Sláinte!

As everyone and their auntie knows, today is St Paddy’s day.

And as Patrick is Ireland’s patron, it’s a day as much about celebrating Ireland as commemmorating him.

Although many contend that his feast day of March 17 is because it is the anniversary of his death, many others propose it has more to do with the approaching equinox and Pagan celebrations which marked the arrival of spring.

Of course, it might well be both.

Saturday has become the day when I generally look at great surnames which have not yet seen much use as first names. I plan to take a detailed look at Irish surnames — and surnames from the other Celtic lands — after I’ve finished the English ones, but to mark the special occasion, I thought I’d take a look today at the very best and most wearable contemporary options that Ireland has to offer.

All are Anglicized forms of  the original Irish Gaelic.

• Bardon — Ó Bardáin “son of the little bard.” Also Barden and Bardane.
• Bradigan — Ó Bradagáin probably “descendant of the spirited one.”
• Branigan — Ó Branagáin “descendant of Branagan” (“little raven”).
• Branley — Ó Branghaile “descendant of Branghal” (“raven-valour”). Also Brannelly.
• Brannagh — Breathnach “a Breton.”
• Brannan — Ó Branáin “descendant of Branan” (“little raven”).
• Cafferty — Mac Eachmharcaigh “son of the steed-rider.”
• Cassily — Ó Caisile, possibly “descendant of the one from Cashel” or a variant of Ó Caiside — the Irish Gaelic form of the well-known Cassidy.
• Connan — Mac Canann “son of the little wolf cub.”
• Coveney — Mac Coibheanaigh “son of the trooper.”
• Darragh — Mac Dubhdara “son of the black oak” (Darragh is a popular boy’s name in the Republic of Ireland).
• Donnelly — Ó Donnghaile “descendant of Donnghal” (“brown-valour”).
• Drennan — Ó Draighnáin “descendant of the blackthorn.”
• Finnerty — Ó Fionnachta “descendant of Fionnachta” (“white-snow”). Also Finaghty.
• Flaherty — Ó Flaithbheartaigh “descendant of Flaithbheartaigh” (“bright ruler”). Also Flaverty.
• Foylan — Ó Faoileáin “descedant of Faoileán” (“little wolf”).
• Gallinagh — Ó Gailínigh possibly “descendant of the flattering one.” Also Gallina.
• Gilligan — Mac Giollagáin “son of the little lad/devotee.”
• Guinevan — probably Mac Dhuinnebháin “son of Donnadubhán” (“little brown-black one”).
• Hanley — Ó hÁinle “descendant of the dainty one.”
• Hanlon — Ó hAnluáin “descendant of Anluan” (probably “great champion” — intensifying prefix an + luan “champion”).
• Helehan — Ó hAiolleacháin ” descendant of the little joyful one.”
• Henelly — a variant of FENELLY.
• Hennessy
• Kendrigan — Ó Cinndeargáin probably “descendant of the little red-headed one.”
• Kerrigan — Ó Ciaragáin “descendant of the little black one.”
• Kinneally — Ó Cinnfhaolaidh ” descendant of the wolf’s-head” (i.e. “outlaw”).
• Kitterick — Mac Shitric “son of Sitric” (Irish form of the Norse Sigtrygg “true victory”).
• Larrissey — Ó Learghusa “descendant of Learghus” (“sea-vigour”). Also Laracy.
• Lafferty — Ó Laithbheartaigh. Essentially a variant of FLAHERTY.
• Lynagh — Laighneach “Leinsterman.” Also Leynagh.
• Madigan — Ó Madagáin “descendant of the little hound.”
• Marron — Ó Mearáin “descendant of the little lively/quick one.”
• Mellerick — Ó Maoilgheiric, probably “descendant of a devotee of St Cyriac.”
• Merrigan — Ó Muireagáin “descendant of Muireagan” (probably a diminutive of muir “sea”).
• Milligan — Ó Maoilegáin, a variant of Ó Maolagáin “descendant of the little bald one/devotee.”
• Morrissey — Ó Muirgheasa “descendant of Muirgheas” (“sea-action”).
• Neligan — Ó Niallagain “descendant of Niallagán” (a derivative of the well-known Irish name Neil, essentially “little Neil”).
• Neylan — Ó Niallain “descendant of Niallán” (also “little Neil”). Also Nealon and Neilon.
• Olice — perhaps eolgasasch “knowledgeable.” Also Olis.
• Olisagh — a variant of OLICE.
• Rafferty
• Ronaghan — Ó Reannacháin “descendant of the litte sharp-pointed/starry one.”
• Rogan — Ó Ruadhagáin “descendant of the little red one.”
• Ruane — Ó Ruadháin “descendant of the little red one.”
• Solan — Ó Sochlacháin “descendant of the little renowned one.”
• Soran — Ó Soracháin “descendant of the little bright one.” Also Sorahan.
• Tansey — Mac an Tanáiste “son of the heir presumptive.”
• Thoran — Ó Toráin “descendant of the little lord.”
• Timoney — Ó Tiománaidhe “descendant of the driver.”
• Toran — variant of THORAN.
• Traynor — Mac Thréinfhir “son of the strong man.”  Also Treanor.
• Tynan — Ó Teimhneáin “descendant of the dark one.”
• Varrelly — Mac an Bhearshúiligh “son of the sharp-eyed (man).”
• Veigh — Mac an Beatha “son of life.” Also MacVey and MacEvoy.

Mine’s a guinness ;).

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Latin Lovelies and Loathlies — F

Florea

Time for some more name inspiration from Latin.

These are the gems that F has to offer — and words which sound delightful but leave much to be desired in their meaning!

• Faba — “broad bean” (the word behind names such as Fabia and Fabian)
• Fabella — “little story”
• Faber, Fabra — “skillful,” “ingenious”; as a noun, it means “smith” and “craftsperson”
• Fabula — “talk,” “story,” “fable”
• Fabularis — “mythical”
• Fabulosus, Fabulosa — “fabled”
• Facetus, Faceta — “fine,” “elegant,” “witty”
• Faeneus, Faenea — “made of hay”
• Fagus — “beech-tree”
• Falco — “falcon”
• Falx — “sickle”
• Fama — “talk,” “rumor,” “fame” — personified as a the Goddess Fama — by the Romans
• Famosus, Famosa — “famous”
• Far — “spelt”
• Farina — “flour”
• Farreus, Farrea — “made of spelt”
• Fas — “divine law”
• Fautrix — “patroness”
• Favilla — “glowing ashes,” “spark”
• Favus — “honeycomb”
• Fax — “torch,” “firebrand,” “flame,” “light”
• Femella — “young woman,” “girl”
• Ferax — “fruitful,” “fertile,” “prolific”
• Feriae — “festivals”
• Ferinus, Ferina — “wild”
• Feritas — “wilderness”
• Fero — “I bear,” “I produce,” “I bring,” etc
• Ferox — “fierce,” “courageous,” “wild”
• Ferula — “fennel”
• Ferus, Fera — “wild”
• Festinatio — “speed”
• Festinus, Festina — “hurrying”
• Festivus, Festiva — “festive,” “merry”
• Festus, Festa — “festive”
• Fidelia — “earthenware pot”
• Fidelis — “faithful”
• Fidentia — “confidence,” “boldness”
• Fides — “trust,” “confidence,” “belief,” “faith”; “lyre,” “lute,” “harp”
• Fidicen, Fidicina — “harp/lute/lyre-player,” “lyric poet”
• Filia — “daughter”
• Filius — “son”
• Filix — “fern”
• Finis — “boundary,” “limit,” “end,” “summit”
• Firmus, Firma — “firm,” “strong”
• Flagrantia — “burning,” “blazing,” “glittering”
• Flamen — “priest”; “blowing,” “blast”
• Flamma — “flame”
• Flavens — “yellow/gold-colored”
• Flavus, Flava — “golden-yellow” (the adjective behind the name Flavia, etc)
• Flexus — “bending,” “turning,” “modulation”
• Floreus, Florea — “made of flowers”
• Florifer, Florifera — “bearing flowers”
• Flos — “flower”
• Flumen — “stream”
• Fons — “spring,” “fountain”
• Forma — “form,” “figure,” “manner,” “beauty”
• Formosus, Formosa — “beautiful”
• Fortuna — “fate,” “luck,” “fortune”
• Frater — “brother”
• Fraxineus, Fraxinea — “of ash-wood”
• Fraxinus — “ash-tree”
• Frons — “leaf,” “foliage”
• Frugifer, Frugifera — “fruit-bearing”
• Fulgor — “lightning”
• Fulgur — “flash of lightning”
• Fulmen — “lightning”
• Fulmineus, Fulminea — “of lightning,” “like lightning”
• Fulvus, Fulva — “tawny yellow” (the adjective behind the name Fulvia, etc)
• Furvus, Furva — “dark,” “black”

And the loathlies:

• Fallax — “treacherous”
• Fallo — “I deceive”
• Fames — “hunger”
• Fastus — “pride,” “arrogance”
• Febris — “fever”
• Fel — “gallbladder,” “bitterness”
• Ferreus, Ferrea — “like iron,” “unfeeling,” “cruel,” “unyielding”
• Fessus, Fessa — “tired,” “exhausted”
• Fleo — “I weep”
• Foedus, Foeda — “filthy,” “horrible”
• Fossa — “ditch”
• Fraus — “deceit,” “delusion,” “crime”
• Frivolus, Frivola — “worthless”
• Furax — “thievish”
• Furcifer — “gallows-bird,” “scoundrel”

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Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!

Happy St David’s Day — from a sunny (yes, it is!) Wales!

As a St David’s Day present, here are the entries from Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Names for David and Dewi.

David ♂ Biblical name of Hebrew origin. The meaning isn’t all that clear, but seems mostly likely to derive from a root meaning “beloved,” although, interestingly enough, the Hebrew letters which make up the name David are exactly the same ones used for “mandrake.” 12th C. St. David is the famous leek- and daffodil-wielding patron saint of Wales — but his real name was actually DEWI.

Diminutive forms: Dawe (historic); Dave, Davey, Davie, Davy.

David in other languages: Welsh: Dafydd; Dai (diminutive), Irish: Dáibhead, Daithí, Gaelic: Dàibheid, Dàibhidh, Cornish: Daveth, Czech, French, German, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Spanish: David, Hungarian: Dávid, Lithuanian: Davidas, Italian: Davide, Latvian: Dāvids, Pol: Dawid, Arabic: Da’wud, Hawaiian: Kāwika, Maori: Rāwiri, Finish: Taavetti, Taavi (diminutive).

Bearers: two medieval Scottish kings (d. 1153 and 1371); David Copperfield, the eponymous hero of Dickens’s 1850 novel, and the stage-name of  American illusionist David Kotkin (b. 1956); David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George, (1863–1945) and David Cameron (b. 1966), both British Prime Ministers; David Eddings (1931–2009), the American novelist; David Bowie (b. 1947), the British singer-songwriter.

Dewi ♂ ♀ The boy’s name Dewi is a very old and very interesting name. Dewi Sant is the Welsh name for St. David, and many people believe it is simply the Welsh form of David. It isn’t. David is simply the name adopted to render Dewi in English, a long time ago. Almost certainly, his name actually derives from the Common Celtic *dOEwo- “(a) God,” cognate with Zeus, Latin deus, Sanskrit deva and the Irish Dagda, etc.

The element is well attested in given names in the Roman period — examples include Deomiorix, Deiana, and Deieda. Some have attempted to derive the name from Dewydd, an alleged “old form” of Dafydd—the Welsh form of David — but the argument works just as well the other way — Dewydd may well represent an attempt to synthesize Dewi and Dafydd. The simple fact is, biblical names were not used in sub-Roman Britain, and thus the likelihood of someone genuinely being called “David” in sixth-century Wales is, quite frankly, about as likely as someone in the period being called Jayden.

Dewi was used as a given name in the Middle Ages, probably in honor of the saint, but then disappeared until its revival in Wales in the nineteenth century.

By coincidence, the Malaysian girl’s name Dewi means “Goddess.”

I love coincidences! 😉

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi hapus!

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The Sons of Wales

This Thursday, we’ll be celebrating St David’s Day here in Wales. So to mark the occasion, this week will have an entirely Welsh theme.

Today it overlaps with a name category which has been on my mind a lot recently: the “son” names.

These are most familiar, of course, as names ending in –son itself, or beginning with Mac-

But there is also the Welsh equivalent – ap.

Wales holds the distinction of being the last place in the British Isles where surnames became universally hereditary.

In many parts of the principality where Welsh remained the dominant language, the patronymic system — in which a person was formally known as ap “son of” or ferch “daughter of” — remained common until the nineteenth century.

But across the centuries, the ap also gave rise to hereditary surnames, surviving as an initial “b” or “p.”

And many of these make interesting first name options.

Here then, are the sons of Wales:

• Barry – ap Harry (although it has a number of other origins too)
• Beddard, Bedward – ap Edward
• Bellis, Belliss – ap Ellis
• Benian, Benyon, Beynon, Baynham, Binyon – ap Einion
• Bevan, Beven, Beavan, Beaven, Beavon – ap Evan
• Bowen – ap Owen
• Breese, Breeze – ap Rhys
• Brobyn – ap Robin
• Brodrick, Broderick – ap Rhydderch/Roderick
• Parry – ap Harry
• Penry, Pendry – ap Henry
• Pinyon – ap Einion
• Pleaden, Pleavin, Pleven, Plevin – ap Blethyn
• Pluthero — ap Rhydderch/Roderick
• Pomfrey, Pomphrey – ap Humphrey
• Powell, Poel – ap Howel
• Preece, Prees – ap Rhys
• Price, Pryce, Prise, Pryse – ap Rhys
• Prichard, Pritchard – ap Richard
• Probert – ap Robert
• Probin, Probyn — ap Robin
• Probus – ap Robert
• Prodger – ad Roger
• Prosser – ap Rosser (an old Welsh form of Roger)
• Prothero, Protheroe – ap Rhydderch/Roderick
• Prytherick – ap Rhydderch/Roderick
• Pugh , Pughe – ap Hugh/Huw
• Upjohn — ap John
• Uprichard – ap Richard

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Welsh Flower Names — Part 2

As promised, here’s the second part of Welsh Flowers that have great name potential. Pronunciation at the end if you want to sound like you were born and bred in the Land of Song.

• Gwaedlys — pink persicaria
• Gwendon — bedstraw
• Gwenith y gog — figwort
• Gwenonwy — lily of the valley
• Gwern — alder
• Gwlithlys (g-LITH-lis) — sundew
• Helogan — celery
• Helygen — willow
• Helyglys — lesser willowherb
• Isop— hyssop
• Lili Mai — lily of the valley
• Ller — darnel
• Llin — flax
• Llwyfen (“LHOO-ee-ven”) – elm
• Llyriad — broad-leaved plantain
• Maglys — lucerne
• Meillion — clover
• Melenydd — hawkweed
• Melyn euraidd — golden rod
• Melyn Mair — marigold
• Melenllys — greater celandine
• Merllys — asparagus
• Merywen — juniper
• Mesen — acorn
• Miaren — briar
• Murlys — wall pellitory
• Onnen — ash
• Oren — orange
• Pabi — poppy
• Pansi — pansy
• Pengaled -(pen-GA-led) – knapweed
• Persli — parsley
• Pren — tree
• Pren Ceri — medlar tree
• Pren Eirin — plum tree
• Rhedyn — fern
• Rhos Mair — Rosemary
• Rhosmari (ros-MA-ree) — Rosemary
• Rhosyn — rose
• Saets — sage
• Safri — savoury
• Serenyn — squill
• Siasmin — jasmine
• Suran — common sorrel
• Syfi — strawberries
• Syfien — strawberry
• Taglys — field bindweed
• Tansi — tansy
• Tegeirian (te-GAY-ree-an) — orchid
• Teim — thyme
• Tormaen — golden saxifrage
• Tresi Aur — laburnum
• Trilliw (TRI-lhee-oo) — pansy
• Trydon — agrimony
• Ywen — yew

Pronunciation notes:

• “ae,” “ai,” “au,” and “eu” pronounced “eye”
• “c” always hard, as in “cat”
• “e” pronounced like “e” in “bet,” “set,” etc
• “ei” pronounced “ay”
• “f” ipronounced “v”
• “ff” pronounced “f”
• “g” always hard, as in “get”
• “ll” see Extreme Welsh Names
• “s” always “s,” never “z”; often “sh” before an “i”
• “th” pronounced like the “th” in “thistle”
• “y” in the last syllable is pronounced “i” as in “in”, but in most other syllables, is pronounced “uh.”

(In words of two syllables, stress is divided equally. In words of three, stress usually falls on the first syllable, unless otherwise stated.)

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Welsh Flower Names — Part 1

The adoption of “word names” is much more widespread and accepted in Welsh, and are regularly heard within Wales.

Names of flowers and trees are, naturally, a popular choice too.

But there are still many that have been little used so far, names which are accessible to English-speakers too.

So if you have Welsh heritage you want to honor, or simply a love of Celtic lands, here’s a collection of Welsh flowers and trees for you:

(If you want to say ’em like a native, general pronunciation guidance given at end — unless something is particularly tricky)

• Aethnen — aspen
• Afal — apple
• Afallen — apple-tree
• Afan — raspberries
• Afanen — raspberry
• Alaw — water-lily (also means “melody”)
• Arian Gwion — yellow rattle (literally Gwion’s silver)
• Banadl — broom
• Bedwen — birch
• Blodyn — flower
• Bronwerth — borage
• Brwynen — rush
• Brythlys — scarlet pimpernel
• Calon Afal — devil’s bit scabious
• Camri — camomile
• Cawnen — reed
• Ceian — carnation
• Ceilys — pink
• Ceirios — cherries
• Celyn — holly
• Celyn Mair — butcher’s broom
• Cenawen — catkins
• Clais yr hydd — dog’s mercury
• Clais y moch — clary
• Clefryn — sheep’s bit scabious
• Collen — hazel
• Corsen — reed
• Crinllys — dog violet
• Crys y brenin — henbane
• Cyren — currants
• Dail Arian — silverweed
• Danadl — blind nettle
• Delia — dahlia
• Derwen — oak
• Draen — briar
• Draenen ddu — blackthorn
• Draenen wen — hawthorn
• Dringol — common sorrel
• Drysïen (“DRUH-see-en) — briar
• Dwyfog (“DOO-ee-vog”) — wood betony
• Eglyn — golden saxifrage
• Eirin — plums
• Eirinen — plum
• Eirlys — snowdrop
• Eithen — gorse
• Elinog — bittersweet
• Erwain — meadowsweet
• Eurlys — yellow vetch
• Fandon — woodruff
• Fioled — violet
• Ffarwel haf — Michaelmas daisy
• Ffion — foxgloves
• Ffwsia — fuchsia
• Gellygen — pear-tree
• Glesyn — borage
• Greulys — groundsel

Pronunciation notes:

• “ae,” “ai,” “au,” and “eu” pronounced “eye”
• “c” always hard, as in “cat”
• “e” pronounced like “e” in “bet,” “set,” etc
• “ei” pronounced “ay”
• “f” pronounced “v”
• “ff” pronounced “f”
• “g” always hard, as in “get”
• “ll” see Extreme Welsh Names
• “s” always “s,” never “z”; often “sh” before an “i”
• “th” pronounced like the “th” in “thistle”
• “y” in the last syllable is pronounced “i” as in “in”, but in most other syllables, is pronounced “uh.”

(In words of two syllables, stress is divided equally. In words of three, stress usually falls on the first syllable, unless otherwise stated.)

Part 2 next week!

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Nook of Names Pick of the Week — Vashti

Vashti — a name it seems everyone loves, but few actually use!

I’ve met more than one person who have said they set their heart on Vashti, but when it came to crunch time, settled on something else. Something less distinctive.

Why is that?

After all, Vashti’s not exactly a new creation. It’s found in the Bible.

The biblical Vashti was the name of the first wife of the Persian King Ahasuerus — better known to history as Xerxes, though it is unclear which Xerxes he is supposed to be. He is popularly identified with Xerxes I — whose known named wife was called Amestris in Greek sources.

And, actually, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Vashti and Amestris share the same source — just as Ahasuerus and Xerxes do; the one traveling from the original via Hebrew, the other by Greek.

Indeed, according to one theory, it may be that another name closely linked to Vashti’s tale also stem from the name of this queen — none other than Esther.

In the biblical Book of Esther, the story goes that Ahasuerus banised Vashti because she refused to come before him “to show her beauty to the people and nobles.”

He was “in high spirits from wine” at the time.

Reading between the lines, it was considered improper for Vashti to be at the party, and in summoning her in such as way, Ahasuerus would have dishonored her — and himself.

As king, of course, he was used to being obeyed, whether his commands were reasonable or not. He couldn’t be seen to allow her to disobey him.

So Vashti was shown the door, and Ahasuerus married Esther instead.

For standing up to her bully of a husband, Vashti is now regarded as a bit of a feminist icon, though she’s had more than her fair share of flack in past centuries. The Midrash is particularly unflattering.

Which is kind of ironic really, as it is possible that the historic Vashti and Esther were actually the same person, the two emerging from different interpretations of the real name of the wife of King Xerxes.

I’ve mentioned before that Esther might derive from Ishtar, but have only recently come across the interesting theory that both Amestris and Esther come from the Akkadian Ummu-Ishtar “Ishtar is (my) mother” or Ammu-Ishtar.

Ammu is more difficult — it may be the same as the Hammu of Hamurabi, which is thought to be an Amorite name, with (H)ammu a divine name.

That Amestris and Esther might come from either of these is perfectly plausible; and the same is true of Vashti, with the loss of the initial vowel and mutation of the “m” to a “v.”

Other theories keep it simpler, and suggest Vashti derives directly from an Old Persian word meaning “beautiful” or “best.”

Another plausible option is a derivation from the Old Persian vas “to desire.”

Like many biblical names, Vashti came into use after the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century; it appealed particularly to the Romani, and by the nineteenth century had come to be regarded as very much a Gypsy name.

Augusta Jane Evans used it in her 1869 novel Vashti.

Nowadays, its best known bearer is the English singer-songwriter Vashti Bunyan, whose 1970 album Just Another Diamond Day is a cult classic.

A bit like the name Vashti!

In 2010, only 29 little girls were called Vashti in America, and less than three in Britain.

Isn’t it time this diamond of a name got to sparkle?

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Nook of Names Pick of the Week — Argent

It was the full moon last night, which is the inspiration for today’s pick of the week, the little heard Argent.

Argent falls into the categories of both “surnames as first names” and “word names,” though they share the same source: the Old (and Modern) French argent “silver.”

Silver’s association with the moon goes back to ancient times. It has long been believed to enhance the power of the moon, capable of forging a strong link between the the physical and metaphysical worlds.

The surname probably arose as a nickname for someone with silver hair, while the word has been used in the past as a noun (for a silver coin) and an adjective.

Nowadays, it is mostly confined to heraldry, where it is used of both silver and white in coats of arms.

The Old French word came from the Latin for silver argentum, which gives us the chemical symbol for silver — Ag.

It is cognate with the Welsh arian “silver” — which is still used to mean “money” in Welsh — which is found in more than one Welsh name, such as Arianwen, which combines it with gwyn “white,” “pure,” and “blessed,” and Arianell, which combines it with gell “yellow,” and “shining.”

It may also feature in the name of the Goddess Arianrhod — which is popularly interpreted as meaning “silver wheel” and a reference to the moon.

Caer Arianrhod is the Welsh name for the Milky Way.

The Common Celtic word from which arian derived was *arganto-, and the “g” is preserved in the medieval name Argante — used by Layamon in the twelfth century epic poem Brut as the name of the Queen of Avalon.

She is usually identified with Morgan le Fay, and there are those who argue that the name derives from an older form of Arianrhod.

Another old form is Eraint, which features in the epithet of the mythical Welsh figure Lludd Llaw Eraint “Lludd of the Silver Hand.”

This form also happens to demonstrate well the etymological relation between arian and the Modern Welsh Eirian “shining.”

Meanwhile, its Sanskrit cognate is Arjuna, a name borne by a hero of the epic Mahabharata. The modern Hindi form of the name is Arjun.

Argent itself is first found as a given name as early as the sixteenth century, interestingly enough as a girl’s name. This probably represented a simpler form of Argentea, which was taken directly from the Latin argenteus meaning “silvery” and “of silver.”

By the nineteenth century, it is more commonly found as a boy’s name, often as a middle name, indicative that the surname was now the principal source.

Today, Argent is a rarity. It has never reached the top 1000 in America, and only even appears in the data at all on one occasion, in 1926, when five girls were given the name.

Bursting as it is with heritage and meaning, I think it makes for a great unusual and contemporary choice for a boy or a girl. What do you think?

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Agatha — Good Goddess!

First of all, apologies to anyone who happened by yesterday when my blog was temporarily “suspended/archived.”  Thankfully it was a system error, and the nice people at WordPress sorted it out very quickly — though I did have a litter or two of kittens in panic in the meantime!

A couple of weeks ago, I included Agatha in my list of “Grannies” worthy of resurrection, and the eve of the feast day of the saint of the name seemed a good day to feature her properly.

For it was Saint Agatha whose popularity in Britain in the Middle Ages made Agatha a common name in medieval times.

Hers is a particularly gruesome tale, even by the usual standards of hagiography.

For refusing to succumb to the advances of the (naturally) Pagan Roman prefect of Sicily, Agatha was tortured — which included cutting off her breasts — and executed.

These scenes have been popular in art across the centuries, with Agatha usually portrayed carrying her breasts on a tray as though they were macaroons (inspiration, perhaps for the minni di virgini cakes, which are a speciality of St Agatha’s day in Sicily).

However, contemporary evidence for her existence is non-existent, and the first references to her date from the sixth century.

All the rest is pure legend and folklore.

So who really was Agatha?

Agatha is a straight-forward name to interpret. It is simply the feminine form of the Greek agathos “good.” Hence Agatha, at its most literal, means “the good (female) one,” in her case, it could be “good woman,” “good lady” — or  “good goddess.”

And, as fate has it, there was a Roman Goddess called exactly that, word for word in Latin — Bona Dea, “the Good Goddess.”

The Bona Dea is quite a mysterious deity. what we do know is that she was a goddess strongly linked with women, and her festival was celebrated only by women (and only well-born ones at that).

Ancient writers interpreted Bona Dea as a title or epithet, concealing her real identity, which was believed to be a closely guarded secret kept by those admitted to her mysteries.

This didn’t stop the writers speculating that her real identity was the fertility Goddess Ops (“plenty”), Magna Mater (the “Great Mother”) and/or Ceres, and she was also identified with Juno and Isis.

Intriguingly, there are many vestiges of the worship of Isis in the festivals of St. Agatha on Sicily, where the cult of Isis was strong in ancient times. These include the greeting of the cult statue and its procession on a carriage and an enormous party.

A further interesting “coincidence” is that these festivities begin on February 2nd—with one of her areas of patronage being protection against fire, linking her to Brigid, who is also sometimes equated with Isis, and whose feast day is suspiciously close.

On Sicily, this connection with fire is particularly linked to Sicily’s volcano, Etna; Agatha’s veil has supposedly protected the island from the volcano on more than one occasion.

Agatha, like Isis, is also closely connected with cats; in France, Agatha is said to appear in the guise of an angry cat to women who work on her feast day, and in Languedoc she even used to be referred to as “Santo Gatto.”

In the Middle Ages, Agatha was very much the “Sunday best” form of the name, used in Latin documents. Like many — if not most — names, the vernacular forms were simpler.

In Agatha’s case, they were forms such as Agas, Agase and Agace, and Agacia was commonly found in Latin documents rather than Agatha.

Two significant medieval bearers were Agatha, the mother of Edgar Atheling, and Agatha of Normandy, a daughter of King William the Conqueror. The name is also ascribed to the mother of the famous fifteenth century “Mother Shipton” — Ursula Southill.

After the Reformation, Agatha plunged out of fashion, becoming unusual until the Victorians with their love of all things medieval plunked it from the history books.

Even then, however, it never became particularly common, while many an Agatha naturally became an Aggie.

The best-known real-life bearer of modern times is the British writer and archaeologist Agatha Christie (1890-1976). I’ve loved Agatha Christie’s books since childhood, and feel an additional bond because my Director of Studies at College, who excavated with Agatha Christie and her husband Max Mallowan in the 1950s. It was rather thrilling to hear about her from someone who knew her personally.

In fiction, there’s more than one witch of the name, such as Agatha Harkness, a witch in the world of Marvel Comics, and Agatha Cackle, the villain of Jill Murphy’s Worst Witch.

But probably the most famous literary Agatha has to be the formidable Aunt Agatha of P.G. Wodehouse’s Jeeves stories.

Until recently, this battleaxe image has rendered Agatha virtually unusable. But things are changing, and little Agathas are starting to make appearances.

In Britain, the name’s prospects may have improved due to the children’s TV show Guardians of the Museum, which is hosted by a pretty 1930’s ghost called Agatha. Certainly, my Small Child associates the name with this character, and thinks it’s a fabulous name.

So even if the current generation of parents can’t appreciate Agatha’s qualities, the next is distinctly hopeful!

Happy St. Agatha’s!

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Rune Names — Is

The darker mood of Hægl and Nyd remains as we reach Is — Ice — in the runes.

The forms it takes in the various runic systems are:

• Eldar Futhark: *Isaz
• Anglo-Frisian: Is
• Marcomannic: His
• Younger Futhark: Isa

In the runic poems, the focus is on ice’s appearance and nature — it is “the bark of a river,” and “a floor forged by the frost.”

But emphasis is also placed on the danger it brings, both tangible (such as slipping on it), and more metaphorical (for the perils that cold presents, both to the body and environement).

But ice also stands for winter, and as well as its dangers (so real and frightening in those days when famine was always a hair-bredth away), it is a time of rest and introspection.

Nature turns inwards, and so must we. After its sleep beneath the ice, new life will come in the spring.

Modern rune interpretations follow on from all this. Is is a distinct, virtually physical obstacle placed before us. It can represent sudden frustration in endeavours, something that stops us in our paths and threatens to prevent us from moving forward.

Indeed, to some extent it is actual tells us that we might need to stop and take time to think. Time to allow what will be to be. Just like Nature in wintertime. The spring will come.  We just need patience…

And so to the names…

Is is, of course, identical to “is”; I have encountered it as a nickname for Isabella and all her forms, and, after all Will’s resemblance to “will” hasn’t hindered him. Isaz is distinctly exotic, though not a thousand miles from Isis and Isaac.

His? Maybe, maybe not.

But lovely Isa has to be one of the best “rune names” of all. An old short form of Isabella, etc, particularly in Scotland, it has that “great-granny” charm going too, but has yet to be rediscovered in her own right (only 5 in 2010 in the UK), though it features in a lot of other names. In addition to all the variations on Isabella, there’s all these among the girls:

Aanisah, Alisa, Anisa, Anisah, Annalisa, Arisa, Beatrisa, Denisa, Elisa, Elisabeth, Elisabeta, Elisabetta, Ellisa, Eloisa, Elouisa, Erisa, Faisa, Ibtisaam, Ibtisam, Isadora, Isatou, Isatu, Larisa, Lisa, Louisa, Luisa, Khalisa, Khalisah, Maisa, Maisarah, Mandisa, Marisa, Melisa, Nafisa, Nafisah, Nisa, Nisanur, Parisa, Raisa, Ramisa, Romaisa, Risa, Rumaisa, Temisan, Tulisa, Unaisa, Unaisah.

Then there are all the great names beginning with Is-. As well as Isaac, the Isabellas and Isadora, there’s:

Isabèu, Isaiah, Isambard, Isamu, Isao, Isca, Iseult, Isfael, Isfandiyar, Ishaq, Ishara, Ishkur, Ishtar, Isidore, Isioma, Isis, Iska, Iskander, Iskra, Isla, Islay, Islwyn, Islyn, Isra, Issachar, Issoria, István.

Then there’s the meaning; and what leaps out first is Ice itself, along with Icie and Icy and “ice” or “icy” in other languages:

• Ais — Malay: “ice”
  
• Akull — Albanian: “ice”
• Akulli — Albanian: “icy”
• Bīng — Mandarin: “ice”
• Buz — Turkish: “ice”
• Duramen — Latin: “ice”
• Eis — German: “ice”
• Eisig — German: “icy”
• Gelido, Gelida — Italian: “icy”
• Gelu — Latin: “ice”
• Glace — French: “ice”
• Glacial — French: “icy”
• Glacies — Latin: “ice”
• Hielo — Spanish: “ice”
• Iâ — Welsh: “ice”
• Izotz — Basque: “ice”
• Jää — Estonian, Finnish: “ice”
• Jäine — Estonian: “icy”
• Jäinen –Finnish: “icy”
• Jaleed — Arabic: “ice”
• Jég — Hungarian: “ice”
• Jeges — Hungarian: “icy”
• Kerakh — Hebrew: “ice”
• Kori — Japanese: “ice”
• Kryeros, Kryera, Cryerus, Cryera — Greek: “icy”
• Krymos, Kryma, Crymus, Cryma — Greek: “icy”
• Krystallos, Crystallus — Greek: “ice”
• Kryos, Krya, Cryus, Crya — Greek: “icy”
• Led — Croatian, Czech: “ice”
• Ledas — Lithuanian: “ice”
• Ledovy — Czech: “icy”
• Ledinis — Lithuanian: “icy”
• Ledus — Latvian: “ice”
• Lód — Polish: “ice”
• Lyed — Russian: “ice”
• Oighreata — Irish: “icy”
• Oighir — Irish: “ice”
• Pegylis — Greek: “icy-cold”
• Rhew — Welsh: “ice”
• Stiria — Latin: “icicle”
• Thalj — Arabic: “ice”
• Xeado — Galician: “icy”
• Xeo — Galician: “ice”
• Yax — Persian: “ice”
• Yelo — Filipino: “ice”

It also inspires the following in English:

• Berg
• Cryo
• Crystal
• Diamond
• Floe
• Frazil
• Frost
• Frostflower
• Frosty
• Gelid
• Glacier
• Glacieret
• Glaçon
• Glaze
• Glitter
• Glittery
• Hail 
• Icicle
• Kittly
• Kulfi
• Lollipop
• Lolly
• Nilas
• Popsicle
• Rime
• Rone
• Sparkle
• Sleet
• Star
• Thaw
• Varve
• Winter

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