The novel became a popular literary form during the C18th and C19th Authors often chose fanciful or invented names for their characters, especially the female ones, and some became quite well-established.
Also FHB LLFauntleroy 1886
| Ceddie | Cedrick | Cedrik |
| Keddrick | Kedric | Kedrick |
| Sedrick | Zedrik |
Dorian Oscar Wilde 'The Portrait of Dorian Grey' 1891 ('from Doris')
| Doran | Dore | Dorey |
| Dorie | Dorien | Dorin |
| Dorion | Dorjan | Doron |
| Dorran | Dorren | Dorrian |
| Dorrien | Dorryen | Dory |
Orville Fanny Burney 'Evelina' 1778
Anitra Henrik Ibsen, 'Peer Gynt' 1867 (for an Eastern princess)
Bambi Felix Salter, 'Bambi'
| Bambee | Bambie | Bamby |
Belinda Sir John Vanbrugh 'The Provok'd Wife', 1697 (Lat bella or OG Betlindis 'snake/serpent')
| Belindra | Bellina | Belynda |
| Berla | Berlin | Berlinda |
| Berline | Berling | Berlyn |
| Berlyne | Berlynn | Berlynne |
| Blenda | Blinda | Lindee |
| Lindey | Lindy | Lynda |
| Lyndee | Lyndi | Lynnda |
| Lynndaya |
Christabel Samuel Taylor Coleridge 'Christabel' 1816
| Christabell | Christabella | Christabelle |
| Christable | Christobella | Christobelle |
Clarinda Spenser 'Faerie Queene' 1596
Clarissa revived by Richardson 'Clarissa Harlowe' (diminutive of Clare)
| Clairese | Clairisse | Clarecia |
| Claresa | Claressa | Claresta |
| Clarice | Clarisa | Clarissia |
| Claritza | Clariza | Clarizza |
| Clarrissa | Clerissa | Klarisa |
| Klarise | Klarissa | Klarisza |
| Klarrisa | Klarysa | Kleresa |
Evangeline popularised? Longfellow 'Evangeline' 1848 (Lat evangelium 'gospel' from Gk euangelion 'good tidings')
Haidee Byron 'Don Juan' 1819-24 (Greek haido 'caress' or aidoios 'modest'?)
| Haide | Haydee | Hedaya |
| Hydeia |
Jancis Mary Webb 'Precious Bane' 1924 (Jan + Frances?)
Janice Paul Leicester Ford 'Janice Meredith' 1899 (from 'Jane')
| Genasea | Genessa | Genice |
| Genise | Jahnessa | Janaca |
| Janaesha | Janece | Janecia |
| Janees | Janeesa | Janeice |
| Janesa | Janesah | Janese |
| Janesey | Janesha | Janesia |
| Janeska | Janessa | Janesse |
| Janica | Janiece | Janiesa |
| Janiesha | Janika | Janique |
| Janis | Janise | Janisha |
| Janisia | Janissa | Janitza |
| Janizzette | Jannesa | Jannese |
| Jannesha | Jannessa | Jannice |
| Janniece | Jannis | Jannisa |
| Jannisha | Jannissa | Janyce |
| Jarniesha | Jeanice | Jeneca |
| Jenesa | Jenessa | Jenesse |
| Jenica | Jenice | Jenis |
| Jenisa | Jenisee | Jenisha |
| Jenisis | Jenissa | Jennese |
| Jennica | Jennisa | Jennise |
| Jennisha | Jennissa | Jennisse |
| Jennysa | Jennyssa | Jenyce |
| Jenysa | Jenyssa | Jinessa |
| Johnecia | Johnesha | Johnessa |
| Johnisha | Johnishi | Johnnessa |
| Johnnise | Jonessa | Jonice |
| Jonis | Jonisa | Jonisha |
| Jonyssa | Jynice |
Kim Kipling 'Kim' 1901 (boy's name short for 'Kimball') or from 'Kimberley'
| Kimana | Kimani | Kimee |
| Kimette | Kimi | Kimia |
| Kimme | Kimmee | Kimmi |
| Kimmie | Kimmy | Kimra |
| Kimy | Kym |
Lorna R.D. Blackmore 'Lorna 'Doone' 1869 (Scottish placename 'Lorne'
| Lornae | Lorne | Lorrna |
Luana King Vidor film 'The Bird of Paradise' 1932 (a Polynesian maiden)
| Luanna | Luanne |
Lucinda Cervantes 'Don Quixote' 1605 (from Lucia)
Malinda from Melina?
| Malin | Malina | Malina |
| Malinde | Maline | Malinna |
| Malinna | Malynda |
Myra Fulke Greville (1554-1628)
| Mira | Mirae | Mirah |
| Mirra |
Norma Felice Romani, libretto for Bellini's opera 'Norma' 1832
Pamela Sir Philip Sidney 1554-86 'Arcadia' (used by Samuel Richardson 'Pamela' 1740)
| Pam | Pama | Pamala |
| Pamalla | Pamelia | Pamelina |
| Pamella | Pamilla | Pammela |
| Pammi | Pammie | Pammy |
| Pamula |
Romola George Eliot '(adopted from It masc 'Romolo')
Selima Thomas Gray 1716-71 (Arabic masc Selim 'peace?)
Shirley Charlotte Bronte 'Shirley' 1849 (masc. surname adaptation)
| Sherileen | Sherlee | Sherleen |
| Sherlene | Sherley | Sherli |
| Sherlie | Sherline | Shir |
| Shirelle | Shirl | Shirlena |
| Shirlene
Shirlee |
Shirlie | Shirlina |
| Shirline | Shirlly | Shirly |
| Shirlyn | Shirlynn | Shurlee |
| Shurley |
Stella Sir Philip Sidney, C16th 'Astrophel and Stella' (Lat 'star)
| Estel | Estela | Estele |
| Estelina | Estelita | Estell |
| Estella | Estellina | Estellita |
| Esthella | Estrela | Estrelinha |
| Estrell | Estrella | Estrelle |
| Estrellita | Trella |
Thelma Marie Corelli, 'Thelma', 1887 (Gk thelema 'wish/act of will'?)
Thelmalina
Topsy Harriet Beecher Stowe 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' (slave character)
| Toppsy | Topsey | Topsie |
Vanessa Jonathan Swift 1667-1745 (from 'Esther Vanhomrigh')
| Nessa
Van |
Vanassa | Vanesa |
| Vanesha | Vaneshia | Vanesia |
| Vanesse | Vanessia | Vanessica |
| Vaneza | Vania | Vaniece |
| Vaniessa | Vanija | Vanika |
| Vanisa | Vanisha | Vanissa |
| Vanna | Vannesa | Vannessa |
| Vannie | Vannisa | Vanny |
| Varnessa | Venecia | Venesa |
| Venessa |
Wendy J.M. Barrie 'Peter Pan' 1904 (from 'fwendy-wendy' i.e. 'friend')
| Wenda | Wendaine | Wendaline |
| Wendall | Wendalyn | Wendayne |
| Wende | Wendee | Wendeline |
| Wendella | Wendelle | Wendelline |
| Wendey | Wendi | Wendie |
| Wendye |
This collection of names was compiled by Kate Monk and is ©1997, Kate Monk.
Copies may be made for personal use only.