England Modern Given Names - International Institute

Literature
In addition to the Celtic and Gaelic traditions and the Arthurian myths, Shakespeare’s works have especially influenced female names giving us Cordelia, Imogen, Juliet, Olivia and Rosalind. Names from classical antiquity, such as Horace and Julius became fashionable amongst the educated classes of the 16th and 17th centuries. Latin forms like Horatio, Anna and Maria started to appear in the upper classes in the 18th century. Later that century, under the influence of Tennyson and of the Pre-Raphaelites there was a revival of Anglo-Saxon names: Alfred, Edwin, Guy, Nigel, Quentin, Roland and Walter for boys; and Alice, Amy, Audrey, Edith, Emma, Mabel, Matilda, Maud and Vivien for girls.

The 19th century Oxford Movement encouraged the revival of other names such as Aidan, Alban, Benedict, Bernard and Theodore. Other novelists have introduced or popularized several names like Ida (Tennyson, Gilbert and Sullivan), Pamela, Clarissa (Samuel Richardson), Amelia (Henry Fielding), Justine (Lawrence Durrell), Nicol (Sir Walter Scott), Janice (Paul Leicester Ford) and Pippa (Browning). Dicken’s hero of A Tale of Two Cities, Sydney Carton, was probably responsible for improving the popularity of this given name in the late 19th century. Perhaps the most striking example of the influence of a novel is Gone with the Wind written by Margaret Mitchell in 1936 and filmed in 1939. As most of the characters’ names were invented by the author it is clear that this novel is responsible for all the Rhett’s, Scarlett’s and Careen’s as well as for popularizing the already existent Bonnie, Melanie and Ashley.

Most interesting is Shirley which was originally a place name in three English counties, then became a surname, then a male given name, then changed sex upon publication of Charlotte Bronte’s 1849 novel about a woman bearing the name Shirley. Its use was strongly reinforced during the 1930s and 1940s by the popularity of the child film star Shirley Temple. Similarly, in all the classic reference books, Wendy is stated as being invented by J.M.Barrie for the name of a child in his Peter Pan written in 1904. Genealogist John Titford has shown its use in 1841 for a girl, and for a boy in Cambridgeshire, who seems to have acquired it from a well-known local family’s surname, and this in turn was probably derived from the parish of Wendy in the same county.

Film and TV
In the 20th century films have had a considerable influence on the choice of names, thus Tracy was popularized by the 1956 appearance of Grace Kelly as Tracy Lord in High Society, and Samantha and Kelly are also from this film. The actors and actresses, too, have had an impact—consider the new names Greer (Garson), Cary (Grant) and Spencer (Tracy) as well as the popularization of Claudette (Colbert), Humphrey (Bogart), Clark (Gable), Trevor (Howard), James (Cagney and Dean), Jean (Harlow), Jane (Russell) and Marilyn (Monroe). Jennifer, although popular in England before Love Story, swiftly became number one in the States after the book and film were released. The actress’s first name Ryan was also adopted into common usage at this time.

TV has had its effect as well, thus Emma from The Avengers was popularized along with Jason, Joshua, Fleur, and Ricky. If you have a Charlene or a Kylie in your family they originate from the Australian soap opera Neighbours.

Music
Pop music is undoubtedly responsible for the proliferation of Elvis, and who knows how many Johns and Pauls from Lennon and McCartney. Songs have spurred the popularity of the names Louise, Laura, Michelle, and which ones you remember will date you!

Use of Surnames as Given Names
Surnames were first used as given names by aristocratic families who wanted to preserve a surname from the female side of the family. In the early period it is a valuable clue to maiden names of ancestors. Some examples are Clifford, Douglas, Dudley, Fraser, Graham, Greville, Guildford, Keith, Neville, Pickering, Sidney, Stanley and Stewart. Interestingly, some former Old English given names such as Goddard, Goodwin and Osborn lost popularity as such but became surnames; then several centuries later were revived as given names.

These surname usages are usually, but not always, for males and a few have become unisex, for example Shirley, Beverley, Kimberley, Leslie/Lesley, and Sidney/Sydney. The practice of using surnames as given names became more common further down the social scale in the 19th century. My grandfather’s first given name was Dashwood, his mother’s maiden name, but understandably he used his second one, John, and when he became a trade union organizer he used Jack!

Precious Stones and Flowers
Nowadays we see a revival of Amber, Coral, Crystal and Jade, but precious stones were introduced as girls’ names at the end of the 19th century. Most of us have an aunt Beryl, Opal, Pearl or Ruby on our tree. In the same period flower names like Daisy, Daphne, Hazel, Ivy, Lily, May, Myrtle, Pansy, Poppy, Primrose, Rose, Viola and Violet blossomed and there were even a few Bluebells, Daffodils and Snowdrops! Recently we have seen new ones like Bryony, and Fern.

Virtues
For females the Puritans introduced such present-day survivors as Charity, Constance, Faith, Felicity, Grace, Honour, Hope, Joy, Love, Patience, and Prudence. Some of those that did not last so well were Amity, Fortune, Increase, Lamentation, Meek, Mercy, Modesty, Pleasant, Providence, Preserved, Redeemed, Replenish, Serene, Silence, Truth, Verity and Virtue.

Slogan Names
As you research back into the 17th and then 16th centuries you may find Puritans for whom even the unusual biblical names like Jehoshaphat, Nebuchadnezzar and Onesiphorous were not quite good enough. Some extreme Puritans went in for slogan names such as Be Courteous, Faint-Not, Fly-fornication, Hate-Evil, Kill-sin, and Stand-Fast-On-High. Two well-known examples were Jesus-Christ-Came-Into-The-World-To- Save BAREBONE and his brother If-Christ-Had-Not-Died-For-Thee- Thou-Hadst-Been-Damned BAREBONE. The latter, whose morals were not of the best, was known to most people as Damned BAREBONE!

Place Names
Place names such as Florence and Kent have been direct sources of first names, and there are a number of Scottish examples including Ailsa, Athol, Clyde, Iona, Isla(y), Lewis, Lorne and Uist. These are the exception, as generally when you see a place name used as a first name it has come via a surname. The biblical Ebenezer, was one much used by nonconformists, but suffered from Dickens' portrayal of the miser Ebenezer Scrooge in A Chirstmas Carol.

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Information in this Wiki page is excerpted from the online course English - Understanding Names in Genealogy offered by The National Institute for Genealogical Studies. To learn more about this course or other courses available from the Institute, see our website. We can be contacted at [mailto:wiki@genealogicalstudies.com wiki@genealogicalstudies.com]

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