A selection of names from the GRO Birth Records for England and Wales in 1863. All are first names and middle names — the surnames are not included unless indicated by 'sn' — and have been checked against other records for accuracy.
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Albany Horace |
Admonisha |
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A long lost gem with mellifluous vowels,
now found more in the realm of fantasy medieval literature.
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Origin: |
A medieval form of the Anglo-Saxon name Mærwynn, composed of the Old English elements mǣre"famous, renowned, great, excellent, sublime, splendid," and wynn "joy, rapture, pleasure, delight, gladness." |
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Usage: |
While Mærwynn was not especially common in Anglo-Saxon records, it was borne by a few notable women. One such bearer was Mærwynn, abbess of Romsey Abbey who was later created a saint. Legend has it that she was born in Ireland and educated by St Patrick. What we do know with some certainty is that she was appointed to the position of abbess by King Edgar the Peaceable in 967 AD and became a foster mother to St Ethelfleda. She is now known as St Merewenna (sometimes Merwenna or Merwinna). Another Mærwynn is listed in the Domesday book as owning several acres of land in Bedfordshire, Hampshire, Norfolk and Essex. Her name is listed in the spellings Maruuen, Meruen and Meruena. The name was still occasionally used in the 13th and 14th century, usually in the spellings Merewen, Merewina and Merwenna. In some cases these variants may be responsible for the surname Marvin. The name all but died out after the 14th century and has been extremely rare in usage during 20th century. The handful of birth registrations in England and Wales demonstrate its rarity: 1929: Merwenna E.(England) As we can see, a small cluster of Merewyns were registered in the 1970s, most likely thanks to the popular historical novel Avalon by Anya Seton, published in 1965. The novel centres around Rumon and Merewyn and their ill-fated romance in the 10th century. Though the story is fictional, it does contain real historical characters (Merewyn is niece of Merwinna, Abbess of Romsey Abbey, for example). |
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Famous Bearers: |
History: * St Merewenna (d.c.975), abbess of Romsey Abbey. Literature: * Merewyn, the heroine in Anya Seton's novel Avalon (1965). |
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Variants: |
Mærwynn, Merewina, Merewenna, Merwenna, Meriwenna |
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Pronunciation: |
ME-rə-wen [key] |
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Possible |
Mena, Merry, Wenna, Winnie, Wren |
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Sibling Names: |
Endelyn Ailith Ismay Loveday Liveva Elissent |
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Name Lists: |
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If you like Merewen you may also like: |
Thanks to Frigg for requesting Merewen.
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Charles is dignified and classic,
Charlie is friendly and homespun;
put together they make a real powerhouse name.
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Origin: |
The old French form of the Germanic name Karl which literally meant "man, husband." The word itself is thought to stem from the Proto-Germanic *karlaz, the routes of which reach throughout Europe. In Old English ceorl (later a carl or churl) referred to a freeman: a status between a noble and a serf. They held the right to bear arms, attend local courts, and payed dues directly to the king. In Slavic languages, the word came to mean "king" thanks to the Carolingian dynasty (e.g. Polish krol, Lithuanian karalius, Czech and Slovak král, Russian король). |
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Usage: |
The most famous early bearer of the name was Charles the Great (c.688—741), the notable Frankish king and first Holy Roman Emperor, now more commonly known as Charlemagne (from the Latin Karolus Magnus). He was most likely named in honour of his grandfather Charles Martel "Charles the Hammer" or uncle Carloman. Such was his great fame and esteem, and reputation as the "Father of Europe," it is no wonder that his name spread across Europe and was borne by a succession emperors and kings. Many Carolingian kings were named Charles, as well as several later German, French, Spanish and Swedish rulers. The English cognate Carl, or Ceorl, was used occasionally as a name in Anglo-Saxon England. Bede, for example, mentions an early 7th century king of Mercia by the name of Ceorl. The French form, Charles, was brought to Britain by the Normans, although it was never an especially common name. Only a handful examples can be found dating from the 13th century, mostly in Norfolk and Suffolk. In some cases, the English cognate Carl(e) was recorded. Both the surnames Charles and Carl date from the Middle Ages, but their use probably is more thanks to the word "carl" or "churl," referring to a housecarl or freeman, rather than from the use of the first name. Given the name's low usage up to the 14th century, it is often believed that Mary Queen of Scots (having spent her formative years in France) "introduced" the name to Britain when she named her eldest son Charles James in 1566, later James VI of Scotland and James I of England. This, however, is certainly untrue, as Charles was being used by gentry families over a century before Mary was born. The Bawtrys of Yorkshire used it as early as 1425 and it was popular among the Pilkingtons of Lancashire, where it spread among their local parishes.* Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk (c.1484—1545) was brother-in-law of Henry VIII and highly influential member of court. However, Mary Queen of Scots' use of the name did eventually have an effect on its broader usage. Her son, James, was father and grandfather to two English and Scottish kings named Charles, and it was their direct involvement in the English Civil War that led to the name subsequently becoming a favourite among royalist families, and later the Jacobites. Charles I was crowned in 1625, and the Civil War (1642-49) culminated in his beheading. Smith-Bannister's frequency tables from 1538 to 1700* clearly demonstrate the subsequent impact of this event among royalist families. Charles ranked #31 1560-9, #33 1570-89, #29 1590-9, #27 1600-9, #26 1610-29, #24 1630-9, #19 1640-9, #15 1650-9, #12 1660-79, #14 1680-9, #13 1690-1700. By the 19th century, the name was a firm staple. In the same way that the majority of Johns went by Jack and Henrys went by Harry, we can see from census records that a great many Charles were called Charlie/Charley familiarly. In 1863, Charlotte Mary Yonge wrote: "rare as it formerly was, [Charles] now disputes the ground with John, George and William, as the most common of English names...and there is hardly a family that has not a Charlie." In 1880, Charles ranked #6 in England and Wales. It had fallen only slightly to #7 in 1890, was #8 in 1900, and #7 in 1904. Charles has ranked consistently within the Top 100 in England and Wales throughout the 20th century: #9 in 1914, #14 in 1924, #29 in 1934, #38 in 1944 and 1954, #56 in 1964, #70 in 1974, #69 in 1984, #44 in 1994 and #49 in 2004. Since that time it has fluctuated around the #50 mark, ranking at #60 in 2011 with 1,090 births. The diminutive form, Charlie, did not rank separately in the Top 100 until the 1990s, but has since become extremely popular. From #59 in 1994, Charlie was #33 in 2000, #15 in 2004, #7 in 2008 and #5 in 2011 (5,516 births). In Scotland Charles ranked #10 in 1900, #15 in 1950, #59 in 1975, #94 in 2005 and #121 in 2012. Charlie was #49 in 2005 and #12 by 2012. In 2012, Charles was the 4th most popular name in the Telegraph and the 5th most popular name in the Times. |
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Famous Bearers: |
History: * Charles Martel "Charles the Hammer" (c.688—741), influential military leader; Duke and Prince of the Franks. Contemporary: * Charles, Prince of Wales (b. 1948), first in line to the throne of the United Kingdom. Literature and Media: * Charles Foster Kane, character from the Orson Welles' film Citizen Kane. |
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Variants: |
Carl, Karl (Scandinavian, German), Carlo (Italian), Carlos (Spanish, Portuguese), Karlo (Croatian), Karel (Dutch), Siarl (Welsh), Searlas (Gaelic), Kaarle (Finnish), Karoly (Hungarian) |
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Pronunciation: |
CHARLz [key] |
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Possible Diminutives: |
Archie, Charlie, Charley, Chas, Chay, Chip, Chuck |
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Sibling Names: |
Alice Isabel Elizabeth Sarah Abigail Emma |
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Name Lists: |
Gorgeously Georgian Golden Age Hollywood Royal Names of Britain Royal Names of Europe Names from Jane Austen Names from the Brontes |
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If you like Charles you may also like: |
Thanks to Linden for requesting Charles.
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The Golden Age of Hollywood is generally said to have been born with The Jazz Singer (1927), the first of the deluge of "talkies" that were made by the iconic studios MGM, Paramount Pictures, RKO, Warner Bros., and 20th Century Fox, and delighted audiences right up to the early 1960s.
And while the scripts, sets, scores and effects were top of the range, what really drew people to the cinemas was the Hollywood stars that graced the screens. Half a century later and they are still iconic; and it is no wonder when they epitomised the essence of cool, suave, beauty, grace and glamour.
I have split this list into first names and surnames of iconic movie stars of the Golden Age. After all, if Clark is too fusty for you, why not consider Gable? The first names are a sweet mix between the homely and retro, striking just the right amount of daring. The surnames feel more striking and hipster. And the best thing is, half these surnames break down the gender divide. Why not have a boy named Davis if you love Bette? Why not a girl named Astaire after Fred?
First Names:| Alec Anthony Bing Burt Buster Cary Charles Charlton Clark David Donald Errol Franchot Frank Fred Gary Gene |
Glenn Gregory Henry Humphrey Jack James Jimmy John Kerwin Kirk Laurence Leo Leslie Lionel Lloyd Marlon Montgomery |
Omar Orson Paul Peter Ralph Rex Richard Rock Ronald Sal Spencer Steve Tony Tyrone Wallace William Yul |
Audrey Ava Bette Betty Brigitte Celeste Claudette Cyd Debbie Deborah Donna Doris Dorothy Eleanor Elizabeth Fay Gene |
Ginger Gloria Grace Greer Greta Ida Irene Janet Jean Jennifer Joan Judy Grace Hedy Ingrid Jayne Katharine |
Lana Lauren Lillian Loretta Mae Marilyn Marlene Maureen Natalie Olivia Peggy Rosalind Rita Sophia Susan Veronica Vivien |
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Arthur Astaire Bacall Bardot Bellamy Bennett Bogart Boyer Brando Brynner Burton
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Cagney Charisse Colbert Colman Cooper Crawford Crosby Curtis Davis Day Dean |
Douglas Flynn Fonda Ford Gable Garbo Gardner Garland Garson Gaynor Grable |
Grant Harlow Harrison Hayworth Hepburn Heston Holliday Howard Hudson Keaton Kelly |
Kerr Lake Lamarr Leigh Loren Lupino Marx Mason McQueen Monroe Newman |
Niven Olivier Parker Quinn Reed Stewart Tierney Tracy Turner Wayne West |
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From the almost forgotten world of Norse mythology,
this goddess' name has been raised up from rarity to fashionable
favourite in less than thirty years.
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Origin: |
Anglicised spelling of Freyja, the Norse goddess of love, fertility, beauty, war and death, who rode a chariot drawn by two cats, wore a cloak of falcon feathers and ruled over the heavenly afterlife field, Fólkvangr, where half the warriors who died in battle were sent to reside. The most commonly accepted theory as to the origin of Freya is that it was originally, not so much a name, but an epithet. Freyja and her brother Freyr were the "lord and lady" or "master and mistress" of the Vanir — his name derived from the Proto-Germanic *fraujaz "lord," hers from *frawjō "lady." But it may not be quite so straightforward. The goddess Freyja is, and has for centuries been, often confused and conflated with the Norse goddess Frigg — some even believe they may have once been the same goddess. Both goddesses of love, Freya was the most prominent female member of the Vanir gods while Frigg was the most prominent female member of the Aesir gods; Freyja's husband was Odr and Frigg's was Odin (both names thought to be from the same route); and the Vikings used both and Freyjudagr (Freyja's Day) and Frijadagr (Frigg's Day) as a name for Friday. Frigg's name is commonly thought to come from the Proto-Germanic *frijjō ""beloved, dear, loving" and is possibly also the route of Freya. Confusingly, however, there is some evidence to suggest that *frawjō "lady" was also a title applied to Frigg occasionally, and we do know that the two words (*frawjō and *frijjō) were sometimes conflated in Germanic languages. |
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Usage: |
Freya was not used as a given name in Britain until the 19th century, which corresponds to its first use in Scandinavia. At this time, when the Victorians were obsessed with medieval romances and Arthurian legends, the Viking peoples became highly popularised in what we now call The Viking Revival. With new access to Old Norse dictionaries, scholars pored over the Icelandic sagas, quick to translate them into English for an eagerly awaiting public. Despite this fascination, the name's usage at this time was rare. The first Freya registered in England and Wales was in 1876, and another followed in 1897 (there was also a Freia in 1891). Only one Freya was registered in Scotland in the 19th century: in 1887. From that point, there was very gradually increasing usage in England and Wales each decade. 1900s: 3 births The name began to increase considerably in the 1980s when it was averaging around 70 births per year, and rapidly increased through the 90s. In 1996, Freya ranked #118 with 394 births. It hit the Top 100 in 1998 at #93 (563 births), was #75 (686 births) in 2000, #49 (1049 births) in 2002, #33 (1605 births) in 2004, #24 (2067 births) in 2006, #21 (2228 births) in 2009 and #19 (2619 births) in 2011. In Scotland, Freya ranked #113 in 2000, #89 (47 births) in 2001, #66 (68 births) in 2003, #33 (155 births) in 2006, #19 (212 births) in 2008, #19 in 2010 (210 births) and #15 (245 births) in 2012. The modern Scandinavian spelling Freja is also popular in Denmark and Sweden. It has been in the Top 10 in Denmark since 2001 (and #1 in 2009) and jumped from #41 in 2010 to #19 in 2011 in Sweden. Strangely, among English-speaking countries, Freya has almost exclusively been a British phenomenon. It has not ranked in the Top 1000 names in the US for the last 133 years, and it is only just beginning to gain notice in Australia. |
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Famous Bearers: |
History: * Dame Freya Stark, DBE (1893—1993), British explorer and writer. Contemporary: * Freya North (b. 1967), British writer. |
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Variants: |
Freja (German, Danish, Swedish), Freyja, Frea (Norse) |
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Pronunciation: |
FRAY-ə [key] |
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Possible |
Fay |
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Sibling Names: |
Ava Daisy Lauren Megan Lily Ruby |
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Name Lists: |
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If you like Freya you may also like: |
Thanks to Crystal for requesting Freya.
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Samuel Warne and Charlotte Pollard Hawke married in July 1847 in Roche, Cornwall. Samuel was an Iron maker until his death, and afterwards Charlotte became a tailoress. Samuel was from a large family of ten children: William, Richard, Samuel, Joseph, Edna, Edmond, Edmond James, Emelyn, Edwin and Ephraim.
The Warne Family on the 1861 census
Emeline (Emblyn) Jane Warne was the couple's first child. She was born in 1848 in Roche but sadly died the following year. She shared the same name as Samuel's youngest sister, born in 1840.
Ormasinda Warne was born in 1852 in Roche. She has the distinction of being the only Ormasinda registered on the Birth, Marriage and Death Indexes in England and Wales from 1838-1950 (though I have found an Ormacinda, also born in Cornwall, in 1865). She did, however, had a first cousin, born in New Zealand in 1882, also named Ormasinda Warne. Ormasinda is a rare literary name, found in the play Alonzo: a tragedy in which Ormasinda is the beautiful daughter of a Spanish king.
Aramantha Warne was born in 1856 in Keason, Cornwall. Aramantha is most commonly found as a variant of Araminta, though it is quite likely a transposed spelling of the Greek Amarantha, made famous by a poem by Richard Lovelace in 1649. Aside from this Aramantha, there were only two other girls given the name in the 1850s, and all three were born in Cornwall. From 1838 to 1950 there were only nine Aramanthas, three Aramantas, and three Aramandas overall.
Orlando Warne was the couple's first son, born in 1858 when the family had moved to Dalton in Lancashire. Like his sisters, Orlando also shared an uncommon literary name (we can see a theme emerging).
Marsena Warne was born in 1862, this time back in Cornwall. His name also appears in records as Marsene or Marcena. The Book of Esther in the Old Testament mentions a Marsena as one of "the seven princes of Persia and Media."
Aurelia Warne was the couple's youngest child, born in 1866 in Cornwall.
Interestingly, Samuel's younger brother Edwin emigrated to New Zealand in the 1870s and he and his wife Grace had children named Celia Ann, William Edwin, Mary Emelyn, Joseph John, Grace, Emily Edna, Ormasinda, Lorenzo, Amelia Aurelia and Eva Elizabeth.
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"Some talk of Alexander, and some of Hercules,
Of Hector and Lysander, and such great names as these."
(The British Grenadiers)
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Origin: |
Hector is the Latin spelling of the Ancient Greek name Hektor, traditionally given to the heroic warrior of Troy in Homer's Iliad; the elder brother of Paris and son of King Priam. As with many characters in Greek myth, Hector's name was highly appropriate to his persona and storyline. It derives from the Greek ‘εκτωρ (hektor) meaning "holding fast," taken from the route word ἔχω (echo) "to hold, to have, to keep." In The Iliad therefore, Hector is the steadfast and virtuous commander of the Trojan army, with a strong sense of duty to his people, whom Homer describes with the words 'glorious', 'mighty', 'handsome', 'bold' and 'brave'. Hektor was also one of Zeus' many many epithets, most likely with the sense of "he who holds all." In Scotland, Hector has long been used as an Anglicised form of the Gaelic name Eachann (Echdonn). Eachann itself is most likely derived from the Gaelic each "horse" and donn "brown," though it is possibly a rendering of the Old Norse name Hákon. |
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Usage: |
That Hector of Troy was considered an important heroic figure can be seen in the name's permeation through European culture. During the Middle Ages, Hector himself was notably counted among the "Nine Worthies" — the personifications of chivalry, valour and virtue — which also included Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, King Arthur, Charlemagne, Godfrey of Bouillon, Joshua, David and Judas Maccabeus. The Nine Worthies became a popular theme in medieval literature and art throughout France, Britain, Germany, Spain and Italy, and so too spread the names. Hector, or Ector, also appears twice as a name in Arthurian legend: Arthur's foster-father, Sir Ector, and the half-brother of Lancelot and fellow knight, Hector de Maris. Like most notable namesakes, Hector of Troy's fame translated into use as a first name in Britain. It was certainly used enough to establish Hector as a surname both in Britain and across Europe. In England, Hector has always been used quite sparingly; in Scotland, however, Hector has had much more prominent usage since the Middle Ages. Undoubtedly the original use can be attributed to the fame of Hector of Troy but it was further boosted once Hector became used to render the Gaelic name Eachann. Hector Boece, a 5th century academic, was an early notable Scottish namesake, and the name was used by several prominent Scottish clans such as the Mackenzies and Munros. Indeed, the first ship bringing Scottish settlers to Novia Scotia in 1773 was even named "The Hector." The 1841 UK census records 2,137 Hectors (89% living in Scotland, 9% in England, 2% in Wales). There were 1,924 in 1861 (83% in Scotland, 14% in England, 3% in Wales) and 2,914 in 1881 (70% in Scotland, 28% in England, 2% in Wales), which had risen to 5,948 in 1901 (45% in Scotland, 51% in England, 3% in Wales). In 1880, Hector ranked #209 in England and Wales, and was only slightly more popular at #202 in 1890. Ten years later, however, the name was in favour, reaching #42 in 1900 and still at #89 by 1904. The reason for this sudden surge was all thanks to Major-General Sir Hector MacDonald — a notable Scottish soldier who was knighted for his efforts in the Second Boer War — a fact we can clearly see from the many boys who were given "Hector MacDonald" as their first names. Despite ranking at #42 in England and Wales and #25 in Scotland in 1900, by the mid-20th century Hector was well below the Top 100 across the UK. In the last fifteen years, Hector has been steadily rising in usage in England and Wales. In 1996 the name ranked #573 (29 births), had risen to #421 (51 births) in 2001, #411 (81 births) in 2006 and #386 (103 births) in 2010. In 2011 Hector ranked #321 with 138 births. Similarly, in Scotland Hector ranked #361 (6 births) in 2006, #292 (12 births) in 2009 and #392 (8 births) in 2012. In 2012, Hector was the 14th most popular name in the Telegraph and the 20th most popular name in the Times. |
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Famous Bearers: |
History: * Hector Boece (c. 465—536), Scottish historian, famous for writing the Historia Gentis Scotorum (History of the Scottish People). Contemporary: * Héctor Elizondo (b. 1936), American actor. Literature and Media: * Hector Hall, a superhero in the DC Comics. Other: * The Hector was the ship that brought first Scottish settlers to Novia Scotia. |
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Variants: |
Ector (Arthurian), Héctor (Spanish), Hèctor (Catalan), Ettore (Italian), Heitor (Portuguese), Hektor (German, Danish, Finnish, Swedish), Ektor (Greek) |
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Pronunciation: |
HEK-tə [key] |
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Possible Diminutives: |
Heck, Heckie, Toro |
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Sibling Names: |
Penelope Arabella Margot Violet Clementine Miranda |
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Name Lists: |
Vintage Names Upright Elegance Demi-Gods and Mortals of Mythology Shakespearean Names Names from Harry Potter |
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If you like Hector you may also like: |
Thanks to Ella for requesting Hector.
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Below is a selection of British siblings with Ezra, from the last century to modern times. The year relates to the decade of birth for that set.
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1830s: Hannah
Hephzibah
Elisha
Ellen
Nehemiah
1840s: Jeremiah
Eli
Eri (b)
Agnes
Ezra Gill
1850s: Emily
Ezra Edward
George
Alfred
George
1860s: Creusa (g)Ezra Jephunneh (b) & Lois Bathsheba Sarah Minney
Elliss (b)
Exley (b)
Caroline Fanny
Ezra
1870s: Levi
Charlotte
Eliza
Ezra
1880s: Ezra
Evangeline
Gunol
Maude Mary
Ezra |
1890s: Gertrude Ethel "Ethel" Green (b)
George David John
1900s: Gertrude Cecil Stanley James
Louisa Marcella "Marcella"
George
Eliza Sarah
1970s: Leroy Arnold
Ezra Leo
Ezra Thomas
1980s: Richard James Ezra Jake
Ezra Louis D.
Zachariah Samuel
Ezra Ezekiel
1990s: Cameron Stuart
Paloma Derrica
Jessye Eva
Abigail Marina
Ezra Malachi
Ethan Red
Isaac Arthur
Mary Louise
Joss Gibson
Florence May
Merle Harriet A.
Eli Daniel
Denika Dawn
Ezra Samuel
Ezra Bill
2000s: Dolores Lily "Dolly"
Spike Louis
Talitha Sappho
Saskia Rebecca
Martha Rose
Noah
Ezra Peter
Madeline Hephzibah
Grace Keziah
Jon Louis
Dolly Loveday
2010s: Ezra James
Jacob Francis
Ezra Thomas |
This post was requested by AutumnMama.
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This royal powerhouse of the medieval world
is now riding the wave of its second revival.
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Origin: |
Matilda is the Medieval Latin form of the Old Germanic name Mahthildis, composed of the elements mahti "power, might, strength" and hildi "battle." In Medieval French the name became rendered as Mahault or Mahaud which eventually became Maud in England — the standard vernacular form during the Middle Ages. |
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Usage: |
Matilda came over to Britain with the Normans — quite literally, in fact, as Matilda of Flanders was the queen of William the Conqueror. Matilda, famously known for being England's smallest queen, was quite an estimable woman. She played a key part in ensuring her children were highly educated and ruled Normandy in her husband's absence. And, in a time of political marriages and mistresses, William and Matilda had a remarkably equitable marriage. He is thought to have remained faithful to her and was said to have grieved her loss deeply after her death. Starting with Matilda of Flanders, there then came an almost unbroken line of four Queens of England named Matilda. Princess Edith of Scotland married Henry I of England and took her godmother/mother-in-law's (Matilda of Flanders) name, making her the second Queen Matilda of England. She was known for her piety and particular care of the poor and sick, earning her the name "Matilda the Good Queen." Henry and Matilda's daughter was also named Matilda, and when the couple's only son died in his twenties it sent the monarchy into a crisis of succession between Henry's only legitimate child, Empress Matilda (wife of the Holy Roman Emperor), and his nephew, Stephen. Empress Matilda lived up to the meaning of her name, riding at the head of many battles to defend her right to the throne. She even managed to take control of the country in 1141, but was never officially crowned. Stephen's wife was yet another Queen Matilda (actually a first cousin of the Empress). This Matilda (of Boulogne) also lived up to the meaning of her name when she led her husband's forces after the Empress Matilda captured Stephen. In fact, the list of battle-brave Matildas goes on. Matilda of Tuscany "la Gran Contessa" (the Great Countess) is famous for her military exploits, having commanded her army in several battles against Emperor Henry III. It is said she was taught the art of horse riding, was able to wield a sword, axe, pike and lance, and had at least two suits of armour fitted for her. The impact of having so many royal Matildas led to it being one of the most popular names from the 11th century to 14th century. Using poll tax data from ten English counties, Redmonds ranked the name as the fourth most popular name in 1377-81 behind Alice, Agnes and Joan. Though these records list the form Matilda, many of these women would have been known by vernacular forms such as Mahalt, Mahaud, Mahaut, Mald, Malt, Mault, Maude and Mold — now commonly rendered as Maud — or the pet-forms Motte, Till(a) and Tillot. These many many forms of the names led to numerous surnames, including Maud, Mahood, Malt, Maudson, Mawsom, Mold, Molson, Mott, Mowat, Till, Tillett, Tillison, Tillotson and Madison (though this could also derive from Matthew). However, by the late 15th century Matilda was in steep decline and by the 16th century it was quite uncommon. So much so that even in the extensive frequency tables from 1538-1700 by Smith-Bannister the name Matilda does not appear in any given decade. After languishing for two centuries, Matilda was reinvented again in the 18th century, flourishing especially in the 19th century with the Victorians' love of everything medieval. Part of this trend also brought Maud back into usage, which went on to become even more popular than Matilda. In 1880, Matilda ranked #59 in England and Wales; it fell to #79 in 1890 and was #97 in 1900, after which point it dropped out of the Top 100. The name was also #66 in Scotland in 1900, but similarly fell out of the Scottish Top 100 in the following years. Indeed, Matilda never made it into the Top 100 throughout the whole of the 20th century, and from 1930 to 1960 it was given to only 2 girls in every 10,000 born each year. Maud lasted a little longer, having reached a higher peak of popularity in England and Wales than Matilda managed. Maud ranked #28 in 1880, #24 in 1890. #40 in 1900, #49 in 1904 and #64 in 1914, after which it fell out of fashion. After this (once again) century-long spell out of favour, Matilda is now in its second revival. In 2000 in England and Wales, Matilda ranked #143 (323 births). By 2004 it had risen to #107 (494 births) and finally cracked the Top 100 again in 2005 at #89 (620 births). From then it continued to rise until 2009 when it reached #46 (1,285 births). In 2011, Matilda ranked at #48 with 1,225 births in England and Wales, and #158 in Scotland with 27 births. In 2012, Matilda was the second most popular name in both the Telegraph and Times birth announcements. |
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Famous Bearers: |
History: * Saint Matilda (892—968), Holy Roman Empress, wife of Henry I the Fowler, King of the East Franks. Contemporary: * Mathilda May (b. 1965), French film actress. Literature and Other Media: * Matilda Wormwood, title character in Roald Dahl's Matilda. Other: Waltzing Matilda, famous Australian folk song. Matilda was used as Australian slang for a traveller's bag of goods, hense waltzing Matilda meant 'someone travelling on foot with his goods'. |
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Variants: |
Mathilda (Variant), Mathilde (French, German, Dutch), Matilde (Spanish, Portuguese), Matylda (Polish), Mafalda (Italian, Portuguese), Mechteld (Dutch), Mallt (Welsh) |
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Pronunciation: |
mə-TILD-ə [key] |
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Possible |
Dilly, Maddy, Mai, Mally, Matty, Maud, Milla, Milly, Tally, Tilda, Tilly |
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Sibling Names: |
Amelia Imogen Catherine Emmeline Isabella Victoria |
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Name Lists: |
Medieval Favourites Gorgeously Georgian Victorian Darlings Royal Names Royal Names of Europe Names from Jane Austen Names from the Bronte Sisters Dickensian Names Strong Names for Girls |
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If you like Matilda you may also like: |
Thanks to Misha for requesting Matilda.
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Following from the statistics I compiled for the Top 200 names in 1900 and the Top 200 names in 1890, I have finally finished compiling the rankings for the most popular births in England and Wales in 1880 from the original scanned pages of the England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915.
Disclaimer: It should be noted that the data is not without its flaws. Births were originally recorded by a registrar (in their own handwriting) which were later typed up into the register. Some names are invariably recorded incorrectly and it is impossible to know where the mistake was made. Also, I have been compiling the ranks myself, and while I have endeavored to record the number of names as accuarely as possible I am also liable to human error. This, however, should not affect the rankings very much overall.
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The #1 names for boys and girls remain the same for 1900, 1890 and 1880: William and Mary. What is different is the declining number of children given these names over that time period:
WilliamMary
1880 - 39,612 births
1890 - 27,802 births
1900 - 22,194 births
Compare that to the 8,427 boys named Oliver and 5,297 girls named Olivia in 2010 and we can see how our concept of "popular" no longer means what it once did.
The most marked difference between 1880 and 1890 can be found in the name Doris which we can clearly see was an "it" name in the 1890s. It was #3 in 1904, #10 in 1900 (11,354 births), #76 in 1890 (863 births) but wasn't even in the Top 300 in 1880 with only 12 births.
For boys, Jack and Gordon — #87 and #96 in 1890 — also did not rank in the Top 200 in 1880.
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