The desire of humans to possess various special traits of animals is a natural phenomenon which dates back to the times where our relationship with them was much more intimate than in modern times.
In the course of history, animals have been both friends and enemies of humanity, causing fear and amazement, us becoming their benefactors and exploiters as well. The cats of ancient Egypt laid the foundation for the luxury lifestyle of domesticated cats today, the Lunar Calendar considers animals the starting point for personality development, and starting from 2022, pets in Spain have their own ID cards as official members of the family. Therefore, it is obvious that cultural activities and social customs kept the tendency to admire animals, be it in the field of arts, languages or naming practices.
In this article, we will take a closer look at how humans connect to animals through the names they choose for their children and the meaning behind them which we might overlook during our encounters with proper names inspired by animals.
Names proud of their origins in the animal world
While names related to animals might not be as consciously given as at the starting point of their etymology, it is a rather accessible task to guess the meanings they possess, by looking at the generally accepted characteristics a certain animal has, like bravery or shyness.
Firstly, here are a few examples of widely known names of this sort:
- Ursula – This commonly known female name is derived from the Latin ”ursula” meaning “little bear” and is known for the 16th century Saint Ursula but also has a literary background, appearing in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and Two Gentlemen of Verona as well. Names meaning “bear” are usually alluding to strength and greatness, thus conventionally used for men, but Ursula is an interesting exception outside the convention.
- Fan (范) – This is a Chinese family name, but it is also used in Vietnam (Pham), and its literary meaning is bee. Its origins can be traced back to Emperor Yao, a legendary Chinese ruler, so the name also holds a power and wisdom similar to that of the emperor. Names from other cultures meaning bee are, among others, Deborah (Hebrew), Madhukar (Sanskrit) and Melissa (Greek).
- Kitty – This name is commonly used as a nickname for Catherine (which has a Greek origin from katharos, meaning “pure”) but also as a female proper name alluding to cats. Cats are domesticated pets who usually live comfortably in people’s homes, this is how this name gains the qualities of cuteness and purity.
- Leo – The popular male name alluding to the bravery and strength of lions comes from Latin and was used by thirteen popes over the centuries. It is also used as a nickname in Germanic languages for names such as Leon or Leopold. Another similar name is Leonard, a mixture of Latin and Germanic origins, meaning “lion-hearted”.
- Fox – This common surname has Germanic origins and is commonly associated with the clever, cunning and crafty nature of the animal. Some sources suggests that it originates from the Irish clan chief, Tadg O’Catharnaigh, who was attributed this nickname for his cleverness in battle and ability to acquire land. The name Fox as a exists in many cultures, for example as a family name in Japanese (狐塚(こづか) or as a given boy’s name in Spanish (Zorro).
- Wolf – This surname exists in Germanic languages and is derived from the name Wolfgang (German “wolf” meaning wolf, and “ganc” meaning battle). It demands respect and alludes to nobility, just as the animal that it is inspired from. The translation of this surname exists in more languages, such as Spanish and Portuguese (Lobo), Hungarian (Farkas) or Czech (Vlk).
Treasures hidden in etymology
Furthermore, there are personal names which are so embedded in our everyday naming practices that most people don’t realize their origin at first glance, mostly because of the way languages mix and change in the course of time, from generation to generation. A few instances of this interesting linguistic phenomenon are the following:
- Oscar – This name is derived from two words in Irish, “os”, meaning deer, and “car”, meaning loving or friend. We can find the origin of the name in Irish mythology, where Oscar descended from his grandmother, Sadhbh, enchanted into the form of a deer. This name has in itself the qualities of righteousness and timidity, also having the meaning “spear of gods”. In other languages, it has variants such as Óscar (Portuguese and Spanish) or Oskar(Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish).
- Arthur – This male name contains the Celtic element “artos” meaning bear, and refers to the strength of the animal, its most famous bearer being the iconic character from the Arthurian legend, the 6th century king of the Britons who resisted Saxon invaders. The name Arthur became widely used thanks to this legend, spreading to other languages mostly as the variant Artur, but also as a surname in French (Arthur) and Swedish (Arthursson).
- Rachel – This common female name is of Hebrew origins (רָחֵל, Rāḥēl) and has the meaning ewe. The name Rachel alludes to the characteristics of ewes, such as gentleness and affection. Variations of this name exist in more languages, for example Raquel (Spanish) or Rahel (Israeli).
- Callum – This is a Scottish male name being in close connection to the Latin name Columba, meaning dove, and thus referring to purity. Versions of this name in other languages include Koloman (German and Slovak), Colombo, Colombano (Italian) and Colmán (Irish).
- Jonah – Jonah is a name of Hebrew origins (יוֹנָה, Yonā) also meaning dove, this animal being a universal symbol of peace and morality. Doves are also considered messengers and are symbols of love. Different languages use this name under the forms Yunan (Syriac), Younes (Arabic), Jonàs (Catalan) or Jonáš (Slovak).
Celebrity babies named after animals
When choosing names for their babies, celebrities often go for atypical names inspired by animals, a few of which you can find in this list:
- Koala – The rapper Macklemore and his wife, Tricia Davis decided to name their daughter Colette Koala. This name comes from Aboriginal languages and means “no water” alluding to the fact that these animals could survive without drinking water, eating eucalyptus leaves, the name thus symbolizing endurance.
- Otter & Wolf – Zooey Deschanel and her husband named both of their children after animals, both of the two being used only as surnames before.
- Bear – Liam Payne, the One Direction member, and his former girlfriend Cheryl chose the name Bear for their son, which is still a very unusual name, but has the same allusions as other names having been created from this animal.
Names inspired by animals are everywhere, from the very obvious ones until those that are keeping their meanings hidden, this list always extending as people desiring authenticity introduce more and more names having their favourite animals as a reference. Surnames with animal references tell people about their heritage, and given names that have obvious allusions in this sense might as well influence the personalities of the people who have them. The natural world holds many lessons and surprises which we should explore and consider ourselves active parts of. Naming practices are just one example of how we can learn from the animal world, whether we want to become bolder or more peaceful, smarter or wilder.
