Tag: first names
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Irma: a storm, and etymology, of terrifying size and power
Floridians are bracing for Irma, one of the most powerful hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean and which has already left extensive destruction in its Caribbean wake—and the origin of the storm’s moniker is all too cruelly appropriate for its wrath and path. Irma’s sound and fury According to Oxford’s Dictionary of First Names, the…
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Lions, chameleons, and shih-tzus, oh my!: 12 “lion” etymologies
“Liger” is much older than you think. “Tigon” is even older.
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Rowing, rivers, and rulers: 5 “Russian” roots
“Russia” isn’t Russian, the Kremlin was once one of many, and Vladimir Putin would really like what his name literally means. With increasing evidence for Russian interference in the US’s 2016 elections, and persistent ambiguity concerning Trump’s relationship with the country, news reports are littered with Kremlin‘s and Vladimir‘s. And at least etymologically, Russia indeed is the one “steering…
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“Names in the News” at Nameberry
Guest-blogging on Nameberry Back in September, I started guest-blogging on Nameberry, a leading baby name website created by name experts Pamela Redmond Satran and Linda Rosenkrantz. Alongside an active forum, thematic lists of baby names, and a daily blog, Nameberry features a searchable database of over 50,000 names, including trends on their popularity. As a…
Mashed Radish 