What’s In A Name? Birds and Babies

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A Linnet!

Dear Readers, when I posted about linnets a few days ago one of my readers mentioned that there’s a character in a book called ‘The Children of Green Knowe’ by L. M. Boston who is named Linnet. And it got me wondering about bird-inspired names for children. After all, plant names are ten a penny – there are Lilies and Roses, Daisies and Floras, Hazels and Basils, Irises and Primroses. And I am an Ivy, named after my paternal grandmother, which makes my initials V I P, and very cool that is too. But birds? However, there are rather more than you’d think.

First up there’s Robin, for a girl, a boy, or Batman’s sidekick. Apparently it literally means ‘bright and shining’ and is a medieval form of the name ‘Robert’.

And then there’s Jay, usually a boy but sometimes a girl. The name comes from the Latin ‘gaius’, meaning ‘to rejoice’. Well, your average jay is a pretty cheery talkative bird. The Eurasian Jay is not called ‘Garrulus ‘ for nothing.

‘Mavis’ is not so obvious, but it means ‘ a songbird’, usually a song thrush or blackbird. It’s a bit out of fashion at the moment, but surely it’s due a comeback? And what a great name for a child from a musical family.

Song thrush

And here are some less obvious ones. ‘Ava’, for example, means ‘bird’. As in ‘Ava Garner’ the film star. Have a look at those cheekbones! Here she is with Frank Sinatra.

Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra (Photo By IISG – 12-13-1951_10109 Frank Sinatra en Ava Gardner, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=76300790)

‘Paloma’ means dove. As in performing artist Paloma Faith. Or that ear-worm of a song ‘Paloma Blanca‘. Apologies in advance 🙂

And just in case the boys are feeling left out, Jonah and Jonas both come from the Hebrew name Yonah, and mean ‘dove’. Gavin means ‘white hawk’ in Gaelic and Welsh. And back to the girls – Eileen means either ‘little bird’ (from the Gaelic Aibhlin) or ‘hazelnut’ (from the French Aveline). Oh dear, I feel another earworm coming on….

Dexy’s Midnight Runners (Photo by By Ueli Frey – DrJazz.ch, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63021864)

Oh, and I almost forgot Phoebe – named for an American bird. Phoebe is another name for Diana, goddess of hunting and the moon. The bird is a member of the Tyrant Flycatcher family.

Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) Photo by By Ueli Frey – DrJazz.ch, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63021864

But aren’t we missing a trick here? Why aren’t our children called Capercaillie, or Smew, or Scaup, or even Zitting Cisticola? More realistically, what’s wrong with Avocet, or Brambling, or Curlew, or Eider? What do you think, Readers? Do you know anyone with an unusual bird-related name? Or do any bird names tickle your fancy?

 

9 thoughts on “What’s In A Name? Birds and Babies”

  1. Anne

    I have thoroughly enjoyed this post! One of my sons and I used to go through names like this: colours / limbs/ trees … I have not tried birds before. This was great fun.

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  2. sllgatsby

    I knew someone named Sparrow. I think Raven has been used as a name, although I don’t know anyone with that name. Obviously, Wren is a known last name, as in Christopher, although it would also make a nice first name.

    Indigenous Americans often used animals as names, particularly birds, such as eagle and crow.

    I think bird names should become a new craze!

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  3. Sarah

    I know a Sparrow and a Wren (both males). I would have loved to give my children bird names but as my surname is Finch, it would be a bit much!

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  5. Evadne

    My cat is called Phoebe ,she is a rescue cat and had that name when she arrived, she’s a lovely companion,and the boss. Seeds arrived today,thank you ,will do my best with them , fingers crossed 🤞🤞

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