A Cast of Names Both Old and New
Zita is the name of a 13th century Italian saint, the patron saint of maids and servants. The name comes from Tuscan Italian meaning "little girl" or "young girl", and also seems to be a Southern Italian dialect word meaning "bride"; its male form is zito. Zita is also a Hungarian female name, a diminutive… Continue reading Zita
Tamika is a Japanese female name with a variety of meanings depending on the kanji used: ta 多 "many, much" + mi "reality; truth" + ka 果 "fruit" (多実果); ta 多 "many, much" + mi 美 "beauty; beautiful" + ka 佳 "beautiful, good; excellent" (多美佳); tami 民 "people; nation" + ka 夏 "summer" (民夏); tami 民 "people; nation" + ka 果 "fruit" (民果); tami 民 "people; nation" + ka 歌 "song, sing" (民歌) There… Continue reading Tamika
Cecelia is a variant spelling of Cecilia, a variant of Caecilia which is the feminine form of Caecilius, an Ancient Roman family name which comes from Latin caecus meaning “blind; hidden, invisible” via Proto-Italic *kaikos (blind) which derives from PIE *káykos (one-eyed, blind). Nicknames: Cissy/Sissy, Cece, Celia Origin: Proto-Indo-European Variants: Cecilia (English, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Romanian, Finnish, German) Cicely (English)… Continue reading Cecelia
Zayna is an Arabic female name, the feminine form of Zayn meaning "beauty, handsome, grace, adornment”. Origin: Arabic Variants: Zaina (Arabic) Zaynah (Arabic) Male forms: Zayn (Arabic) Zain (Arabic) Zane (Arabic, English) Zayna- زينة (Arabic)
Earl is the name of an English aristocratic title. It comes from Old English eorl meaning "brave man, warrior" via Proto-Germanic *erlaz (man, nobleman) which seems to derive from an uncertain origin. Earl is also an English surname originating from the title. Origin: Proto-Germanic Variants: Earle (English) Erle (English) Female forms: Earline (English) Earleen (English) Earlene… Continue reading Earl
Polina is either a Slavic and Greek form of Paulina (the feminine form of Paulinus, a Roman cognomen meaning "small" or "humble" via Latin paulus (little, small) derived from a PIE root word) or it's a Russian diminutive of Apollinariya, the Russian feminine form of Apollinaris which derives from the name of the Greek god Apollo. The name is of uncertain etymology and… Continue reading Polina
Keeva is an anglicized form of Caoimhe, an Irish female name meaning "dear, gentle, beautiful" which comes from Irish caomh (dear, gentle; lovely) via Old Irsh cóem derived from a PIE root word; it's related to the same root word as Kevin. Origin: Proto-Indo-European Variants: Caoimhe (Irish, Scottish) Kiva (English) Keavy (Irish, Scottish)
Mona is a female given name with multiple origins and meanings behind it: it's an Anglicized form of Irish Muadhnait, made up of Irish muadh (noble) combined with a diminutive suffix; it's also used as a nickname for Monika, the Scandinavian form of Monica, a name of unknown origin though it’s likely derived from a North African or Phoenician origin.… Continue reading Mona
Rumi is a Japanese female name with a variant of meanings depending on the kanji used: ru 留 "detain; fasten" + mi 美 "beauty; beautiful" (留美); ru 瑠 "lapis lazuli" + mi 美 "beauty; beautiful" (瑠美); ru 流 "current; flow; stream" + mi 水 "water" (流水); ru 屡 "often, frequently" + mi 水 "water" (屡水); ru 屡 "often, frequently" + mi 三 "three" (屡三) There are other meanings depending on the… Continue reading Rumi
Vashti was the name of a queen of Persia, the first wife of King Ahasuerus in the Old Testament. The king holds a banquet for all his nobles and servants which went on for seven days while Vashti holds a separate banquet for all the noblewomen. On the seventh day of the banquet, Ahasuerus is drunk and summons for… Continue reading Vashti
