pagoda

pagodas (plural)
pagod (alternative)
pagode (alternative)

From Portuguese pagode, which is via Malayalam പകോതി (pakōti) from Sanskrit भगवती (bhagavatī, name of a goddess).

der

On the journey southwards over the flat, fertile plains, paddy fields stretched away on each side of the line, and the landscape was broken only by wooden villages and stately pagodas.

1943 November and December, G. T. Porter, “The Lines Behind the Lines in Burma”, in Railway Magazine, page 325:

A religious building in South and Southeast Asia, especially a multi-storey tower erected as a Hindu or Buddhist temple.

[T]he Mahrattas having offered Alimerdy Khan his liberty for a lak of Pagodas; he does in the Nabob's name desire that the Governor of Madras would receive jewels and money to that amount into his custody, […]

1693 January 2 (date written; Gregorian calendar), J. Talboys Wheeler, compiler, “Governorship of Mr. Nathaniel Higginson. 1692–1698.”, in Madras in the Olden Time: Being a History of the Presidency from the First Foundation of the Governorship of Thomas Pitt, Grandfather of the Earl of Chatham. 1639–1702. […], Madras: […] J. Higginbotham, […], by Graves and Co., Scottish Press, published 1861, →OCLC, page 262:

I, in about two hours, notwithstanding the utmost caution, found myself minus upwards of six hundred pagodas […] .

1808–10, William Hickey, Memoirs of a Georgian Rake, Folio Society 1995, p. 240

(historical) A unit of currency, a coin made of gold or half gold, issued by various dynasties and colonial powers in southern India.


stupa

Learned borrowing from Sanskrit स्तूप (stūpa). Doublet of tope.

lbor

He mounded so much honey on the top of the buns that they looked like miniature stupas.

(Buddhism) A dome-shaped Buddhist monument, used to house relics of the Lord Buddha.


Upper Sorbian

a Slavic language spoken in part of Saxony


Lower Sorbian

a highly endangered West Slavic language spoken in parts of southern Brandenburg

الصُورْبِيَّة السُّفْلَى

a Slavic language spoken in part of Brandenburg

Upper Sorbian

more lively sister language spoken in Saxony


Addison

en-proper noun

Addison (countable and uncountable, plural Addisons)

A patronymic surname from a medieval diminutive form of Adam + -son.

A surname transferred from the given name.

A male given name transferred from the surname.

My name is Addison Jane Dawson, but you can call me Addy; everyone else does. I was named after my great grandfather, Addison Jay Dawson, - - -

2009, J. Scott Romig, The Lookout Tree, Author House, →ISBN, page 1:

A female given name transferred from the surname popular in the 2000s, following Alison and Madison.

A town in Vermont, United States, named after the poet Joseph Addison.

A town in Winston County, Alabama, United States.

A number of townships in the United States, listed under Addison Township.


Wolof

Jolof Empire
Jolof Kingdom
Wolof language
Wolof people
jollof rice

Wollof (alternative)
Woloff (alternative)
Jolof (alternative)
Jollof (alternative)
Djolof (alternative)
Ouolof (alternative)
Olof (alternative)
Volof (alternative)

A West African people, mostly in Senegal.

‘But come on: haven’t you learnt even a little bit of Wolof yet?’

2016, Zadie Smith, Swing Time, New York, N.Y.: Penguin Press, →ISBN, page 221:

The language traditionally spoken by those people.


Wolof

Wolofs (plural)
Wolof (plural)
Wollof (alternative)
Woloff (alternative)
Jolof (alternative)
Jollof (alternative)
Djolof (alternative)
Ouolof (alternative)
Olof (alternative)
Volof (alternative)

An individual member of the Wolof people.


Reynard

/ˈɹɛnɑː(ɹ)d/

From Old French Renart (Modern renard (“fox”)), influenced by Middle Dutch Reynaerd, both ultimately from Proto-Germanic *Raginaharduz, from *raginą (“decision, advice, counsel”) + *harduz (“hard, strong”). Compare German Reinhard, Old High German Reginhart (“strong in counsel”).


Vincent

en-proper noun

Vincent (countable and uncountable, plural Vincents)

→ Arabic: فينسنت (fīnsint)

→ Greek: Βίνσεντ (Vínsent)

desc

→ Japanese: ビンセント (Binsento), ヴィンセント (Vinsento)

Borrowed from French Vincent, from Latin Vincentius, from vincēns (“conquering”), from the verb vincō.

Starry starry night.
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze
Swirling clouds in violet haze
Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue.

Even their names hinted at a childishness they would never grow out of. When Vincent himself was grown-up, he wondered if this was why they had given their unlooked-for son such a mature name - although later still Vincent suspected that he might have been named for the Vincent Rapide motorbike. As with most things to do with Billy and Georgie, it was too late to ask.

2002, Kate Atkinson, Not the End of the World, Doubleday, →ISBN, page 203:

(countable) A male given name from Latin.

Вике́нтий

chiefly in Russian Orthodox Chirstianity


Mercedes

en-prop

Mercedes (countable and uncountable, plural Mercedes)

From Spanish Mercedes (Mary, Our Lady of Mercy). The car was named for Mercédès Jellinek, the daughter of Austrian businessman Emil Jellinek who ordered 36 cars from Gottlieb Daimler.

Mercedes moved away from Jack and gripping Rosa's hand – her own nails were too short – she took a pinch and inhaled it. Rosa kissed Mercedes on the lips then took a further nailful and offered it to Jack who shook his head.

A female given name from Spanish, equivalent to English Mercy occasionally borrowed from Spanish.


Goidelic

Division of the Celtic languages including Irish Gaelic, Manx Gaelic and Scottish Gaelic.


Goidel

Learned borrowing from Old Irish Goídel (“Gael”). Doublet of Gael.

learned borrowing

A Gael; a member of the Goidelic division of Celtic languages as opposed to the Brythonic division.


Megan

Borrowed from Welsh Megan, cognate with English Margaret, ultimately from an Indo-Iranian source.

Was it true that twenty-six years had passed, or had he dreamed and awakened to find Megan waiting for him by the big apple tree?

1916, John Galsworthy, chapter VIII, in The Apple Tree:

A diminutive of the female given name Margaret, from Welsh.


Cymry

Borrowed from Welsh Cymry, q.v. Cognate with English Cambrian and Cymric.

The natural conclusion is that the Silurians or Iberians, now represented by the little, dark Welshmen, are the oldest existing race in Wales, and, though now speaking Cymraeg, were long before the Cymry there.

1881, James Bonwick, Who Are the Welsh? (Our Nationalities; III), London: David Bogue, […], page 46:

“What brings you into our lands?” The strange looking barbarian asked again. / He was speaking Cymraeg, which means the language of the aborigines, or “the language of the first race.” It was the same language of the Cymry of which Cedric and his tribe was a people of.

2001, Jodie K. Scales, Of Kindred Celtic Origins, volumes 1 (Myths, Legends, Genealogy and History of an Ordinary American Family), Lincoln, Neb.: Writers Club Press, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 416:

(uncommon) Synonym of Welsh: the Welsh people collectively.


Lauren

Laurens (plural)
Loren (alternative)
Lorin (alternative)
Loren (alternative)
Lauryn (alternative)

"I don't like my name," said Delphine. "Nobody likes their own name."
"I don't like mine."
"Lauren's nice. They picked a nice name for you."

2004, Alice Munro, “Trespasses”, in Runaway:Stories, Knopf, page 214:

A female given name from Latin, masculine equivalent Laurence; feminine of Lawrence

A male given name from Latin, of rare usage, variant of Laurence.


Metis

Borrowed from French métis, from Old French mestis, from Late Latin mixtīcius. Métis originally referred to Francophone and Cree-speaking descendants of the French-Catholic Red River Métis in Manitoba. Compare mestizo.

Métis (alternative)
metis (alternative)
métis (alternative)

(Canada) One of three recognized Aboriginal peoples of Canada, descendants of marriages of Cree, Ojibwa, Saulteaux, and Menominee Aboriginal people with French Canadians, Scots and English.


Royal Road

(historical) The longest road in the ancient system of trade routes and roads developed in Achaemenid Persia, which connected the capitals Sardis (in Asia Minor) to Susa (in Mesopotamia) and featured post-stations with service facilities.


William

→ Azerbaijani: Uilyam (transliteration)

→ Bengali: উইলিয়াম (uiliẏam)

⇒ Cebuano: William

desc

→ Chinese: 威廉 (Wēilián) (transliteration)

→ Finnish: Viljami, Wiljami

→ Hawaiian: Uilama, Wilama, Wiliama

→ Ingrian: Viljam (transliteration)

→ Japanese: ウィリアム (Wiriamu)

→ Korean: 윌리엄 (willieom) (transliteration)

Russian: Уильям (Uilʹjam)

⇒ Slovak: Viliam

→ Tagalog: William

From Middle English William, from Anglo-Norman Willame, from Old High German Willahelm, from Proto-Germanic *Wiljahelmaz (> Latin Gulielmus), from Proto-Germanic *wiljô (“will”) + *helmaz (“helmet”), the latter component ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- (“to cover, conceal, save”). Cognate with Dutch Willem, German Wilhelm, etc.; cognate borrowings outside of Germanic include Guillaume and Guillermo.

der

This name hath been most common in England since King William the Conquerour, insomuch that upon a festival day in the Court of King Henry the Second, when Sir William Saint-John, and Sir William Fitz-Hamon, especial Officers, had commanded that none but of the name of William should dine in the great Chamber with them, they were accompanied with a hundred and twenty Williams.

1605, William Camden, Remains Concerning Britain, John Russell Smith, published 1870, page 98:

But we have known Williams and Richards, names not found in sacred story, but familiar to our country, prove as gracious saints as any Safe deliverance, Fight the good fight of faith, or such like,

1629, Thomas Adams, Meditations upon Creed: The Works of Thomas Adams, James Nichol (1862), volume 3, page 212:

By the same token I should probably have called myself 'Bill'. With a name like William you have choices. Very handy for us chameleons. 'William' is stern and dignified. A little austere and unapproachable. He conquers things. It is what my mother calls me when she is angry with me.

2004, Christopher Wood, California, Here I Am, TwentyFirst Century Publishers Ltd, →ISBN, pages 29–30:

A male given name from the Germanic languages popular since the Norman Conquest.


parish church

From Middle English parische chirche; equivalent to parish + church.

A church that serves as the religious centre of a parish; the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches.


Mandel

en-proper-noun

Mandel (countable and uncountable, plural Mandels)

* Germanic surname (Dutch Mandel, German Mandel, Yiddish [Term?] (Mandel), all meaning "almond"). Also found in Slovenian as Mandelj.
* As a south German and Austrian surname, variant of Mandl, from Mann + -l.
* As a Dutch surname, from mandel (“sheaf of wheat”) (see Mandel below).
* As a Jewish surname, variant of Mendel.

Mandel Patinkin

(rare) A male given name transferred from the surname.


Gordon

The main etymology, associated with Celtic names, is from the Scots surname Gordon, from a place name, but the origin is debated:
* If the English or Scots name is from a Brythonic language (such as Old Welsh or Old Breton), then possibly from a Proto-Brythonic compound such as *gor (“spacious”) + *din (“fort”);
* If the Scots name is itself from English, then possibly from French Gourdon, derived from Gallo-Roman Latin Gordus, from Gaulish *Gordos;
* Otherwise, possibly ultimately from Old English *gor-dūn (“mud hill”) whence a habitational name.

Often he wrote good ones on casual slips and fancied them his; names like Trevellyan or Montressor or Delancey, with musical prefixes; or a good, short, beautiful, but dignified name like "Gordon Dane". He liked that one. It suggested something.

1913, Harry Leon Wilson, Bunker Bean, BiblioBazaar, LLC, published 2008, →ISBN, page 13:


production

en-noun

production (countable and uncountable, plural productions)

→ Japanese: プロダクション (purodakushon)

/pɹəˈdʌkʃən/

From Middle English produccioun, from Old French production, from Latin prōductiō, prōductiōnem (“a lengthening, prolonging”). See produce.

der

(Scots law, in the plural) Written documents produced in support of the action or defence.


eponymous

en-adj

eponymous (comparative more eponymous, superlative most eponymous)

more eponymous (comparative)
most eponymous (superlative)

PIE word
 *h₁epi
From Ancient Greek ἐπώνῠμος (epṓnŭmos, “concerning giving one’s name to something; named in a significant manner; surnamed”) + English -ous (suffix forming adjectives from nouns, denoting pertinence or relation).

der

Prince Hamlet is the eponymous protagonist of the Shakespearian tragedy Hamlet.

Robinson Crusoe is the eponymous hero of the book.

The language Limburgish is named after the eponymous provinces in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Hadadas roost in numbers among the trees in the leafier parts of Nairobi and their eponymous call is one of the more insistent elements of the dawn chorus in that part of the world, though they may be heard at any time of the day.

2008, Nicholas Drayson, chapter 5, in A Guide to the Birds of East Africa, London: Penguin Books, published 2012, →ISBN, pages 24–25:

Of, relating to, or being the person or entity after which someone or something is named; serving as an eponym.

epònim

of, relating to, or being the person or entity after which someone or something is named

The American singer-songwriter Madonna released her eponymous album in 1983.

Of a thing: named after a person or entity.

mukaan nimetty

of a thing: named after a person or entity


Theodore

From Latin Theodorus, from Ancient Greek Θεόδωρος (Theódōros), from Θεός (Theós, “God”) and θεός (theós, “god”) + δῶρον (dôron, “gift”). The name was popularized in reference to the prominent St Theodore of Amasea. Unrelated to Theodoric.

It is as well certainly not to call a parcel of idle and ragged young rogues by the titles of Augustus, Orlando, and Theodore: nor does it sound very fitting and heroical to hear a father cry out pompously to his little boy, as we did once, - "You, Sir, there, - Maximilian,- come out of the gutter."

1820 February 9, Leigh Hunt, “Names”, in The Indicator, number XVIII:

'Perfect. What name are we going to give him?'
'Theo.'
'Oh.'
'As in Theodore.'
'Isn't that rather a...?' He stopped. Smiled at her again. 'Why Theodore?'
'I like it. And it suits him. Maybe because it contains the sound 'adore'.'

2010, Maggie O'Farrell, The Hand That First Held Mine, Headline, →ISBN, page 234:

A male given name from Latin and Ancient Greek; the name of a saint, pope, several emperors, etc.


Anastasia

From the name of a 4th-century martyr, Ancient Greek Ἀναστασία (Anastasía), from ἀνάστασις (anástasis, “resurrection”). The name, and its male counterpart Anastasius, were originally given to children who were born around Eastertime during the early years of Christianity.

en:Anastasia
en:Anastasia (disambiguation)
en:Anastasia (surname)


Irene

Borrowed from French Irène, from Ancient Greek Εἰρήνη (Eirḗnē, “peace”), name of a goddess of peace, of early Christian saints, and of an 8th-century Byzantine empress. Doublet of Eirini.

But lest I be thought too literall, give me leave to allegorize upon this Irene. Her name is a Greek name, Εἰρήνη, it signifies peace; we must not dote upon our Irene, our private peace, that the publique should suffer for the sake of it.

1653, Jeremiah Burroughs, Irenicum: To the Lovers of Truth & Peace, London: Robert Dawlman, page 267:

"And I have such a horrible name. Think of it... Kate. Who would take Kate on a Moonlight Cruise...or out to the Minstrels at the point. If you ever do find me in the company of a strange young man, call me Irene. Promise me."

1944, A.J.Cronin, The Green Years, Little, Brown, and Company, page 62:

Better to consider the love of Irene, the seventh of the sisters, with her most elegant name.

1993, Oscar Hijuelos:, The Fourteen Sisters of Emilio Montez O'Brien, →ISBN, page 75:

A female given name from Ancient Greek, in regular use since the 19th century.


Luke

From Latin Lūcās, from Koine Greek Λουκᾶς (Loukâs). See the Greek entry for more.

Luk. (alternative)
Lk (alternative)
Luc. (alternative)

כרוזותא דלוקא

Kārōzūtā’ d'Lūqā’

ܟܪܘܙܘܬܐ ܕܠܘܩܐ

Kārōzūtā’ d'Lūqā’

Soiscéal Naofa Íosa Críost de réir Lúcáis

"Your parents like Cool Hand Luke, yes?" "I don't really know. Why?" "Why? Because they name you Luke." I was worried I might have to explain that my name wasn't all that uncommon, and, anyway, Claudia had named me after the alter ego of Hank Williams, Luke the Drifter.

2005, Dallas Hudgens, Drive Like Hell, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 94:

The engineers are Akash Bobba, Edward Coristine, Luke Farritor, Gautier Cole Killian, Gavin Kliger, and Ethan Shaotran.

2025 February 2, Vittoria Elliott, “The Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk’s Government Takeover”, in WIRED, archived from the original on 2025-02-02:


Sophia

Holy Wisdom
Sophia
Sophia of Rome
sophia (wisdom)

Chiefly from Latin Sophia, from Ancient Greek Σοφία (Sophía), from σοφία (sophía, “wisdom”), especially in reference to holy or divine wisdom under the influence of Biblical Hebrew חוכמה (khokhmá), to the early martyr St. Sophia, and to many figures of European royalty and nobility. Also used as a calque for the many cognate forms, such as Italian Sofia, Ukrainian Софі́я (Sofíja), Russian Софи́я (Sofíja), Polish Zofia, etc. Doublet of Sofia.

Sofia (alternative)
Sofya (alternative)
Sofiya (alternative)
Sofija (alternative)

To say the truth, Sophia, when very young, discerned that Tom, though an idle, thoughtless, rattling rascal, was nobody's enemy but his own […]

1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling:

I intended to call her after Aunt Grizel, but my wife who, during pregnancy, had been reading romances, insisted upon her being called Olivia. In less than another year we had another daughter, and now I was determined that Grizel should be her name; but a rich relation taking a fancy to stand godmother, the girl was, by her directions, called Sophia, so that we had two romantic names in the family, but I solemnly protest I had no hand in it.

1766, Oliver Goldsmith, The Vicar of Wakefield:

Gram said, "Sophia. Would that be an Italian name?" "It came from a great-aunt," Sophia told her, turning briefly in her direction. "Was your great-aunt Italian?" "No, Scottish." "Oh." I knew what Gram was aiming at here. She wanted to find out whether Sophia was Catholic. She poked her headful of pink curlers forward for a moment and looked at me. "Presbyterian, " I told her. "Oh." She sat back again, Oh, well, you could see her thinking, her own daughter had married Episcopal and the sky hadn't fallen in. "It's a pretty name, anyhow," she told Sophia. "Thank you." "I like names that end with an a, don't you? […]

1998 Anne Tyler, A Patchwork Planet, A.A.Knopf Inc., page 2


Sophie

Wilt thou be a nun, Sophie? / Nothing but a nun? / Is it not a better thing / With thy friends to laugh and sing?

1832 Barry Cornwall, English Songs, 1851, LXXXV ("To Sophie")

No, like a small child, my daughter, Sophie Anne Louise. We gave her three names, all of which exist in English as well as in French, so she can change her name just by changing her accent. - - -
Sophie Anne Louise. It is a bit pretentious, do you not find? Maybe it is better in English. Sophie Anne Louise. No, it still sounds like one of Queen Victoria's grandchildren.

1991, Julian Barnes, Talking It Over, →ISBN, pages 241, 252:

A female given name from French Sophie, equivalent to English Sophia of Ancient Greek origin.

Sophia landed on her behind on the soft moss that lined the river bank. "Besides, you don't win yet, Sophie," he said. "I have one more stone still."

1995, Marilyn Seguin, The Bell Keeper: The story of Sophia and the Massacre of the Indians at Gnadenhutten, Ohio, in 1782, page 8:

A diminutive of the female given name Sophia.


Barbara

/ˈbɑɹb(ə)ɹə/

/ˈbɑːb(ə)ɹə/

From Latin Barbara, the name of Saint Barbara, feminine form of barbarus, from Ancient Greek βάρβαρος (bárbaros, “strange, foreign”). Doublet of Varvara.

My mother had a maid call'd Barbara; / She was in love, and he she lov'd prov'd mad / And did forsake her; […]

All in the merrye month of May / When greene buds they were swellin / Yong Jemmye Grove on his death-bed lay / For love of Barbara Allen.

17th century or before: English folk song: Barbara Allen: 1839 version by Thomas Percy

"What do you think they are going to name the baby? Anne; after her and her mamma. So very ugly a name!" "I don't think so," said Mr Carlyle. "It is simple and unpretending. I like it much. Look at the long, pretentious names in our family - Archibald! Cornelia! And yours, too - Barbara! What a mouthful they all are!" Barbara contracted her eyebrows. It was equivalent to saying that he did not like her name.

1860, Mrs Henry Wood (Ellen Wood), East Lynne, Kessinger Publishing, published 2004, →ISBN, page 29:

"Everybody in the next generation," suggested Dick, "will be named Peter or Barbara - because at present all piquant literary characters are named Peter or Barbara."

1922, F[rancis] Scott Fitzgerald, The Beautiful and Damned, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, (please specify |book=1, 2, or 3), page 76:

'Barbara?' Barr―baah―rrah. Barbarian woman. Wild. Untamed. An incredibly sexy name.

2007, Marina Lewycka, Two Caravans, Fig Tree, →ISBN, page 299:

Barbára

cognates and transliterations of female given name


Chloe

Borrowed Ancient Greek χλόη (khlóē, “young green shoot”), an epithet of goddess Demeter.

bor

Chloë (alternative)
Chlöe (alternative)
Cloe (alternative)
Khloe (alternative)
Khloé (alternative)

For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

Of Chloe all the town has rung; / By ev'ry Size of Poets sung. / So beautiful a Nymph appears / But once in Twenty Thousand Years.

1731, Jonathan Swift, Strephon and Chloe:

Before he had met this one, Morgan had assumed that people called Chloe were either the neurotic brilliant daughters of Oxbridge dons or else silly screaming debutantes.

1981, William Boyd, A Good Man in Africa, H.Hamilton, →ISBN, page 24:


Cleopatra

Cleopatras (plural)
Kleopatra (alternative)

From Middle English Cleopatra, from Latin Cleopatra, from Ancient Greek Κλεοπάτρα (Kleopátra), meaning "glory of her father", from κλέος (kléos, “glory”) + πατήρ (patḗr, “father”).

Kleopatra

a given name of women in the Ptolemy dynasty

(rare) A female given name from Ancient Greek.


Melanie

From French Mélanie, from Latin Melania, the name of two Roman fifth century saints, from Ancient Greek μέλας (mélas, “black, dark”).

der

'I learn the craft. I'm your uncle's apprentice, Melanie.' - - - She did not quite like the way he kept calling her by her name; there was a humorous inlection on the three liquid syllables as though he found the name funny.

1967, Angela Carter, The Magic Toyshop, Virago Press, published 1994, →ISBN, page 64:


Phillip

en-proper noun

Phillip (countable and uncountable, plural Phillips)

Philip#First name
Philip#Surname
Phillip, Australian Capital Territory


Jane

Janes (plural)
Jayne (alternative)
Jaine (alternative)

Variant of Jeanne, from French Jeanne, from Middle French Jehanne, from Medieval Latin Johanna, variant of Latin Ioanna under influence from Latin Iōhannēs, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννα (Iōánna), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָה (Yôḥānāh, literally “God is gracious”), the feminized form of יְהוֹחָנָן (Yəhōḥānān) which produced John and its many doublets. As a placeholder name, cf. similar use of John and Jack and earlier use of Joan in the same role.
Doublet of Gianna, Ivana, Jana, Janice, Janis, Jean, Jeanne, Jen, Joan, Joanna, Joanne, Johanna, Juana, Shavonne, Sian, Siobhan, Shane, Shaun, Shauna, and Sheena.

doublet

In latter years some of the better and nicer sort, misliking Joan, have mollified the name of Joan into Jane, as it may seem, for that Jane is never found in old Records; and as some will, never before the time of King Henry the eight.

1605, William Camden, Remains Concerning Britain, John Russell Smith, published 1870, pages 103–104:

People will please their fancies, and every lady has favourite names. I myself have several, and they are mostly short and simple. Jane, that queenly name! Jane Seymour, Jane Grey, 'the noble Jane de Montford;' - - -

1830, Mary Russell Mitford, Our Village: Fourth Series: Cottage Names::

"What I mean is," said Mrs. Riversedge, "that when I get maids with unsuitable names I call them Jane; they soon get used to it."
"An excellent plan," said the aunt of Clovis coldly; "unfortunately I have got used to being called Jane myself. It happens to be my name."

1912 Saki (H.H.Munro), The Secret Sin of Septimus Brope

A female given name from French, the standard feminine form of John since the 17th century.


insectoid

Two hundred Earth years earlier, a race of Insectoids discovered them as the Squishys were sending their first probes to other planets in their own star system.

2017, A.K. Brown, Humans on the Menu (Champagne Universe Series: Book 2), page 24:

(science fiction, ufology) An insect-like creature.


Colleen

From the word colleen, from Irish cailín (“girl”), not used as a name in Ireland. Colleen can also be interpreted as a variant of Coleen, which was a product of marketing by the Hollywood film industry (to promote a new starlet in the 1920s).

Her name is spelled Coleen making her "Co" with a hard O and not Colleen by any stretch - I'm suspicious on her authority on the subject.

2007, Laurie Lindeen, Petal Pusher, Atria Books, →ISBN, page 137:

A female given name from English or Irish.


outer

inner

antonym(s) of “one who supports leaving the EU”

The 51.4 per cent to 48.6 per cent victory of the "outers" broke the back of the Labour government.

2013 January 25, Jon Cruddas, “Au Revoir, Europe: What If Britain Left the EU? by David Charter”, in The Independent:

2015 May 7, Guy Faulconbridge, “Britain's EU "outers" see opportunity in wake of Greece's "No"”, in Reuters, archived from the original on 2015-12-22:

Meanwhile, outers are disporting themselves on TV in luminous green ties, hand-woven by first years at the Dronefield Academy for the Sartorially Challenged.

2016 February 16, Robert Shrimsley, “Gimme a Brexit break”, in Financial Times:

(UK politics) One who supports leaving the European Union.


succession

en-noun

succession (countable and uncountable, plural successions)

Inherited from Middle English [Term?], from Old French succession, from Latin successiō (noun).

An act, process, or instance of succeeding:

(historical) In Roman and Scots law, the taking of property by one person in place of another.


Zairean

/zʌɪˈɪəɹ.ɪ.ən/

Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo

A person from Zaire (Democratic Republic of Congo)


Louis

→ Bengali: লুইস (luiś)

→ Hawaiian: Lui

→ Maori: Ruihi, Rewi

→ Persian: لوئیس (lu'is)

From French Louis, from Middle French Loïs, Loïc, &c., from Old French Looïs, Luis, Lodhuvigs, Lodevis, Lodhwig, &c., from Latin Ludovicus, from Clodovicus, from Frankish *Hlūdawīg, from Proto-Germanic *hlūdaz (“loud; famous”) + *wīgą (“battle”).
Doublet of Lewis and, more remotely, Aloysius, Luis, Ludwig, Luigi, and Clovis.
Remotely related to Slav and related terms through the Proto-Indo-European *ḱlew- (“to hear, be heard; famous”) root.

der

'It is hardly a week since you called me your future husband, and treated me as such; now I am once more the tutor for you: I am addressed as Mr. Moore, and Sir; your lips have forgotten Louis.'
 "'No, Louis, no: it is an easy, liquid name; not soon forgotten.'

1849, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], “Written in the Schoolroom”, in Shirley. A Tale. […], volume III, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], →OCLC, page 295:


Etruscan

From Latin Etruscus (which see for more) + -an.

The extinct language of Etruria, which has no known relation to any other language.

伊特魯里亞語 /伊特鲁里亚语

Yītèlǔlǐyàyǔ


Boston

→ Abenaki: Pastonki, pastoni

→ Klamath-Modoc: basdin

→ Lushootseed: pastəd

→ Mohawk: Wáhston

The US city is named after the English town (from which several prominent colonists had come), which itself is sometimes said to be named as a contraction of Botolph's town or Botolph's stone (the name Botolph itself coming from Old English Botwulf, from boda + wulf). However, this is uncertain.

(rare) A male given name transferred from the place name or surname.


Goran

A language spoken in the Djurab Desert region of Chad by the Daza people, part of the Nilo-Saharan language family.

A language spoken in southeastern parts of Kurdistan by Kurdish people, part of the Gorani-Zaza language family. This language has no relation with the Goran language spoken by the Daza people.


Mabel

Clipping of Amabel, from Latin amābilis (“lovable”).

Her name was Mabel Hortense, and the children were very proud of having a cousin who lived in the city and was named Mabel Hortense. At Damsonfield Four Corners, where they lived, all the little girls were name Mary Jane or Sarah Ann or Lucy Maria, or, at the best, Hattie and Carrie; they had scarcely even heard so fine a name as Mabel Hortense.

1883, Sophie Swett, “All the Plums”, in St. Nicholas Magazine, Vol.10, Part 1, page 34:

The red stitching across the breast pocket read Mabel, a name Maggie had not heard since her childhood. What had become of all the Mabels? She tried to picture giving a new little baby that name.

1988, Anne Tyler, Breathing Lessons, →ISBN, page 28:


Noel

* (names): From Noel in the sense of Christmas; given since Middle Ages to children born at Christmastide.
* (city in Missouri): Named for brothers Clark Wallace and William Jasper Noel, stockmen and owners of a sawmill.
* (community of Nova Scotia, Canada): Named after its most prominent resident, Noël Doiron.

When Noel came, noisily bursting through the back door with buckets of cleansers and sponges, I introduced myself. "Just call me Noelle," he said of himself. "When I was little they used to call me Noel, Noel, the toilet bowl. Although now I have thought of painting that on the side of my van. It might be good for business? I don't know."

2009, Lorrie Moore, A Gate at the Stairs, Faber and Faber, →ISBN, page 162:


Geoffrey

From Middle English Geffrey, from an Old French aristocratic name, Geoffroi [dʒɔfreʲ] (> West Middle French Geoffrey, East Middle French Geoffroy), itself from Proto-French forms (latinized in -us) Jotfredus, Jozsfredus, Josfredus (10th century) and Jof[f]redus, Jofridus, Jaufredus, Geffredus (11th century), and ultimately of Proto-Germanic origin. The second element is *friþuz (“peace, sanctuary”). The first element may be *gautaz (“a Geat, a Goth”) [making the Proto-Germanic term *Gautafriþu], as opposed to *gōdaz (“good”) or *gudą (“god”) in Godfrey; this would also make it related to Jocelyn. The name was introduced to England by the Normans in the 11th century.

Jeffrey (alternative)
Jeffery (alternative)
Geffrey (alternative)

"Were you not aware mamma had a son as well as three daughters?"
"Yes, but I didn't know his name. I like Geoffrey; there's some sound in it."

1879, Mary Elizabeth Shipley, Looking Back, page 98:

Geoff grimaced, then smiled back, reminding himself that when his mother wasn't riding this horse, she was a very interesting woman who had taught medieval literature at Drew University for twenty years. In fact, he had been named Geoffrey because of her great admiration for Chaucer.

1996, Mary Higgins Clark, Let me Call You Sweetheart, →ISBN, page 207:

His full name is Benji Duncan Geoffrey Rigby-Monk. 'You're joking,' Kit said, when I first told him. Benji? Not even Benjamin?' Duncan and ''Geoffrey are his two granddads'names ― both unglamorous and old-dufferish, in Kit's view, and not worth inflicting on a new generation ― and Rigby-Monk is a fusion of Fran's surname and Anton's.

2011, Sophie Hannah, Lasting Damage, Hodder & Stoughton, →ISBN, pages 77–78:

A male given name from the Germanic languages, popular in the U.K. in the 20th century.


Jeffrey

- - - you should also be able to sue your association's attorney when they step over the line as Attorney Jeffrey Ewalt did. Oh, my gosh! Even as I say his name Jeffrey, Jeffrey. Jeffrey is a name assigned to little boys with small toys. A cute innocent little boy that would do no harm to anyone. I recommend a name change for Jeffrey Ewalt from Jeffrey to Lucifer.

2005, Harvella Jones, The Texas Homestead Hoax, Trafford Publishing, →ISBN, page 59:

A male given name from the Germanic languages, the usual U.S. spelling of Geoffrey. Popular in the latter half of the 20th century.


Godfrey

en-proper noun

Godfrey (countable and uncountable, plural Godfreys)

From Old French Godefrei, from Old High German Godafrid (“peace of God”), from Proto-Germanic *Gudafriþuz. Equivalent to god + frith. Doublet of Gottfried and Geoffrey.

der

A male given name from the Germanic languages.


Belinda

Alexander Pope
Belinda
Belinda (moon)
The Rape of the Lock

From Belle + -inda, base from various Romance sources such as French belle, Italian bella (“beautiful”), suffix Latinate form of German linde (“soft”) (English linden, lithe). Popularised by Alexander Pope in his poem The Rape of the Lock (1714). The moon is named after a character in Pope's poem.

1714 Alexander Pope, The Rape of the Lock, Canto V, final verse,
This Lock, the Muse shall consecrate to Fame,
And 'midst the Stars inscribe Belinda’s Name.

"Good-by, my dear Belinda; I leave you to ruminate sweet and bitter thoughts; to think of the last speech and confession of Lady Delacour, or, what will interest you much more, the first speech and confession of—Clarence Harvey."

1801, Maria Edgeworth, “Belinda”, in Tales and Novels, volume 6, New York: Harper & Brothers, published 1835, page 65:

The fairy tale ended savagely on January 11, 1999, when Belinda’s lifeless body was discovered in a closet. Her skull had been shattered by a shotgun blast at close range.

2010, Kathryn Casey, Shattered: The True Story of a Mother's Love, a Husband's Betrayal, and a Cold-Blooded Texas Murder, back cover:

A female given name originating as a coinage.


Ulster Cycle

A large body of prose and verse centering around the traditional heroes of Ulaid and the reign of Conchobar mac Nessa. One of the four major cycles of Irish Mythology.


Gae Bulg

The spear of Cúchulainn, given to him by Aife.


Aífe

Borrowed from Old Irish Aífe; compare Modern Irish Aoife.

Aoibhe (alternative)
Aoife (alternative)

(Irish mythology) Either of two figures of Irish mythology:

A female warrior from Alba (Scotland), the daughter of Airdgeimm and sister of Scáthach, who became Cú Chulainn's lover; featured in the Ulster Cycle.

One of the wives of Lir, who turned her stepchildren into swans; featured in Oidheadh chloinne Lir ("Fate of the Children of Lir").


Judy

"Punch," said Judy,
"You're looking moody."
"Judy," said Punch,
"I want my lunch."

I've never met an old person named Judy. Now that's true. Maybe something happens to girls with young names like Debby, Judy, and Susie. At a certain age they make you change it to Doris, Edna, or Myrtle.

1989, Judy Carter, Stand-up Comedy: A Book, Dell Publ., →ISBN, page 35:

A diminutive of the female given name Judith, also used as a formal female given name.


Judy

A surname transferred from the given name.


Judith

→ Cebuano: Judith

Ultimately from Hebrew יְהוּדִית (Y'hudít, “woman from Judea, Jewess”). Doublet of Yehudit.

The beauty and simplicity of names are altogether arbitrary: Mary and Elizabeth, and Judith, may suit a taste formed on the Puritan model, that is to say, an English and Scottish taste: the French consider Victoire, Adele, Adriane, or any other such "fanciful and romantic" names, quite as simple, and perhaps as beautiful, as Mr. Stuart does Mary and Jane.

1833 The New Monthly Magazine, E. Littell, Vol. 1, January-June 1833, page 211("On Grand Christian Names")


CP

en-noun

CP (countable and uncountable, plural CPs)

(UK politics, since 2019) Initialism of command paper.


Antonov

Borrowed from Russian Анто́нов (Antónov).

A male surname from Russian, feminine equivalent Antonova.


Black and Tan

A member of the RIC British paramilitary force, operating against Irish republicans in the War of Independence 1920/21.

Dúchrónach

member of the RIC British irregular army group


Dougal

Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Dùghall, from Old Irish dubgall (“Dane, black-haired foreigner”), synchronically from dubh (“black”) + gall (“stranger”).


Susan

English form of the biblical Susanna, from Biblical Hebrew שׁוֹשַׁנָּה (šōšannā, “lily”), ultimately from Egyptian z:S:n-M9 (zšn).

cog

Susan and she - God rest all Christian souls! - / Were of an age. Well, Susan is with God; / She was too good for me.

c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:

"With all my heart, though I have not an idea who little Susan may be. But I have a kindness for all Susans, for simple Susan's sake.

1855, Elizabeth Gaskell, North and South, Bernhard Tauchnitz, published 1855, page 382:

My own 'reaction' to the name Susan is a vision of a sturdy young woman garbed in 'print' and armed with a mop or other domestic implement, a picture compounded of a succession of domestic Susans passing before the eyes of early childhood. […] It is symptomatic of the game of general post now being played by the classes and the masses that Susan is taking refuge, with Betty, Peggy, Jane and Ann, among the aristocracy, while Gladys and Muriel reign below stairs,

1932, Ernest Weekley, Words and Names, J.Murray, page 84:

Susan, they called her. They chose a name that resembled the name she had come with, Sooki, and also it was a comfortable sound for Iranians to pronounce. "Su-san!" Maryam would sing when she went in to get her from her nap. "Su-Su-Su!"
Even on issues pertaining to their daughter, the Yazdans took a very different approach. Imagine changing that charming name, Sooki, part of her native heritage, to plain old Susan!

2006, Anne Tyler, Digging to America, Alfred A. Knopf, →ISBN, pages 10, 62:


Simone

From French Simone, feminine form of Simon.


Bislama

Borrowed from Bislama Bislama, from French bêche-de-mer (“sea cucumber”). In the mid-nineteenth century, sea cucumbers were harvested and dried at the same time that sandalwood was gathered. The name came to be associated with the kind of pidgin speech that was used by the local laborers between themselves, as well as their English-speaking overseers.

Beach-la-Mar (alternative)
Bichelama (alternative)
Bichelamar (alternative)

A creole language spoken on the South Pacific island-nation of Vanuatu, derived from Indo-European (mainly from English) and Oceanic languages.

բիսլամա

a creole spoken on the South Pacific island-nation of Vanuatu

比斯拉馬語 /比斯拉马语

Bǐ sī lā mǎ yǔ


Kurmanji

The Kurdish language with the largest number of speakers, spoken in Turkey, Syria, northernmost Iraq, and parts of Iran and Central Asia.


nom de plume

noms de plume (plural)
nom-de-plume (alternative)

→ French: nom de plume

Coined in English from French nom (“name”) + de (“of”) + plume (“feather”), by analogy with the borrowed nom de guerre, itself from French nom de guerre.

When King's authorship of Thinner was concealed behind the nom de plume Richard Bachman, the novel sold relatively well.

2018, Robert McParland, Bestseller: A Century of America's Favorite Books, Rowman & Littlefield, →ISBN, page 154:


pen name

pen names (plural)
pen-name (alternative)
penname (alternative)

Within a week of King's acknowledging the Bachman pen name, several sources —publishers, book dealers, readers, and fans—had mentioned a number of possible other pseudonyms; obviously, if King admitted to two pen names, John Swithen and Richard Bachmann, there might be others.

1998, Bill Munster, Discovering Dean Koontz, Wildside Press LLC, →ISBN, page 64:

In their time, it was fashionable to sign letters using a pen name. These pen names were borrowed from characters in classical literature.

2002, Jacqueline Ching, Abigail Adams: A Revolutionary Woman, The Rosen Publishing Group, →ISBN, page 19:

A fictitious name used by an author in place of their actual name; a writer's pseudonym.


Hippocrates

Borrowed from Latin Hippocratēs, from Ancient Greek Ἱπποκράτης (Hippokrátēs). Compare Middle English Ypocras.

A transliteration of the Ancient Greek male given name Ἱπποκράτης (Hippokrátēs), notably borne by Hippocrates of Cos, an Ancient Greek physician, circa 5th century BC, sometimes called the "father of medicine".


Arthur

From the name of the legendary king, from Middle English Arthure, from Medieval Latin Arthurus, probably from Middle Welsh arth (“bear”).
Other suggestions include Old Welsh arth (“bear”) and ur (“man”), or a Latinized (Romano-British) name; compare Latin Artorius, itself possibly of Etruscan origin, or more likely Messapic-Illyrian related to Proto-Albanian *artsa (“bear”).

Young Arthur is alive: this hand of mine / Is yet a maiden and an innocent hand, / Not painted with the crimson spots of blood.

"Is his name Arthur?" "Arthur James." "It’s quite an old-fashioned name." "We’re an old-fashioned family. His mother was fond of Tennyson."

1951, Graham Greene, The End of the Affair, Viking Press, page 96:

"It will not be his only name," Mr. Saporta said, and his glance hoped he had found an acceptable solution. "We shall also call him 'Aaron'. That will be his Jewish name. But for everyday purposes—Arthur."

1966, Patrick White, The Solid Mandala, Avon Books, published 1975, →ISBN, page 270:

A male given name from the Celtic languages.

A number of places in the United States:

A village in Douglas County and Moultrie County, Illinois.

Wellington North
Wellington North#English

Wellington County
Wellington County#English

A community of Wellington North township, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada, named after Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington.


Carolina

en-proper noun

Carolina (countable and uncountable, plural Carolinas)

Latin: carolinianus (New Latin)

Latin: carolinensis (New Latin)

From Latin Carolus (“Charles”) + -ina (feminine diminutive suffix).
The U.S. states are named for Charles I of England.

af

(countable) A female given name from Latin, Latinate form of Caroline; rare in English.


Min Min light

Named after the small settlement of Min Min, located between the outback towns of Boulia and Winton, where the light was observed by a stockman in 1918.

Min-min lights are usually seen during the winter, for example, when cold-air inversions abound. This, and his artificial min-min, seemed to confirm the theory.

2003, New Scientist, volume 180, numbers 2415-2428, page 71:

Then, once a man was talking about his outdoor work, he got around to speaking about the mysteries of the min-min light and who saw it where.

2006, Alexis Wright, Carpentaria, Giramondo, published 2012, page 340:

Neuroscientist, Professor Jack Pettigrew, of the University of Queensland claims the Min Min lights are an inverted mirage of light sources hundreds of miles away, caused by a temperature inversion when cold dense air is trapped near the ground to be refracted so that it travels a curved path around the globe.

2006, Marion Houldsworth, From Gulf to God Knows Where, footnote, page 127:

“You′ve heard of Min Min lights?” She grinned. “Sure.”
The strange appearance of those lights in the outback was legendary.[…]
“Min Min lights were part of Aboriginal folklore long before modern day sightings made them famous,” Jack said.

2010, Robyn Grady, Bargaining For Baby, unnumbered page:

Travellers camping out on the plains may witness a glowing light that seems to hover eerily across the vast landscape – the unexplained Min Min Lights that have been shrouded in mystery for over 100 years.

2010, Craig Lewis, Cathy Savage, The Complete 4WD Guide, unnumbered page:

(Australia) An unexplained light reportedly appearing in the sky in remote parts of Australia, especially northwest Queensland, possibly caused by reflections of distant light in the dry air conditions.


Seth

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Σήθ (Sḗth), from Biblical Hebrew שֵׁת (Šet, literally “chosen one, appointed, placed”).

der

The children suggested names. In his childhood the ones they knew would have been unheard-of (Scott, Ross, Damian, Liam, Seth) or, strangely enough, too old-fashioned for popular use (Joshua, Simon, Jack, George).

2011 November 17, Ruth Rendell, Myth / The Astronomical Scarf / Walter's Leg (Storycuts), Random House, →ISBN:

Reps. Seth Moulton, a Democrat from Massachusetts, and Peter Meijer, a Republican from Michigan, said in a joint statement Tuesday that they had traveled to Kabul “to conduct oversight on the mission to evacuate Americans and our allies” and that the trip had been conducted in secret “to minimize the risk and disruption to the people on the ground.”

2021 August 24, Devan Cole, Ryan Nobles, Zachary Cohen and Oren Liebermann, “Two congressmen traveled to Afghanistan amid frantic evacuation efforts”, in CNN:

'David, Seth and Aaron,' said Emma. 'Biblical names. I wonder if either of the parents is religious.' 'Jewish?' said Sam. 'They sound Old Testament to me.'

2021 December 7, Elly Griffiths, The Midnight Hour, Brighton Mysteries, →ISBN, page 34:


hat trick

hat tricks (plural)
hattrick (alternative)
hat-trick (alternative)

From hat + trick (“element of a magician’s or variety entertainer’s act; entertaining and difficult physical action”, noun). Sense 2 (“achievement of a bowler taking three wickets in three consecutive balls”)—the original sporting sense—refers to the commemorative hat formerly given as a prize to the bowler by his club.

driekuns

three achievements in a single game, competition, season, etc.

שלושער m (shloshá'ar, literally “three-gate or goal”)

གསུམ་སྦྲགས (gsum sbrags, literally “pack-of-three”)

Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament

(UK politics, historical, rare) A means of securing a seat in the House of Commons by a Member of Parliament placing their hat upon it during an absence.


Viking

Borrowed from Old Norse víkingr (“Viking”). Already in Old English as wīċing and Old Frisian wītsing, but assumed extinct in Middle English and borrowed anew in the 19th century; any survivals in dialect through the Middle Ages are unknown.
Old Norse víkingr itself is from Old Norse vík (“inlet, cove, fjord”) + -ingr (“one belonging to, one who frequents”) (the -r is the nominative desinence). Thus, “one from or who frequents the sea’s inlets”.
The Old English and Anglo-Frisian form, existing since at least the eighth century, could also have been derived from or influenced by Old English wīc (“camp”), on account of the temporary encampments which were often a prominent feature of the Vikings’ raids.
Others proposals were made, like e.g. deriving víkingr from the root related to the verb víkja or deriving both English and Old Norse words to *wīkingaz related to víkja or wīc.

أُرْدَمَانِيّ

One of the Scandinavian seafaring warriors

(historical) Scandinavian/Northern European seafarers, most familiarly raiders and pirates during the Viking age.

(colloquial, humorous, mildly offensive) An ethnic Swede, Norwegian, Dane, Icelander or Faroe Islander.


Latinize

en-verb

Latinize (third-person singular simple present Latinizes, present participle Latinizing, simple past and past participle Latinized)

Latinizes (present singular third-person)
Latinizing (participle present)
Latinized (participle past)
Latinized (past)
Latinise (alternative)
latinize (alternative)

From Latin latīnizō. By surface analysis, Latin + -ize.

Guglielmus is a Latinized form of William.

(transitive) To translate something into the Latin language; or make a word similar in appearance or form to a Latin word.

latinalaistaa

to make a word similar in appearance or form to a Latin word


Russel

A male given name transferred from the surname.


Russell

→ Translingual: russelianus

→ French: Russell

Inherited from Middle English Russel, from Anglo-Norman Russel. Doublet of Rousseau/Roussel. Equivalent to russel.

Roussel (alternative)
Rowsell (alternative)
Russel (alternative)

A male given name transferred from the surname; diminutive form Russ.


Shazia

From Arabic شَاذِيَّة (šāḏiyya, “rare, precious, unique”).


Arie

Borrowed from Hebrew אַרְיֵה (aryé, “lion”).


Negar

From Iranian Persian نگار (negâr, “sweetheart; painting”).

bor

نگار نگار#Persian

A transliteration of the Persian female given name نگار (negâr).


Vernon

From Transalpine Gaulish uerna (“alder”) (from Proto-Celtic *wernā, from Proto-Indo-European *wern-) + -o, -onis (locative suffix, literally “place of alder trees”).

A male given name transferred from the surname, of 19th century and later usage.


Kirsten

From North Germanic (Danish Kirsten and Norwegian Kirsten). Doublet of Christina.

Kyrsten (alternative)
Kirstin (alternative)
Kyrstin (alternative)
Kirstyn (alternative)
Kyrstyn (alternative)

U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) led Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) to send a letter to President Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, following up on previous requests that the administration use its authority to deschedule cannabis and pardon non-violent cannabis-related offenders.

2022 July 6, “Senators Warren, Sanders, Markey, and Gillibrand Urge Administration to Deschedule Cannabis and Pardon Nonviolent Cannabis Offenders”, in warren.senate.gov:


Phil

Shortened from Philip, from Ancient Greek Φίλιππος (Phílippos), which see for more information.

Trump’s promotion of the channel, which occurs as he simultaneously works to undermine credible news organizations, is cause for alarm, said Phil Napoli, a Duke University professor who specializes in media and democracy and has studied propaganda efforts.

2020 May 8, Oliver Darcy, “Meet OAN, the little-watched right-wing news channel that Trump keeps promoting”, in CNN:

A short form of the male given name Philip.

(rare) A short form of the female given name Philippa.


Phil

phil (alternative)
phil. (alternative)
Phil. (alternative)

(rare) A short form of the female given name Philomena.


resignation

en-noun

resignation (countable and uncountable, plural resignations)

/ˌɹɛz.ɪɡˈneɪ.ʃən/

/ˌɹez.ɪɡˈnæɪ.ʃən/

From Middle English resignacion, resignacioun, from Old French resignation, from Medieval Latin resignātiōnem, accusative of resignātio. Equivalent to resign + -ation.

(Scots law, historical) The form by which a vassal returns the feu into the hands of a superior.


Philip

en-proper noun

Philip (countable and uncountable, plural Philips)

From Middle English Philip, ultimately from Ancient Greek Φίλιππος (Phílippos), name of ancient kings of Macedonia, from φίλιππος (phílippos, “fond of horses”), from φιλέω (philéō, “I love”) + ἵππος (híppos, “horse”).

af

Philip Berold, conceiting this his name, very Clerkly proves that Philip is an Apostolical name by Saint Philip the Apostle, a Royal name by King Philip King of Macedonia, and an Imperial name by Philip the first Christian Emperour.

1605, William Camden, Remains Concerning Britain, John Russell Smith, published 1870, page 93:

I used to envy my brother his name, and recall once accusing my mother of having favored him, else why did she name me Nathan and him Philip, tell me that, ma, tell me that. He had king Philip and if day-dreaming that association wasn't pleasure enough, there was the then movie star, Phillips Holmes. All I had was Nathan Hale.

1972, Nate Perlmutter, A Bias of Reflections: Confessions of an Incipient Old Jew, Arlington House, →ISBN, page 27:

"Philip," Luke repeated slowly, and a brightness came into his eyes. "She decided to name him Philip, after all." "A family name?" Cody asked him. Luke shrugged. "Actually, it's mine. I never much cared for it as a kid and dropped it when I started school. I insisted everyone call me by my middle name." "Ellie says your son looks like a Philip," Sherry put in. A wide grin split Luke's face. ""I think she's right―he does."

2010, Debbie Macomber, Orchard Valley Brides, MIRA, published 2010, →ISBN:

(countable) A male given name from Ancient Greek.


TEFL

Acronym of teaching (of) English as a foreign language.

acronym

(education) Teaching of English as a foreign language.


Gunther

From German Gunther. Compare variants: Gunter, Günter, Guenter, Günther, Guenther, Ginter, Ginther.


Dzongkha

Borrowed from Dzongkha རྫོང་ཁ (rdzong kha), from རྫོང (rdzong, “jong”) + ཁ (kha, “language”).

com

The national language of Bhutan; Bhutanese.


inner

outer

antonym(s) of “One who supports remaining in the EU”

From Middle English inner, ynner, ynnere, from Old English innera, comparative of inne (“within”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁en.

(UK politics) One who supports remaining in the European Union.


Isaac

en-proper noun

Isaac (countable and uncountable, plural Isaacs)

→ Pohnpeian: Aisek

From Middle English Ysaac, from Latin Isaac, from Ancient Greek Ἰσαάκ (Isaák), from Hebrew יצחק (Yiṣḥāq, literally “he laughs, he will laugh”). Explained in Genesis as referring to his mother Sarah’s laughing when she was told she would have a son at her old age. The verb is masculine, however, perhaps due to its use as a boy’s name.


Nagraj

From Sanskrit नागराज (nāgarāja, “king of snakes”). The surname is from Marathi नागराज (nāgrāj).


Scott

en-proper noun

Scott (countable and uncountable, plural Scotts)

Scotts (plural)
Scot (alternative)
Scottie (alternative)
Scotty (alternative)

(countable) A male given name transferred from the surname.


Francis

From Medieval Latin Franciscus (“French(man)”) (from Francia (“France”), originally a nickname of Saint Francis of Assisi. Doublet of Francisco and Franz.

bor

(used only as equivalent to French François) Francés

Francis is one of the pleasantest names in use. It has a fine open air with it, - a sound correspondent to its sense.

1820 February 9, Leigh Hunt, “Names”, in The Indicator, number XVIII:

Francis had never been 'Frank' or 'Fran', he had always been called by his full name. It had lent him a certain dignity that he had possibly never earned.

2006, Kate Atkinson, One Good Turn, Black Swan, published 2007, →ISBN, page 454:

(rare) A female given name from Latin, Alternative spelling of Frances.

A ghost town in Wheeler County, Nebraska, United States.

A town in Summit County, Utah, United States.


Chuvash

An agglutinative language of the Bolgar branch of the Turkic language family and is spoken west of the Ural mountains in central Russia. Chuvash is the native language of the Chuvash people and an official language of Chuvashia. It is spoken by about two million people.

чӑваш чӗлхи

čăvaš čĕlh̬i


Diogenes

From Latin Diogenēs, from Ancient Greek Διογένης (Diogénēs).

A transliteration of the Ancient Greek male given name Διογένης (Diogénēs).


Kevin

→ Breton: Kevin

→ Cebuano: Kevin

→ Danish: Kevin

→ Dutch: Kevin

→ Estonian: Kevin

→ French: Kevin, Kévin m

French: Kevine f

→ German: Kevin

→ Lithuanian: Kevinas

→ Norwegian: Kevin

→ Polish: Kewin

→ Portuguese: Kevin

→ Spanish: Kevin

→ Swedish: Kevin

→ Tagalog: Kevin

Name of a seventh-century Irish saint, from Irish Caoimhghin or Caoimhín, from Old Irish Cóemgen (literally “dear birth/person”). It first became popular outside Ireland in the mid-twentieth century.


Francisco

en-proper noun

Francisco (countable and uncountable, plural Franciscos)

From Latin Franciscus. Doublet of Francis.
* (given name): From Romance Francisco (Portuguese Francisco, Spanish Francisco)
* (moon of Uranus): From the naming pattern established for moons of Uranus, being references to the works of William Shakespeare. From being a character in the play The Tempest

(countable) A male given name from Spanish or Portuguese, equivalent to English Francis.


Mbabaram

An extinct ergative Australian aboriginal language of the Southern Pama branch of the large Pama-Nyungan family of languages.


Tatar

An agglutinative language belonging to the Altai group of Turkic languages. It is an official language of Tatarstan. There are some eight million speakers spread across Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia.


Tatar

A person belonging to one of several Turkic, Tatar-speaking ethnic groups in Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia.


Shug

A Scottish nickname usually applied to people with the first name Hew or Hugh or other spellings of this name.


Uzziel

From Hebrew עֻזִּיאֵל (“strength of God”).


Manannán mac Lir

Borrowed from Irish Manannán mac Lir, from Old Irish Manandán mac Lir.


Prometheus

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-Prometheus.wav

From Ancient Greek Προμηθεύς (Promētheús), from πρό (pró, “before”) + μανθάνω (manthánō, “to think”).


Ethniu

(Irish mythology) The daughter of the Fomorian king Balor, wife of Cian and the mother of Lugh and Delbáeth, and the grandmother of Cúchulainn and Fionn mac Cumhaill.


Balor

(Irish mythology) A king of the Fomorians, supposed to have lived on Tory Island. Son of Buarainech. Husband of Cethlenn. Father of Ethniu.


Buarainech

(Irish mythology) The father of Balor, the King of the Fomorians.


Cethlenn

(Irish mythology) The wife of Balor of the Fomorians, and, by Balor, the mother of Ethniu; also a prophetess.


Irishman

From Middle English Irisshman, equivalent to Irish + -man.

It is so absurd to advance into the presence of savage royalty after the fashion of an Irishman driving a pig to market, for that is what we looked like, and the idea nearly made me burst out laughing then and there.

1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:


Mingo

A polysynthetic language of the Northern Iroquoian language family, once spoken across eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, now spoken fluently by fewer than five fluent people, but in the process of being revitalized.


Janet

→ Welsh: Sioned

From Jane + -et, q.v. Chiefly Scottish until the 19th century.
Doublet of Ivanka, Jan, Janelle, Janey, Janine, Jeanette, Jeanie, Jeannette, Jeannine, Jen, Jenna, Jenny, Jessie, Jo, Jody, Juanita, Shanae, Sinead, and Vanna.

doublet

Keek into the draw-well, Janet, Janet,
And there ye'll see ye'r bonny fell, my jo Janet.

1733, Allan Ramsay, “My Jo Janet”, in The Tea-Table Miscellany: or, A Collection of Scots Songs:

Alice decided to have lots and lots of children and all of them with lovely names like Amanda-Jane and Arabella and Dominic and Ganymede.
"But too many children will be expensive," Flora said. "I'm having two and mine aren't called such silly names as yours. Mine are called Andrew and Janet."
"All right," Alice said, who was by nature accommodating. "Those are nice names, Flora."

1990, Barbara Trapido, Temples of Delight, page 50:


heh

The fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets (Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac, Arabic and others).


Jose

From Spanish/Portuguese José, from Hebrew. Doublet of Joseph.

Some Rizaliana collectors deem the blue 1959 Jose Rizal Definitive to be the most attractive Rizal stamp.

2008, Lisa Mapua, Stamps of the Philippines: Historical and Topical Collections 1854–2004, →ISBN, page 125:

A male given name from Spanish, equivalent to English Joseph, an anglicized spelling of Spanish José and Portuguese José.


Jose

Originally as a diminutive form of Josephine, later also appearing as a given name.

A diminutive of the female given name Josephine.


Marie

The French Marie, equivalent of Mary; also an Early New English spelling of Mary, from Middle English Marie. Doublet of Mary.

We are going to call her Marie. For once we are in agreement about something, if for different reasons. I just happen to like the name, it's my second favourite girl's name after Swanhild, it has such a pretty sound. Rasmus, of course, likes it because it can be English and all things English he adores. 'The English can pronounce it,' he says, by which he means they pronounce it "Maar-rie", as in Marie Lloyd whom we've seen on the stage. 'The French can pronounce it too,' I said in my way, 'for what that's worth,' but he doesn't mind what I say at the moment.

1993, Barbara Vine (Ruth Rendell). Asta's Book →ISBN, page 105


Marvin

From Welsh Merfyn (“Mervyn”), probably from mer (“marrow”) + myn (“eminent”).

Mervin (alternative)
Mervine (alternative)
Mirfin (alternative)

"Thank you the marketing division of the Sirius Cybernetic Corporation," said Marvin and trudged desolately up the gleaming curved corridor that stretched out before them. "Let's build robots with Genuine People personalities, they said. So they tried out with me. I'm a personality prototype. You can tell can't you?"

1979, Douglas Adams, The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Chapter 11:


Caroline

/ˈkæɹ.əˌlɪn/

Borrowed in the 17th century from the French form of Carolina, feminine derivative of Carolus, the Latin equivalent of Charles, which came from Middle High German Karl.

- - - gentle Sophias milk your cows, and if you ask a pretty smiling girl at a cottage door to tell you her name, the rosy lips lisp out Caroline. A great number of children, amongst the lower classes, are Carolines. That does not, however, wholly proceed from the love of the appellation; though I believe that a queen Margery or a queen Sarah would have had fewer namesakes.

1830, Mary Russell Mitford, Our Village: Fourth Series: Cottage Names::

I used to love saying her name. Caroline, with the "i" always long, because to make it short left it sounding like crinoline, a sweat-stained, mothballed Sunday hat pulled from an attic trunk. But Caroline with the "i" long created a sound roughly equivalent to the idea of a girl. The echo of a song in its three syllables, an age-old lyric not yet faded from memory.

1999, Andrew Pyper, chapter 44, in Lost Girls:

A female given name from the Germanic languages.


Lynn

A male given name transferred from the surname, usually used as a middle name.

A female given name transferred from the surname, popular as a middle name.

A female given name, variant of Lyn, popular as a middle name.


Dheeraj

A male given name from Hindi, meaning “patience”.


interlocutor

interlocutors (plural)
interlocutour (alternative)

From French interlocutoire, from Latin interlocūtōrium.

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-interlocutor.wav

A decree of the English Court of Chancery is not entitled to more respect in Scotland than a decree (interlocutor) of the Scottish Court of Session in England.

1869, “The Judicial System of Scotland”, in The American Law Register (1852-1891), volume 17, number 5, page 257:


Rama

en:Rama (disambiguation)
en:Rendezvous with Rama

Borrowed from Sanskrit रमा (ramā).
* (Oumuamua): The nickname derives from the similarity of Oumuamua to the fictional object "Rama" in the story Rendezvous with Rama, where that fictional object is named for the goddess.

A female given name from Sanskrit mainly used in India.


Phillipp

A male given name from Ancient Greek, a rare spelling of Philip.


Tommy

A diminutive of the male given name Thomas.

(uncommon relative to the male given name) A diminutive of the female given name Thomasina.


Tommy

Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll

And every night now he played pontoon, that game of the Tommies, with Mrs Bolton, gambling with sixpences.

1928, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, chapter XV, in Lady Chatterley’s Lover, [Germany?]: Privately printed, →OCLC:

Meanwhile the Tommies had discovered several large tins of ham in the captured lorry. 'That,' said the big Nazi, 'is for our tea.' 'No,' said a Tommy sergeant-major. 'That's for our tea. For you, chummy, we've kept a nice bit of bull.'

1949, Stephen Peter Llewellyn, Journey Towards Christmas, page 142:

He liked the Germans better than he did the French; but for all that, if he went down the back streets of a night, it was with three or four British Tommies, in case the Jerries weren't as friendly as they made out.

1974, GB Edwards, The Book of Ebenezer Le Page, New York, published 2007, page 129:

(colloquial) Ellipsis of Tommy Atkins; a typical private in the British army; a British soldier.


Ian

“If you want a Scotch name why don’t you call him Jock?” Macgregor looked disgusted. “Because Jock is not a name, but a diminutive, as everybody knows well. It is the diminutive of John. And John is not a Scots name. The Scots form of that name is Ian. If you want to call him Ian Fetch, I shall say no more”.

1975, Robertson Davies, World of Wonders, →ISBN, page 736:

A male given name from Scottish Gaelic Eòin, equivalent to English John.

Sìne

Jane; John; female Scottish form of from


Irusha

A female given name from Hebrew, a form of Jerusha.

A male given name, a common Sri Lankan name that dates back to 2000 B.C.E..


Lowri

Lowrie (alternative)
Lowry (alternative)


oracle

From Middle English oracle, from Old French oracle m, from Latin ōrāculum n.

The oracles are dumb; / No voice or hideous hum / Runs through the arched roof in words deceiving.

1629, John Milton, “On the Morning of Christs Nativity”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC:

A shrine dedicated to some prophetic deity.

A person such as a priest through whom the deity is supposed to respond with prophecy or advice.

оракул

priest through whom deity provides prophecy or advice

And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Kings 6:19:

Siloa's brook, that flow'd / Fast by the oracle of God.

1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

(Jewish antiquity) The sanctuary, or most holy place in the temple; also, the temple itself.


oratory

oratories (plural)
Oratory (alternative)

From Middle English oratorie, from Anglo-Norman oratorie, Middle French oratoire, and their source, Late Latin ōrātōrium. Doublet of oratorio.

/ˈɒɹət(ə)ɹi/

By public oratories are meant those attached to monasteries, convents, seminaries, etc., having a public entrance by which the faithful have access to them.

1876, Michael Comerford, The Book of Holy Indulgences […] , page 29:

A Roman Catholic chapel; a building for public or private worship that is not a parish church.


Eileen

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-Eilleen.wav

Anglicized form of Irish Eibhlín, Eilín or Aibhilín, all cognates of Evelyn. Sometimes also used for the Irish name Éibhleann, possibly from Old Irish oíph (“radiance, beauty”).

Aileen (alternative)
Eyleen (alternative)

Come on Eileen / Oh, I swear (What he means) / At this moment / You mean everything

1982, “Come On Eileen”, in Too-Rye-Ay, performed by Dexys Midnight Runners:


Mario

Borrowed from Italian and Spanish Mario, both of which coming from Latin Marius.

It's-a me! Mario!

Mario enjoying the smells of the calliopsis alongside the grounds' quincunx paths, the sweetish pines and the briers' yeasty musk […].

1996, David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest […], Boston, Mass., New York, N.Y.: Little, Brown and Company, →ISBN, page 80:

Coccinelle, the flamboyant star of a female-impersonation revue at the Carrousel Club in Paris, recounted the saga of her physical transformation to Italiaan journalist Mario Costa.

2001, Susan Stryker, Queer Pulp, page 82:

A male given name from Italian or Spanish.


ya

A letter of the Cyrillic alphabet: Я, я.


Austin

Austen (alternative)
Austen (alternative)
Austyn (alternative)

From Middle English [Term?], from Anglo-Norman Aostin, Austin, a contraction of Old French Agustin, from Latin Augustīnus, from Augustus (literally “majestic”). Doublet of Augustine.

A male given name from Old French, of Anglo-Norman origin.

'He says the business with Austin doing take-and-drive-away, it's a deep compulsion he has, a compulsion to find out his real identity by sampling and testing out various machines.'
'You mean it's the vicar's fault for naming him after a car?'

1986, Hilary Mantel, Vacant Possession, Harper Perennial, published 2006, →ISBN, page 15:

A male given name transferred from the surname.


Catherine

/ˈkæθ(ə)ɹɪn/

From French Catherine, from Ancient Greek Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterínē), *Ἑκατερίνη (*Hekaterínē), of debated meaning, possibly from ἑκάτερος (hekáteros, “each of the two”), or from the name of the goddess Hecate. The apheresis of the first syllable as well as the spelling with ⟨th⟩ in Latin languages, German and English, is due to a folk etymology, dating from Roman times, which associated the name with the Ancient Greek καθαρός (katharós, “pure”). The name belonged to a 4th-century saint and martyr from Alexandria who was supposedly tortured on the wheel from where the term Catherine wheel originates.

Catharine (alternative)
Katharine (alternative)
Katherine (alternative)
Kathryn (alternative)
Catheryn (alternative)
Cathryn (alternative)
Katheryn (alternative)

- - - despite of what you say of my fine name, I think my head is so obstinate and inflexible that the name Catherine was well chosen. It suits my character. I was given the name by the late Empress Elisabeth, to whom I owe much; she gave it to me out of affection and out of respect for her mother

1763 Voltaire and Catherine the Great: Selected Correspondence. Voltaire, Catherine, Antony Lentin.(Translation from French.)Publ. Oriental Research Partners,1973

It was named Catherine, but he never called it the name in full, as he had never called the first Catherine short, probably because Heathcliff had a habit of doing so. The little one was always Cathy, it formed to him a distinction from the mother, and yet, a connection with her;

1847 December, Ellis Bell [pseudonym; Emily Brontë], Wuthering Heights: […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Thomas Cautley Newby, […], →OCLC:

"Is that your given name?" "Not exactly. My father named me Catherine, and my mother nicknamed me Carrie. Nobody calls me Catherine." "Oh, but you're much more a Catherine than a Carrie," observed Peter seriously. "Carrie is simple and mundane; Catherine is complex and beautiful."

1981, Carole Gift Page, Carrie, Bethany House Publishers, published 1994, →ISBN, page 55:

"Yes, Catherine sounds like a lovely name. I like it. My new name will be Catherine." She rolled the name Catherine silently again. The name had character a noble ring to it she really liked it.

2003, Michael O. Gregory, The Dead Years, page 35:


flapping

en-noun

flapping (countable and uncountable, plural flappings)

(phonology) A phonological process found in many dialects of English, especially American English and Canadian English, by which intervocalic /t/ and /d/ surface as the alveolar flap [ɾ] before an unstressed syllable, so that words such as "metal" and "medal" are pronounced similarly or identically.


Bridget

English form of the Irish saints' name Brighid, Brigid. Doublet of Bride.

And when Miſtreſſe Briget loſt the handle of her Fan, I took't vpon mine honour thou hadſt it not.

c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 45:

Of all the beautiful Christian names of women which were in use a century or two ago Brighid (Breed), under the ugly form of Bridget, or still worse, Biddy, and Eiblin under the form of Eveleen, and perhaps Norah, seem to be the only survivals, and they are becoming rarer.

2000, David Pierce, Irish Writing in the Twentieth Century: A Reader, Cork University Press., →ISBN, pages 8–9:


Samuel

From Latin Samuēl, from Ancient Greek Σαμουήλ (Samouḗl), from Biblical Hebrew שְׁמוּאֵל (šəmûʾēl, literally “name of God”) https://www.etymonline.com/word/samuel. It is also taken to mean "heard by God" or "asked of God."
According to 1 Samuel 1:20, the Biblical judge and prophet was given this name due to its similarity to a Hebrew word that means "heard by God."

der

It was quite unnecessary to call Samuel Weller; for Samuel Weller stepped briskly into the box the instant his name was pronounced; and placing his hat on the floor, and his arms on the rail, took a bird’s–eye view of the Bar, and a comprehensive survey of the Bench, with a remarkably cheerful and lively aspect. ‘What’s your name, sir?’ inquired the judge. / ‘Sam Weller, my Lord,’ replied that gentleman. / ‘Do you spell it with a “V” or a “W”?’ inquired the judge. / ‘That depends upon the taste and fancy of the speller, my Lord,’ replied Sam; ‘I never had occasion to spell it more than once or twice in my life, but I spells it with a “V.” ’ / Here a voice in the gallery exclaimed aloud, ‘Quite right too, Samivel, quite right. Put it down a “we,” my Lord, put it down a “we.”’

1836 March – 1837 October, Charles Dickens, “Chapter 34”, in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1837, →OCLC:

I went down the dark road between the hawthorn hedges puzzling over the why of like, repeating SAMUEL to myself and aloud and listening to the rolling wonder in its sound that had charmed her soul and led her life in tragic places. SAMUEL! There was a rolling wonder in the sound. Aye, there was!

1914, Jack London, The Strength of the Strong/Samuel:


Sam

While the plane is “perfectly capable” of making the trip without these modifications, Zara’s father Sam Rutherford says these changes have given both him and Zara an extra sense of security.

2021 August 18, Rebecca Cairns, “This teenage aviator hopes to be the youngest woman to fly solo around the world”, in CNN:

A diminutive of the male given name Samuel, or rarely of Samson. Also used as a formal given name.

A diminutive of the female given name Samantha.

A Trans-New Guinea language of Papua New Guinea.


Sam

(UK, informal) Synonym of Dicky Sam (“a man from Liverpool”)


convent

From Middle English convent, variant of covent, from Old French covent, from Latin conventus, perfect participle of the verb convenio (whence ultimately convene), see con- + venio. Doublet of coven.

A religious community whose members live under strict observation of religious rules and self-imposed vows.

One seldom finds in Italy a spot of ground more agreeable than ordinary that is not covered with a convent.

1705, J[oseph] Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:

The buildings and pertaining surroundings in which such a community lives.

(now especially) Synonym of nunnery, a female religious community and its residence.

nunnery

A gathering of people lasting several days for the purpose of discussing or working on topics previously selected.


Crispin

From Latin Crispinus, derivative of the Roman family name Crispus (“curly”).
Alternatively, contraction of Crispus (“hair”) and pinus (“pine”), according to Miraculum Quo Beata Maria Subvenit Guillelmo Crispino


Owen

A male given name from Welsh, an anglicization of Welsh Owain.

A male given name from Irish, an anglicization of Irish Eoghan.


Yugoslav

/ˈjuːɡəˌslɑːv/

From Serbo-Croatian Jugoslàvēn ("Southern Slav"), influenced by Slav.

He is an educated man, speaking English, French, Spanish, Yugoslav, Russian and German, and he saw service in the Army and understands espionage.

2002, Graeme Mount, chapter 3, in Personal Secretary’s File, Bowers to Welles, 16 March 1942, quoted in Chile and the Nazis, Black Rose Books, →ISBN, page 70:

(dated, otherwise by extension, nonstandard) Serbo-Croatian language


Colin

Colins (plural)
Collen (alternative)
Collin (alternative)

Diminutive of Coll, a medieval short form of Nicholas. It has also been used to anglicize Irish Coileán and Scottish Gaelic Cailean.

That iolly shepheard, which there piped, was / Poore Colin Clout (who knowes not Colin Clout?)

1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 16:

"My parents," Powell wrote, "were British subjects, and they named me Colin (KAH-lin). Being British, they knew very well how the name was supposed to be pronounced. But when I was a young boy, there was a famous American World War II hero whose name became very popular in the streets of New York City. He was Capt. Colin P. Kelly Jr. He was called KOH-lin. My friends in the streets of the South Bronx, who heard Captain Kelly's name pronounced in the radio and by their parents and other adults, began to refer to me by the same pronunciation.

1992, Howard B. Means, Colin Powell, Donald J. Fine, published 1992, →ISBN, page 49:


toponym

Back-formation of toponymy. By surface analysis, topo + -nym.

As we celebrate one hundred years of official 'standardization' of Canadian toponyms, this would be an appropriate time to reflect upon the state of toponyms used by the Aboriginal people of Canada.

2003, William C. Wonders, Canada's Changing North, →ISBN, page 207:

Conquests were recorded using toponyms that refer to specific cities or locations, and war captives were identified by their place of origin.

2006, Robert J. Sharer, Loa P. Traxler, The Ancient Maya, →ISBN, page 714:

If ביתדוד of the Tel Dan Inscription did originate with a temple of some kind, then we must interpret the ‘’’toponym’’’ as meaning 'House of (the) Patron'. Thus, although the toponym ביתדוד in the Tel Dan Inscription can be connected indirectly with a deity, such a connection is not demanded by the toponym itself.

2006, George Athas, The Tel Dan Inscription: A Reappraisal and a New Introduction, →ISBN:


Roxy

A diminutive of the female given names Roxana, Roxane, and Roxanne.


Roxanne

A female given name from Persian; a spelling variant of Roxane, fairly popular since the 1930s.


Shravas

A male given name from Sanskrit, meaning “fame” or “to be heard” used in India; It is very uncommon.


Steve

Shortening of various names ultimately derived from Latin Stephanus m, from Ancient Greek Στέφανος m (Stéphanos) from στέφανος m (stéphanos, “crown, wreath”)

His first name was probably Steve or Ed. No, there were no more Steves or Eds in New York. They were now Steven or Edward, whether they were gay or straight. If they had money, they didn't have a nickname. Everybody was into high seriousness, so that now even dogs were named Humphrey and Raphael.

1989, Ann Beattie, Picturing Will, Random House, →ISBN, page 67:

A diminutive of the male given name Steven and Stephen; also used as a formal male given name.

Allison made a careful note of the address and within the hour she had met, decided she liked, and moved in with a girl of twenty who called herself Steve Wallace.
"Don't call me Stephanie", Steve had said. "I don't know why it should, but being called Stephanie always makes me feel like something pale and dull out of Jane Austen."

1956, Grace Metalious, Peyton Place, UPNE, published 1999, →ISBN, Book Three, Chapter 13:

A diminutive of the female given name Stephanie.


Jackson

en-proper noun

Jackson (countable and uncountable, plural Jacksons)

Jacksons (plural)
Jaxon (alternative)
Jaxson (alternative)
Jaxxon (alternative)
Jaxon (alternative)
Jaxson (alternative)
Jaxxon (alternative)

⇒ Translingual: Jacksonaster

Francis was named for his mother's father and Jackson himself was named for his father's mother. Not that his grandmother was called Jackson, of course - it was a maiden name (Margaret Jackson) and it was a Scottish tradition, his father informed him.

2004, Kate Atkinson, Case Histories, →ISBN, page 158:

A male given name transferred from the surname.


Frederick

From German Friedrich, Friederich and influenced by Latin Friderīcus, Frederīcus, from Old High German Fridurih, from Frankish *Friþurīk, from Proto-Germanic *Friþurīks (“peace king, peaceful ruler”).

der

Have you not heard speak of Mariana, the sister of Frederick, the great soldier who miscarried at sea?

When I referred to the confusion which would result from the presence in the house of two people with the same name, she tossed her head and said it would be easy to obviate that by calling me Frederick instead of Fred. - - - Imagine Harry Bolles and other kindred spirits calling me stiff, august Frederick! I vowed that this should not be brought to pass - - -

1892, Robert Grant, The Reflections of a Married Man, Scribner, pages 98–99:

A male given name from the Germanic languages.


Brenna

An American coinage used since the 1970s, possibly based on the male given name Brennan or Brendan.


Patrick

en-prop

Patrick (countable and uncountable, plural Patricks)

[ˈpʰæ.t̠ɹ̠̊˔ʷɪk̚]

From Middle English Patrick, from Latin Patricius (“patrician”), the name of an early Irish saint. Doublet of Paddy.

Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio,
And much offence, too.

c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene v]:

- Are unusual names nice?
- Yes.
- Then why am I called Patrick?
She laughed but only for a little bit. She smiled at me, I think to make sure that I knew she wasn't laughing at me.
- Because your daddy's called Patrick, she said.
I liked that, being called after my da.
- There are five Patricks in our class, I said.
- Is that right?
- Patrick Clarke. That's me. Patrick O'Neill. Patrick Redmond. Patrick Genocci. Patrick Flynn.
- That's a lot, she said. - It's a nice name. Very dignified.
- Three of them are called Paddy, I told her. - One Pat and one Patrick.

1993, Roddy Doyle, Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, page 138:


Dustin

Probably from Old Norse Þorsteinn (“Thor's stone”).

A male given name from the Germanic languages (very rarely also given to women).


gurdwara

gurdwaras (plural)
gurudwara (alternative)

From Punjabi ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ (gurduārā), ਗੁਰਦਵਾਰਾ (gurdavārā).


Gurjit

A male given name from Sanskrit used by Sikhs.


Kermit

Variant of English and Manx Kermode, cognate with Irish Mac Diarmata (“son of Dermot”). Popularized in the US by the naming of Kermit Roosevelt (after a Manx ancestor). The computing sense is named after the Sesame Street character, but later provided with a backronym ("KL10 Error-Free Reciprocal Microprocessor Interchange over TTY").

(chiefly US) A male given name from Manx.


Mervyn

Welsh Merfyn, probably from mer (“marrow”) (from Proto-Brythonic *mer) + myn (“eminent”) (compare Irish mín (“smooth, elegant, courteous”)).

cog

Mervyn, in the meantime, had had his solitary meal in the famous back parlour of the Phoenix, where the newspapers lay, and all comers were welcome.

1863, Sheridan Le Fanu, The House by the Churchyard:


pet name

My boyfriend won't let me call him by his pet name, Pookie, in public.

A nickname, especially a name used by those in love with one another.


Lewis

en-proper noun

Lewis (countable and uncountable, plural Lewises)

From Middle English Lewis, Lowis, from Anglo-Norman, from Old French Louis, from Frankish *Hlūdawīg. Doublet of Louis.


Welshman

From Middle English Walishman, equivalent to Welsh + -man.

Coordinate term: Welshwoman

A man who is a native or inhabitant of Wales.


Nipponese

From Nippon (romanized version of 日本, the native Japanese name for Japan) + -ese.


Athirne

(Irish mythology) Athairne the Importunate, a poet and a satirist of the court of Conchobar mac Nessa in the Ulster Cycle and foster-father of Amairgin mac Echit.


Findchoem

Conall the Victorious
Conall the Victorious

(Irish mythology) Princess of Ulster. Wife of Amairgin mac Echit and sister of Conchobar mac Nessa. Mother of Conall the Victorious.


Achall

(Irish mythology) In the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, the daughter of Cairbre Nia Fer; committed suicide after her brother Erc was killed by Conall Cernach.


Fedelm Noíchrothach

The daughter of Conchobar mac Nessa who married Cairbre Nia Fer but was unfaithful to him. Cousin of Conall the Victorious. Mother of Erc and Achall.


Erc

From Old Irish Erc (modern Irish Earc), a word for which the electronic Dictionary of the Irish language gives several meanings, but the most likely meaning for the name is "spotted, speckled, motley," from Proto-Celtic *ɸerkos (“perch”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *perḱ- (“colored”).

(Irish mythology) A member of the conspiracy that killed Cúchulainn, but was killed by his second cousin Conall the Victorious. Son of Cairbre Nia Fer and brother of Achall.


Briccriu

Bricriu (alternative)
Briccirne (alternative)
Bricne (alternative)

(Irish mythology) In the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology: a warrior, poet, and troublemaker who once held a lavish feast for Conchobar mac Nessa and the heroes of Ulster in his house at Dún Rudraige.


Áed Ruad

(Irish mythology) The High King of Ireland who ruled in rotation with his cousins Díthorba and Cimbáeth, each ruling for seven years in turn.


Díthorba

(Irish mythology) One of the three High Kings of Ireland, who ruled in rotation with Áed Ruad and Cimbáeth, each ruling seven years in turn and for three seven-year periods.


Cimbáeth

(Irish mythology) One of the three High Kings of Ireland, who ruled in rotation with Áed Ruad and Díthorba, each ruling seven years in turn and ruling for three seven year period. He died of plague at Emain Macha.


Finnbhennach

(Irish mythology) In the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, an extremely fertile stud bull owned by king Ailill mac Máta. He was originally one of Bodb Dearg's pig-keepers, who fell out with one of his colleagues.


recognition

en-noun

recognition (usually uncountable, plural recognitions)

/ˌɹɛkəɡˈnɪʃən/

From Middle English recognicion, from Middle French recognicion, recognition and its etymon Latin recognitiōnem (accusative of recognitiō), from recognitus, past participle of recognōscere.

(Scots law, historical) A return of the feu to the superior.


Angela

Feminine form of Church Latin Angelus, from Ancient Greek ἄγγελος (ángelos, “messenger, angel”).

der

Faire Angela (quoth she) men do her call, / No whit lesse faire, then terrible in fight: / She hath the leading of a Martiall / And mighty people, dreaded more then all / The other Saxons, which do for her sake / And love, themselves of her name Angles call.

1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto III”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 56:

And the child was named Angela for the Angelus which rang the midnight hour, the New Year, the minute of her coming and because she was a little angel anyway.
ibid., page 39:
The man says his name is Mr. Dimino and that's his wife, Angela, behind the counter. I tell him that's my mother's name. No kiddin', kid. Your mother is Angela? I didn't know the Irish had any Angelas.

1996, Frank McCourt, chapter I, in Angela's Ashes, HarperCollins., →ISBN, page 5:


Alfred

→ Danish: Alfred

Esperanto: Alfredo

Faroese: Alfred

→ Finnish: Alfred

French: Alfred

→ German: Alfred

Greek: Αλφρέδος (Alfrédos)

Italian: Alfredo

Norman: Alfred

→ Norwegian: Alfred

Portuguese: Alfredo

desctree

Spanish: Alfredo
Cebuano: Alfredo
Tagalog: Alfredo

→ Swedish: Alfred

From Middle English Alfred, from Old English Ælfrǣd, from ælf (“elf”) + rǣd (“counsel”). Doublet of Alfredo and Avery.
The modern pronunciation with /f/ is a spelling pronunciation; the name in Old English was pronounced with [v], as shown in its Middle English descendant Alured (in which u stands for modern v).

Unfortunately for me my father had combined diplomacy with a study of Anglo-Saxon history and, of course with my mother's consent, he gave me the name of Alfred, one of his heroes ( I believe she had boggled at Aelfred ). This Christian name, for some inexplicable reason, had become corrupted in the eyes of our middle-class world; it belonged exclusively now to the working class and was usually abbreviated to Alf. Perhaps that was why Doctor Fisher, the inventor of Dentophil Bouquet, never called me anything but Jones, even after I married his daughter.

1980, Graham Greene, Doctor Fisher of Geneva, or the Bomb Party (fiction), →OCLC:

You give a kid a name like Cameron / or Alfred, or something like that, / and they end up wearing glasses / and looking at computers for the rest of their life.

1998, Steven Herrick, A Place Like This (fiction), University of Queensland Press, →ISBN, page 86:


Karl

→ Cebuano: Karl, Carl

From German and North Germanic (Scandinavian) Karl, from Germanic. Doublet of Charles.

A male given name from the Germanic languages, equivalent to English Charles.


Franklin

en-prop

Franklin (countable and uncountable, plural Franklins)

From Middle English frankelein (“freeholder”), see franklin. The place names are mostly named after American statesman Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790).

named-after

A male given name transferred from the surname, partly in honor of Benjamin Franklin.


Australian English

Prior to the 1980s, Australian English had been widely deprecated by Australians themselves, principally as a result of a sense of inferiority known as "cultural cringe".

2012, James Lambert, “Beyond Hobson-Jobson: A new lexicography for Indian English”, in World Englishes, page 295:

The form of the English language used in Australia.


Hymie

A diminutive of the male given name Hyman.


toponymy

en-noun

toponymy (countable and uncountable, plural toponymies)

(semantics) Lexicological study of place names; a branch of onomastics.


onomastics

1936, from the adjective onomastic (“of or belonging to naming”) (1716) with a suffix -s, from French onomastique, from Ancient Greek ὀνομαστικός (onomastikós), from ὀνομαστός (onomastós, “named”), form of ὀνομάζω (onomázō, “I name”), from ὄνομα (ónoma, “name”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁nómn̥ (“name”) (whence English name).

Her father had long been a student of onomastics, and loved to unpack the names of people they encountered as children.

2024, Susie Dent, Guilty By Definition, Zaffre, page 65:

The branch of lexicology devoted to the study of names and naming, especially the origins of names.


Taylor

"I wanted to call her Taylor, but my husband said no," Sweetie was telling one of the Christmas party guests.
"Taylor means a tailor," I said. "It seems inauspicious. Like calling her Cobbler."
"That's a kind of drink," said Nani.

2001, Paul Theroux, Hotel Honolulu, page 206:

A unisex given name transferred from the surname.


irritate

en-verb

irritate (third-person singular simple present irritates, present participle irritating, simple past and past participle irritated)

irritates (present singular third-person)
irritating (participle present)
irritated (participle past)
irritated (past)

From Latin irritātus, past participle of irritō (“I invalidate, annul”), from irritus (“invalid”), negation of ratus (“valid, established, fixed”).

/ˈɪɹ.ɪˌteɪt/

c. 1634-1661 John Bramhall, Protestants' Ordination Defended
Are human laws presently superfluous, so often as they do not irritate or abrogate Divine laws ?

(transitive, obsolete, Scots law) To render null and void.


facility

en-noun

facility (countable and uncountable, plural facilities)

From Middle English facilite, from Middle French facilité, and its source, Latin facilitās. By surface analysis, facile + -ity. Doublet of faculty.

(Scots law) A condition of mental weakness less than idiocy, but enough to make a person easily persuaded to do something against their better interest.


tribal

From Latin tribālis. By surface analysis, tribe + -al, first attested in the 1630s.

This right had been accepted by relative tribals but misobeyed and effaced by non-tribals and foreign peasants.

1983, Human Science: Journal of the Anthropological Survey of India, page 141:

[…] the legendary Adivasi leader Jaipal Singh Munda who came to represent the tribals not just of his native plateau, but also of all of India […]

2018, Vaijayanta Anand, Geeta Balakrishnan, Purnima George, Community Practices in India: Lessons from the Grassroots, page 66:


purdah

purdah (countable and uncountable, plural purdahs)

purdahs (plural)
pardah (alternative)
purda (alternative)

Borrowed from Hindustani پردہ / पर्दा (pardā), and its etymon Classical Persian پرده (pardah, “curtain; screen; (archaic) veil”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂- (“flat”).

der

Despite Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris's reassurance that "the White Paper is coming" it was further delayed by the period of purdah that preceded local elections held on May 6.

2021 June 2, “Network News: ‘Root and Branch’ Review Three Years in the Making”, in Rail, number 932, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 10:

(countable, UK politics) The period between the announcement of an election or referendum and its conclusion, during which civil servants refrain from making policy announcements or taking actions that could be seen as advantageous to certain candidates in the election.


Koine

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Κοινή (Koinḗ), from ἡ κοινὴ διάλεκτος (hē koinḕ diálektos, “the common dialect”), from κοινός (koinós, “shared, common, public, general, ordinary, usual”).

bor+

The “common” Greek language that developed and flourished between 300 B.C.E. and 300 C.E. (the time of the Roman Empire), and from which Modern Greek descended. It was based on the Attic and Ionian dialects of Ancient Greek.


Archie

→ Scottish Gaelic: Eairdsidh

A diminutive of the male given name Archibald, from the Germanic languages, also used as a formal given name.


Archibald

From Old English Arcebald, Arcenbald or Ercenbald, from Old French Archaunbault, from Proto-West Germanic *Erknabalþ, from *erkn (“pure, holy, genuine, precious”) + *balþ (“strong, bold”).

af

A male given name from the Germanic languages.


Carla

A female given name from the Germanic languages borrowed from Italian or German.


Marsha

"I hate my name, too," offered four-year-old Marsha, who until that moment had never thought about her name.
"No, you don't." Mom. "It's a lovely name."
"Is not." But in fact, like most people, she had no particular feelings about her name - her first name, anyhow - but simply accepted it as hers.

2005, John Barth, Where Three Roads Meet: Novellas, →ISBN, page 83:

A female given name from Latin, variant of Marcia.


Angie

A diminutive of the female given name Angela.


Charlotte

From French Charlotte in the 17th century, a female diminutive form of Charles, from Middle High German Karl, which came from the Germanic *karlaz. The civil parish is named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744-1818). Coined by British-Dutch surveyor Samuel Holland.

coin

My Charlotte conquers with a smile, / And reigneth queen of love.
In the home-circle and among her companions, Charlotte lays aside her queenship and becomes a gentle Lottie.

1852 August, D. H. Jacques, “A Chapter on Names”, in The Knickerbocker, or, New-York Monthly Magazine, volume XL, page 117:

"Here's Totty! By-and-by, what's her other name? She wasn't christened Totty." "Oh, sir, we call her sadly out of name. Charlotte's her christened name. It's a name i' Mr. Poyser's family; his grandmother was named Charlotte. But we began calling her Lotty, and now it's got to Totty. To be sure it's more like a name for a dog than a Christian child."

1859, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter VII, in Adam Bede […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC:

'Can I call you Charlotte?'
'No. I hate the name, makes me sound like a Victorian aunt. I'm Charlie, and no, you can't call me that either.'

2007, Sophie Hannah, Hurting Distance, Hodder & Stoughton, →ISBN, page 225:


Navajo

From Spanish navajo, from Tewa navahu (“field adjoining an arroyo”).

der

An Apachean (Southern Athabaskan) language of the Athabascan language family belonging to the Na-Dené phylum. It is spoken by 149,000 people in the American Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado).


Clark

Clarke (alternative)
Clerk (alternative)
Clerke (alternative)

From Old English clerc (“clergyman; learned man”), whence also clerk.

A male given name transferred from the surname.


Lawrence

en-proper noun

Lawrence (countable and uncountable, plural Lawrences)

Lawrences (plural)
Lieurance (alternative)

"I named him Lawrence. After my father. Pete, that's my husband, he never really liked the name Lawrence. He thought it wasn't very..." she shut her eyes for a moment, shaking her head slowly, "...very masculine." She opened her eyes and smiled ruefully. " That's a good one, isn't it?"

2003, Elise Title, Inside Out: A Mystery, St.Martin's Minotaur, published 2003, →ISBN, page 69:

A male given name from Latin, the usual spelling of Laurence in the U.S.; masculine of Lauren


Nate

A diminutive of the male given names Nathan, Nathanael and Nathaniel, and also a female given name Natalie.


username

usernames (plural)
user name (alternative)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-username.wav

Coordinate term: password

(computing) A name or string of characters used as a person's identification on an individual computer system.


Davis

en-prop

Davis (countable and uncountable, plural Davises)


Allen

en-proper noun

Allen (countable and uncountable, plural Allens)

Allens (plural)
Alan (alternative)
Allan (alternative)
Alen (alternative)

A male given name from the Celtic languages, a variant of Alan; in modern use often transferred from the surname.


Bruce

From a Norman place name, Brix, of disputed meaning.