What were the most popular names for girls in England during the 16th century? This was one of the questions examined by Scott Smith-Bannister in his book Names and Naming Patterns in England 1538-1700.

A large section of Smith-Bannister’s research was to follow the records of baptisms found in 40 parish registers spread throughout England. By following their records from 1538 to 1700, the author was able to get a sample of 122,710 names. Here is a sample from his lists:

Years: 1538-49

1. Joan
2. Elizabeth
3. Agnes
4. Alice
5. Anne
6. Margaret
7. Mary
8. Jane
9. Margery
10. Edith

Click through to this post at Medievelists.net to see the rest of the results!

One Olive Garden–loving couple has decided to give their new daughter a name bearing a striking resemblance to the restaurant, both confusing and delighting the Internet at the same time: Olivia Garton.

Both Jordan and Justin grew up eating at Olive Garden, but it wasn’t until shortly after their wedding in 2015 that their enthusiasm turned into outright love. After purchasing a $100 never-ending pasta pass, the Arkansas couple ate their fill at Olive Garden every day for weeks. “We committed to eating there every day for six or seven weeks to get our money’s worth,” Justin told ABC News. “It saved us several hundred dollars when we really needed it.”

They decided to go with Olivia instead, claiming that they “immediately” felt like it was perfect for their little girl. “We were able to make the joke, but a little more subtle, and it’s still a pretty name,” said Justin. “It was definitely an easy decision.”

Click through to this article at CafeMom to see how the internet reacted!

The Minister of Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, inadvertently started an onomastic earthquake this year when he suggested that South Africa’s name be official changed to Azania.  According to the Minister, the toponymic makeover would be a fitting reflection of the significant cultural and political changes the country has undergone since the ending of Apartheid.  While some have applauded the suggestion, others have criticized that the geographic rebranding is not only unnecessary but would be prohibitively expensive.  More details about the onomastic debate can be found in this article at the Independent Online.

“Landscapes Below: Mapping and the New Science of Geology“, a new exhibition curated by Allison Ksiazkiewicz, is now open. Featuring the biggest-ever object (1.9mx1.6m) to go on display at the Library — George Bellas Greenough’s 1819 A Geological Map of England and Wales (the first map produced by the Geological Society of London), as well as a visually stunning collection of maps from the earliest days of geology – the exhibition explores how these new subterranean visions of the British landscape influenced our understanding of the Earth. All the maps belonging to the library are going on display for the first time.

The exhibit runs from November 24, 2017 to March 29, 2018 at Cambridge University Library’s Milstein Exhibition Centre. Admission is free. Opening times are Mon-Fri 9am-6pm and Saturday 9am-16.30pm. Closed Sundays. Also please note that it is also CLOSED 24 December 2017 to 1 January 2018 inclusive (i.e. between Christmas and New Year).

Aabenraa’s name comes from aaben strand, or Danish for “open beach.” Denmark had long used “aa” to represent a Danish vowel sound that’s elusive for English speakers, but is kind of similar to the vowel in our word “caught.” But in 1948, the country decided to reform its spelling, replacing “aa” with “å”. That’s how this vowel is written in every other Scandinavian language. As a result, the Danish Language Board recommended that Aabenraa rename itself “Åbenrå.”

In 1955, Denmark decided that their new letter “Å” would be the last letter of the alphabet, coming after “Z” in the dictionary. Aabenraa, which was accustomed to being the world’s very first town alphabetically, was unenthusiastic about moving to the very bottom of the list overnight. Read this fun and informative article at Condé Nast Traveler to find out more!

Nike, UNIQLO, Ray-Ban – just some of the familiar names for fashion lovers. Ever wonder where the names come from? Did you know that NYX should be pronounced “nicks” after the Greek goddess of the night? Or that ASOS stands for the company’s original name “As Seen On Screen” and “ghd” simply stands for “good hair day”? Check out the infographic at Beauty Flash for more information on how some of the top brands got their names.

The Western Association of Map Libraries is an independent association of map librarians and other people with an interest in maps and map librarianship. The November issue of the WAML Information Bulletin is a special issue commemorating the organization’s 50th Anniversary.  Along with articles, book reviews, and new mapping of Western North America, this issue features a special segment dedicated to the late Mary Larsgaard. The issue can be found at the WAML website here.

The ANS’ own Cleve Evans, a recognized expert in baby names, is featured in an online article called “How Do Baby Names Become Popular?” in Romper magazine.

He explains that naming trends in the U.S. are driven by the desire of most parents to choose a name that’s “different, but not too different.” Parents achieve this, consciously or not, by slightly shifting the sounds of names that were popular a decade ago. The impact, while subtle, is absolutely visible in the yearly baby name round-up.

Read on to get the rest of the story!