36 New Names

GIRLS

Adaya- Hebrew, meaning "God's jewel".

Barushka - Czech, meaning "stranger".

Bethuliah - 'a virgin'.

Chisamu - Tonga, meaning "tree" or "log". This is a name that was given by a woman who previous babies had all died and did not want to give the baby a name of a person or ancestor if she was going to die anyway, rather, she gave her a 'non' name, the name of a tree. It's a sad way of naming, to me. However, the name itself is pretty, I think. And someone could give this name just because it is pretty.

Filatrice - meaning "thread spinner" or "spinster".

Goton- nickname for Margaret.

Hildagarve - "Hilda's maid".

Huette- a feminine form of the name Hugh.

Ilysee - derived from the name Alice.

Laodike - "who obtains justice for the people through intercession".

Moggy - a nickname for Margaret.

Peninnah - meaning "coral" or "pearl" or "glittering with beauty". The name of one of the wives of Elkanah, father of Samuel the Prophet, in the Bible.

Shawannah - listed as an African-American name in the name book A World of Baby Names. It suggests that it may be a name made from elements of the names Shawna and Shoshannah. But I find it more likely that it is composed from adding the prefix 'sha' to a name like Juana (but spelled phonetically) or Wanda, possibly Shawanda would be either a related form or Shawannah could come from that. African-American name is a somewhat haphazard designation. Similar habits of name composition exist outside of the African-American community and have a long tradition as well. However, certain names do seem to have an African-American feel, in that you might be predisposed to first think of someone black having the name and surprised to encounter it on someone who is not black.

Sindonia - meaning "a maker of fine linen" or "a spinster".

Sophonisba - "of a wise life".

Umaya-

Vye - a nickname for Sophia (in England this name is pronounced "so FY uh").



BOYS

Adael - Hebrew, meaning "God is witness".

Adinet - a nickname for Adam.

Agobard

Beckon- I was amused to find this listed under the American names category in the name book A World of Baby Names. It suggests it is a modern invented name. I can see the rationale - parents who like names like Beckett and Beckham and Becker but want their child's name to be different from the kid next door might think of Beckon and consider it a name on those lines. To me, though, it is more of a virtue name and seems to fit well in a Puritan context.

Doeg- name of an Edomite in the Bible

Halohesh - "the enchanter".

Hasday

Hatyelele - Tonga, a name that would be given to a child whose mother craved 'delele', a traditional Zambian vegetable (a type of okra), while she was pregnant. It is also used as a nickname for a man who likes to eat this vegetable.

Menaxem

Tedbar - English, possibly derived from Tedbald, which is a variant of Theobald, a name from the Domesday Book.

Yefuneh - Hebrew

Yekutiel - Hebrew

NOT SURE OF GENDER

Amphipolus

Hosius

Parthenos

Virginius



EITHER GENDER

Different from the "not sure of gender" category, "Not sure of gender" is used for those names I've encountered without knowing whether they are for males, females, or both. "Either gender" are names that are used on both boys and girls.

Banji - Tonga, meaning "many". Name given to a second-born twin.

Chilala - Tonga, meaning "sleeping". This name was given by a woman who could not conceive for a long time after birth of the previous child.

Hamuntili - Tonga, a wild fruit. Name was given to a child who was born while the mother was gathering these fruits in the bush.