The Es of Ukrainian names

Female names:

Elina is a modern Ukrainian form of the Greek name Helene, which probably means “torch” or “corposant.” Other sources believe there’s a connection to the word selene (moon). Sometimes this name appears as Elena in modern Ukrainian, though the traditional and most common form remains Olena.

Evekhma is a rare form of the Greek name Euaichme (Evaechme in Latin), which is composed of roots eu (good) and aichme (point of a spear; battle).

Male names:

Elian is the Ukrainian, Polish, and Bulgarian form of the Roman cognomen Aelianus, which ultimately derives from the Roman family name Aelius and the Greek word helios (sun).

Epafrodyt, or Epafrodit, is an archaic Slavic form of the Greek name Epaphroditos. It derives from the Greek word epi (on) and the name Aphrodite, which may be of Phoenician origin. The Greeks formed an association between Aphrodite’s name and the word aphros (foam), since she was born from the foam of the sea.

Erast is a rare form of the Latin name Erastus, which comes from the Greek Erastos and means “belovèd.”

The Es of Medieval Tuscan and Italian names

Female names:

Elemosina (I)

Emerentiana (I) is the feminine form of the Latin name Emerentianus, which in turn derives from Emerentius and the Latin word emereo (to fully deserve).

Engelrada (I) derives from an Ancient Germanic name with the roots Angil (the Angle tribe) and rad (counsel).

Ermellina (I) may be a form of Ermelinda, derived from Ancient Germanic roots ermen (universal, whole) and lind (tender, soft, flexible), or inspired by the Italian word ermellino (ermine), a Medieval symbol of generosity, innocence, purity, and kindheartedness.

Male names:

Enotrio (I) derives from the name of the ancient Enotria region in Southern Italy. Its original Greek name was Oinotria, and the Latinised form was Oenotria, possibly meaning “wine land” or “land of vineyards.”

A double warlike name

Polish writer Jadwiga Łuszczewska (pseudonym Deotyma), 1834–1908, painted by Mateusz Zarzecki ca. 1848–52

Hadewig is an Ancient Germanic name derived from roots hadu (combat, battle) and wig (war). Like many other names of Germanic origin, its meaning relates to war and battle. This is such a striking contrast to how many Slavic names have meanings related to love, peace, glory, dearness, and flowers.

Probably the form most familiar to people is the modern German form Hedwig, which hasn’t charted in Germany for decades. It was in the Top 20 from 1890–97, and again in 1901 and from 1903–08. Needless to say, it’s considered very old-fashioned for a reason!

Other forms of this name include:

1. Hedvig is Scandinavian and Hungarian. The Scandinavian nickname is Hedda, and the Hungarian nickname is Hédi. In 2019, this name was #78 in Sweden and #65 in Norway.

2. Hedviga is Slovak, Slovenian, Latvian, and Croatian.

3. Hedvika is Czech and Slovenian.

4. Hadewych is a rare Dutch name. It was much more common in the Middle Ages. The nickname is Hedy (also used in German).

5. Hedwiga is Czech, Romanian, and Medieval Polish.

6. Hedwige is French.

7. Heiðveig is Faroese. In Icelandic, this is a separate name derived from roots heiðr (honour) and veig (power, strength).

8. Hekewika is a rare Hawaiian form.

9. Heiðvík is Faroese.

10. Hedla is a Silesian–German nickname sometimes used as a full given name.

Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp (1759–1818), Queen of Sweden and Norway, and a prolific diarist

11. Edvige is Italian and Corsican. The nickname is Edda.

12. Edwige is French.

13. Edubige is Basque.

14. Eduvixes is Asturian and Old Galician.

15. Edviga is a rare Moldovan, Romanian, and Portuguese form.

16. Edwikke is East Prussian–German.

17. Edvija is Old Occitan.

18. Eduvigis is Medieval Spanish and Catalan.

19. Edwiga is Medieval Polish.

20. Avoise is Medieval French.

French stage and film actor Edwige Feuillère, 1907–98

21. Jadvyga is Lithuanian.

22. Jadwiga is Polish. I have two characters by this name, one a minor character who goes by Wisia, and the other a main character (in an entirely different set of books) who’s referred to by her full name in the narrative and called Wisia and Jadzia. Other nicknames include Jagusia, Jagienka, Jagna, Jagoda (which also means “berry”), Jaga, and Iga. Both of my Jadwigas were born in the 1920s.

23. Yadviga is Belarusian.

24. Heta is Finnish.

How an Ancient Germanic name became a French classic

French scholar, intellectual, writer, and nun Héloïse d’Argenteuil
(ca. 1090–16 May 1164)

Helewidis is an Ancient Germanic name derived from roots heil (healthy, hale) and wid (wide). In Proto–Germanic, the name was Hailawidis, “holy wood.” Due to cultural osmosis, it eventually was adopted into Old French as Héloïse. Probably the most famous bearer was the above-pictured Héloïse d’Argenteuil, one of the most educated and intelligent women of the Middle Ages. She was famous in her own right long before Pierre Abélard came along!

Other forms of this lovely name include:

1. Éloïse is modern French. This is my character Adicia’s middle name. Though her dad cares less about any of his nine kids, he nevertheless made sure they all got at least one French name, because he’s so proud of having 100% French blood. Without the diacritical marks, as they both say several times, the name would look like it’s pronounced El-WAZ.

As simply Eloise, the name is English. Many people are familiar with the 1950s Eloise series about a girl who lives in Manhattan’s glamourous Plaza Hotel. “Dear Eloise” is also a 1966 Hollies’ song, after which I named my tenth journal.

Dr. Eloísa Díaz Insunza (1866–1950), first woman to attend the University of Chile’s medical school, and South America’s first female doctor

2. Eloísa is Spanish, Catalan, and Galician. The variant Eloisa is Italian. Eloïsa is also Catalan.

3. Heloísa is Portuguese. The variant Heloïsa is a rare Catalan form. Heloisa is German, Slovak, and Czech.

4. Elouise is English. I’m not a fan of this spelling!

5. Helouise is also English. I have a character by this name, who goes by Hellie, but if I’d created her at a much older age, I probably would’ve used the more traditional spelling.

6. Heloiza is Polish and Slovenian.

7. Eloiza is Russian, Azeri, and Brazilian–Portuguese. The variant Eloīza is Latvian.

8. Elouisa is English.

9. Eloisia is Italian.

The Es of Estonian names

Female:

Egle is borrowed from Latvian Eglė (spruce tree).

Eha means “dusk.”

Elve means “principle.”

Endla is the name of a lake which prominently features in folk poetry. It derives from Medieval names Ent and Endo, which may be diminutives of Hendrik or Andres. The male version is Endel.

Eneli may come from a Medieval nickname for Hendrika combined with the -li- syllable from Eliisabet.

Ere means “bright.”

Male:

Einar is adopted from Old Norse, and means “one warrior” or “warrior alone.”

Eino is also a Finnish name, and derives from Germanic roots agin (point/edge of a weapon) and wald (rule). It came back into vogue in the 19th century.

Elar, or Elari, has an etymology I couldn’t find.

Elmar is adopted from German, and means “famous blade.”

Erko is a form of Erik (ever ruler).

Evald is borrowed from the Scandinavian languages, and means “law/custom and rule.”