James: What Does This English Form of an Ancient Hebrew Name Mean?

James is one of those names that consistently show up in the top 20 most popular name lists. Labelled by some as boring, the name is adored by many others. Borne by kings and commoners, this universally popular name has undergone considerable transformations before becoming the name we know today. 

 

Origin of the Name

It started out as the ancient Hebrew name Ya'aqob. As the name of a highly important Hebrew patriarch, Jacob is one of the most well-known names in the Old Testament. Remember Jacob’s Ladder? That's the same Jacob. In Greek translations of the Bible, this name became Ιακωβος (Iakobos) and in the Latin translation – Jacobus. When the name reached England in the early Middle Ages, the form Jacob was born, deriving from the Latin form of the Biblical name, Iacobus. But by the time of Shakespeare, the Middle English form James eclipsed the popularity of Jacob, although both forms of the name were in use. Jacob never really died out, resulting in two forms of the same name in the English language. 

The King James Bible

Meaning of the Name

The ancient Hebrew name Ya'aqov means "holder of the heel" or "supplanter". In the Bible, this refers to the Biblical account of how the Hebrew patriarch Jacob was born holding the heel of his twin brother, Esau. It’s not entirely clear what this designation was meant to imply. It could be interpreted as “a follower, someone tracing the steps of another” or “a deceiver, someone who catches another’s foot as in a trap” in Hebrew. It may have meant both, since in the story of Jacob he is both a second-born twin and also ends up deceiving his brother into selling his birthright to him for a bowl of stew (Gen. 25: 29-34). 

Esau Selling his Birthright to Jacob for a Pottage of Lentils by Nicolas Tournier

Jacob later reconciles with his brother, but his chosen status is never revoked, and he goes on to become the father of the 12 tribes of Israel. As a matter of fact, he is even given a second name, Israel, by God (Gen. 32:28).

In the New Testament, there are several important characters named James, including James, the half-brother of Jesus, and James the Greater (an apostle). The Book of James is one of the books of the New Testament, believed to have been written by Jesus’ half-brother.

Fun Things to Know About the Name James

• 6 Presidents of the United States had the first name James
• James was the 4^th most popular boy’s name in the United States in 2022
• Short and pet forms of the name include Jim, Jimmy, Jamie, Jay, and Jake.
• Some European forms of the name Jacob include:

• Jacques – French  
• Jakob – German (pronounced YAkob)
  
• Giacomo and Jacopo – Italian  
• Iago, Jago – Spanish  

 

Famous Historical People Named James, Jacob, or a Variant of the Name

• King James VI of Scotland (1566–1625) became King James I of Great Britain in 1603, after the death of Elizabeth I. He is the king that gave his name to Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in the New World, and to the King James Bible (translation completed in 1611), which remains one of the most widely recognized versions of the Bible today.
• Jacob Grimm (1785-1863) was a German linguist and folklorist, who together with his brother, Wilhelm Grimm, published a collection of folk fairy-tales – the famous “Grimm’s Fairy Tales” that include some of the most popular fairy tales like “Cinderella”, “Rapunzel”, “Snow White”, “Hansel and Gretel”, and “Sleeping Beauty”.
• Captain James Cook (1728-1779) was a British explorer, cartographer, and navigator who explored the coasts of Canada and the Pacific Ocean.

Left to right (counterclockwise): "Venice" by Edmund Dulac, portrait of Captain James Cook, Jacques Cousteau aboard his ship 'Calypso', view of Angel Falls in Venezuela, and poster for Puccini's opera 'Turandot'

• Giacomo Puccini (1858 –1924) was an Italian composer, known best for his operas, such as Tosca, La Boheme, and Turandot.
• Giacomo Casanova (1725-1798) was an Italian adventurer and opportunist, famous for his numerous affairs that he described in detail in his autobiography, Histoire de ma vie (Story of My Life).
• James Joyce (1882-1941) was an Irish writer and poet, famous for his experimental use of language and introduction of new literary methods (like the interior monologue); he’s considered one of the most influential writers of the 20^th c.
• Jacques Cousteau (1910 –1997) was a French naval officer, ocean explorer, ecologist, and filmmaker, who was the co-inventor of the breathing device used for deep ocean diving, the Aqua-Lung (1943).
• Jimmie Angel (full name James Crawford Angel, 1899-1956) was the American aviator for whom Angel Falls in Venezuela, the tallest waterfall in the world, is named.

Literary and Film Characters Named James  

Left to right: Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise, James Bond portrayed by Timothy Dalton (1987), and Harry Potter looking at his parents' reflections in the Mirror of Erised

• James Bond, one of the most famous literary (and film) characters, created by the British writer Ian Fleming (1908-1964)
• James Potter is Harry Potter’s father in the highly popular fantasy series of books by Joan Rowling; Harry also honors his father’s memory in the name of one of his sons – James Sirius Potter.
• Captain James Tiberius Kirk is the captain of the starship “Enterprise” in the TV series Star Trek: The Original Series (1966–1969). 

• Jim Hawkins is the protagonist of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island (1883).
• James Dante is a bully that appears consistently in Season 1 of Stranger Things.

Sources:

https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Jacob.html

The Wordsworth Dictionary of First Names. Iseabail Macleod & Terry Freedman. Wordsworth, 1995. ISBN 1-85326-366-4

 

Sebastian: What Does the Name Mean?

Some names are familiar, but no famous people with this name come to mind off-hand. The name Sebastian has been around for centuries, but unlike many other saints’ names, it hasn’t got an equally popular female equivalent (Sebastiana isn’t often met). So what’s the name’s history and why hasn’t it become so very popular in the English-speaking world?

Origin and Meaning of the Name

Sebastian comes from the ancient Roman name Sebastianus which meant "from Sebaste" in Latin. Sebaste was the name a town in Asia Minor, Lesser Armenia (modern Sivas, Turkey). The town was named for Emperor Augustus, from Greek σεβαστος (sebastos) "venerable", which is a Greek translation of Latin Augustus. Augustus was the title of the Roman emperors that meant “venerable, honored, respected” in Latin.

The Road near ancient Sebaste, Anatolia

History and Popularity

Sebastian first appears as the name of a well-known 3rd-century Roman martyr saint. The legend goes that he was a soldier in the Praetorian Guard of the Roman emperor himself. He assisted other Christians on numerous occasions and when his faith was found out, the emperor ordered him tied to a shooting target and pierced by arrows. Severely wounded, he was nursed back to health by St. Irene, but returned to the palace to admonish the emperor for his cruelty towards the early Christians. He was then put to death by the emperor. St Sebastian was very popular during the Middle Ages, becoming the patron saint of soldiers, plague victims, and ironically archers. Traditionally, he was portrayed in paintings as a handsome youth tied to a tree and pierced by arrows. The plague was often visualized in medieval manuscripts as caused by black arrows piercing its victims, which is probably how the saint got associated with the disease.

St. Sebastian, 1503 by Raphael

The name remained popular in Spain, France, and Germany late into the Renaissance (often as Bastian or Bastien), but it wasn’t common in England; the only exception is Cornwall, where it seems to have been borrowed from France. It seems that, like other names with strong Catholic ties, the name fell gradually out of use when England became officially Anglican in the 16^th century.

In the United States, the name has had a recent surge of popularity; it wasn’t in the 50 most popular names for boys born in 2008, but soared up to the 18^th place in 2022. It’s also very popular in Norway and Denmark, being the 13th most popular name for boys born in Norway in 2007. Always familiar in South America with its strong Catholic background, it rose to be the fifth most popular name for boys born in Chile in 2006.

Trivia

• King Sebastian of Portugal (1554 – 1578) was a 16th-century king of Portugal who died in a crusade against the Moors of Morocco. He became a legendary figure in Portuguese lore, with claims that he hasn’t truly died and will return to rescue Portugal in its time of need.  
• Sebastiano del Piombo (1485 –1547) was a famous Italian High Renaissance painter.

“Polyphemus” by Sebastiano del Piombo; Johann Sebastian Bach by Johann Emanuel Göbel; Oscar Wilde, photo by Elliott & Fry

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was a German composer of the late Baroque; his most famous works include the Brandenburg Concertos and The St Matthew Passion.
• Sebastian Bach (real name Sebastian Philip Bierk, b. 1968) is the name of a former member of the Canadian heavy metal band Skid Row.
• Sebastian Melmoth was Oscar Wilde's pseudonym during his exile in France; he possibly derived it from St. Sebastian.

Trader Faulkner as Sebastian with Vivien Leigh as Viola in “Twelfth Night” (1955); Colonel Moran, illustration by Sidney Paget; Anthony Andrews as Sebastian Flyte in the 1981 British TV series “Brideshead Revisited”

• This is the name of Viola’s brother in Shakespeare’s play “Twelfth Night” (1601-02); Shakespeare used the name again in “The Tempest” (1610-11) for a cowardly villain.
• Colonel Sebastian Moran is a character in the Sherlock Holmes story “The Adventure of the Empty House” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
• Lord Sebastian Flyte is one of the main characters in Evelyn Waugh’s “Brideshead Revisited”.
• Sebastian Valmont is the name of one of the villains in “The Dangerous Liaisons” (1782) by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos.
• Sebastian is the name of the red Jamaican crab and Ariel’s friend in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”.

Sebastian and Ariel

• A name book from the 1900s describes the character of the name Sebastian as: “Serious, conventional, and conscientious. Suited for married life. If a bachelor is inclined to become self-centred and irritable^[1].”

The name in literature

 

What People Think of the Name Sebastian from BehindtheName website

St. Oswald's boys were not called Ben. St Oswald's boys were called Leon, or Jasper, or Rufus or Sebastian. A St Oswald's boy can pass off a name like Orlando, can make it sound like peppermint. Even Rupert sounds somehow cool when attached to a navy-blue St Oswald's blazer.

~ From Blueeyedboy by Joanne Harris, 2010

 

Sources:

https://www.behindthename.com/name/sebastian

The Wordsworth Dictionary of First Names. Iseabail Macleod & Terry Freedman. Wordsworth, 1995. ISBN 1-85326-366-4

The Meanings of Christian Names. Anonymous. Duff Press, 2011. ISBN 1446536440, 9781446536445

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] The Meanings of Christian Names. Anonymous. Duff Press, 2011. ISBN 1446536440, 9781446536445

John: The Ultimate Evergreen Name

One of the most popular boys’ names in the English-speaking world overall, the name John has been in use for centuries. Its classic simplicity still appeals to parents in the US, the UK, and Australia. It’s also used in other countries where it’s been introduced via the English language only recently – for example, in France and Brazil.

So, what does this popular name mean and what is the history behind it? 

Origin and Meaning of the Name

John means “God’s grace” in Hebrew. It is a contracted form of the Hebrew name Yochanan “God is gracious” from the Hebrew yo “Jehovah (the Hebrew name for God)” and chanan “grace, graciousness”. In the Bible, there are several characters who are called John. One of the first mentioned is Jehohanan, one of King David's warriors. John is the spelling normally used in the New Testament. The name was very important in early Christianity: it was borne by John the Baptist and by the author of the fourth gospel (John the Evangelist).

The Appearance of Christ to the People. Aleksandr Andreevich Ivanov

History and Popularity

The name John became known in Europe through Christianity. Its various European forms were usually derived from the Greek form Ioannes (Ἰωάννης), because most of the letters and accounts that form the New Testament were written in Greek. Johannes, along with its forms Johan and Johann, is still the standard form of John in Germanic countries like Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Johannes could still be found in the United States among German immigrants until WWI when German names rapidly went out of favor.

 John IV Laskaris and Pope John XXII, 1316

John was also a royal name, borne by Byzantine emperors, popes, and by kings of Hungary, Poland, Portugal, France, etc. In its various forms in different languages, it has been the most perennially popular of all Christian names. 

St. John the Evangelist’s symbol, the Eagle, in the Book of Dimma, late 8th century, Irish

During the Anglo-Saxon period of English history, John was a rare, religious name. It was mostly used in the territories presided over by the Eastern Orthodox Church. After the First Crusade, the name gradually gained popularity in Western Europe. In England it became extremely popular in the later Middle Ages. It is estimated that John and William took turns being the number one name in England and English-speaking North America from around 1550 until the middle of the twentieth century.

John was the most popular name given to boys in the United States until 1924, gradually dropping to its current place as the 26^th most common boys’ name. Variations of the name John, such as Ian and Jon (which is often seen as a form of John, although it started as a short form of Jonathan), have gained in popularity.

Trivia

• There were 21 legitimate popes named John, 8 Byzantine emperors, 4 American Presidents, and numerous monarchs of England, France, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Portugal, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Russia.

• In the UK, the name John has never been a popular royal name. King John (1166-1216) signed the Magna Carta in 1215, which limited the king’s powers; Prince Alexander John, the youngest son of King Edward VII, died shortly after birth, and Prince John, the youngest son of King George V, suffered from epilepsy. These are some of the reasons why the name John has been considered unlucky by the British royal family. It was reported that Diana, Princess of Wales wished to name her elder son "John", after her own father, but was prevented from doing so by royal tradition.

• The traditional symbol of John the Evangelist is an eagle.

 

• Dr. John H. Watson is the name of Sherlock Holmes’ friend and biographer in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels and stories featuring Sherlock Holmes. Long John Silver is the main antagonist in Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island”.

• John Doe or John Smith is a placeholder name for when a person’s name is unknown or intentionally left unrevealed. The similar term John Q. Public means "average American citizen," in use since at least 1934. 

• A Dear John letter is the term for a letter written by a woman to her boyfriend or husband to tell him that their relationship is over (and typically also that she’s found someone else). 
  

• Famous people named John include John Lennon (1940-1980), English rock musician, songwriter, and member of The Beatles, John Legend (1978-), American singer-songwriter, John Steinbeck (1902-1968), American novelist, and John Travolta (1954-), American actor.

• Famous bearers of the name Johannes include Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press, the astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), and the composer Johannes Brahms (1833-1897).

• Johannes (or joe) is also the name of an 18^th century Portuguese gold coin, called so because it featured the portrait of John V of Portugal[1].

• A name book from the 1900s describes the character of the name John as: “Ingenuous, trusting, and honest. Prefers sport to work.[2].”

• Overall, John seems to enjoy an excellent reputation in most books exploring possible connections between names and character. “The name John represents wonderful characteristics once he matures, for he is independent, responsible, a good worker, and knows how to nurture others. John is self-directed, fair, and has a sense of humour;” “The name John also carries the ability to hold grudges and to be overly concerned with details[3].”

 

Sources:

Behind the Name, https://www.behindthename.com/name/john

Know the Name; Know the Person. 2012 CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Sharon Lynn Wyeth, ISBN 978-1-47518-1845

The Wordsworth Dictionary of First Names. Iseabail Macleod & Terry Freedman. Wordsworth, 1995. ISBN 1-85326-366-4

The Meanings of Christian Names. Anonymous. Duff Press, 2011. ISBN 1446536440, 9781446536445

What is a “Dear John”? Revealing the untold story of wartime breakup letters. Susan L. Carruthers. https://www.cambridgeblog.org/2022/01/what-is-a-dear-john/

 

 

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[1] http://www.brianrxm.com/comdir/cnspirate_portugal.htm

[2] The Meanings of Christian Names. Anonymous. Duff Press, 2011. ISBN 1446536440, 9781446536445

[3] Know the Name; Know the Person. Sharon Lynn Wyeth

Eleanor: What's the Meaning and Origin of This Name?

Eleanor has a somewhat regal reputation, being the name of popular, eminent figures, such as Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine and Eleanor Roosevelt, longest-serving first lady of the United States. Eleanor of Aquitaine, queen of both France and England, features in Robin Hood legends, historical fiction, films, and even video games. Nevertheless, despite its popularity, the origins of the name are not certain. Let’s try to unravel what this name means, shall we? 

Origin and Meaning of the Name

The name Eleanor became famous after Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204), wife to King Louis VII of France and King Henry II of England. Her great-granddaughter, Eleanor of Castile was the wife of King Edward I of England. Eleanor of Aquitaine’s name at birth was Aenor after her mother, but she was called alia Aenor, "the other Aenor" in Provençal, in order not to confuse her with her mother. Ænor is a Provençal name, which is probably a Latinized form of some Germanic name. The claim that it derives from Provençal lenire "to heal, to soften" is not very likely[1].

Throughout the ages, the name Eleanor has often been seen as a variant of Helen, derived either from Greek ‘ελενη (helene) "torch, light". Helene was also the Greek word for “St Elmo’s fire”. Other Greek origin possibilities include Greek words σεληνη (selene) "moon" or Greek helios “sun, ray of the sun”. Some trace the name to the Greek eleos “compassion, mercy”. 

When the name is used in modern or non-European context, there are other possibilities. Some sources derive the name from the modern Hebrew name Ellinor, meaning “God is my light”. It also means “God is my light” in Arabic, from Arabic “Aḷḷāhu nūrī/أَلْلّٰهُ نُورِي”, but Alinur is a male name in Arabic.

History

Currently, Eleanor is much more popular in the US than in the UK. While in 2008, the name was on the 256th place by popularity in the United States, last year Eleanor has become the 16^th most popular name for newborn girls in the US, and the 55^th name by popularity in the UK (where its position has been stable).

The name has been introduced in Russia from the Italian language after 1917. During the first years after the revolution, many European names were introduced in order to replace Orthodox, “Tsarist” names.

Historical Eleanors include leaders such as Eleanor of Aquitaine, queen of France and England in the 12th century and Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), first lady of the United States during World War II, but also creatives, such as Eleanor Parker, a Hollywood leading lady popular in the 1940s-1950-s, and Eleanor Porter, an American writer, famous for her optimistic novel “Pollyanna” (1913). 

Literary Fame

The name and its variants were highly favored in literature, most famous perhaps as the name of Edgar Allan Poe’s Lenore in a poem of the same name; it’s also the name of the protagonist’s lost love in Poe’s poem “The Raven” (1845).

Elinor (a variant of Eleanor dating back to the 17^th century) is the name of the main character in Jane Austen’s "Sense and Sensibility". Another famous Elinor is Little Nell in Dickens’ "Great Expectations"; her full name was Elinor in the novel.

Leonora, probably a Spanish variant of Eleanor, was revived in Europe by George Gordon, Lord Byron and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Both men were inspired by the love of Italian poet Torquato Tasso (1544-1594) for Leonora d’ Este. Goethe composed "Torquato Tasso", and Byron – his "Lament of Tasso". The name Leonora also appears in Gaetano Donizetti’s opera "La Favorita" (1840) and William Henry Fry’s opera "Leonora" (1845).

Hellenore was a character in Edmund Spenser's "The Faerie Queene" (1590). Hellenore is the beautiful younger wife of Malbecco, an old miser. Hellenore's name is very likely an elaborated form of Helen; the text even implies that Hellenore is inspired by the beautiful femme fatale of antiquity, Helen of Troy.

Bibliography

Behind the Name, https://www.behindthename.com/name/eleanor/top

Eleanor of Aquitaine. 1968. Regine Pernoud, available at https://www.amazon.com/Eleanor-Aquitaine-Re%CC%81gine-Pernoud/dp/B0006BUGVG

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[1] Dictionnaire provençal-français. 1847. Simon Jude Honnorat, Page 520. https://books.google.bg/books?id=2nkNAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA520&lpg=PA520&dq=lenire+in+provencal&source=bl&ots=3DcyVI1zBD&sig=ACfU3U3S-AFwU_he0s6rL3wwzLrcs3bV5g&hl=bg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjJmJH5nfr-AhXVS_EDHXsiCHIQ6AF6BAg4EAM#v=onepage&q=lenire%20in%20provencal&f=false