Courtney is an Old French name that was first introduced into England back in 1066. The name Courtney was relevant to the French and was more common among English royal lines, however the name did not become popular in America until the early 1970’s.
In American the name Courtney means court attendant and in French it represents the phrase or term short nose. This term associates with the name Court Nez which means short nose stemming from a medieval hero who lost the tip of his nose in battle.
Variations in the Name Courtney
Courtney is known as a unisex name and can be spelled several different ways such as Kourtney, Kortney, Courtnee and Cortney.
Popularity of the Name
Courtney was not in one the 100 most popular baby girls’ name in England in 2014.
Famous People with the First Name Courtney
The Famous Singer Courtney Love
Several female celebrities with the name Courtney or (with or without differ of spelling) are Kourtney Kardashian, Courtney Cox, Courtney Love and Courtney Parker. Several men with the name of Courtney include Courtney Vance, Courtney Lewis and Courtney Lee to list a few.
Useful Resources
Discover the meaning and origin of other English girls’ names.
The female name Zara has Hebrew and Arabic origins, and the known meaning of Zara is princess or blooming flower. One of the first documented uses of the name is found within the context of the Bible in the book of Matthew, where Zara, a princess, was a distant relative in Jesus’ lineage.
The name can also be traced back to 1697 in William Congreve’s play entitled “The Mourning Bride,” where the name of the African queen was Zara.
Popularity of the Name
Zara was the 68th most popular baby girls’ names in England and Wales in 2016 with 867 babies being given the name Zara.
Famous People with the Name Zara
The name Zara is the English form of Zaïre, the main character and heroine in Voltaire’s revered 1732 play, “The Tragedy of Zara”.
The Princess Zara Tindall
Gaining public attention in England after a celebrated birth in 1981, a prominent individual with the name is Princess Zara Anne Elizabeth Phillips (Tindall), member of the British royal family and granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II. She was named by her uncle, the Prince of Wales (see more on royal baby names).
Other famous people with the name Zara include American character actress Zara Frances Cully, renowned 20th century cellist Zara Nelsova, and Swedish singer-songwriter Zara Larsson.
The popularity of Zara can also be associated with the contemporary Spanish retail clothing store Zara, which first opened in 1975.
The female name Shirley originated from the English. The meaning of Shirley actually means “Bright Meadow”. Possibly the name Shirley is associated with pleasant thoughts due to the fact that a bright meadow is something cheerful and pleasant to look at.
Shirley for the most part is spelled Shirley. However, other spellings include Shirlee.
Popularity
Shirley was a popular name for girls back in the late 1920‘s throughout the 1930‘s. The name Shirley is not heard much any more. Some famous celebrities were named Shirley. Shriley Mac Laine and Shirley Temple were very famous Hollywood personalities. However the popularity of Shirley has continued to decline over the years.
The name is actually derived from old English elements. Actually Shirley was considered to be a male name. However, you will not find Shirley listed in a book of possible popular baby names. The name is seldom used or encountered any more. Around 1849 Shirley was established as strictly a female name.
Usually, personal choice plays a role when choosing how to spell a baby’s name. It does seem though that the popularity of Shirley will continue to decline.
Famous People Called Shirley
Shirley Temple, was an American singer and actress
Shirley Bassey is a Welsh singer famous for singing James Bond movie songs
Shirley Henderson is a Scottish actress who starred in the films Trainspotting and Bridget Jones’ Diary
The name Helen originated in Greece. The name Helen means bright, shining light. Helen is derived from the Greek word Helene meaning torch, and the Greek word ‘selene’ meaning moon.
The spelling Helen was uncommon until after the renaissance. Prior to the renaissance the common spelling was Ellen.
Popularity of Helen
The name Helen was extremely popular at the beginning of the 20th century, but lost popularity by the 1920’s. Since the late 1990s Helen has not been in the top 100 most popular baby girls’ names in England.
Famous People Called Helen
According to Greek mythology Helen of Troy was the daughter of Zeus and Leda. She was the most beautiful woman in the world. Her irresistible beauty sparked the Trojan War.
Helen Keller famously defied all odds by becoming the first deaf and blind person to earn a bachelor’s degree; she was also a political activist, public speaker, and author. She lost her sight and hearing at 19 months due to illness.
Helen Mirren is a talented English actress. She is one of only 21 people to have received an Academy Award, Tony Award, and Emmy Award, known as the Triple Crown.
The name Belinda is taken from the old language of German. The meaning of Belinda then was snake taken from the German name of Betlindis.
The meaning of Belinda changed from meaning like a snake from the German and from the Romance language Italian, to meaning extremely beautiful. The meaning given to Belinda in the old English was extremely beautiful. The name is associated with very charming and charismatic women. In America, the name Belinda is meant to mean extremely beautiful.
Popularity
In 2014 Belinda was not in the top 100 most popular baby girls’ names in England.
Famous People Called Belinda
The popularity of the name Belinda grew in America with the talent and success of the singer for the Go-Gos Belinda Carlisle. The popularity of Belinda is growing with more famous people being attached to the name at birth.
Another famous person to have the name of Belinda was Belinda Lee. She was an actress who was born in 1935 and died in 1961. Other famous Belinda’s include Belinda Wilson a television actress and Belinda Peregrin an international singer.
The numerological number for Belinda is six. People with this number are talented and express themselves well in public. They need to be appreciated and will respond well to praise and admiration.
The name Winifred is certainly a name that you do not hear in this day and age. Winifred is a female name with Welsh origin.
The meaning of Winifred actually means “Peacemaker” and the nickname for Winifred is Winnie.
The name actually has a very pleasant meaning. To have a name that is associated with peace and tranquillity is something to be proud of. The name Winifred is still occasionally used in England. However, it is highly unlikely that in the future a newborn female in the United States will be given the name Winifred.
Popularity
The name became popular in the 1600‘s in England and was quite popular for a period of time and around the early 1930‘s, mothers started naming newborn female babys’ more modern female names.
It seems the name The popularity of Winifred has been on a steady decline for over 70 years and has been replaced by more common names. It is highly unlikely that Winifred will make a comeback any time within the coming years.
Famous Females Called Winifred
Winnie (Winifred) Madikizela Mandela, was the wife of the famous South African President Nelson Mandela.
Winifred Holtby, was a famous English journalist and author.
Another English author was Winifred Watson
Useful Resources
Discover the meaning and popularity of other English girls’ names on our website.
One of the names that individuals are looking for is the name Doreen. Doreen is a name that has been used for many years. Doreen as a name originated as a name that is a combination of Dora and Een. Doreen was first used in a historical novel in 1894.
These are a few items of note about Doreen. Dora is one of the names that can be found in many countries. The meaning of Doreen is said to come from the Greek, and means gift from God. Een can also be a signature of an an Irish name, which distinguishes the name from the parents.
Famous People Call Doreen
There are many famous people who have been named Doreen. These would include: Doreen Lawerence (the Baroness of Clarendon), Doreen Mantle (English actress) and Doreen Valiente (a Pagan writer). These are just some of the famous Doreen’s that have been cited.
Popularity
The popularity of Doreen has diminished over the last several years. It was a very popular name in the 1920’s. Doreen was not of the most 100 popular baby girls’ names in the UK. as of 2014.
The English meaning of Carrie is a shortened version of the name Carol or Caroline. It is also a feminine version of the male name Charles. Other versions of Carrie include: Kerri, Cary, Kari, Cerry, and Cari.
Popularity
From 1880-1890 the name Carrie was consistently in the top thirty baby names. From that time, Carrie remained in the top 100 names until 1914, where it remained on a steady decline until 1968 when Carrie again became a top 100 name choice until 1985.
Famous People called Carrie
Correlating with the increase in popularity of Carrie is the 1967 release of a single by The Hollies titled “Carrie Ann.” Perhaps the Stephen King movie “Carrie” released to the big screen in 1976 helped keep the name relevant, or the hugely successful beginning of the Star Wars franchise staring Carrie Fisher released in 1977, 1980, 1983, 1984, and 1985.
Carrie can also be linked to a single by the band Europe simply titled “Carrie” and released in 1986. Most recently the name can be linked to the popular television series “The Good Wife” where Matt Czuchry appears as Cary Agos. Despite the moniker being attached to a male character, it is possible the reminder of the once popular Carrie will again send the name into the top 100 list of girls’ names.
Carol, a name brimming with warmth and cheer, carries the essence of joy and festivity. With roots in the Latin word “carolus,” meaning “free man,” Carol has evolved to represent a spirit of independence and merriment. Its association with Christmas carols, traditional songs of celebration, and goodwill, further reinforces its connection to joy and merriment.
Meaning and Origin of the Name Carol
One of the choices in female names is Carol. Carol is a name that has been used in the UK for many years. The Carol name is one that has been popular at times.
The literal meaning of Carol is a hymn. It was adapted from the masculine name Carolus.
Carol’s usage dates back to the Middle Ages, initially as a masculine name derived from the German name Karl, also meaning “free man.” Over time, Carol gained popularity as a feminine name, particularly in the English-speaking world. Its association with Christmas carols, which originated in the 14th century, further solidified its festive spirit.
Carol originates from a Christmas hymn
Carol’s Popularity
The name was very popular during the 1940, and 1955 time frame, and the popularity of Carol waned after that period. Carol as a name reached its height in popularity in about 1954 when it was listed as the 7th most popular name in the UK.
It has not been extremely popular in the UK since about 1960. This holds true in America and Canada too, as other countries that have used the name widely.
In 2014, Carol was not in the top 100 baby girls’ names in the UK.
Famous People with the Name
Carol has found its way into literature and popular culture, often associated with characters that embody its joyful and optimistic spirit. In Charles Dickens’s classic novel “A Christmas Carol,” the name Ebenezer Scrooge undergoes a transformation, shedding his miserly ways to embrace the spirit of Christmas and the joy it brings.
In the realm of cinema, Carol Burnett, the American actress and comedian, has made the name synonymous with laughter and lightheartedness. Her comedic timing and infectious energy have brought joy to audiences for decades.
Famous people with the first name Carol include the famous singer Carol King, Carol Middleton, mother of Princess Kate, and Carol Malone.
Since Carol’s popularity has waned since the mid-1950s; it was not one of the most popular names in the UK in 2014. It probably will not be used widely in the coming years unless it comes back into vogue.
Useful Resources
Discover the meaning and popularity of other girls’ names like Carol.
