Behind The Name

This is a very cool website that provides etymology and history of first names. I've seen a lot of name websites that give strange (and almost always different) "meanings" for names. I've often questioned their accuracy, so I was pleased to see a site that had an academic focus on first names.

Here are some examples from my family:

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THOMAS
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, German, Dutch, Scandinavian, Biblical
Pronounced: TAHM-as (English), TOM-as (English), to-MA (French), TOM-ahs (German) [key]

Greek form of the Aramaic name Te'oma which meant "twin". In the New Testament he was the apostle who doubted the resurrected Jesus. According to tradition he was martyred in India. Famous bearers of this name include philosopher and theologian Saint Thomas Aquinas, philosopher Thomas Hobbes, inventor Thomas Edison, American president Thomas Jefferson, and novelist Thomas Hardy.

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JENNIFER
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: JEN-i-fur [key]

From a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (see GUINEVERE). This name has been popular only since the beginning of the 20th century, when it was featured in George Bernard Shaw's play 'The Doctor's Dilemma'.

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ADRIAN
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Romanian, Russian, Polish
Other Scripts: Адриан (Russian)
Pronounced: AYD-ree-an [key]

English, Romanian, Russian and Polish form of Hadrianus (see HADRIAN). Six popes have borne this name.

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ELLA
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: EL-a [key]

Short form of Germanic names containing the element ali meaning "other". This name is also used as a short form of ELLEN.

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BARRY
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: BER-ee [key]

Anglicized form of the Irish name Bairre, which is a pet form of FIONNBHARR.