Moniker: The Histories and Mysteries of Names

What's the difference between a Pilgrim and a Puritan? And what do they have to do with Thanksgiving anyway?? We'll look at the roots of a beloved American holiday and how they connect with the Protestant Revolution.  Raise your drumsticks in a hearty Huzzah! 

Here comes Peter Cottontail! It's almost time for Easter!  But what does Easter mean? How did it get its name? Did the Catholics just piggy-back off a holiday for an ancient goddess?? Let's "hunt" down the answer together! 

I bet you know a lot of Kevins, but when was the last time you saw a baby named Kevin? Today we explore Kevins journey from Celtic Saint to American scamp. Learn just how popular (or unpopular) this name really is! Sources: Articles Children's names: Why rich parents set the trend, not celebrities - BBC News The Ossianic Society on JSTOR   What’s In A Name: The Surprising Rise And Fall (And R...

After a stupidly long hiatus we are back with more naming fun! Join us this episode for an in-depth look at the journey of orange, both the color and the fruit! Links: The Citrus Route Revealed: From Southeast Asia into the Mediterranean in: HortScience Volume 52 Issue 6 (2017) (ashs.org) orange | Search Online Etymology Dictionary (etymonline.com) The Origin of Oranges (arcgis.com) Oranges - Goog...

Ah the immortal Bard.  We can credit Shakespeare with many things: shaping the English language, bringing theatre to the common man, giving High School drama departments something to perform that's in the public domain. But can we credit Shakespeare for names like Jessica? We'll look at the complex (and racist) relationship between Britain and Judaism as we unravel the mystery behind  Sh...

It's an old story: The Vikings gave Greenland and Iceland their names to fool people. But is that actually true? Grab and oar on the dragon boat as we sail to the icy heart of this naming mystery! Sources: Articles: A BRIEF HISTORY OF GREENLAND - Local Histories Debunking the Naming of Iceland: How the Island Got its Name | The Horse and the Norse (wordpress.com) Erik The Red – The Raving, Re...

You've probably seen a meme circulating that shows the so-called "Princess Qajar."  It's a set of black and white photos showing an Iranian woman with a mustache, unibrow, and unusual clothes.  A typical caption reads something like: "this woman was a great beauty in her day. 13 men committed suicide after she spurned their advances!" We're meant to be shocked th...

She's pink! She's fun! She's complicated! The world loves Barbie. She's a staple of American girlhood. But how did Barbie get her name? Is Barbie a person or a species? When/why did Barbie become a derogatory  term against women? fire up your pink convertibles, because we're getting into the history of Barbie and the impact of her name on culture. Sources : Articles: Biogr...

1/8/22 Here's another Moniker Classic episode to start the New Year. We here at Moniker have been rethinking the format of the show for 2022 and will have updates soon. But don't worry! Lot's of naming fun is coming your way! -Megan Today we're going to mine the depths of the Golden State! Hopefully we'll find some good nuggets! It'll be a real rush! (I know, I hate m...

Kris Kringle! Saint Nick! Sinterklaas! Old...beardy! Children all over the world love Santa Claus. But how did he end up with so many names? Are they corporate creations or semblances of somber saints? Join us as we delve into the myths and traditions of Santa Claus. Cameo appearances by: Martin Luther, Charles I, and friend of the podcast Mickey Rooney! Sources: Articles: https://starkeycomics.co...

We're finally back with part two of the names from Jane Austen's Emma. Today we'll explore the histories and meanings behind the names of 3 male characters: Mr. Knightley, Frank Churchill, and Mr. Elton. Prepare for my unfiltered opinion on how much Frank and Mr. Elton suck! Special appearance by our old friend the Domesday Book! Sources : Articles: https://www.britainexpress.com/Hi...

Today we explore the mystery behind John Singer Sargent's enigmatic "Portrait of Madame X." Who was this mystery woman? Why did Sargent paint her? Why did he keep her identity a secret? Sources: Articles:  https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/12127   1884 – John Singer Sargent, Madame X (Virginie Gautreau) | Fashion History Timeline (fitnyc.edu) Olympia, One of the Most S...

What started as one creator's vision of the ultimate animated feature became a decades-long struggle resulting in a butchered direct-to-video throw away.  Join us as we discuss with Mandy Gearhart how Richard Williams' "The Thief, The Cobbler, and The Grand Vizier" became "The Thief and the Cobbler," "The Princess and The Cobbler," and "Arabian Knight.&...

How much do we know about the young Native American woman who helped Lewis and Clark explore the west? Today we try to separate fact from fiction as we explore who Sacagawea was in real life, her mythic legend, and how the heck her name should be pronounced.    Sources: Articles: https://www.sdhspress.com/journal/south-dakota-history-8-4/sacajawea-sacagawea-sakakawea/vol-08-no-4-sacajawea-sacagawe...

Medical names are weird. Like who decided that it all had to be in Latin? We'll look at two medical terms that are a lot more serious than their silly-sounding names imply. Our journey will take us from ancient Egypt, to the caravans of the Crusades, to modern medical innovation. Watch out for pirates! Articles: https://cambridgelibrarycollection.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/a-treatise-on-the-scu...

Hello peeps! This week we'll be re-airing our classic episode all about how the wonderful state of Oregon got it's name.  Some beefy new episodes are in the works so stay tuned for lots of fun new naming stories!

If you like reading books that really make you work for it, you may have ventured into the world of Russian literature. Anna Karenina is my personal favorite. What's weird about the works of the most famous Russian authors like Tolstoy is the sociopolitical structure they describe. Why are there so many princes and princesses in the great works of Russian literature? Join us on a journey thou...

Today we'll dive into Jane Austen's Emma and investigate the meanings of the names of three of the main women: Emma Woodhouse, Harriet Smith, and Jane Fairfax. What is the history of these surnames? What do the names tell us about their characters? Did Austen do this intentionally? Was Jane Austen a wizard? We'll attempt to answer these and many more questions in our first foray int...

We see hundreds of them in a day! But how did Memes and GIFs get their names? Did they exist before social media? And what on earth is the correct way to pronounce GIF?? We'll answer these and more questions as we look at the histories of these internet giants. Watch for detours into the "web" of the 90s! Sources : Websites: www.techipages.com www.dictionary.com www.waybackmachine.c...

If you have a tiny bit of Latin in your naming toolbelt, you can see how Mortimer seems like it has to do with the dead sea: Mort=death and mer=sea. But is this the whole story?? Why on earth would that be a person's name? Why is Mortimer both a last name and a first name? And why are so many pop culture jerks named Mortime? We will attempt to answer all of these questions as we take the wind...

In an episode inspired by a stupid quote from the movie Hercules, we aim to trace the popularity of the 90s darlings Jason and Brittany. But were these names as big in the 90s as we think? Join me as I go down the naming rabbit hole from ancient Greece to Watergate! Sources : Websites: www.ssa.gov www.imdb.com www.behindthename.com www.britannica.com www.kingjamesbibledictionary.com Articles: http...

Today we're going to mine the depths of the Golden State! Hopefully we'll find some good nuggets! It'll be a real rush! (I know, I hate me too). More to explore on the Latino/a and Mexican American experience of California : Anthology of works by Los Angeles-based Latino/Hispanic writers https://losangelesliterature.wordpress.com/2016/10/04/latinoa-writers-of-los-angeles-and-souther...

Today I'm joined by my sister and favorite collaborator Mandy Gearhart (still technically Bozart but hey, who cares). We'll explore the trajectories of our names from their Greek and Latin roots to their late 20th century explosions. Beware of detours into pop culture and snacks! Sources: Articles:  https://www.genealogy.com/articles/research/35_donna.html https://datawookie.dev/blog/201...

What do you think of when you hear the word Bohemian? Do you think of a province of Czechia? Me neither. You probably think of Moulin Rouge, La Boheme, and Rent (yuck), right? So how did the word Bohemian become avante garde? Join me as we dissect the origins of this regional name and how its meaning changed over the centuries! Please like and subscribe! Sources: Articles: Houfek, S. (2020). A Rea...

Today we kick off our Moniker Miniseries on How the States Got Their Names! We'll start with my home state of Oregon. No one knows for sure how Oregon got its name but historians have provided us with some pretty cool theories. Join us on a journey through Native American economics, European fur wars, and academic bickering!    Sources: Websites: https://oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/oregon...