Eileithyia's NOTD

[eileithyia]

Hello, Berries!

Lately, I’ve been enjoying delving deeper into the history of names, notable wearers, etc. In the Name Of The [name_u]Day[/name_u] thread, I’ve found myself writing longer answers regarding the history of a name and where it has ranked throughout history. On this thread, I will be posting names with interesting histories and meanings. All information will have sources linked, and you have a particular name you want me to post about, please send me a message and I’ll try to make a post on it.

Feel free to reply to this thread. However, if you want to post your name of the day, I suggest visiting this thread, or if you feel inspired by this, open your own thread on a similar topic! Name of the day

I will be posting another name shortly, but I will begin this thread with a 4-day-old comment about the name ‘[name_f]Olga[/name_f]’.

Olga

“[name_m]Ol[/name_m]-gah”
[name_f]Olga[/name_f] does not currently rank in the US top 1000 baby names for girls.

The male equivalent of this name is ‘[name_m]Oleg[/name_m]’

Olga is a Slavic name given to baby girls, derived from the Old Norse name [name_f]Helga[/name_f]. This name means ‘blessed, holy, or successful’. Of worthy note is [name_m]Saint[/name_m] [name_f]Olga[/name_f], otherwise known as ‘[name_f]Olga[/name_f] of Kyiv’

Saint [name_f]Olga[/name_f] was born c. 890 and passed away c. 969. She was a princess, and the first recorded female leader of [name_f]Russia[/name_f] and the first member of the ruling family of Kyiv to adopt Christianity, which is, in 2020, [name_f]Russia[/name_f]’s most prominent religion.

Olga’s legacy can be seen at a number of memorial sites across [name_f]Russia[/name_f] and Ukraine. At the time, Kyiv was a part of [name_f]Russia[/name_f] - Kyiv is now the capital city of the independent nation of Ukraine.

A painting interpretation of [name_m]Saint[/name_m] [name_f]Olga[/name_f]

Painted by artist https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Nesterov

Sources/Further [name_m]Reading[/name_m]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olga_of_Kiev#Legacy
https://www.thebump.com/b/olga-baby-name
https://nameberry.com/babyname/Olga
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Olga

[eileithyia]

Cosette

“Koh-ZETT”

Cosette does not currently rank in the US top 1000 baby names for girls. However, in 2020, it was ranked as the #582nd most popular name on Nameberry. Could this mean a spot in the US top 1000 one day for [name_f]Cosette[/name_f]? In 2011, the name [name_f]Cosette[/name_f] was given to 75 girls. This jumped to 138 girls in 2015. I predict that this number will continue to rise throughout the 2020s!

Related names include [name_f]Cozette[/name_f] and [name_f]Cosetta[/name_f].

Cosette is a [name_u]French[/name_u] name given to baby girls. There is no record of it being used as a first name until [name_m]Victor[/name_m] [name_m]Hugo[/name_m] published Les Misérables, where [name_f]Cosette[/name_f] is the name of one of the main characters. [name_m]Hugo[/name_m] claims to have invented the name, heavily inspired by “chosette”, meaning ‘little thing’ in [name_u]French[/name_u]. Some etymologists believe that [name_f]Cosette[/name_f] is a variation of the more common name [name_f]Colette[/name_f], which ranked at #492 in 2019, however, there is no obvious linkage between these two names.

As for notable wearers, given that this name is fairly new, there are very few well-known people that claim this name as their own. Aside from the character in Les Mis, there is [name_f]Cosette[/name_f] [name_u]Lee[/name_u] - A Canadian actress, born in 1910, born just 48 years after Les Mis was originally published. There is also an American politician – [name_f]Cosette[/name_f] [name_m]Simon[/name_m], born in 1953, who wears this name.

[name_f]Amanda[/name_f] Seyfried as [name_f]Cosette[/name_f] in the 2012 film, [name_u]Les[/name_u] Mis

Illustration of [name_f]Cosette[/name_f]

Depicted by Émile [name_m]Bayard[/name_m], a [name_u]French[/name_u] Illustrator (1837-1891)

Sources / Further [name_m]Reading[/name_m]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosette
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Émile_Bayard
https://nameberry.com/babyname/Cosette
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosette_(disambiguation)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosette_(given_name)

What do you think of the name [name_f]Cosette[/name_f]? Vote here!

• I love it!
• I like it!
• I’m neutral!
• I dislike it!
• I hate it!

Question for [name_f]Cosette[/name_f] - [name_f]Do[/name_f] you think this name will rise in popularity?

• Yes! This name will rise a lot in popularity
• Yes! This name will rise slightly in popularity
• No! It will stay the same in popularity
• No! It will decrease in popularity

[findemaxa13]

This is a great idea! I love [name_f]Olga[/name_f] (and [name_m]Oleg[/name_m]), they’re so often called ugly or used as stereotypical Slav names here in [name_u]America[/name_u] but in a Russian accent they’re so pretty. I don’t see [name_f]Cosette[/name_f] rising much more, actually, I feel like if it was going to really take off it would have after the [name_u]Les[/name_u] Mis movie which popularized the story a lot more.

[belladonnatook]

I like [name_f]Cosette[/name_f] and I absolutely love [name_u]Les[/name_u] Mis. [name_m]Even[/name_m] so, I had no idea it charted until now. I don’t see it becoming super popular, but the fact that it charted at all is kind of cool. I don’t think you’d have the same result with [name_f]Euphrasie[/name_f], which I also really like.

Olga reminds me of the Romanovs, which is either a good or a bad thing, depending on who you talk to. It also reminds me of the character from Hey [name_m]Arnold[/name_m].

[eileithyia]

Lysander

"Lie-Sand-Er" (Although some may pronounce it Lih-Sand-Er)

[name_m]Lysander[/name_m] does not currently rank in the US top 1000 baby names for boys. However, in 2020, it was ranked as the #298th most popular name for boys on Nameberry. Whether this means a spot in the future US top 1000 is open to debate. I’m inclined to say potentially, however, I don’t personally feel this name will be sneaking into the top 1000 in the next 10, 15 years. I could be wrong though - names making similar sounds like [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] are absolute classical staples in the top baby names for boys. Could [name_m]Lysander[/name_m] be a fresh, exciting alternative?

[name_m]Lysander[/name_m] is a Greek name given to baby boys. This name means “liberator”, and its usage can be dated back to as early as the 400 BCS.

It’s most notable wearer was [name_m]Lysander[/name_m], a Spartan admiral, who gained fame when he defeated the Athenian navy in Aigospotamoi in 405BC. This ultimately led to the Spartan’s victory in the Peloponnesian War. He was a key figure in Sparta’s dominance over Greece for the next decade until he was killed in battle by the Thebes in 395BC.

Other interesting namesakes are [name_m]Lysander[/name_m] Lovegood - One of [name_f]Luna[/name_f] Lovegood’s twin sons in the [name_u]Harry[/name_u] [name_m]Potter[/name_m] epilogue, as well as a key character in [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m]'s A Midsummer [name_u]Night[/name_u]'s [name_u]Dream[/name_u].

Lysander outside the walls of Athens

Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream

Sources / Further Reading

https://www.thoughtco.com/lysander-112459

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysander

https://shakespeare.emory.edu/lysander/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysander_(A_Midsummer_Night's_Dream)

Do you like the name Lysander?

• I love it!
• I like it!
• I am neutral!
• I dislike it!
• I hate it!

Do you think Lysander deserves to be in the US top 1000?

• I think it should be in the top 1000, and it will be one day.
• I think it should be in the top 1000, but it never will be.
• I don’t think it should be in the top 1000, but it will be one day.
• I don’t think it should be in the top 1000, and it never will be.
• I have a different opinion! (@ me in the comments)

[eileithyia]

Ophelia

"o-FEEL-ee-a or o-FEEL-ya"

Ophelia currently ranks at #387 in the US top 1000 baby names for girls. It is also the #9 most popular name for baby girls on Nameberry, making it significantly more popular among name nerds than the general population! Based on how [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] is currently charting, I predict this name to rise even further in the coming years. This is Nameberry’s graph for the name [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f], showing the sudden rise in the name after 2015:

Nameberry Graph

Ofelia is also a common alternative spelling of this name (although significantly less so than [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f])

Ophelia is a Greek name given to baby girls. Its first usage can be dated back to the 15th century when poet [name_m]Jacopo[/name_m] Sannazaro used this name for his poem ‘[name_f]Arcadia[/name_f]’. The name itself means ‘help’. [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] was more publically recognized when [name_m]William[/name_m] [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] used this name, likely inspired by Sannazaro, in his famous play [name_m]Hamlet[/name_m] (1600). In [name_m]Hamlet[/name_m], [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] was [name_m]Hamlet[/name_m]’s lover, who ultimately goes insane, leading to her demise – drowning in a river.

The [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] association tainted the name for a while, preventing the name from becoming popular in the 19th century and earlier. However, it seems that with time, the association has begun to fade and parents are now seriously considering this name for their daughters. Some famous Ophelias include [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] [name_m]Benson[/name_m], an American author, and [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] Dahl, a British social justice advocate.

Ophelia is also becoming increasingly popular with the younger generations, likely for its presence in pop culture. The name has been used in many songs, most notably ‘[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f]’ by the Lumineers (2016).

[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] - [name_m]Hamlet[/name_m]

A painting by [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]William[/name_m] Waterhouse

Sources / Further [name_m]Reading[/name_m]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophelia
https://www.behindthename.com/name/ophelia
https://nameberry.com/babyname/Ophelia
https://www.babynames.com/name/ophelia#:~:text=The%20name%20Ophelia%20means%20Helper,[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f]%20Lovibond%2C%20actress.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVcy0YdEz0M&ab_channel=WomansWritersLyrics

Do you like the name [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f]?

• I love it!
• I like it!
• I’m neutral
• I dislike it
• I hate it

Do you think [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] (or [name_f]Ofelia[/name_f]) will ever reach the top 200 names for girls in the US?

• Yes
• No
• Maybe, in the far future

[DriftingMaie]

I think of the stars whenever I hear the name [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f]— it’s a pretty name

[acajou]

I love this thread. I’m not a huge [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] fan but seeing it so thoroughly presented makes me appreciate it more.

[rosepip]

so many of the names you’re covering are favourites!

Ophelia’s story is so tragic, but some pairing of the weight of [name_m]Hamlet[/name_m] (the play, not just… the guy) with the sound makes the name feel a lot richer and more substantial than the similar [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] - also a Shakespearean character. I think it’s really beautiful, and appreciate its popularity.

Lysander too is stunning. I love the brightness of its sound with the tangible weight and history of the name. it’s a favourite of mine, alongside [name_m]Leander[/name_m]. [name_f]My[/name_f] only tiny problem with it is “lice” - do you think that would be a problem for a boy named [name_m]Lysander[/name_m]?

[ladyforgetful]

WOW what a great idea!!! I might make a thread like this myself — you’ve done such a great job! [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] and [name_m]Lysander[/name_m] sound like they could be siblings; they both feel quite romantic and powerful. I can definitely see [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] going into the Top 100 or even Top 50 and [name_m]Lysander[/name_m] creeping into the 1000. [name_f]Olga[/name_f] still seems a little dated to me, but it reminds me of [name_f]Orla[/name_f] so I can see it rising as well!

[eileithyia]

Mercedes

Thank you @acajou for this name recommendation! It was so much fun to research and learn more about it. This was my favorite name to look into so far. I had no idea it was so rich with a brilliant history. I hope everyone enjoys this name of the day!

This name has many pronunciations! “Mer-SAY-deez” and “Mer-SEH-dehs” seem to be the most common. Let me know if you pronounce it differently!

Mercedes does not currently rank in the US top 1000 baby names for girls. However, [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f] used to be much more popular! At its peak, it rose to #164 in 1991, before dropping very suddenly and falling off the charts altogether in 2014. It just peaks in at #973 for the top 1000 Nameberry names of 2020, making this name more popular among Nameberry users than the general US population. Is [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f] due for a comeback in the 2020s and beyond? Maybe! Could we see a bunch of young [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f] roaming about the playgrounds in 10, 20 years’ time?

Mercedes is a Spanish name given to baby girls. The name means “gracious gifts, benefits”. The name’s roots come from the Virgin [name_f]Mary[/name_f] - the mother of [name_m]Jesus[/name_m] [name_m]Christ[/name_m], and a very prominent figure in Christianity. [name_f]María[/name_f] de las [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f] is the full form of the Spanish name, although most would shorten to [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f]. This translates to the Virgin of [name_f]Mercy[/name_f], one of the many titles given to [name_f]Mary[/name_f].

The word itself, [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f], has Latin roots and meant “mercies”, the plural of mercy, taken from the Latin word merced - meaning wages, rewards.

This background makes [name_f]Mercy[/name_f] a very clever, but also an intuitive nickname for a girl named [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f].

Out of all the names discussed on this thread, [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f] has by far the most interesting references in pop culture and the wider world. Most people have heard of the car brand [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f]-[name_m]Benz[/name_m], but fewer people know how the famous brand got its name. The ‘[name_f]Mercedes[/name_f]’ part of the name was the name of a person - [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f] Jellinek, the daughter of [name_m]Emil[/name_m] Jellinek, a [name_m]German[/name_m] entrepreneur. Although the [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f] [name_m]Benz[/name_m] brand was founded by [name_m]Karl[/name_m] [name_m]Benz[/name_m] (hence the [name_m]Benz[/name_m] part of the brand) and [name_m]Gottlieb[/name_m] Daimler, when Daimler passed away, Jellinek was introduced to the brand. He helped considerably with the creation of the [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f] 35hp in 1900. He chose to name this first car after his daughter, and soon after, the company changed its name from Daimler-[name_m]Benz[/name_m] to [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f]-[name_m]Benz[/name_m] in 1902 when the name was trademarked.

Beyond the Virgin [name_f]Mary[/name_f] and [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f]-[name_m]Benz[/name_m], this name has reached Spanish [name_u]Royalty[/name_u]. [name_u]Maria[/name_u] de las [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f] of Orléans was the [name_f]Queen[/name_f] of Spain for a few months during 1978 before her passing on [name_u]June[/name_u] 26 1978. [name_f]María[/name_f] de las [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f], [name_f]Princess[/name_f] of Asturias, [name_f]María[/name_f] de las [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f] [name_f]Cristina[/name_f] Genara [name_f]Isabel[/name_f] [name_f]Luisa[/name_f] [name_f]Carolina[/name_f] [name_f]Victoria[/name_f] y [name_m]Todos[/name_m] los [name_m]Santos[/name_m] de Borbón, and [name_f]María[/name_f] de las [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f] de Baviera y Borbón were also Spanish royalty who wore this name.

[name_f]Mercedes[/name_f] 35 hp - Jellinek's first [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f] car

[name_f]Mercedes[/name_f] of Orléans

Virgin of [name_f]Mercy[/name_f]

Sources / Further [name_m]Reading[/name_m]

Mercedes: Name Meaning, Popularity, and Similar Names | Nameberry
Titles of [name_f]Mary[/name_f] - Wikipedia
María de las [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f] - Wikipedia
Mercedes (name) - Wikipedia
Mercedes-[name_m]Benz[/name_m] Name Meaning | How to Spell & Pronounce "[name_f]Mercedes[/name_f]-[name_m]Benz[/name_m]".
Emil Jellinek - Wikipedia
Mercedes of Orléans - Wikipedia
Mercedes 35 hp - Wikipedia

If you read through to the end, congratulations! This was a long one. Here’s a cookie:

Do you like the name [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f]? (Changed the options a bit from the last names. If you like a name but it’s not your style, that means you like it for someone else, but not for you or your kids!)

• Yes! It’s my style.
• Yes, but only for someone else.
• Totally neutral.
• No, I don’t like it for anyone.

How do you pronounce [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f]?

• Mer-SEH-dehs
• Mer-SAY-deez
• Other (Reply!)

What name should I do next?

• I’ll give you a suggestion in the comments!
• I don’t have any ideas yet, sorry!

[acajou]

Mercedes is one of my absolute favorites. Thank you for sharing!!

I would love to see one of your personal favorites for the next NOTD!
If not maybe a medieval [name_u]French[/name_u] name like [name_u]Alix[/name_u] or [name_f]Isabeau[/name_f]!

[katkabet]

oh this makes me so happy! and i pronounce it both ways now purely because of [name_f]Christine[/name_f]! But, if I met one irl I’d probably say mer-SAY-deez because that would be the common pronunciation where I live

[elanorelle]

It’s hard to explain how I really pronounce [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f]… It’s kind of like mehr-SAY-des, with that last syllable being somewhere beetween “deez” and “diss” – does that even make sense? It’s weird I guess.

But, no, tbh, I don’t really like the name. I associate it too strongly with the car brand, but I also just don’t find the sound appealing, personally. But my sister actually went to school with a [name_f]Mercedes[/name_f] “[name_f]Sadie[/name_f]”, so…it can be wearable, I suppose.

[Tildabob]

Can you please do [name_m]Fabien[/name_m]/Fabian? Thanks

[GenevieveReine]

I’d love to see [name_f]Helena[/name_f] or [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f]

[floatinthesky]

I’d love to see [name_f]Wendy[/name_f] it has an interesting backstory!

[katinka]

One of my favourites with, I think, a bit of a murky etymology: [name_m]Ivo[/name_m]

[AdroitArtemis]

Could you possibly do [name_m]Fergus[/name_m], [name_m]Emrys[/name_m], [name_u]Koda[/name_u], or [name_m]Acacius[/name_m] please?

[TeaJay]

Would love to see the name [name_f]Brigid[/name_f]/Brighid! I’m finding these so interesting!