How popular is the baby name Bernadette in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Find out using the graph below! Plus, check out all the blog posts that mention the name Bernadette.
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The unusual name Stanja was a one-hit wonder in the U.S. baby name data during the 1960s:
1965: unlisted
1964: unlisted
1963: 6 baby girls named Stanja [debut]
1962: unlisted
1961: unlisted
Where did it come from?
TV actress Stanja Lowe — though it’s impossible to link the debut to a single TV appearance, as Stanja could be seen on multiple shows (Perry Mason, My Three Sons, Dr. Kildare, etc.) from 1962 to 1963.
She was born in Cleveland in 1929 with the name Sidney Stanja Lowe.
Her father, K. Elmo Lowe, was an actor and director with the Cleveland Play House from the early ’20s to the late ’60s; her mother, Dorothy Paxton, was an actress. (Her parents called each other “K” and “Paxton.”)
Stanja’s first name was sometimes misspelled “Stanya” in credits, and by the press.
I’m not certain about the etymology of Stanja, but my wild guess is Czech, based on the fact that I found it used as a character name in a play by Austrian-Bohemian writer Franz Werfel (who also wrote The Song of Bernadette).
Here are hundreds of baby names that have a numerological value of “4.”
I’ve sub-categorized them by overall totals, because I think that some of the intermediate numbers could have special significance to people as well.
Within each group, I’ve listed up to ten of the most popular “4” names per gender (according to the current U.S. rankings).
Beneath all the names are some ways you could interpret the numerological value of “4,” including descriptions from two different numerological systems.
4 via 13
The following baby names add up to 13, which reduces to four (1+3=4).
“13” girl names: Cai, Eh, Ece, Gea
“13” boy names: Cade, Cai, Al, Eh, Cj, Jc, Dace, La
4 via 22
The following baby names add up to 22, which reduces to four (2+2=4).
The boy name Marquavious adds up to 157, which reduces to four (1+5+7=13; 1+3=4).
4 via 166
The boy name Muhammadyusuf adds up to 166, which reduces to four (1+6+6=13; 1+3=4).
4 via 175
The unisex names Kosisochukwu adds up to 175, which reduces to four (1+7+5=13; 1+3=4).
What Does “4” Mean?
First, we’ll look at the significance assigned to “4” by two different numerological sources. Second, and more importantly, ask yourself if “4” or any of the intermediate numbers above have any special significance to you.
Numerological Attributes
“4” (the tetrad) according to the Pythagoreans:
“Anatolius reports that it is called ‘justice,’ since the square (i.e., the area) […] is equal to the perimeter”
“It is the prerequisite of the general orderliness of the universe, so they everywhere called it a ‘custodian of Nature.'”
“Everything in the universe turns out to be completed in the natural progression up to the tetrad”
“The tetrad is the first to display the nature of solidity: the sequence is point, line, plane, solid (i.e. body).”
Examples of things that are divided into four parts:
“four traditional seasons of the year — spring, summer, autumn and winter.”
“four elements (fire, air, water and earth)”
“four cardinal points”
“four distinguishing points – ascendant, descendant, mid-heaven and nadir”
“Some say that all things are organized by four aspects – substance, shape, form and principle.”
“4” according to Edgar Cayce:
“In four, it makes for the greater weaknesses in the divisions…four being more of a division and weakness” (reading 261-15).
“In four, we find that of a division – and while a beauty in strength, in the divisions also makes for the greater weakness” (reading 5751-1).
Personal/Cultural Significance
Does “4” — or do any of the other numbers above (e.g., 22, 49, 76, 103) — have any special significance to you?
Think about your own preferences and personal experiences: lucky numbers, birth dates, music, sports, and so on. Maybe your favorite football team is the San Francisco 49ers, for example.
Also think about associations you may have picked up from your culture, your religion, or society in general.
If you have any interesting insights about the number 4, or any of the other numbers above, please leave a comment!
Source: Theologumena Arithmeticae, attributed to Iamblichus (c.250-c.330).
In late 1946, a baby girl was born to Paul Henning of Denver, Colorado. He’d heard of a man in Seattle who had 17 given names* and, impressed, decided that his own daughter’s name should be even longer. So she ended up with 24 given names.
Henning’s daughter–Mary Ann Bernadette Helen Therese Juanita Oliva Alice Louise Harriet Lucille Henrietta Celeste Corolla Constance Cecile Margaret Rose Eugene Yvonne Florentine Lolita Grace Isabelle Henning–was baptized in St. Elizabeth’s church Sunday.
If you were asked to cut this name down to just a first and a middle, using the names already listed, which two would you choose?
*The Seattle man, known as William Cary, had recently died. He’d been born in the mid-1860s and his 17 names had come from the surnames of officers in his father’s Civil War regiment.
Sources:
“What’s in Name? This Baby Given 24 for a Starter.” Milwaukee Journal 11 Nov. 1946: 1.
“Man With 17 Names Dies in Seattle.” Abilene Reporter-News 1 Nov. 1946: 33.
Some parents see names like Angelina, Isabella, and Olivia and think, “I’m not going to bother weeding through these dainty little sissy-names on the off chance I find a good one. Forget it. I’m gonna flip ahead to the boy names.”
What these parents might not realize, though, is that there are plenty of strong, non-frilly girl names out there. Here are three types I’ve come up with:
Girl Names with Boyish Nicknames A boy name wrapped in a girl name — the best of both worlds. Most of the full names below are based on boy names, so they simply shorten to the same pet forms.
Alex – Alexandra Andy – Andrea, Miranda Bernie – Bernadette Cal – Calista, Calla Clem – Clementine Dan – Danielle Ernie – Ernestine Frank – Frances Gerry – Geraldine Gus – Augusta
Jack – Jacqueline Jo – Josephine, Johanna Max – Maxine Mo – Monique, Maureen Nick – Nicole, Monica, Veronica Rick – Erica Rob – Roberta Sal – Salome, Sarah Tony – Antonia Will – Wilhelmina
Girl Names with Lots of Consonants Girl names with at least as many consonants as vowels tend to sound much more serious than vowel-laden girl names. Especially if they end with a consonant (or a consonant-sound).
Adele* Agnes Alice Ardith Astrid Blanche Bridget Brooke Carmen Claire*
Edith Eleanor* Elizabeth Enid Esther Gertrude Gretchen Harriet Helen Hester
Imogene* Ingrid Jane Janet Jill Joan Judith Katherine Laurel Mabel
Margaret Marion Maude* Megan Meredith Nadine Rachel Ruth Sibyl Tamar
*Technically, these names have more vowels than consonants. But it doesn’t sound like they do, and that’s the important part.
Girl Names with Unusual Letters/Sounds Unusual things command your attention. They may seem odd, but, because they stand out, they also tend to seem bold.
Beatrix Beulah Eugenia Eunice Gwyneth Hazel
Izora Maeve Tirzah Tallulah Ursula Violet
Winifred Winona Yolanda Zelda Zenobia Zillah
What other types of girl names would you add to this list?
A reader named Maisie is expecting her fourth child (gender unknown) and she’d like some help coming up with names. Her first three children are named Lorna, Zacharias (Zach) and Louis. Here are the names Maisie and her husband have been considering:
Anastasia Caitlin Catya Eva-May Lara Lena Marlena Willa-May Winefred
Alfred Arthur Freddie Joshua Laurence Leo Myro
An intriguing mix, isn’t it?
Even before reading the list, though, my very first thought was: L-names should probably be avoided. I like the four L-names on the shortlist–Laurence especially–but I would hate for Zach to feel like the odd one out.
Another thought I had was: How about an A-name or a B-name? The current first letters come from the middle, end, and middle of the alphabet, respectively, so why not swing back to the beginning? A pendular name pattern. It might be a silly idea, but there it is. Along these lines I like Anastasia, Alfred and Arthur (all great names) and maybe also: Abraham (Abe), Ada, Alice, Amelia, Antonia, Archibald (Archie), Barney, Benjamin, Bernadette and Bernard.
Now, getting past this talk of patterns…
I really like Marlena, Caitlin, Winefred and Freddie. But I prefer the spelling Winifred, and I think Freddie would be even better as a nickname for something like Frederick or Alfred (which is already on the list). I’m so-so on Joshua in this case.
I was caught off guard by Willa-May, Eva-May, Catya and Myro. The first two stood out because of the hyphens, but as soon as I got over the punctuation I realized they’re both very cute. Catya and Myro, though, I’m not as excited about. Catya sounds rather exotic as the sister of, say, Lorna. (I’m also not used to seeing it spelled with a C.) And Myro is just exotic in general. I could see Myron or Milo working with this group, but I don’t think Myro fits as well.
Here are a few other ideas:
Dorothy Florence Georgia Greta Isla Josephine Suzanne
Charles George Henry Richard Roland Thomas Walter
Which of the above names do you like best with Lorna, Zach and Louis? What other advice or suggestions would you offer to Maisie?
Update: The baby is here! Scroll down to see what name Maisie chose.
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