Ulalume

Looking for a spooky name that's elegant and literary? Ulalume might be right up your alley.

This name was invented by Edgar Allan Poe for his poem of the same name. Like many of his other poems like "The Raven" and "Leonore," "Ulalume" is about the loss the narrator feels for a beautiful young deceased woman. Scholars believe that Poe's obsession with this theme is due to the loss of many women in his life. When "Ulalume" was written he had recently lost his wife Virginia.

The poem takes place on a night in the "lonesome October." The narrator roams around aimlessly, following a star in the sky until he unconsciously arrives at the grave of the woman he buried a year ago. Like most Edgar Allan Poe poems, it's constructed to create a feeling of sadness and anguish. Most of the wording suggests death and decay. The star he is following is actually Astarte, a Greek goddess of the evening star and sexuality. Some readers question whether or not Ulalume is meant to be a literal person. She could be a metaphor for death itself.

"Ulalume" isn't as well known as "The Raven," but it did leave a legacy. It's mentioned in Lolita, This Side of Paradise, and A Streetcar Named Desire. But not everyone views the poem favorably. Aldous Huxley likened Poe's style to wearing a diamond ring on every finger.

The name Ulalume might have been created by Poe, but it's possible that it has a basis in the Latin language. Ulalume was most likely coined from ululare, meaning "to howl," or "to shriek." I'm not sure how it's pronounced. We do know that it rhymes with "tomb," so I'm guessing..."oo-lah-LOOM"? Seems like a good bet.

Ulalume is a name perfect for this season. It's filled with darkness and sophistication. You might have to repeatedly explain to everyone how it's pronounced, but if you're looking for something unique, Ulalume's a good option.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulalume
http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides4/Ulalume.html

Image Credit:
Found via http://pinterest.com

Ultima

This is the last entry for Pagan Culture's Blogoversery Party! It was a good run, but I'll be glad that I can just profile whatever names I want again.

Ultima (pronounced "UL-tih-mah") is a Latin name meaning "the end" or "the farthest point." So it's fitting that it's the last party member.

Ultima is an important character in the young adult novel Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya. It's the first book in a trilogy that includes Heart of Aztlan and Tortuga. Although it's hailed as an important piece of American literature, it's also one of the most frequently challenged and banned books. Take a wild guess as to why.

The story is set in Guadeloupe, New Mexico during World War II. The story is told from the eyes of Antonio, a young boy. At the beginning of the story, a curandera named Ultima comes to live with his family. A curandera/o is a traditional shaman from Hispanic culture. Ultima recognizes that Antonio has a gift, and takes him along when she goes to help people. Much of the story revolves around Ultima stopping the Witchcraft of the three Trementina sisters, whose father Tenerio Trementina is the main villain.

Which brings me to a question, is there really much of a difference between a shaman and a Witch? Neo-Pagans would say no, but it seems that everyone else makes a distinction. That's not fair, that people would behave in front of a shaman because it's "another culture," and would scoff or run away from a Witch because it's "evil."

Ultima is not a common name, either in Hispanic or non-Hispanic circles. Because I know the names meaning, I would suspect a girl named Ultima to be either an only child or the youngest in a big family. But maybe that's just because that's how I plan to use it, on a child that I know will be the last. But most everyone that doesn't study baby names will probably think that it means "ultimate."

Ultima is a lovely name full of magick and power. Even though it is not the name of any God or mythical being, it would fit in well with those types of names. I hope you enjoyed the parade of fictional Witches!

Sources:
http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Ultima
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bless_Me,_Ultima

Image Credit:
Found via http://ewitch-virtualcoven.blogspot.com/

Urania

I have said before that I don't believe in bowing down to the ridicule of juveniles while picking a name. That a clever bully can use wordplay to twist any name into a taunt, and that shouldn't keep you from naming your son Birch. But there are some names that make me think twice before dismissing the concern. Names in which the joke is so obvious and well remembered from my childhood that it's difficult to brush away. One of these is Urania.

Urania, sometimes Ourania (pronounced "your-AIN-ee-ah"), is a Greek name meaning "heavenly." She is one of the Muses, and her hobbies of choice are astronomy and astrology. Urania is often associated with Universal Love and, in Christian mythology, the Holy Spirit. Some stories say she is the mother of Linus, a Greek musician considered to be the inventor of melody and rhythm.

People have no problem with the name Urania. For places, anyway. Writer Charles Dickens established a shelter for "fallen women" called Urania Cottage. I imagine these women were good inspiration for some of his characters. In reference to her calling, many astronomical observatories in Eastern Europe are named after her.

You'll notice that I make no mention of planets. Uranus and the element uranium are actually named after an entirely different deity. In Greek mythology, Uranus was the god of the sky, the father of Cronos, and the grandfather of Zeus. His name is derived from Ouranos, meaning "sky." Sky, heavenly, they're similar but not the same.

Neo-Pagans have no problem using the name for themselves either. Lady Urania was a minor High Priestess in the United States who was well loved by her community. And the Isis-Urania coven is still in existence. But naming a child is another thing entirely. The only thing I can think about is way back when I heard boys giggle like idiots when they said "Uranus." And they were just talking about the planet! I don't think I need to tell you what the name sounds like, you most likely already know. But if you don't, say Uranus aloud a few times.

So is Urania lost forever? I don't know how the name plays out in other languages. But in English speaking areas, I would be very surprised to see it. Which is a shame. It has a beautiful sound and a lovely history. If you plan on using this name, I hope you're daughter's confident and laid back enough to carry it.

Sources:
http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Urania
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urania
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranus_(mythology)
http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usfl&c=passages&id=13288

Image Credit:
Ekaterina Grigorieva, but I can't find the website again.

Ursula

I think it's a shame that this name isn't more widely used. Ursula is a name with so much rich history, I don't know if I could possibly write it all here. My god, look how many tags this post got!

Let's start at the beginning. Ursula (pronounced "ER-suh-luh") is a diminutive of the Latin name Ursa, which means "she-bear." There are two bear constellations in the night sky, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.

Ursula was the name of a lot of women who were tried and executed for Witchcraft in the Middle Ages. The popularity of the name at the time was due to the story of a legendary 4th century saint. Ursula was the name of a British princess said to have been martyred along with eleven thousand other Christian virgins. Although there is no historical evidence of Saint Ursula's story, it's believed that she set sail to meet her Pagan husband along with her 11,000 handmaidens (that must have been a big boat!) when a miraculous storm made their trip last only one day. But before she agreed to marry, she wanted to make a pilgrimage to Rome. On the way, her and all her handmaidens were killed by the Huns.

The popularity of this name in the United States used to be pretty high, never really leaving the charts. In the 1970s it peaked at #604, but it also enjoyed a high point in 1900s at #500. But by the 1980s the name dropped out completely. And I think we all know the reason why: The Little Mermaid.

Giving the villain the name Ursula was a Disney decision. In the original story by Hans Christian Anderson, the character is just called the Sea Witch. And she's not evil, but she's not really good either. She's a neutral character. She knows that what the Little Mermaid is asking for is not a good idea, but enables her anyway. Despite this, people have a hard time shaking the evil octopus-woman image. Up until a short while ago, I had the same problem with it.

But maybe not everyone will. The name has other namesakes like the hugely popular fantasy/science fiction novelist Ursula Le Guin. Ursula is the name of a character in the novel One Hundred Years of Solitude, the Shakespeare play Much Ado About Nothing, an incidental character in the Harry Potter world, and the movie version of Beowulf. There is also a college named after Saint Ursula in Cincinnati, Ohio.

It's a common practice for Neo-Pagans to honor the people who were killed during "The Burning Times" by taking their names, so it's a perfect name for us. Elsewhere, the name seems to be slowly gaining acceptance again. I did see that someone has a daughter named Ursula on the design website Oh Dee Doh. Although even without The Little Mermaid association, the name does have a dark sound to it. But take hope, Ursula lovers! It might be time for the name to make a comeback.

Source:
http://www.babynamewizard.com/namipedia/girl/ursula
http://www.wicca-chat.com/burning.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Ursula
http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/littlemermaid/index.html

Image Credit:
http://mickryan.deviantart.com/art/The-Nevarbird-part-01-151929630