However, rat fighting is a misleading name because it was really a contest between dogs to see which dog could kill the most rats in a certain amount of time—some killed a rat every 2.7 seconds. I have seen the occasional character on TV with this name. (Used by celeb parents Ethan Hawke, Claudia Schiffer, and Rachel Griffiths.). I think Winnie may be more popularly used as a nickname than a given, which would make it harder to spot on the SSA data, but as the generation that grew up watching Danika McKellar's Winnie on tv is now having kids I think this name will rise. I need both male and female Victorian names. We also collect old nicknames, can you help? At the time, cross-the-pond trends were common. All names have been taken from public databases, which have taken the names from birth registers, social security card applications and other similar systems. The Victorian era lasted throughout the reign of Queen Victoria, from 1837-1901. An unusual name, but an apt one: its situated right outside the main Plymouth University campus. His father was a labourer. "David and Victoria Beckham named their first child Brooklyn because he was conceived there - but a family beat them to it when they named their son after a railway station in 1863. Some unique male Victorian names were Asa, August, Bennet, Bertram, Byron, Horatio, Jasper, Reuben, Simeon, and Thaddeus. Adelia: Adelia strikes a stylistic balance between newly fashionable names Adele and Adelaide. Meanwhile, America was busy establishing its democracy during a bloody civil war. My 4 year old daughters name is Ellanorah. (I also like Rosamond and Rosalind.) 10. I like the variation Ardelia for Adelia. In 1896, while performing in a new play at the Novelty Theatre in London, Temple Edgecumbe Crozier (his real name, apparently) was killed when a fellow actor stabbed him during his debut performance of The Sins of the Night. Flickr: 55935853@N00 / Ewan_M / Creative Commons Looking for a better life insurance deal? The genealogists also dug up peculiar names including ‘Friendless’ Baxter, ‘Leicester Railway’ Cope, ‘Zebra’ Lynes and ‘Time Of’ Day. Actors Jackman and Grant have helped bring Hugh into the 21st century, causing a few of us to take a second look at this promising throwback name. roughly 40 and 28 yo. They just sound so pretty and elegant. It shows people in the 19th century had a great sense of humour. We don't think so, though it seems everyday parents need some encouragement to free Clementine from its banjo-stringed cage. Anderton, (Old English Origin) Derived from Old English words meaning "Eanred's town". Top 10 bizarre Victorian names. Ephraim: A traditional Hebrew name and a tribe of Israel in the Old Testament, Ephraim is saturated with history and culture. Baxter. This is especially … Her parents were Henry and Emma Waters. Her name was actually Maurgaret but she went by Margie. His parents were James and Jane Baxter. She named her daughter, my grandmother, Delia Marie. More unusual choices among the Victorian royal baby names include Leopold, Ewart, Temple, Cecil and Feodore . Elsie: It is a cute and short Victorian name for a baby girl that was very popular in the late 19th century. It could easily take a place next to Ella and Emma. The name is a phonetic variation of MacKay, meaning ‘son of Aoh (ie the champion)’. A zingy take on the rediscovered antique Sadie, Zadie was at its most popular in the 1800s and has pioneer-revival written all over it. (Or just look to Oscar-nominated actress Viola Davis.). A great laugh! We are fond of the nickname Fletch, which may remind you of a mystery-solving reporter played by Chevy Chase in the Fletch films (Fletcher was the character's last name.). Larkin: This surname and variant of Laurence sounds so modern, it's hard to believe the last time it made the US charts was in the late 1800s. 7. There seem to be over 900 holders of the name in the USA. For boys, now I think Victorians again liked to use Latin, Anglo-saxon, Biblical and surnames. Both are under 4. Zadie: Add Zadie to your list right now. Americans borrowed elaborate fashions from England, as well as now-classic literature by Dickens, Thackeray and the Brontë sisters. While the Victorian era may evoke puffed sleeves and woollen waistcoats, modern parents in search of perfect names are clamoring for the sought-after "it" names from the mid-to-late 1800s. The idea of surnames, or last names, is not a common nor universal practice. When Grandma was 10, she had perfect attendance in sunday School and was awarded a Bible with her name printed on it. Her parents were Arthur and Sarah Pepper and her father was a laundry man. I like it as it's an interesting twist on Arabella. Discovering appealing but unused names from this era is exactly the kind of challenge we love around here. His father was a poultry dealer. The names below are from Social Security card applications for births that occurred in the United States. This list includes tasteful antiques that just might make an appearance on your list of favorites soon. Ebba could appeal to fans of Abigail and Abbey. The feminine names of America during this time weren't tough like the times; they were sweet, even frilly. Augustus: Fit for a toddling baby boy or a staunch Roman emperor, this seriously sober name also has the kind of whimsy that makes us smile. We just named our daughter Rowan! Catch a production of Twelfth Night, movie adaptations like "She's The Man," or Gwyneth Paltrow's character in "Shakespeare in Love" and you'll be convinced. But I ask how many Noahs and Sophias is too many? Biblical names were quite popular in the Victorian era and names were borrowed from New Testaments and the Old Testament. His parents were Thomas and Alice Day. So ladies on the web site, do you think it's an interesting subject to blog about, the first name guides for the beleaguered parent and if one can find them in print? : It's easy to imagine a boy wearing Baxter today, alongside Dexter and other names we love … Men, too, were often named after kings and royalty, such as such as Henry, James, Charles, and Albert. © 2021 Wild Sky Media All rights reserved. Hepsy, Heppy, Heppie, Hepsa, Hepsi, Hepsie, Heps or Beth may be a nickname for Hepsybeth, or Hepsibeth, Hepsabah, Hepsiba, Hepsibah, Hepziba, Hepzibah, a Victorian era woman’s name. So glad I read through the comments! It is my given name, however due to much teasing as a child coupled with the fact that I went by a nickname and wasn't called by my whole name unless I was in trouble, I don't use it. Eleanora makes me swoon. Worn by English author Zadie Smith, who changed her name from Sadie when she was 14. Our friends and family love it but beyond that we get funny looks when people ask her name. I rather like the modification for Arabella which I first encountered reading the play The Barretts of Wimpole Street (which was later made into a movie). However instead of printing Delia, they put Adelia which didn't make Grandma happy because theat wasn't her name. What good does a victorian last name do you without a cool victorian first name? Goda - Goda represents 0.5% of female names in Lincolnshire. Female Victorian Era First Names. Neil Fraser, a partner at the firm, said the hilarious names could be interpreted as being 'unkind' because somebody has to live with the name. I am named after my Grandmother who was born in the 1880's. ... Read more about death in the Victorian era on 10 Fascinating Death Facts from the Victorian Era and 10 Strange Mourning Items From The Victorian … Some of these names are still in the most popular lists today, such as William and Elizabeth, whereas some names have almost dissapeared into oblivion, like Bessie, Clarence and Myrtle. The team at London-based genealogy firm Fraser & Fraser has spent more than 40 years compiling a list of comical names and has discovered more than 200 bizarre monikers of babies born in the UK during the 1800s. Ebba: In Sweden, Ebba is very popular. Hesperance, Hessie His father was a poultry dealer. Not everyone may want to know about this but I do. It takes the more popular name August up a notch in dignity, and still comes with the approachable nickname Gus (pioneers even liked to use Gust). The father-of-one, from Highgate, London, named his own 18-month-old son Nelson Eugeniusz Isambard Lukasz - which is an acronym of his name, Neil. It has a vintage feel and sneaks in on-trend nicknames like Lulu and Ella. Parents in Victorian times liked to give their children names that were popular in the Middle Ages. Friendless - Friendless Baxter was born in 1871 in Leeds, West Yorks. Her father was a brick-maker. Probably not, and yet this name is patiently waiting for more parents to consider its charm. There were occasions when an ancestor’s name became a middle name or last name of a person. "Over the years we have picked out certain names which have amused us and we've made a note of them. They are tomboyish, in that they are not afraid to be strong, yet dressed very young and fashionably and dont mind being girlish. Perhaps you want your boy to stand out amongst the rest, and you want to give him a good start by giving him a unique name. Popular male names were often inspired by religious beliefs or family names and trades. DH is an archery hunter. enjoying the popularity it deserves in the UK, Three Baby Names that Came from TV Commercials, These 16 Familiar Boys' Names are Actually Rare—And Always Have Been, Harlow, Shiloh, Beau and All the Hidden-O Names, Why Your Baby Name Choice Is Making You Miserable, Pet Name Trends: The Changing Names of Cats and Dogs, The Shape of Boys' Names: An Update on the Age of Aidan, Wild West names for a Repressed Mother Character, HELP NEED OF GIRL NAMES expecting 3 girls with only a month notice). Eloise: Eloise means ‘rival’. So, some kid might propose that to her parents as an option. Shorten it to Hattie and you've got a well-rounded vintage charmer. Pronunciation is varied, though the most common is EHF-rəm. I replied, "Hi, my name is Adelia." His parents were James and Jane Baxter. They named their children, biblical names, both for boys and girls. GH (soap) just created a Marjorie character as a person in a character's screenplay this week. Of course I recognize there is that ambivalence about giving the child a unique name and those which will help the child blend into the general society. Wiley and Wylie: Both spellings of this name can be found among family trees going back to the late 1800s. PART OF WILD SKY MEDIA | Family & Parenting. Just wow! His father was a labourer. (One of my intangible collections is all those names parents give their children and if I can learn about the names boys and girls get from cultures I don't know about, I'm happy to know about them). :\, I think I ALMOST had him warmed up to Tobias, but then we found out it was to be a girl. It was featured years ago for a character in the name-craze-inducing Twilight series, but that's not likely what inspired our newfound interest (though it probably didn't hurt!). His parents were Robert and Martha Gouldstone. So, he got his first choice, of Rachel. I've always liked Rowena, Edwina, Sophronia, and Philomena. “But we should always remember the child has to live with this name. They named them after national and political leaders, George Washington or Jefferson Davis.. The nickname Bax has a fresh, trend-worthy sound as well, like a combo of Bash and Jax. A figure of speech used to describe drunken men. Because Social Security only started compiling baby name in the 1880’s, I’ve compiled the top 200 baby girl names from the 1880’s as a sample of the most beautiful Victorian girl names. These days we’re used baby names erring on the more obscure side. “He’s very arf’arf’an’arf," Forrester … Recently used by celeb couple Alan Ruck and Mireille Enos for their son (born July 2014), we think this savvy Victorian choice is more than ready for the 21st century. Goda, in this case, looks to be a Latinised form of Gode. It's easy to imagine a boy wearing Baxter today, alongside Dexter and other names we love … "Our genealogists get to look through hundreds of thousands of birth, death and marriage records,” he said. Nor was it unusual for parents to look closer to home, borrowing from close friends or people they admired. Friendless - Friendless Baxter was born in 1871 in Leeds, West Yorks. Recently my daughter-in-law's mom found a quilting book called Remembering Adelia and got it for me. Baby names used in the Victorian era are often percieved as traditional or classic names. Miss Laurie :) Posted by Miss Laurie at 11:13 PM. The story behind how I got the name is this; my great grandmother's name was Maria (today is spelled Mariah - she was Irish) Cordelia. Other similar names in the group are MacCaw, MacCay, MacGaw, MacGee and MacKee. Ann Bertha Cecilia Diana Emily Fanny Gertrude Hypatia Iug Jane Kate Louisa Maud Nora Orphelia Quince Rebecca Starkey Teresa Ulysis Venus Winifred Xenophen Yetty Zeus Pepper - She had a remarkable 26 names. One exception is George Clooney's sister, named Adelia, though she goes by the nickname Ada. 10. But here, this germanic saint's name was lost long ago, along with its male derivative, Ebbe (short for Eberhard). It's a sweet name that sounds sophisticated and dressy, at the same time structured and feminine. We think it's bound to catch on, at least a little. Use this list below to create your victorian era character! And with this thought I leave you. Maybe if we ever have another girl... Baxter is technically the feminine form of "baker", although even in the Middle Ages, when that bit of Old English grammar was still half-remembered, it was a name applied most often to men. Winnie: Celebrity baby name influence can be deceiving. This appealing choice sounds like a virtue name, as merit is a word that means "worthy". But it hasn't yet recovered since hitting a peak in popularity in 1892. email us with more. Hugh: Many early Americans brought this name with them from Europe, though its popularity started waning quickly. ... Before you ask, no, this isn’t the name of a porn film extra. My mother picked out her name :). I like the name, but never had a daughter to carry it on. 2. I have the hardest time remembering to pronounce Viola Davis "viy-OH-lə.". 19th c. Names: Hundreds of popular 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th century Victorian nicknames for Genealogy, as well as Revolutionary war era names. Time Of - Time Of Day was born in Hoo, Kent, in 1899. I tried to get hubby on board with it for our daughter, but no luck. She came in a bit late, apologized and said, "Hi, my name is Adelia." He added: "As a parent you like to give your child a name which you feel is unique and individual. 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