What’s in a Name?

I found EBD’s choice of names for the characters in the Chalet School books particularly interesting. Some of the names and their abbreviations were ones that I had not heard before, and I wondered about their origins. When I bought a book about names at a second hand book fair, I found myself looking up many of the names from the Chalet School books. I found it so interesting that I thought other fans might be interested.

 

The Bettany Family

 

Dick (Richard Thomas Bettany)

Dick may be a rhymed form of Rick, which is a common abbreviation for Richard, or an attempt to pronounce the Norman French trilled “r”. Dick has the diminutive Dickon.

 

Mollie (Mary Patricia Avery)

Mal, Moll and Molly are among the oldest pet forms of Mary, a name whose own origins are uncertain. Although the name Mary was not in general use in western Europe until after 1100, and declined in popularity at the time of the Reformation, by the eighteenth century it had become the most popular girls’ name in England and Ireland.

 

Rix (Richard Geoffrey)

Rick is a common abbreviation of Richard. Rix may also be related to Rex, meaning ‘king’.

 

Peggy (Margaret Josephine)

Peggy may be a rhymed form of the pet name Meggy or Maggy, or may be from an old Anglo-Saxon name Pega, which was absorbed by the name Margaret when it went out of use.

 

Bride (Bridget Mary)

Bridget is an Irish name from the Celtic word ‘brigh’ meaning ‘strength’ and is also found as Brigid or Brigit. It can also be derived from the Swedish ‘birg hitta’ meaning ‘mountain protection’. The true Irish version is Bríd. The diminutive Biddy became a name for Irish girls in general, and now Bridie is the common pet form. Also popular in Scotland where the place name Kilbride means ‘cell of St Bridget’.

 

Jackie (John Noel)

Jack, Jackie and Jacky are pet forms of John, but Jack is now often used as a name in its own right. Another variant, now used mainly in Scotland, is Jock. Nowadays Jackie is most often used as a girls’ name, short for Jacqueline. The name Jacqueline is unrelated to Jack, being derived from the French Jacques - equivalent to James or Jacob.

 

Maurice

From the Latin Mauritius meaning ‘inhabitant of Mauritania’ (Morocco), the name also occurs as Morris (a Morris dance is a Moorish dance).

 

Maeve

Irish, from the Celtic meaning ‘inducing intoxication’, and related to the word ‘mead’. Variants are Mave and Meave.

 

Daphne (Theresa Daphne)

Daphne means ‘laurel’ (bay tree) in Greek - the Latin version is Laura. In Greek mythology Daphne is a nymph who is turned into a bay tree. The name Daphne did not come into use in this country until the turn of the century. Pet forms include Daffy.

 

 

The Russell Family

 

Madge (Margaret Daphne Bettany)

Margaret is often considered a flower name, from marguerite, or a jewel name from the Greek ‘margaretes’ meaning ‘pearl’, but comes originally from the Persian meaning ‘child of light’. The name originated in Syria and was brought to Scotland when Malcolm III married a Hungarian. It spread to England and became one of the most popular girls’ names. English forms of the name evolved, including Madge which was in use by the sixteenth century.

 

Jem (James Francis/William/Gilbert? Russell)

The name James is related to Jacob from the Hebrew meaning ‘supplanter’. From Jacobus came the Latin Jacomus which became Giacomo, which was shortened to Jaime in France. It was brought here in the thirteenth century and became a popular in Scotland. King James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England in 1603, was addressed as Jeames, and this pronunciation continued until the nineteenth century when it became regarded as vulgar. This pronunciation explains the pet form Jem or Jemmy. Jim is more recent. Jem is also used as a diminutive of Jeremy.

 

David (David James)

From the Hebrew for ‘beloved of Jehovah’, the name David became popular in Scotland and Wales, absorbing the Celtic Dahi and Dathi meaning ‘nimble’. The name came into use in England after the Norman Conquest.

 

Sybil (Sybil Margaret)

In ancient Greece and Rome the Sibyls were prophetesses who interpreted the wishes of the gods through oracles. The name was brought here by the Normans. It is also used as a substitute for a Gaelic name meaning ‘wealthy woman’.

 

Josette (Josephine Mary)

Josette is a French diminutive of Josephine. Others include Josée and Fifi.

 

Ailie (Aline Elizabeth)

Aline is a short form of the name Adeline, from an Old German word meaning ‘nobility’. Until 1400 Adeline was popular in many forms, especially the latinised versions Alina and Alyna. It then went out of fashion until the nineteenth century. Ailie is more usually used as a pet form of Alice or Alison, which come from the same root as Adeline. The name Aline can also be a variant of Aileen.

 

Kevin (Kevin John)

Kevin is an Irish name meaning ‘handsome by birth’, and is related to the name Kenneth.

 

Kester (Kester Richard)

Kester is a short form of Christopher. St Christopher was given the name Christopheros meaning ‘Christ-bearer’ after carrying a child who was Christ across a river. Chris is the most popular short form of the name.

 

 

The Maynard Family

 

Jo (Josephine Mary Bettany)

The name Josephine is a feminine form of Joseph (the original feminine form was Josepha). Joseph means ‘addition’ - he was Jacob’s twelfth son. Extensive use of the name Josephine in Napoleon’s time was due to his first wife the Empress Joséphine whose real names were Marie Josèphe Rose. Josephine is a French diminutive of Josèphe. Pet forms of Josephine include Jo, Joey and Josie.

 

Jack (John Charles Maynard)

In the low countries Jan became the popular version of John, and Jankin was a pet form of Jan. In the French pronunciation of Jankin the n was hardly sounded, and in England it disappeared, leaving Jackin which was shortened to Jack.

 

Len (Mary Helena)

Helena is related to the names Helen, Elaine, Eleanor, Ellen and Aileen and means ‘the bright one’ from ‘ele’ meaning ‘light’. Lena, a contraction of Helena, has become a name in its own right. Len is more commonly used as a boys’ name, short for Leonard.

 

Con (Mary Constance)

The name Constantia, meaning ‘perseverance’, was used by the Roman Imperial families, and spread to Greece. Custance was the commonest form in the middle ages in England. In Victorian times the original form, Constantia, became popular. Constance, with its pet form Connie, is now more often used.

 

Margot (Mary Margaret)

The names Margot, Marget and Margery originated in France, where the name Margaret established itself as Marguerite. Margo and Margaux are variants.

 

Stephen (Stephen John)

From the Greek ‘stephanos’ meaning ‘crown’ or ‘wreath’. In the fourteenth century it was usually written as Stevyn or Steven. Steb, Steen and Steve were early diminutives. The French version is Etienne.

 

Charles (Charles Richard)

From the Anglo Saxon for ‘man’, the same root as such names as Karl and Carlos. The pet form Chas comes from the written abbreviation, and other diminutives include Charlie and Chuck.

 

Mike (Michael)

Michael was the Archangel who led the heavenly hosts into battle in Revelations. The name means ‘Who is like God?’ It came to England in the twelfth century and was usually pronounced Michel or Mihiel in the French manner. The pronunciation Miall was used in the seventeenth century. Miles can be a shortened form of Michael. The Welsh use the name Mihangel - Michael Angel. The diminutive Mike has been in common usage since the 1940s. Pet forms used in Ireland are Mick, Micky and Mickey. A recent pet form is Spike.

 

Felix (Felix Nicholas)

Latin for ‘lucky’ or ‘happy’. In English speaking use from the 19th century. The name was used in the Bible and has been borne by several saints and popes.

 

Felicity (Felicity Josephine)

Felicitas was a Roman goddess of good luck. Two martyr saints made the name popular in various forms, including Felice which was often confused with Phyllis. Felicia is a feminine form of Felix. The usual pet form of Felicity is Fee, but others include Flick and Lissy.

 

Cecil (Cecilia Mary)

The name Cecilia comes from the Caecilii family in ancient Rome, which included the martyred St Cecilia, patron saint of music. The commonest forms in this country now are Cecily and Cicely, and the name Celia is related. The boys’ name Cecil was derived from the same source, but its present popularity is due to a famous 16th century English noble family whose name derived from a Welsh corruption of the Latin ‘sextilius’. Nowadays Cecil is mainly used for boys, but is still used for girls by some families.

 

Geoff (Geoffrey Martin)

Geoffrey and Godfrey have become confused since the middle ages, having been derived from Gaufrid meaning ‘district’ and Godafrid meaning ‘god-peace’. Jeffrey is an old written form which is still used, and Gottfried is the German version. Geoff and Jeff are used as short forms, Jeff mainly in America.

 

Phil (Philippa Anne)

From the Greek ‘phil-hippos’ - lover of horses, like the masculine form Philip. In the middle ages it was written as Philippa, but Philip was the everyday form. Pet forms include the Italian Pippa, and Phil.

 

References

The Harrap Book of Boys’ and Girls’ Names, Charles Johnson & Linwood Sleigh, George G Harrap & Co Ltd, 1973

A Dictionary of Babies’ Names, Amber Grayson, Parragon Book Service Ltd, 1996

The Cassell Dictionary of First Names, Adrian Room, Cassell Publishers Ltd, 1995

 

I would also recommend the Guinness Book of Names to anyone who is interested in names.