apple is the fruit of Annona squamosa, the most widely grown species of Annona and a native of the tropical Americas and West Indies.

The fruit is round to conical, 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) in diameter and 6–10 cm (2.4–3.9 in) long, and weighing 100–240 g (3.5–8.5 oz), with a thick rind composed of knobby segments. The color is typically pale green to blue-green, with a deep pink blush in certain varieties, and typically has a bloom. It is unique among Annona fruits in being segmented, and the segments tend to separate when ripe, exposing the interior.

The flesh is fragrant and sweet, creamy white to light yellow, and resembles and tastes like custard. It is found adhering to 13–16 mm (0.51–0.63 in) long seeds to form individual segments arranged in a single layer around the conical core. It is soft, slightly grainy, and slippery. The hard, shiny seeds may number 20-38 or more per fruit, and have a brown to black coat, although varieties exist that are almost seedless.

There are also new varieties being developed in Taiwan. The atemoya or "pineapple sugar-apple", a hybrid between the Sugar Apple and the Cherimoya, is popular in Taiwan, although it was first developed in the USA in 1908. The fruit is similar in sweetness to the sugar apple but has a very different taste. Like the name suggests, it tastes like pineapple. The arrangement of seeds is in spaced rows, with the fruit's flesh filling most of the fruit and making grooves for the seeds, instead of the flesh only occurring around the seeds.)

Origin:  (Filipino)

Pronunciation: (AH-tis)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I have an Email friend from the Philippines whose middle name is Atis. I would have posted about his first name but it is just a combination made up name, a combination between his mother and fathers names. I do however really like his first name and middle name. Atis when I heard meant Sugar Apple I thought that was kind of cute. I think Atis has a good unique look to at least English speakers. The pictures of Atis (Sugar Apples) the fruit look pretty delicious too. I hope my friend doesn’t mind I am posting about his middle name. This name has a very other world look to it.

Attina

Meaning: (Powerful and Complete, Most famously known as the name of a goddess in Greek Mythology. She is the Goddess of Wisdom, a virgin goddess who was the daughter of Metis and Zeus. Her birth was quite extraordinary, as she is said to have sprung fully armed for war from Zeus's head after he swallowed pregnant Metis.)

Origin: (Greek, Greek Mythology)

Pronunciation: (A-TEE-na, ah-te-na)

Gender: Female

This is one of The Little Mermaids sister’s names. I was seeing The Little Mermaid DVD special edition advertised and I went into looking into her sister’s names. Attina is a unique name with beautiful strong meanings. It is also a Greek Mythology name with quite an interesting history. The long history might do well and be just the right fit for an author’s character.

Andrina

Meaning: (Manly, Virile, Man, Warrior, Variant of Andrea, Combination of Andrew and Tina.)

Origin: (Greek, English, American)

Pronunciation: (ae-NDRIY-Naa, ann-dree-nah)

Gender: Female

This is one of The Little Mermaids sister’s names. I was seeing The Little Mermaid DVD special edition advertised and I went into looking into her sister’s names. Andrina is a very strong name with a good look and warrior like meanings. This is a name that is unique but still looks like the more common names like Andrea, Audrey, and Adriana. Good Nicknames: Andy, Drina, Rin, and Rina.

Arista

Meaning: (The Best, Most Excellent, Most Useful, Noble, High birth, The root of the word “Aristocrat”, Ear of Corn. This is the name of a star, also known as Spica, in the constellation Virgo.)

Origin: (Greek, Latin)

Pronunciation: (ə-RIS-tə (English), AIR-is-ta, a-RIS-ta)

Gender: Female

This is one of The Little Mermaids sister’s names. I was seeing The Little Mermaid DVD special edition advertised and I went into looking into her sister’s names. This name Arista has really pretty strong meanings. It is a very aristocratic noble name which I love. It does make me think artist though when I at first see it. It also makes me think of Aristotle for some reason when I see this name. I also like that it is a stars name as I happen to love many star names. This name has cuteness to it which I like but it also has a strongness which makes this name endearing.

Aquata

Meaning: (Water, Watery)

Origin: (Latin)

Pronunciation: (uk-k-w-aa-t-uh, UH-qua-tuh)

Gender: Female

This is one of The Little Mermaids sister’s names. I was seeing The Little Mermaid DVD special edition advertised and I went into looking into her sister’s names. Aquata is super pretty name and has a pretty nature meaning. It has a very unique quality and is a good alternative for Aqua or Aquanetta.

Arendelle / Arendell

Meaning: (Aren: Eagle, Ruler, Exalted, Enlightened, Mountain of Strength, High Mountain, Variant of Aaron Delle / Dell: Small Valley, From an English surname which originally denoted a person who lived in a dell or valley.)

Origin: (Hebrew, Old Norse, Old English)

Pronunciation: (Aren: AARahN, AIR-en Delle / Dell: DEL Arendelle / Arendell: AIR-en-DEL)

Gender: Female

I have seen the movie Frozen advertised of late. The kingdom that the two princesses are from is called Arendelle. The meanings are strong and good. I really liked the name when I first read about the movie. It has a very fantasy like look which I love. It is however a real name, a surname to be exact, so it can be used by other authors in their novels. Good Nicknames: Aren, Elle, Delle.

Abigail / Abigayle

Meaning: (Father in Rejoicing, Father Rejoice, Father’s Joy, Father of Exaltation, My Father had made Himself Joyful, Biblical: the name of King David’s third wife, described as “good in discretion and beautiful in form”. She referred to herself as David’s “handmaid”, and her name became widely used as a term for a lady’s maid. The name first came into use in Britain in the 16^th Century, under Puritan influence. Abigail was also commonly used as a name for ladies maids in Literature, for instances in Beaumont and Fletcher’s play “The Scornful Ladie” (1616). This use is congruent with the Biblical Abigail, who described herself to David in the Bible as ‘Thy Servant’. As a result, the name was also used as a slang term for a servant during the 18^th century and therefore lost some of its popularity. Its decline was also due to Abigail Masham (1680-1734), the unpopular lady-in-waiting to Queen Anne. In literature, notable bearers include the ill fated daughter of Barabas in “The Jew of Malta” (1589-1590) and the manipulative Abigail Williams in Arthur Millers play “The Crucible” (1950’s). The name is also taken as the Anglicized form of Gobnait in Ireland.  Abbie, Abbey, and Abby are pet forms. Abegail is the Spanish from.)

Origin:  (Hebrew, Biblical)

Pronunciation: (AB-ih-gayl, AEBihGeyl (English), AABiyGayl (German))

Gender: Female

This is a nice name with lovely meanings. I have a friend now whose name is Abigail “Abby”. It has a really nice long history as well. This is a name I have heard a bit more about of late. But I was reluctant to add it for a while because of my bad history with a girl I knew in Elementary and Junior High schools whose name is Abigail. That particular Abigail *Not my current Friend Abigail* was a bully and her and her friends tormented me. They were mean little girls. So names like Abigail, Laura, Pam, Brittany, Samantha, and Liz / Lizzie all used to make me think of those girls. Of course I am an adult now who is soon to be 26 years old so I have moved past that and will not hold a grudge against those girls or their names. I have known very sweet and nice girls and women since then named the exact names listed above so I like to think of them now when I see these names.

So there is a bit of my bully filled past. I do hope those girls grew up to become better adults then they were children. Sometimes bullies live, learn and grow whereas others remain lifetime bullies. I don’t really care to find out which they became, Better Adults or Adult Bullies. Though I hope it was the former.

I want to note for any who were bullied or are still being bullied that life goes on and you grow up. Once out of school you probably never will see those kids again. Also there is no real reason to see them again if you don’t want to. Don’t let the bullies force you to self harm or think it will never get better. Blow them off and plan for the future, because it’s as BRIGHT as you want it to be. Reach for the STARS, and leave everything bad in the past, but bring the good along with you.

This quote could help, Substitute: Enemies for Bullies within the quote: Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them so much. - Oscar Wilde

Another good one: "If we could read the secret history of our enemies we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility." – H. Longfellow

We don’t know the bullies own mental illnesses or home life. They may be miserable and wish to make others miserable. As the saying goes, Misery Loves Company. So forgive and forget as hard as it may be and move on and forward.

Alcyone

Meaning: (Calm, Kingfisher, In Greek myth this name belonged to a daughter of Aeolus and the wife of Ceyx. After her husband was killed in a shipwreck she threw herself into the water, but the Gods saved her and turned them both into Kingfishers. This is also the name of the brightest star of the Pleiades, the seven stars in the constellation Taurus.)

Origin: (Latin, Greek, Greek Mythology)

Pronunciation: (al-SIE-a-nee, aeLSAYahNiy)

Gender: Female

 

This is one of those names I also saw on someone list on a site for their future child’s name. I love the look of this name but at first I had no clue how to pronounce it. Though now that I can see the pronunciation next to the name it makes sense seeing just the name now as to how it is pronounced, I hope that makes sense, lol. The meanings are decent and the mythology is especially interesting. This has a nice long history of use and would make a very nice character name. Also another reason I really like this is it is the name of the brightest star in the Pleiades. Anyone that looks to the right side of the blog and looks at my Favorite Female Names list will see Rana Thurayya on the list. Thurayya means the Pleiades. So one of my favorite names means Pleiades and Alcyone is one of the stars names in the Pleiades.   

Arwa

Meaning: (Gracefulness, Beauty, Satisfied, Pleasant, Fresh, Abundance, Good Appearance, Even Watering Sufficiency, Revealed Smooth,  Lightness, Agility, Fullness, Good Looks, With a Beautiful Appearance, Great Tenderness, Open to People, Compassionate, Affectionate, Sheep Mountain, Female Caribou, Mountain Goat/ Deer.)

Origin: (Arabic)

Pronunciation: (uh-r-wha, aa-RWaa)

Gender: Female

I forget now where I at first saw this name but it seemed similar to a few other names on this blog. I can’t quite remember which ones. Anyway once I looked up the meanings and pronunciation the name seemed even prettier to me. This name has quite a few meanings all of which I love and it is Arabic which also explains my love of this name, I love the look, pronunciation and meanings of many Arabic names. Of course with this name the pronunciation has to be read and said fast to get it. I tend to want to take too long on a pronunciation instead of saying it fast. Anyway with this name being short and seemingly simple for some it would make a very lovely character name.

Warlow

Meaning: (This is an English surname of medieval origins. There are three possible origins for this unusual surname which is recorded in spellings as varied as Whorlow, Warrilow, Warlow, Warlowe, Werrilow, Warlaw and Warlawe. The first is locational from either a now 'lost' ancient British (Welsh) site which translates as "The look out hill" from the pre 7th century word weard, meaning to watch, and hlaw, a hill, or from the village of Wardlow in Derbyshire which has the same translation. The second possible origin is occupational, and a corruption of the French phrase "Ward-de-Robe", and as such describing a keeper of a high nobles chamber, and an office of considerable rank in ancient times. In this respect the modern surname could also be locational for one who lived at "The Wardrobe", once an area of the city of London near to the Tower of London. Early examples of the surname recoring taken from surviving church registers of the the city of London include William Warlaw baptized at St. Dunstans in the East, Stepney, on November 12th 1651, and Martha Warrillow christened at St. Botolphs without Aldgate, London on February 1st. Another early recording is that of Joane Warlowe. This was dated January 15th 1576, when she married Robert Gryffine at St. Giles Cripplegate, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st of England, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.)

Origin: (Medieval English)

Pronunciation: (WAR-low, wahr-LOW)

Gender: Male, Possibly Uni-Sex

Now again I can’t remember where I at first saw this but it took me a while to like it enough to add it here. It has decent meanings and from the list above an impressively long history and variant spellings galore. I could see this on a very strong character as maybe a nickname. Maybe it’s a surname that the character goes by…ex. Jefferson Warlow. But his friend’s say, “How’s it going Warlow?” instead of, “How’s it going Jefferson?” or “How’s it going Jeff?”

Elon

Meaning:  (Tree, Oak Tree, Big Tree,  Loved by God, A Hittite whose daughter became “a source of bitterness” to Isaac and Rebekah as the wife of their son Esau.—Ge 26:34, 35; 27:46; 28:8; 36:2. 2. The second of Zebulun’s three sons. He was one included among the members of his grandfather Jacob’s household who went into Egypt. He was also the family head of the Elonites.—Ge 46:14; Nu 26:26. 3. A Zebulunite judge of Israel. After a judgeship of ten years they buried him in Aijalon in the territory of Zebulun.—Jg 12:11, 12.4. A town of the tribe of Dan, listed between Ithlah and Timnah. (Jos 19:42, 43) Identification of its location is uncertain.)

Origin: (Hebrew, Biblical)

Pronunciation: (EE-lon, ee-luhn, eh-LAAN)

Gender: Uni-Sex

Now I really do love this rather short name. As I have mentioned on another post it does have some similar look and meanings to Eilonwy, Eilon, and Elowen / Elowyn *see on list of posts*. So if you don’t like Elon then you can try Eilonwy, Eilon, or Elowen / Elowyn, but bear in mind that Eilonwy is fictional and made up by another author. Anyway Elon is a nice name with really strong meanings. This name also has a long biblical history so this could be used in any era the author wishes.

Silmarien

Meaning: (Most Bright, She of the Shining Light)

Origin: (Fictional)

Pronunciation: (sil-MAH-ree-EN)

Gender: Female

This is a fictional name made for Tolkien’s middle earth. So I am pretty sure you can’t use this for a novel character but again I saw this name on someone’s list for their future child’s name. So I decided to add this name too as I thought it really is pretty and would make a unique child’s name. The look, meaning, and pronunciation are all really pretty.

Kieron

Meaning: (Black, Beam of Light, Dark, Little Dark One, Variant of Kieran and Kiran. Popular for over 1500 years, at least 26 Saints have borne the name.)

Origin: (Irish, Gaelic, Hindi, Sanskrit)

Pronunciation: (KIH-R-aeN, ke-ronh, kee-ron, keer-awn, keer-in)

Gender: Male

I was looking up another name and stumbled upon this name, which happens a lot, LOL! The meanings I really like a lot. The look is different and seems a handsome sort of name. This name reminded me a lot of a main character in one of my stories who is named Kiernan. With such a long use and history this name would be a wonderful character name for an author. I don’t know if I will use it even though I love it because I will confuse myself because of its close look to my characters name Kiernan. Also I might not realize that I may try to make any Kieron be too similar to Kiernan in looks, personality, background, everything. That said I love this name and would love to see it used more often. Oh also I think my writer friend might have used this name, but not sure. But I keep thinking she has but I don’t know. 

Maelle

Meaning: (Ambitious, Goal Oriented, Prince, Princess, Variant of Almeda. Derived from the word Mael meaning ‘Disciple, Prince, Chief’.)

Origin: (Latin, Celtic, English, Breton, French)

Pronunciation: (MAH-el, my-ELLE)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I forget now where I first saw this but I at first didn’t like it but after a few minutes of looking at it I was like that is kind of pretty yet strong. It is a name I could see on a female character but being Uni-Sex I think it would be best as a surname on a male character.  The meanings are really good and strong and regal. Good Female Nicknames: Mae and Elle. 

Marcheline

Meaning: (War Like, Warrior, Little Marcus, Dedicated to Mars, Feminine form of Marcellin, a derivative of the Latin Marcellinus.)

Origin: (French, Latin)

Pronunciation: (mar-shell-lean, marsh-LEEN, mar-sha-leen, MAR-shuh-LEEN) 

Gender: Female

I was looking up a few names a few weeks ago and I came across this name on a naming blog. I think it is really kind of nice looking. It did make me think Alice's Adventures in Wonderland when I saw this name because I kept thinking March Hair. I think it is a pretty name with tough strong meanings.

Rhydwyn

Meaning: (Dweller by the White Ford, made from elements meaning "White; Blessed" and "Ford; Crossing".)

Origin: (Welsh, Irish)

Pronunciation: (HRID win)

Gender: Female, possibly Uni-Sex

I was looking up the name Rhydian *see on list of posts*. Apparently Rhydian is a variant of Rhydwyn. The meanings are pretty good and I do really love the look just like I love the look of Rhydian. Of course Rhydwyn seems more feminine than Rhydian to me. Of course the two Y’s in the name could throw some readers off though. But this is a really good Welsh name that could be used in a made up realm but still look old enough and have links to our world.

Thisbe

Meaning:  (Lover, Where the Dove Lives, Greek Mythology name: Ovid’s “Metamorphoses” tells the tragic tale of the lovers Pyramus and Tisbe, which is retold in Shakespeare “A Midsummer Night’s Tale”.)

Origin: (Old Greek, Greek Mythology, Latin)

Pronunciation: (thizz-bee, THIHSB)

Gender: Female

I was looking up the name Rhydian *see on list of posts* the other day and there was a woman’s list of names that I read on one site and I really liked a few of them. Thisbe was one of the names on her list. I do like the meanings and the look is definitely interesting. I am not sure where this could fit but given time and the right author this could be a pretty cool name in a novel.

Isabeau

Meaning: (God’s Promise, Derived from Elisabeth and a variant of Isabel. Isabeau of Bavaria was Queen Consort of France as the wife of King Charles VI, whom she married in 1385.)

Origin:  (Hebrew, English, French)

Pronunciation: (IS-ah-bo, EE-sah-bo, IY-Zaa-BOW)

Gender: Female

I was looking up the name Rhydian *see on list of posts* the other day and there was a woman’s list of names that I read on one site and I really liked a few of them. Isabeau was one of the names on her list. This may seem like a modern name but it was apparently a name used as far back as 1385 so it could be used in historical novels but it still has a cute modern vibe to it. So what I am saying it seems timeless to me. I do though want to pronounce it IS-ah-boo not IS-ah-bo but that is my only problem when I keep seeing this name.