Easter Names

Credit: commons.wikimedia.org

I apologise for abandoning this blog, I've been too busy to visit it lately as I've had exam revision and computer/laptop problems on top of other social media accounts to maintain, making it increasingly difficult to run this blog. Which makes me a little sad, because I enjoy posting here, and it helps me develop my interest in names even more due to the research that I put into the posts here. I think I'm sorry to say that until I get everything fixed and my exams are out of the way, once a month or once every three weeks will be the normal posting time for me here. 

Anyway, even though it's almost the end of Easter Monday, I decided to post about names related to Easter. I hope I'm not too late!

Pascaline

Pascaline is of French origins and has a meaning of "relating to Easter" as being a feminisation of Pascal. International variations include the Italian Pasqualina and the Spanish Pascuala.

Anastasia

Anastasia is of Russian origins and has a meaning of "resurrection". In England and Wales, Anastasia ranked at #276 in the popularity charts in 2014,  whilst in the United States, it had a ranking of #240 that same year. 

Dagny

Dagny is an Old Norse name composed of the elements "dagr", meaning "day", and "ny", meaning "new", which could be a nice reference to the resurrection of Jesus or for new life in general that enters the world at Easter time. 

Amarantha

Amarantha is a flower name which itself comes from Amarantos, which has a meaning of "unfading" in Ancient Greek, which could refer to the Easter reminder that Jesus is still living.

Magdalene

Magdalene is of Biblical origins and comes from a title which had a meaning of "from Magdala". Mary Magdalene was cleared of evil spirits by Jesus and saw his crucifixion and resurrection. 

Simon

Simon is of Hebrew origins and has a meaning of "he has heard". Simon was one of the most important apostles in the New Testament, and in the Easter story, he went to Jesus's tomb after Mary Magdalene had told her about her message from Him. Simon noticed a cloth in the tomb and peered hard at it, and then entered the tomb. In England and Wales, SImon ranked at #305 in the popularity charts in 2014, whilst in the United States, it ranked at #231 in the popularity charts that same year.

Easter

The name of the season itself is starting to be used as a unisex name, and is of English origins. It has a meaning of "from the name of the Christian festival, which is based on Eostre, the name of a Germanic spring goddess". 

John

John is the English form of Iohannes, which itself is the Latin form of Ioannes, which is of Greek origins and has a meaning of "Yahweh is gracious". In the Easter story, John was the other apostle who went with Simon to the tomb of Jesus. He entered the tomb with him, discovering that Jesus was not there. John and Simon understood that Jesus had risen. In England and Wales, John ranked at #101 in the popularity charts in 2014, whilst in the United States, John ranked at #26 in the popularity charts that same year.