Happy St. Georges Day! English Names

Upon St. George's Day, I decided that this post would be focusing on names that have an English feel. A couple of these names don't have English / Old English origins, though they are names, in my opinion, that feel typically English. 

Peregrine
Peregrine is a name that is most commonly found amongst the British aristocracy, and it is the name of the current Duke of Devonshire (who prefers to be known as "Stoker"). It is actually of Latin origins, as it is derived from Peregrinus, which had a meaning of "traveller". 

George
The name of St. George himself is actually of Greek origins, where it is derived from  γεωργος, which translates as "georgos", which has a meaning of "farmer; earthworker". It mostly has it's usage in England, though it can also be used in Romania. The name of the young Prince of Cambridge, George ranked at #10 on the popularity charts in 2013, whilst in the United States, it had a ranking of #157 that same year.

Ainsley
This gender neutral name is of Modern English and Scottish origins, though is also a surname that itself originated from a place name, either Annesley in Nottinghamshire or Ansley in Warwickshire, which mean "Anne's field; hermitage field". In England, the last time it appeared on the popularity charts was in 1997, where it had a ranking of #410. In the United States however, it had a ranking of #332 for girls in 2013.

Alden
Alden originates from a surname which itself is derived from Ealdwine, an Old English first name which is derived from the Old English elements of eald and wine. In the United States, it ranked at #704 on the popularity charts in 2013.

Alfred
Alfred is derived from Ælfræd, an Old English name which is composed of the elements ælf  and ræd. The name of a King of Wessex from the ninth century, Alfred still has it's usage in England today, where the more informal nicknames of Alfie and Alf are also used. In it's native England, it ranked at #136 on the popularity charts in 2013, whilst in the United States, it ranked at #967 in the popularity charts that same year.

Edgar
Edgar is of Old English origins, where it derives from the elements  ead and gar. The name of a tenth century English King and famous poet Edgar Allen Poe ranked at #286 in the popularity charts in 2013. It also has usage in France and Catalonia, where it ranked at #264 in 2010 and #95 in 2013 respectively.

Edith
This elegant name is derived from the Old English name Eadgyð and has the charming nickname opportunity of Edie. Popular in the Anglo-Saxon era as well as the nineteenth century, Edith is now starting to come back into fashion and a famous namesake includes Edith Piaf. In it's native England, it ranked at #164 in the popularity charts in 2013, whilst in the United States, it ranked at #718 in the popularity charts that same year.

Fay

Fay, also spelt as Faye or Fae, is of Middle English origins and has a beautiful meaning of "fairy". Fay started out as a surname and first began to be used as a first name in just the nineteenth century. In it's native England, it last appeared on the popularity charts in 2003, where it had a ranking of #475, whilst in the United States, it last appeared on the popularity charts in 1968, where it had a ranking of #989.

Elizabeth

The name of the Queen of the United Kingdom herself is actually of Hebrew origins and has a meaning of "God is my oath". In England, it had a ranking of #39 on the popularity charts in 2013, whilst in the United States, it had a ranking of #10 in the popularity charts that same year.

Audrey

Audrey is of Medieval English origins and was originally a diminutive of Æðelþryð, which is derived from the elements æðel and þryð. Namesakes include a seventh century saint and Audrey Hepburn. In it's native England, it had a ranking of #437 in the popularity charts in 2013, whilst in the United States, it had a ranking of #32 in the popularity charts that same year.

Names from Morocco

From March 31 - April 10, I visited Morocco (well, most of the last day was spent in Paris due to the strike). I managed to spot lots of names from both tourists and the local people. 

Also, I apologise for not posting for ages!

Zachary

Zachary was a teenage boy who was around 15 years old at the airport. His name is the most common English form of Zacharias, which itself is the Greek form of the Biblical Zechariah, which has a meaning of "Yahweh remembers". In England and Wales, it ranked at #39 in the popularity charts in 2013, whilst in the United States that same year, it ranked at #73.

Eilidh

Pronunciation: "ay-lee"

Eilidh was a little girl who was around four years old at the airport. Her name is suggested to be the Scottish Gaelic form of Helen, which has a meaning of "torch" or "correspondent". It is also a diminutive of Eilionoir, the Scottish form of Eleanor, which has a meaning of "the other Aenor". In it's native Scotland, Eilidh ranked at #19 in the popularity charts in 2014, whilst in it's neighbouring England, it didn't make an appearance on the on the popularity charts in 2013. 

Sienna

Sienna was a little girl who was around eight years old on the plane. Her name is a Modern English name and has a meaning of "orange-red". There is also a city in Italy called Siena, which received it's name because of the colour of the clay that can be found there. In England and Wales, it ranked at #22 in the popularity charts in 2013, whilst in the United States, it ranked at #263 in the popularity charts that same year.

Mohammed

A popular name in Morocco and also the name of their King, Mohammed is a variant transcription of Muhammad, which has mostly Arabic origins, but is also of Pakistani, Urdu, Pashto and Tujik origins. Muhammed, or Mohammed, has a meaning of "praiseworthy" and is the name of the prophet who founded the Muslim religion. In England and Wales, Muhammad became the most popular boys name, jumping from #23 in the popularity charts just the year before. In the United States, it ranked at #80 in the popularity charts that same year.

Ali

Another popular name in Morocco. Ali is mostly of Arabic origins, though it is also of Persian, Pakistani, Urdu and Pashto origins. In the Arabic language, it means "lofty; sublime" and Ali was the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad. In England and Wales, it ranked at #137 in the popularity charts in 2013, whilst in the United States, it ranked at #350 in the popularity charts that same year.

Zephyr

Zephyr was a boy who was around ten or eleven years old on the plane. His name is the Anglicized version of Zephyros, who was the Greek god of the west wind, therefore the name literally means "west wind". Variants include Zephyrus and the Hebrew Tzafrir. 

Hassan

The name of one of the staff at the riad in Marrakech (as well as the name of the young Crown Prince of Morocco), Hassan has a meaning of beautifier; improver" and is mostly of Arabic origins, though is also of Persian, Pakistani and Urdu origins. In England and Wales, it ranked at #248 in the popularity charts in 2013, whilst in the United States, it ranked at #822 in the popularity charts that same year.

Ritva

Pronunciation: "reet-vah"

Ritva was a tourist in Marrakech. Her name has a meaning of "birch branch" and is of Finnish origins. It is a rare name in both England and the United States.

Jamila

Jamila was another tourist in Marrakech. Her name has a meaning of "beautiful" in the Arabic language, as the feminisation of Jamil. The last time it made an appearance on the popularity charts in the United States was in 1995, where it ranked at #979. 

Omar

The name of one of the staff at the kasbah in the Atlas Mountains, Omar has a meaning of "populous; flourishing" as the variant transcript of Umar. In England and Wales, it ranked at #209 in the popularity charts in 2013, whilst in the United States, it ranked at #204 in the popularity charts in 2013.

Michel

One of the owners of the kasbah in the Atlas Mountains, Michel has a meaning of "who is like God?" as the French form of Michael. In Germany, Michel can also be a diminutive of Michael. In it's native France, Michel ranked at #435 in the popularity charts in 2010.

Colette

Another one of the owners of the kasbah in the Atlas Mountains, Colette has a meaning of "victory of the people" as a short form of Nicolette, which itself is a diminutive of Nicole, the feminisation of Nicholas. In the United States, it ranked at #608 in the popularity charts in 2013.

Maria

Another one of the staff at the kasbah in the Atlas Mountains, Maria is the European form of Mary, whose exact meaning is unknown, though one of its meanings is "bitter". In England and Wales, it ranked at #83 on the popularity charts in 2013, whilst it was the most popular that year in Spain, where it ranked at #2 on the popularity charts.

Bahija

Another one of the staff at the kasbah in the Atlas Mountains, Bahija is an Arabic name and has a meaning of "happy". It is the feminisation of Bahij. It is a rare name in both England and Wales and the United States.

Laheen

Another one of the staff at the kasbah in the Atlas Mountains, Laheen's origins is unknown, though in Ireland, it is also a surname.

Hicham

Another one of the staff at the kasbah in the Atlas Mountains, Hicham is of Arabic origins and has a meaning of "the one who is generous". The meaning of the name comes from the traditional Arabic act of crushing bread into crumbs so that it can be shared with everyone.

Emma

A guest at the kasbah in the Atlas Mountains, Emma is an Ancient Germanic name that also has usage in other European countries. It was originally a short form of Ancient Germanic names which began with the element of ermen, which has a meaning of "whole; universal". In England and Wales, Emma ranked at #55 on the popularity charts in 2013. 

Charlie

A guest at another kasbah in the Atlas Mountains, Charlie is a diminutive of Charles, which is of English and French origins and has a meaning of "man", as it is derived from the Germanic name, Karl. In England and Wales, Charlie ranked at #5 on the popularity charts in 2013 for boys, whilst for girls it ranked at #298 on the popularity chart that same year. In the United States, it ranked at #233 on the popularity charts for boys, whilst for girls it ranked at #240 that same year.

Alex

Another guest at the other kasbah in the Atlas Mountains, Alex is a short form of the masculine Alexander or the feminine Alexandra, which have a meaning of "defending men". In England and Wales, Alex ranked at #65 in the popularity charts in 2013 for boys and #495 in the popularity charts for girls in 2009, whilst in the United States, it ranked at #110 for boys in 2013 and #983 for girls in 2004.

Jessica

Another guest at the other kasbah in the Atlas Mountains, Jessica is of English origins and was first used in the Shakespearean play, The Merchant of Venice and was the name of Shylock's daughter. In England and Wales, it ranked at #6 in the popularity charts in 2013, whilst in the United States, it ranked at #163 on the popularity charts that same year.

Isabella

A guest at the kasbah in the Atlas Mountains, Isabella is the Latin form of Isabel, which itself is the Medieval Occitan form of Elizabeth, which has a meaning of "my God is an oath". In England and Wales, it ranked at #8 on the popularity charts in 2013, whilst in the United States, it ranked at #4 that same year. In Denmark, where it is the name of the daughter of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, it ranked at #3 in the popularity charts that same year. At the time of the Princess's birth in 2007, it ranked at #16.

Rachel

Another guest at the kasbah in the Atlas Mountains, Rachel is a Biblical name and has a meaning of "ewe". Rachel was the wife of Jacob in the Old Testament. In England and Wales, it ranked at #227 in the popularity charts in 2013, whilst in the United States, it ranked at #138 that same year.

Jamie

Another guest at the kasbah in the Atlas Mountains, Jamie is a Scottish diminutive of James, which itself is of Biblical origins where it is the Anglicized form of Jacob, which itself has a meaning of "holder of the heel". Since the 19th century, Jamie has also been used for girls. In England and Wales, it ranked at #68 on the popularity charts for boys in 2013, and 471 on the popularity charts in 2008 for girls. In the United States, it ranked at #767 on the popularity charts for boys in 2013, whilst it ranked at #490 on the popularity charts for girls.

Yena

A toddler at a swimming pool in Marrakech, Yena has a meaning of "talented; beautiful" and is of Korean origins. It is a rare name in both England and Wales and the United States.

Tara

A little girl at the airport in Marrakech, Tara is the Anglicized version of the Irish place name Teamhair, which has a meaning of "elevated place". Teamhair is a sacred hill near Dublin and it was the residence of the Irish Kings. In England and Wales, Tara ranked at #430 on the popularity charts in 2013, whilst in the United States, it ranked at #907 on the popularity charts that same year.

Carys

Carys is of Welsh origins, where it has a meaning of "love", as it is derived from the Welsh word caru, which means "to love". As of 2012, it ranked at #299 in both England and it's native Wales.