Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/628

 CHILDREN e)02 GIRLS' christia: ^AMES Continued from paze 4S1, Part . Dominica {Latin) — " Sunday child." Domitia (Latin) — "Illustrious one." Dora (Greek) — " A gift." Doralieia — English form of above. DOPCaS (Greek) — " Swift," " Graceful." From 8opKa$ (dorcas), " a gazelle." Doris (Greek)—" Sea Maiden." Dorothea (Greek)—" Gift of God." From Qeos (God), and Aopov (doron), " A gift." Dorothee — French form of above. Dorette — Another French variant of Dorothea. Dorinda — Irish form of Dorothea. Dorothy — The most popular English contrac- tion of above. Dolly, Dot, are favourite diminutives. Dorotea — Spanish form. Dragra (Slavonic) — " Dear." Drusilla (Latin) — " Strong." The Celtic has the same meaning, but if derived from the Greek it signifies " dew-watered." Dryope (Greek) — " A water-nymph." Dulee (Latin) — " Sweet." Duleie — Variant of above. Duleibella (Latin)—" Sweetly fair." Eadg-yth (Teutonic)—" Rich gift." This is the full form of the name which was so popular in Anglo-Saxon times, and now contracted in " Edith." " Ead," signifying '' riches " or " happiness," is a very common com- mencement to Anglo-Saxon names. Just as " Ethe " or " Adel " denoted " noble." Eaditha — An English variant of above. Easter (Assyrian) — "New-born," or "Easter- child." This name is derived from Foster, another form of Esther. Foster, the parent of Easter, had originally no connection with the Resurrection, but was simply a time when special honours were paid to Astarte, and when the great Christian festival fell at that time the pagan one became merged in it, as the old Druidical feast was changed into the Christian Christmas, though the yule-log and the mistletoe from the rites of the former still survive. Easter was a name fashionable in Puritan times. Edana (Teutonic) — " Perfect happiness " ; con- nected with " Eadana " and " Fadgyth," which see. Edeline (Teutonic)—" Of noble birth." Edeltruds (Teutonic)—" Noble maid." Eddeva — Edid and Edeva early forms of " Edith." Ed^ytha— Anglo-Saxon variant of Edith. Edith (Teutonic) — " Rich gift." Contraction and present form of " Fadgyth," which see above. Edie the favourite diminutive of same. Edna— Contraction of Edana, see above ; also " rich guard." Edwina ( Teutonic — "Rich friend." Contraction of " Ead "— " rich " ; " wine," " friend." Edwin is masculine form. Eerena (Greek)—" Messenger of peace." Rus- sian form of " Irene " most popularly used. Effle (Greek) — " Fair fame " or " pleasant spoken." A contraction of Euphemia. Egeria (Greek)—" A fountain." Eglantine (Swiss)—" Poetic, romantic." A flower name. Ela (Norse)—" Holy." Eleetra (Greek) — " Bright and becoming." Elissa (Latin) — " Forsaken." This name and " Flisa " are other forms of Dido. Eileen (Greek)— " A torch" or "light." Irish form of " Helen." Ekaterina (Greek) — " Purity." A Russian variant of Katharine. Elaine (Greek) — " A torch." An English variant of Helen. Eleanor (Greek)—" A torch." Another English variant of Helen. This name, like Eliza- beth, has variants which are at first sight too unlike for connection. Eleonore — German form of above. Leonora is the Spanish and Italian variation. Elene — Italian form of Elaine, which see. Elfleda (Teutonic) — " Hall, increase." This is the early English form of the Anglo- Saxon " Ealh fiedh." Elfrida (Teutonic)— " Ei threatened" Elpriva (Teutonic)—" Elf gift." Elinor — English variant of Eleanor. Elizabeth (Hebrew) — " God hath sworn," or " oath of God." The original form was Elisbeba, which, through the Greek and Latin, became transformed into Elisabeth, and finally into Elizabeth. With the excep- tion of Mary, no other name has so many derivatives, variants, and diminutives. Eliza — An English contraction of above, coined at the time of the Elizabethan poets, who delighted to honour " good Queen Bess " under the title of " the fair Eliza." Elise — German and French contraction of Elizabeth. Elisavetta — Slavonic variant of the same. For diminutives of Elizabeth refer to letter B, for Bessie, Betty, etc. Ella (Anglo-Saxon)—" Elf friend." The full original form was Aella, and used for mascu- line and feminine alike. Ellen (Greek)—" Light " English and Scottish variant of Helen. Elma (Greek)—" Amiable." Eloise (Teutonic) — " Famous war." Elsa (Teutonic) — " Noble maiden." A German name. Elsie — English and Scottish contraction of Elizabeth. Elspeth and Elspie — Scottish contractions of Elizabeth, which see. Elvira (Spanish)—" White." Emily (Greek)—" Flattering," or (Teutonic)— " Work." Most authorities prefer the second meaning, deriving it from the Teutonic word " Amal," signifying " work." Emilia and Emilie — Variants of above. Emmeline — A diminutive of Emily. Emma (Icelandic) — "A nurse." From "Emm." The German word " Amme," nurse, is pro- bably derived from the same root. Ena (Celtic)—" The soul." Enid (Celtic) — " The soul," or " spotless purity." Enid, in the Arthurian legends was the type of true, pure womanhood. Enriquetta — Spanish form of Harriet, Ruler of the home," itself a Teutonic name. From " Heim " (home). Henrietta is an elabora- tion of the same. Eppie (Greek) — " Fair-spoken." Contraction of Euphemia. To be continued.