The Brilliant Book of Baby Names: What’s best, what’s hot and what’s not. Linda Rosenkrantz

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СКАЧАТЬ Irish, ‘strength, power’. This fanciful Irish extension of Bridget is known here through the wacky Amelia Bedelia books for kids – an association your child may or may not like. Bedeelia, Biddy, Bidelia, Bridget, Delia.

      BEE. Diminutive of BEATRICE. This buzzy form is for middle name consideration only.

      BEEJA. Hindi, ‘the beginning’ or ‘happy’. Rhythmic and exotic. Beej.

      BEGONIA. Flower name. One flower name that doesn’t smell or sound sweet enough for baby name use.

      BEIGE. Colour name. Nice sound, colourless image.

      

BELA. Czech, ‘white’. Since this is strictly a male name in Slavic cultures, better to stick with the ‘Bella’ spelling here. Belah, Belalia, Biela.

      BELÉN. Spanish, ‘at Bethlehem’; Hebrew, ‘house of bread’. Popular throughout the Spanish speaking world.

      

BELIA. Spanish variation of BELLA. This is a pretty and unusual translation of Bella. Belicia, Belita.

      BELINDA. Spanish, ‘pretty one’; German, ‘serpent’. Belinda sits on the ‘Not in Current Usage’ shelf alongside cousins Linda and Melinda. Bel, Bellinda, Bellynda, Linda, Lindie, Lindy.

      BELINE. French, ‘goddess’. Possible Gallic import in the Celine mode.

      

BELLA. Diminutive of ISABELLA. Ciao, Bella. Everything ella, from Ella to Bella to Gabriella, is red hot right now, and this is one of the less overused examples, with the hint of a nice old-fashioned grandmotherly veneer. Bela, Belia, Bell, Bellette.

      BELLE. French, ‘beautiful’. Nothing but positive associations come with this name, from ‘belle of the ball’ to ‘Southern belle’ to the heroine of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Bel, Bela, Belia, Belinda, Belisse, Bell, Bellina.

      BELLEZZA. Italian, ‘beauty’. Beauty con brio italiano.

      BELOVED. Literary word name. Toni Morrison, the modern master of literary names, made this one famous as the title character of a novel. But things didn’t work out so well for that Beloved.

      BELVA. Latin, ‘beautiful view’. Has a decidedly middle-aged image. Belvah, Belvia.

      BENEDETTA. Latin, ‘blessed’. Saintly. Benita.

      BENEDICTA. Latin, ‘blessed’. Saintly, and a Mother Superior to boot. Benna, Benni, Bennie. International: Bénédicte (French), Benicia (Spanish), Benedikta (German), Benedeka, Benedika, Benke (Eastern European), Benci (Hungarian), Venedicta (Greek).

      

BENILDE. (ben-NIL-dee) French variation of Latin, ‘good’. Strong and unusual name of a medieval (male) saint and a contemporary (female) novelist, Benilde Little.

      BENITA. Latin, ‘blessed’. In fashion limbo with Anita and Juanita. Bena, Beneta, Benetta, Benni, Bennie, Benny, Binnie, Binny, Nita.

      BENJAMINA. Hebrew, ‘daughter of the right hand’. The kind of feminised male name that never caught on. Benay, Jamina. International: Bannerjee (Gaelic), Vernamina (Greek).

      BERENICE. See BERNICE.

      BERIT. Scandinavian variation of BIRGIT. Well used in northern Europe. Beret, Berette, Beri, Berry, Berta, Beryt.

      BERMUDA. Place name. Maybe if you spent your honeymoon there. We did say maybe.

      BERNADETTE. German, ‘brave as a bear’. Pleasant, feminine, but strong name associated with the saint who saw visions of the Virgin Mary, now no longer strictly inhabiting the Catholic diocese. Bern, Berna, Bernadene, Bernadina, Bernadine, Bernarda, Bernardette, Bernetta, Bernette, Berni, Bernie, Bernita, Berny, Berrie, Berry. International: Berneen (Irish), Bernardetta (Italian), Bernardita (Spanish), Bernadett (Hungarian).

      BERNADINE, BERNARDINE. German, ‘brave as a bear’. This is as dated as an old Pat Boone song. Berna, Bernadeene, Bernadina, Bernadyne, Bernardin, Bernardine, Berni, Bernideene, Bernidine, Bernie, Bernydeene, Bernydine.

      BERNARDA. German, ‘brave as a bear’. Too close in sound to the so-far-out-it-will-always-be-out Bernard. Bennie, Benny, Berna, Bernadeena, Bernadett, Bernadetta, Bernata, Bernette, Bernie, Bernina, Bernita. International: Benadette, Bernadette, Bernardine, Bernardene (French), Bernadina (Spanish), Bernharda (German and Austrian), Bernarda (Eastern European), Vernada (Greek).

      BERNICE, BERENICE. Greek, ‘she who brings victory’. Since most Bernices were called Binnie, Benny or Bunny anyway, few will notice that this old Greek name has faded away. Beranyce, Bereniece, Berenyce, Bern, Bernee, Berni, Bernie, Berry, Bunny.

      International: Bernise, Bearnas (Scottish Gaelic), Bérénice, Berenicia, Bernelle (French), Beronia (Italian), Bernessa, Bernise (German), Beranice, Beraniece, Berenice, Berenike (Greek).

      

BERRY. Nature name. With the recent arrival of fruit names like Apple, Peaches and Plum, this older example might also rise in popularity. Berree, Berri, Berrie.

      BERTHA. German, ‘bright, glorious’. Ever since the enormous German cannon was dubbed ‘Big Bertha’ in World War I, this name hasn’t worked for a sweet little baby girl. Not true of the Polish version, Berta. International: Berthe, Bertille (French), Berrta, Berrti, Berrty, Berti, Bertilde, Bertina, Bettina (German), Berit, Bertie, Bird, Birdie, Birta (Swedish), Berte (Norwegian), Berta (Polish).

      BERTILLE. French, ‘heroine, bright maiden’. Name of medieval French saint and still often found preceded by the word ‘Sister’. Bertilla.

      BERTRICE. СКАЧАТЬ