Behind the Names

Antonia – Many, chosen for Spanish roots, ‘beyond praise’

[/b] – Greek, modern form of ‘Cybele’ – Cybele being the name of a Phrygian goddess of fertility[/ul]

Naomi – Hebrew, ‘pleasantness’; portmanteau of Japanese ‘Nao’, meaning ‘honest’, and ‘Mi’, ‘Beautiful’. Selected because Ma’at is the goddess of truth, and because it entertains Papa Miyamoto to name his child something that hints at a hidden lineage, but doesn’t raise eyebrows

Laura – Many, chosen for Italian roots, ‘laurel’. Connotations of victory and triumph

[/b] – English, ‘lake’[/ul]

Elaine – English, old French version of Helen. Chosen for old world connotations

Robin – English, Dutch, Swedish. Diminutive of Robert; another name for Puck

[/b] – English, variant on ‘Philip’, from the Greek ‘Philippos’, meaning ‘friend of horses’. A subtle nod to his brother Sleipneir
Cyrus – English, Biblical Latin, ‘far-sighted’ or ‘young’; chosen for the more obscure association of ‘king’[/ul]

Calum – Scottish, variant of ‘Columba’; ‘dove’. Funny, for a son of War

Alistair – Scottish, Anglicized ‘Alasdair’, from ‘Alexander’; ‘defending men’. Chosen for slightly demonic associations

[/b] – Spanish form of the Greek ‘Maximilianus’; blend of ‘Maximus’ and ‘Aemillianus’, Roman generals much admired
Raphael – Biblical Latin, ‘God has healed’. Name of an archangel, and a Catholic saint; Alistair’s Confirmation name[/ul]

Reyna – Spanish, variant of Reina, ‘queen’

Stephanie – German, feminine of ‘Stephen’; from the Greek ‘Stephanos’ meaning ‘crown’. Chosen for Amun-Ra’s position in Egyptian mythology

[/b] – English, from Old French ‘Aalis’, itself from Germanic ‘Adaleidis’; ‘noble’, ‘kind’ [/ul]

Castiel – Biblical Latin, ‘My cover is God’; variant of ‘Cassiel’, the Kabbalah archangel who watches the universe unfold

[/b] – Late Roman, from family name ‘Egnatius’ of Etruscan origin. Latinized to resemble ‘ingus’, fire[/ul]

Jasmine – French, derived from Persiam ‘yasamen’, describing the climbing flower

[/b] – Quenya, ‘half elven’[/ul]

Roxanne – French, variant of ‘Roxane’, variant of ‘Roxana’, ‘bright’ or ‘dawn’

[/b] – English, ‘favor’ or ‘grace’
Neveah – ‘heaven’ reversed; continuation of the ‘bright grace’[/ul]

Daniel – Many, chosen for Biblical roots; ‘God is my Judge’

[/b] – Biblical, ‘fruitful’[/ul]

Frank – diminutive of ‘Francis’, ‘Frenchmen’