Moniker: The Histories and Mysteries of Names

Megan Taylor
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  • Updated Biweekly

Do you ever wonder how and why things get their names? On Moniker: The Histories and Mysteries of Names, we'll dive into anything and everything related to names. If you're an onomastics aficionado, this is the place for you!

  1. 3d ago

    Penelope: from Homer to Bridgeton

    With the Odyssey fresh on the mind, we will explore the growing popularity of Penelope. Where does the name come from? What does it mean? What is it about "Penelope" characters that are speaking to today's parents?   SOURCES:  Homer. (n.d.). The Odyssey (S. Butler, Trans.). The Internet Classics Archive. http://classics.mit.edu/Homer/odyssey.html (Original work published ca. 800 B.C.E.)  Levaniouk, O. (2011). Eve of the festival: Making myth in Odyssey 19. Center for Hellenic Studies  Levaniouk, O. (1999). Penelope and the Penelops. Nine Essays on Homer, 95-136.   Alessi, S. (2013). Rewriting Classical Myths: the Case of Penelope. MHRA Working Papers in the Humanities, 8, 42-53.   Gilchrist, K., & Gilchrist, K. (1997). Penelope (Doctoral dissertation, University of Oxford).   Shewan, A. (1915). The Waterfowl Goddess Penelope and her Son Pan. The Classical Review, 29(2), 37-40.  Bridgerton Boost https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bridgerton-gilded-age-baby-names_l_665fd4d0e4b08e32183f6429 Baby Center Most Popular Baby Name Trends June 2024 https://www.babycenter.com/baby-names/most-popular/2024-baby-name-trends_41001948  “Polin’s” record-breaking opening weekend  https://netflixlife.com/posts/polin-bridgerton-season-3-most-watched-debut-weekend-01hyeb1dg82c  Netflix all-time stats https://www.netflix.com/tudum/top10/most-popular/tv  Behind the Name (One of my favorite “name” websites)  https://www.behindthename.com/name/penelope  Brief St. Penelope bio  https://orthodoxmonasteryicons.com/products/penelope-the-martyr-icon Bio of St. Irene - born Penelope  https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/1002/05/05/101297-great-martyr-irene

    Penelope: from Homer to Bridgeton

  2. Aug 28

    Pocahontas

    Pocahontas as a moniker has been used throughout to perpetuate the mythical "Indian Princess" stereotype  But what if that wasn't her real name?  Today we explore the biography of the real Pocahontas and how her (many) names shaped public perception of both her and Native American women as a whole.  MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women) A multinational, grassroots organization that aims to stop the disproportionate violence perpetrated against Indigenous women.  https://mmiwhoismissing.org/ Sources:  https://soundcloud.com/missingmatoaka/missingmatoaka (Alternative audio track for the Disney movie  Pocahontas and the Powhatan dilemma. Camilla Townsend (2004).  The True Story of Pocahontas, The Other Side of History, co-authored by Dr. Linwood Custalow and Angela L. Daniel. https://encyclopediavirginia.org/ Smith, J. (1908). A true relation of such occurrences and accidents of noate as hath hapned in Virginia since the first planting of that colony [. (E. Arber, Ed.). In Travels and works of Captain John Smith, President of Virginia, and Admiral of New England, 1580–1631 (Part I, pp. 1–40). John Grant [. (Original work published 1608) [ When Fiction Wins: John Davis and the Emergence of a Romantic Pocahontas by Michael King Smith, John. The Generall Historie of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles. London, 1624. Smithsonian Channel. (Producer). (2017). Pocahontas: Beyond the myth [Film]. Smithsonian Networks  [Film]. Walt Disney Pictures 1995Pocahontas: Her Life and Legend. National Parks Services, 2022 https://www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/pocahontas-her-life-and-legend.htmDavis, John. Captain Smith and Princess Pocahontas: An Indian Tale. Philadelphia: T.C. Plowman, 1805Music: Market by Peritune

    Pocahontas

  3. 11/19/2024

    Of Pilgrims and Puritans

    What's the difference between a Pilgrim and a Puritan? And what do they have to do with Thanksgiving anyway?? We'll look at the roots of a beloved American holiday and how they connect with the Protestant Revolution.  Raise your drumsticks in a hearty Huzzah!

    Of Pilgrims and Puritans

  4. 04/07/2023

    Easter, Eoster & Ishtar

    Here comes Peter Cottontail! It's almost time for Easter!  But what does Easter mean? How did it get its name? Did the Catholics just piggy-back off a holiday for an ancient goddess?? Let's "hunt" down the answer together!

    Easter, Eoster & Ishtar

  5. 10/13/2022

    We Need to Talk About Kevin (Caoimhin)

    I bet you know a lot of Kevins, but when was the last time you saw a baby named Kevin? Today we explore Kevins journey from Celtic Saint to American scamp. Learn just how popular (or unpopular) this name really is! Sources: Articles Children's names: Why rich parents set the trend, not celebrities - BBC News The Ossianic Society on JSTOR  What’s In A Name: The Surprising Rise And Fall (And Rise) Of ‘Kevin’ | by The Establishment | The Establishment | Medium Saint Kevin | patron of Dublin | Britannica Saint Kevin - Glendalough - World Cultures European (irishcultureandcustoms.com) Gaelic Revival | Encyclopedia.com Trace your Irish roots - traditional Irish naming pattern (irishcentral.com) http://manchesterhistorian.com/2021/what-led-to-the-19th-century-gaelic-revival-by-erin-kilker/  Irish Free State declared - HISTORY  Irish in Washington -- The Early Years (1840s to 1890) - HistoryLink.org Apparently, Some Countries Really Hate The Name ‘Kevin’ | HuffPost Weird News  The Strange German Disease Called "Kevinism": Can a Lame Name Mess Up Your Life? | Discover Magazine Digitized Records Annals of the Four Masters (ucc.ie)  The Annals of Ulster (ucc.ie)  Irish Genealogy Books

    We Need to Talk About Kevin (Caoimhin)

  6. 08/21/2022

    Oranges: Fruit or Color?

    After a stupidly long hiatus we are back with more naming fun! Join us this episode for an in-depth look at the journey of orange, both the color and the fruit! Links: The Citrus Route Revealed: From Southeast Asia into the Mediterranean in: HortScience Volume 52 Issue 6 (2017) (ashs.org) orange | Search Online Etymology Dictionary (etymonline.com) The Origin of Oranges (arcgis.com) Oranges - Google Books Al Masudi – History of Islam William the Silent (mcgill.ca) House of Orange | European dynasty | Britannica Golden Fruit - Google Books Hesperides: history of the culture and use of citrus fruits : Tolkowsky, S. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive Trading Posts and Fortifications on Genoese Trade Routes. From the Mediterranean to the Black Sea - UNESCO World Heritage Centre Orange | History, Geography, & Points of Interest | Britannica Francia Media:  Lorraine & Burgundy (friesian.com) Color or Fruit? On the Unlikely Etymology of “Orange” ‹ Literary Hub (lithub.com) Why does the Netherlands love orange? The full explainer – DutchReview Exploration and trade in Elizabethan England | The British Library (bl.uk) Spectrum - The Spectrum Of Light - Newton, Colors, Seven, and Experiment - JRank Articles Patriot Revolution | Encyclopedia.com Glorious Revolution - New World Encyclopedia https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-18769781

    Oranges: Fruit or Color?

  7. 04/25/2022

    Did Shakespeare Invent Jessica?

    Ah the immortal Bard.  We can credit Shakespeare with many things: shaping the English language, bringing theatre to the common man, giving High School drama departments something to perform that's in the public domain. But can we credit Shakespeare for names like Jessica? We'll look at the complex (and racist) relationship between Britain and Judaism as we unravel the mystery behind  Shakespeare's Semitic ingenue. Sources: Articles: Barkey, K., & Katznelson, I. (2011). States, regimes, and decisions: why Jews were expelled from Medieval England and France. Theory and Society, 40(5), 475–503. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11186-011-9150-8 Halio, J. L., & Gross, J. (1993). Shylock: Four Hundred Years in the Life of a Legend. Shakespeare Quarterly, 44(3), 364. https://doi.org/10.2307/2871425 Books: Gross, K. (2006). Shylock Is Shakespeare (Annotated ed.). University of Chicago Press. Shapiro, J. (2016). Shakespeare and the Jews (twentieth anniversary edition). Columbia University Press. Websites: CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Giangiorgio Trissino (newadvent.org) www.etymologyonline.com Meet The Man Responsible For The Letter "J" - Dictionary.com Music: Market by PeriTune | http://peritune.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 Psalm 23 Toyohiko Santoh https://archive.org/details/cd_lute-music-from-the-netherlands_toyohiko-satoh  Bransle Gay Claude Gervais https://archive.org/details/lp_french-dances-of-the-renaissance-and-other_le-groupe-des-instruments-anciens-de-paris_0

    Did Shakespeare Invent Jessica?

  8. 03/15/2022

    Iceland and Greenland

    It's an old story: The Vikings gave Greenland and Iceland their names to fool people. But is that actually true? Grab and oar on the dragon boat as we sail to the icy heart of this naming mystery! Sources: Articles: A BRIEF HISTORY OF GREENLAND - Local Histories Debunking the Naming of Iceland: How the Island Got its Name | The Horse and the Norse (wordpress.com) Erik The Red – The Raving, Red-Haired Lunatic Who Settled Greenland (allthatsinteresting.com) Eric the Red - discover of Greenland (greenlandbytopas.com)  Facts about Greenland - Naalakkersuisut Books: Bugge, A. (2022). THE NATIVE GREENLANDER - A BLENDING OF OLD AND NEW. Arctic. History, C. (2018). Erik the Red: A Captivating Guide to the Viking Who Founded the First Norse Settlement in Greenland (Captivating History). CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Palsson, H., & Edwards, P. (2007). The Book of Settlements: Landnamabok (U of M Icelandic Series). University of Manitoba Press. Seaver, K. A. (1997). The Frozen Echo: Greenland and the Exploration of North America, ca. A.D. 1000–1500 (1st ed.). Stanford University Press. Websites: www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca www.britannica.com  Music: Market by PeriTune | http://peritune.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 "Psalm 23" by Toyohiko Satoh Lute Music from the Netherlands, retrieved from archive.org https://archive.org/details/cd_lute-music-from-the-netherlands_toyohiko-satoh "Sækonungar" by Skald  Viking Memories, retrieved from archive.org  https://archive.org/details/skald-vikings_memories-vinyl

    Iceland and Greenland
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Do you ever wonder how and why things get their names? On Moniker: The Histories and Mysteries of Names, we'll dive into anything and everything related to names. If you're an onomastics aficionado, this is the place for you!

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