Crusoe

Photo Courtesy of Mali Workman Photography

Like your literary heroes a little rough around the edges yet still with a refined sound? Perhaps you should consider Crusoe.

Crusoe comes to us from the pages of Daniel Defoe's 1719 novel 'Robinson Crusoe', the tale of a man who braves the wilds seas in the pursuit of improving his situation in life. He doesn't have a lot of luck at sea though, and one particular misadventure sees him end up shipwrecked on a seemingly deserted island. He manages to make the best of a bad situation, and even rescues a prisoner of the native cannibals, teaching him English and naming him Friday for the day of the week he met him. They eventually make it back to Crusoe's homeland in London and reclaim the wealth he built while in Brazil.

The book was quite revolutionary at the time. It's a fictional autobiography that was first published crediting Robinson Crusoe (pronounced KROO-soh) as the author, leading people to think it was a true tale. While this was not the case, it is often said to be the beginning of the literary genre realistic fiction. It remains one of the most widely published books in history, adapted many times into movies and TV shows.

This popularity means that Robinson Crusoe is widely recognised and used as a generic term for an isolated survivor. The character of Crusoe is also popularly thought to represent a person who has strength and resourcefulness and can thrive despite isolation. That's not too say he's a hero, just that he is an ordinary man able to make the best of bad situations.

But where the name Crusoe comes from is the subject of much conjecture. In the novel, Robinson himself says that:

"....he had married my mother whose relations were named Robinson, a very good family in that country, and from whom I was called Robinson Kreutznaer; but by the usual corruption of words in England we are called, nay, we call ourselves, and write our name "Crusoe,".... "

And so Crusoe is thought to come from a German surname Kreutznaer. But general consensus is that Kreutznaer isn't actually a German name. It's thought that possibly:

• Kreutznaer is invented (as it comes from a fictional story anyway);
• Kreutznaer is derived from the similar German surname Kreuznach, meaning 'crossing of the River Nahe'; or
• The name Crusoe was actually inspired by a friend of the author named Timothy Cruso, who wrote guide books, and the German "origin" Kreutznaer was purely fictional. 

The last option is supported by the fact that Cruso and Crusoe were both surnames already in use in England when 'Robinson Crusoe' was written. While it's meaning is hard to track down, the Crusoe motto is reportedly 'Virtus Nobilitat', meaning 'Virtue ennobles'. Maybe this was in fact the definition that inspired the use of Crusoe for this character, as it seems to describe well his personal and spiritual journey throughout the book.

So if true, this seems to reinforce Crusoe as a virtue name of sorts.

Photo Courtesy of
Beth Wade Photography

Despite being inspired by a literary tale that is almost 300 years old, Crusoe has a style that feels at home on a modern child. Likely nicknames Cru and Cruz are both strong, cool and short names that don't feel overused and have been gaining in popularity. Crusoe itself blends well with quirky literary picks like Atticus, Dorian or Beatrix; or equally as well with popular surname choices such as Sullivan, Wyatt and Jackson (as a side thought, wouldn't brothers Crusoe and Jackson nicknamed Cruz and Jax be adorable!). Speaking of sibling choices, mix both literary and surname origins and Bronte, Huxley, Salinger and Twain also make great possibilities.

While all of the names mentioned above have charted in the U.S, I was a bit surprised to find that Crusoe has never been given to more than 5 babies in one year. Maybe people find it is too tied to the character, even if he is most often viewed positively. Or maybe Crusoe "the celebrity dachshund" has too much of a presence? (although I'd never heard of him until today).

But I think the time is right for Crusoe. He has the literary and surname origins that have made so many other names winning options. He has a cool sound with even cooler nickname options. His namesake is a symbol of the virtues of strength and tenacity, his motto representing the virtue of spiritual growth. Why have we been resisting his charms for so long?

Movie Name Quote

I was watching some girly rom-coms today and one of them was 'When in Rome'. It stars Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel, but also featured Dax Shepard (pictured above) as one of Beths (Kristen Bell's character) "suitors". Dax plays a narcissistic model named Gale who is magically attracted to Beth when she takes his coin out of a love/wishing fountain. He comes on quite strong when they first meet....

Gale: I'm Gale. Like a gale force wind. I took on that name because it's the most powerful force in the natural world. For shaping and eroding the earth. It's ahhh.....You can feel it
Beth: Actually I think that's water...
Gale: Mmmm....
Beth: ....eroding the earth.....
Gale: I don't think it's water, I think it's wind.
Beth: ...like the Grand Canyon
Gale: I'm gonna look that up

So lesson to us all - always double check if you are choosing a name for it's meaning or symbolism ☺

Many people deride Gale as a girls name, and a dated one at that. The latter is understandable as Gale and Gail peaked in the 1950's, however both Gale and Gail have been used for both genders for a long time, so is not just a girls name. Gale had recently been flagging in the US but returned to the charts for both boys and girls in 2013. This was likely inspired by the character Gale Hawthorne from 'The Hunger Games' movies, played by Aussie Liam Hemsworth.

There's a few explanations for the meaning of Gale. Possibly it comes from the Middle English 'gaile', meaning jovial. Or it comes from the Gaelic word Gael, meaning 'a Celt' or 'foreigner'. The most popular opinion though is that it comes from Abigail, a Hebrew name meaning 'my father is joyful'. And of course it is also a nature word meaning 'a very strong wind'. All things considered, this makes Gale a positive, strong name.

The other cute thing about this movie scene is that it is between Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard, who are now married with two beautifully named daughters - Lincoln Bell and Delta Bell.

TV Name Quote

In this week's episode of 'Supernatural' titled 'The Things We Left Behind', King of Hell Crowley tells us what he really thinks of his (human) name.

Played by Mark Sheppard, Crowley was born Fergus McLeod in Scotland 1661. Fergus is in fact an old Scottish and Irish name, so quite fitting with his background. It is derived from the the words fear meaning 'man' and 'gus' meaning 'strength', so Fergus is said to have meanings such as 'man strength', 'strong warrior', 'man of force', or 'virility'.

Despite it's strong meaning Fergus is not a popular name. He's been falling in England and Wales in recent years, and has never been anywhere near cracking the top 1000 in the U.S. But he feels like he could be the next big thing for hipster parents. He's slightly old and fusty in a retro-cool name, and comes with the possible nickname Gus, which seems to be getting a lot of attention lately. And couldn't you just imagine little Oscar, Auden or Waldo with a brother named Fergus?

Or maybe you feel the same way Crowley does.

TV Name Quote

Soleil Moon Frye as Punky Brewster

I was feeling a bit nostalgic so watched a few episodes of 'Punky Brewster' today for a fun blast from the past.

If you were alive in the 80's then it's likely that you know the TV show I'm talking about. It's about a little girl named Punky who was homeless and squatting in a vacant apartment until she was discovered by the building manager Henry Warnimont, a somewhat crotchety elder man with no family of his own. Punky takes an instant liking to the belligerent Henry, but he takes a little longer to warm to Punky. Initially, he contacts Family Services in an attempt to find her mother, but when she can't be found he fights for custody himself rather than have Punky placed with a foster family. Fun and hi-jinks ensue as these two mis-matched loners adjust to life together.

The show wasn't a huge ratings winner, but 'Punky Brewster' was very popular with kids during its' run from 1984 to 1988, and made child star Soleil Moon Frye a household name. Yes, that's the same Soleil who now has her own children, the fabulously named Poet Sienna Rose, Jagger Joseph Blue and Lyric Sonny Roads.

But on to todays' quote. I loved this conversation between Punky and social worker Randi Mitchell in the second episode.

Randi:  Do you have a real name besides Punky?
Punky:  Punky's a real name
Randi:  Yes I know, and it's a very nice one, but don't you have another name?
Punky:  Sure - Brewster!
Randi:  No, I mean another first name
Punky:  Gee, I can't remember one....
Randi:  You know, I don't like to tell people my real name either, they always laugh
Punky:  At Randi?
Randi:  No, that's my nickname, my real name is Miranda
Punky:  Miranda! Miranda's worse than Penelope!
Randi:  A-ha! Penelope Brewster
Punky:  Boy, that was slick


I loved the show, but could not have told you that Punky was short for Penelope!

It also illustrates just how much our opinions of names can change in 30 years. When this episode aired in 1984, Penelope was way outside the U.S top 1000, as she had been for the previous 8 years and would remain for the next 16 years. You can see how Miss Brewster would have been less than impressed with her formal name, one that would have seemed uncool and "old lady-like" in the 80's. Now it's a different story though. Penelope has been shooting up the charts, entering the top 100 for the first time in 2013 (Punky however has yet to ever chart).

Miranda on the other hand has remained a top 1000 name for a long time, declining slightly in the last few years. I'm not sure why it would have seemed so laughable as a name in the 1984, when it was hovering just outside the top 100.

On a final note, wouldn't Penelope and Miranda now make for fantastic sisters? Less so Punky (which now feels dated and too tied to the one character) and Randi (which has not-so-great connotations for a little girl), although both are quite sassy, boisterous names for their classical counterparts.

In today's naming climate I have a feeling that Penelope and Miranda wouldn't feel ashamed of their beautiful names at all.

How would you choose a new name - for yourself?

Mask available at Samantha Peach Masquerade Masks

Happy New Year and Welcome to 2014!

The beginning of a new year is often the time when people reflect on the year past, and ruminate on what they would like the next year to bring. For some it is a time for transformation - a new image and maybe even a new name.

It's interesting when someone chooses a new name for themselves; whether it be for career reasons, personal reasons, or or as an online alias. Everyone has their own process. Some prefer to choose a variation of their current name, a tweak that sits more comfortably with them. Some choose a completely different name, something that simply resonates better with who they are, or who they see themselves as. And others prefer to take inspiration from from something with a personal meaning to them, something or someone they feel connected to.

I wondered about this recently when I saw a couple of movies on the one weekend where characters had slightly unconventional ways of choosing their aliases.

Firstly, in 'Pacific Rim' there is a black market dealer called Hannibal Chau, played by Ron Perlman. Not really the type of person most would picture when they hear the surname Chau, so there had to be a story behind it. As the character explains in the movie, "I got the name from my favorite historical figure and my second-favorite Szechuan restaurant in Brooklyn". He is referring to Hannibal Barca, a Carthaginian who lived from 247 BC to about 182 BC and is considered to be one of the greatest military commanders of all time.

The second movie was a little older and a lot more silly - 'Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay'. This one comes in the form of a bordello employee named Tits Hemingway "Because I have huge tits, and my favorite book is 'A Moveable Feast'" (charming, I know). The book she's referring to is a memoir written by Ernest Hemingway about his years spent in Paris in the 1920's.

So it seems that both have chosen an inspiring figure, paired with something a little less lofty. This is probably in part for their comedy value - they are characters in movies after all. Although I have to admit to my own screen name Blue Juniper being somewhat along these lines.

Juniper is a name I fell in love with as a teenager reading a book called 'The Juniper Game' by Sherryl Jordan. The main character Juniper was described as beautiful and magical, and I thought it was so exotic and lovely that I couldn't get it out of my head. It was my online user name for many things. Until I joined one site and it was already taken. So, put on the spot, I added my favourite colour and became Blue Juniper. Long before Blue Ivy Carter was born, might I add ☺

There are tons of other reasons why someone would chose to adopt an alias, or legally change their name. For a couple of examples, my mother changed her middle name to honour a beloved grandma, and a friend of mine once changed her surname to feel more connected to her biological father. And of course, many of us change our name when we get married. Are you looking at a name change (legal or less officially) in 2014? If you're in control of choosing that new name, how will you be making your decision?

This month I'll be looking at some current day screen names and invented names, so let me know if there are any that you're interested in finding out more about and I'll see what I can do. I hope you are looking forward to a great 2014!

Movie Name Quote

Jay Baruchel, Craig Robinson, James Franco, Seth Rogen,
Danny McBride and Jonah Hill in 'This Is The End'

You may have seen a movie recently called 'This Is The End'. Not to be confused with 'The World's End', which was the Simon Pegg and Nick Frost movie, 'This Is The End' stars Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jonah Hill and bunch of their mates pretty much playing parodies of themselves.

I have to say I had very ordinary expectations of this movie going in, as it sounded a bit like one of those vanity pieces that are an excuse for a heap of mates to make a movie together but ultimately turns out to be largely unfunny. Was I ever pleasantly surprised though, as it is one of the funniest movies I have seen in a long time. I know a lot of people have slammed it as "teenage boy" humour, but each to their own. I really don't get 'Jackass' and those movies make millions.

Anyway, if you've seen it, you may have forgotten this small exchange. About ten minutes in there is a scene where Jonah is telling Jay Baruchel and Seth about an incontinent spaniel he has just adopted.

Jonah - She's a really beautiful soul. Her name's Ahjhai
Seth - Ahjai?
Jonah - Yeah
Seth - How do you spell that?
Jonah - A-H-J-H-A-I

The pronunciation actually sounds more like ahz-har, which I'm guessing is meant to be a funny take on Asia, just with a "fancy" spelling and pronunciation. What do you think? In a movie where they are poking fun at themselves as being somewhat pretentious, do you think this name fits the bill?

Out of interest, a quick Google tells me that this name has never charted in the U.S., but there are some people (looks to be only girls) out there wearing this name. I don't know how they pronounce it or what it means though. I wonder if it will appear on the SSA charts next year......

TV Name Quote

Richard Dean Anderson as McGyver

Most people know instantly who 'MacGyver' is. The title character of this 80's TV show (played by Richard Dean Anderson) was so famous for his ability to use whatever ordinary items he had at hand - plus some duct tape and a keen practical mind - to find a solution to any problem that his name has actually become a verb. Some of the user submitted examples given in the Urban Dictionary are "one who performs great feats of ingenuity on a moments notice" (agreed); "someone who can jump-start a truck with a cactus" (hmm, I guess it's plausible he did this one episode); and my favourite "the ability to use a dorito, some duct tape, and a paper clip to create a time machine." Really paints a picture, doesn't it?

Amazing abilities aside, another running theme throughout the show was the mystery surrounding MacGyver's given name. His mates called him Mac, his dad called him Bud or Buddy, and when questioned on the show he was always rather tight lipped about it. Which is the basis for today's quotes, straight from a season five episode called 'The Lost Amadeus', guest starring Tamsin Kelsey as Lulu:



Lulu: What's your name?
MacGyver: MacGyver
Lulu: What's your first name?
MacGyver: My friends call me MacGyver
Lulu: That bad hey? That's OK, my real name is Alice

And later, when Lulu manages to get her hands on MacGyver's wallet:

Lulu: I wanna see your first name
MacGyver: I told you it's MacGyver
Lulu: Yeah, but you gotta have one, it's not like you're Sting or Prince or something!
Lulu looks in his wallet
Lulu: That's your first name? I think I'll stick with MacGyver.

Lulu and MacGyver at a 1920's party

So what is this mysterious first name that is apparently too bad to speak of? In the last season it is revealed that his full name is Angus MacGyver.

Hardly a bad name - Angus rose in popularity in 2012, most likely helped by a current love of boys names ending in "US", such as Atticus and Magnus. Maybe at the time it was too entrenched in people's minds as an old Scottish man's name, hardly fitting with the young, rugged and clever MacGyver. And why the dislike of Alice? Alice was at it's lowest in the 80's and 90's, but never fell out of the top 500 in America. Again, maybe the funky LuLu just didn't feel that Alice was spunky for her at the time. There is however something intriguing about the idea of Lulu as a nickname for Alice though. What do you think of Angus and Alice?

Movie Name Quote

Alex (Danica McKellar) kicking some Tasmanian Devil ass

Recently I've been noticing that quite often in movies you'll see comments about names - usually when someone meets someone for the first time, or talking about someone they've never met, or about what someone has chosen to name their child. So I thought that when I notice one (or remember one!) I'll pop it in a blog entry.

Today's quote comes from a dodgy Syfy channel horror movie we're watching on this cold and rainy afternoon called 'Tasmanian Devils'.

To set the scene, park ranger Alex (played by Danica McKellar, best known as Winnie on 'The Wonder Years') and adrenalin junkie Jayne (played by Kenneth Mitchell), are spending the night up a tree to hide from the creatures stalking and killing their group of thrill seekers.

Jayne: My name is Jayne, like the girl's name
Alex: My name is Alex, like the boy's name

I still say that Jayne is a cool boys name. I wonder if the writer is a fan of Joss Whedon's 'Firefly'? Or maybe it's just starting to catch on....