I suppose I should be writing a 'blog', as this 'post' would be automatically dated ... 24 Sept 2013.

 

What's in a name? A great deal when writing 'historical fiction' or fiction set in a historical period.

 

3 very masculine peers appear in the opening pages of a trilogy - their 1st and abbreviated names are:

  • Frances [Franny] (this is the female version of Francis [Frank]);
  • Maxim [Max] (The sources for this name are Prussia - Maximilien - and Russia - Maksim. English aristocracy did not have bloodlines from either of those two countries before or during the Regency period);
  • Gordon [Gordie] (This was originally a Scottish surname that was not popularised in England as a 1st name until death of General Gordon in 1885.)

 

 

There are I think 3 issues - the 1st name - the pet name- the nick name

 

My late brother Richard and I both went through the English preparatory and public school system. The names we were called depended on the 'caller' and their relationship with us, thus:

Richard. G. Denton - Ricky (any female relation - mother, sister, aunts, grandmother etc. and teenage or younger male relations) Tikki, after the Kipling mongoose Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (immediate family); Richard (male relations - he loathed Dick, Dicky); Denton - (school governors, teachers and peers); Denton major (after I arrived at the same school); Weasel (for reasons unknown - school friends), Rick (school friends, social friends), Aah Gee Dee (older generation females)

Marcus E.D. Denton - Marky (any female relation - mother, sister, aunts, grandmother etc. and teenage or younger male relations, NB Marc(y)ie is the female version); Marcus (male relations); Denton minor; Mini-weasel; Budge (although I know this an abbreviation of budgerigar, I truthfully do not recall how it came about); Em Ee Dee (older generation females)

 

There are sufficient male cousins in my family, 15 of the 22 for me to recall we, men, as children or adults did not like for anyone to call us by a 'y' or 'ie' ending abbreviation of our first names - for one over-riding reason - it sounds 'cissy' and 'cissy is for girls'.

 

There are a few authors of Regency Romance who have expressed their views on Regency names:

Cheryl Bolen

 

Jo Beverley

 

Elizabeth Hawksley

 

 

Author: Sarah Richmond

Title: A most unsuitable suitor

Ivey - developed as a surname in Britain and is a modern version of the 1st name Ivy.