Sigourney: choosing a name with historical strength
June 15th 2008 10:04
Sigourney Weaver was born Susan Alexandra Weaver in New York City in 1949 and began using the stage name "Sigourney Weaver" in 1963, aged fourteen, after a character in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby.
Sigourney Weaver's mother was British former actress and her father was an NBC television executive. The name "Susan" was extremely popular at the time but the name "Sigourney" and its origins seem to suit the distinctive actress who fought off the Alien with wit and might.
The name "Susan" is a form of Susanna, deriving originally from Middle Egyptian word for lotus flower (or lily). Susan is the English form, Suzanne is French, and Susana is Spanish.
The name was first reported around 2000 B.C. The Hebrew root for the name for the lily is derived from the root meaning to be joyful, bright, or cheerful, which is the basis for the word and name Sasson, meaning Joy.
In 1949 "Susan" was the 5th most popular name for girls in the USA, by 1963 it is the 3rd most popular, last year it was ranked 644. The name "Sigourney" has never entered the top 1000 most popular girls names in the last hundred years.
The name "Sigourney" means The Conqueror or Triumphant Conquerer, its origin is Scandinavian. "Sigourney" is also considered Old Norse for Victory.
Scandinavia includes Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The other Nordic countries, Finland and Iceland, are sometimes included because of their close historic and cultural connections to Scandinavia. Their inclusion stems from the seemingly interchangeable nature of the terms 'Nordic' and 'Scandinavian'.
In linguistics and cultural studies, the definition of Scandinavia is expanded to include the areas where Old Norse was spoken and where the North Germanic languages are now dominant. As a linguistic and cultural concept, Scandinavia thus also includes Iceland the Faroe Islands and Swedish speaking parts of Finland. As a cultural and historical concept, Scandinavia can include Finland as well (of the larger region Fenno-Scandinavia), often with reference to the nation's long history as a part of Sweden.
The book "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald was published in 1925 and depicts the materialism of the roaring 20s in New York. One of the characters is Jordan Baker who is a professional golfer and love interest of the narrator, Nick, and old friend of his cousin Daisy. Fitzgerald told Maxwell Perkins that her character was based on the golfer Edith Cummings, a friend of Ginevra King. The character of Jordan Baker reveals that she lives with her aunt "Sigourney Howard" in Chapter 3
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (1896-1940) was an American writer of novels and short stories. He is widely regarded as one of the twentieth century's great writers. He finished four novels, left a fifth unfinished
It is possible that Fitzgerald's inspiration for the character name "Sigourney Howard" was the American poet Lydia Sigourney.
Lydia Huntley Sigourney née Lydia Howard Huntley (1791-1865) was an extremely popular American poet during the early and mid 19th century. She was commonly known as the "Sweet Singer of Hartford." Most of her works were published with just her married name Mrs. Sigourney. Mrs. Sigourney was born in Norwich, Connecticut to Ezekiel Huntley and Zerviah Wentworth. Their only child, she was named after her father's first wife, Lydia Howard, who had died soon after marrying Ezekiel.
"Sigourney" as a surname originated from French Huguenots who emigrated to the USA in the 17th century, the first arriving in 1624.
From the 16th to the 18th century the name Huguenot was applied to a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of France, historically known as the French Calvinists. The exodus of Huguenots from France created a kind of brain drain from which the kingdom did not fully recover for years. The French crown's refusal to allow Protestants to settle in New France was a factor behind that colony's slow population growth, which ultimately led to its conquest by the British. Persecution of Protestants continued in France after 1724, but ended in 1787 (Edict of Toleration) and the French Revolution of 1789 finally made them full-fledged citizens.
In reaction to the growing Huguenot influence, and instances of Protestant zeal, Catholic violence against them grew, at the same time that concessions and edicts of toleration became more liberal. Tensions led to eight civil wars, interrupted by periods of relative calm, between 1562 and 1598. With each break in peace, the Huguenots' trust in the Catholic throne diminished, and the violence became more severe, and Protestant demands became grander, until a lasting cessation of open hostility finally occurred in 1598. By 1562, the estimated number of Huguenots had passed one million, concentrated mainly in the southern and central parts of the country. The Huguenots in France likely peaked in number at approximately two million, compared to approximately sixteen million Catholics during the same period.
Huguenots refugees found a safe haven in the Lutheran and Reformed states in Germany and Scandinavia in the early 1500s. Nearly 44,000 Huguenots established themselves in Germany, and particularly in Prussia where many of their descendents rose to positions of prominence. Several congregations were founded, such as the Fredericia (Denmark), Berlin, Stockholm, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Emden.
Barred from settling in New France, many Huguenots moved instead to the Dutch colony New Netherland later incorporated into New York and New Jersey and the 13 colonies of Great Britain in North America, the first in 1624. Huguenot immigrants founded New Paltz, New York, where is now located the oldest street in the current United States of America with the original stone houses, and New Rochelle, New York.
In Nordic languages, the patronymic was formed by using the ending -son, -sen, -dotter, -datter etc. The use of Scandinavian-style patronymics, particularly in its Danish variation with the ending -sen, was also widespread in northern Germany. This reflects the strong influence of Scandinavia in this part of Germany during the centuries. A father's first name is easily determinable when his children bear a patronymic; however, migration has frequently resulted in a switch from a patronymic to a family name due to different local customs. Most immigrants adapt as soon as birth, marriage, and death certificates must be written. Depending on the countries concerned, family research in the nineteenth century or earlier needs to take this into account.
In France they began using surnames (family names) in the 11th Century as a second identifying name for people with the same first name. Family names were originally derived from patronymics, occupations, physical descriptions, or geographic origins.
So somewhere in the mix of intelligent French religious rebels and Old Norse/Scandanavian warriors the name Sigourney managed to travel over to the USA and be passed down through some literary legends all the way to the silver screen.
Sometimes the uncommon things in life are the most interesting!
Sigourney Weaver's mother was British former actress and her father was an NBC television executive. The name "Susan" was extremely popular at the time but the name "Sigourney" and its origins seem to suit the distinctive actress who fought off the Alien with wit and might.
Alien 1979
The name "Susan" is a form of Susanna, deriving originally from Middle Egyptian word for lotus flower (or lily). Susan is the English form, Suzanne is French, and Susana is Spanish.
The name was first reported around 2000 B.C. The Hebrew root for the name for the lily is derived from the root meaning to be joyful, bright, or cheerful, which is the basis for the word and name Sasson, meaning Joy.
In 1949 "Susan" was the 5th most popular name for girls in the USA, by 1963 it is the 3rd most popular, last year it was ranked 644. The name "Sigourney" has never entered the top 1000 most popular girls names in the last hundred years.
The name "Sigourney" means The Conqueror or Triumphant Conquerer, its origin is Scandinavian. "Sigourney" is also considered Old Norse for Victory.
Alien Resurrection 1997
Scandinavia includes Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The other Nordic countries, Finland and Iceland, are sometimes included because of their close historic and cultural connections to Scandinavia. Their inclusion stems from the seemingly interchangeable nature of the terms 'Nordic' and 'Scandinavian'.
In linguistics and cultural studies, the definition of Scandinavia is expanded to include the areas where Old Norse was spoken and where the North Germanic languages are now dominant. As a linguistic and cultural concept, Scandinavia thus also includes Iceland the Faroe Islands and Swedish speaking parts of Finland. As a cultural and historical concept, Scandinavia can include Finland as well (of the larger region Fenno-Scandinavia), often with reference to the nation's long history as a part of Sweden.
The book "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald was published in 1925 and depicts the materialism of the roaring 20s in New York. One of the characters is Jordan Baker who is a professional golfer and love interest of the narrator, Nick, and old friend of his cousin Daisy. Fitzgerald told Maxwell Perkins that her character was based on the golfer Edith Cummings, a friend of Ginevra King. The character of Jordan Baker reveals that she lives with her aunt "Sigourney Howard" in Chapter 3
As I waited for my hat in the hall the door of the library opened and Jordan Baker and Gatsby came out together. He was saying some last word to her but the eagerness in his manner tightened abruptly into formality as several people approached him to say goodbye.
Jordan's party were calling impatiently to her from the porch but she lingered for a moment to shake hands.
"I've just heard the most amazing thing," she whispered. "How long were we in there?"
"Why,--about an hour."
"It was--simply amazing," she repeated abstractedly. "But I swore I wouldn't tell it and here I am tantalizing you." She yawned gracefully in my face. "Please come and see me. . . . Phone book. . . . Under the name of Mrs. Sigourney Howard. . . . My aunt. . . ." She was hurrying off as she talked--her brown hand waved a jaunty salute as she melted into her party at the door.
Jordan's party were calling impatiently to her from the porch but she lingered for a moment to shake hands.
"I've just heard the most amazing thing," she whispered. "How long were we in there?"
"Why,--about an hour."
"It was--simply amazing," she repeated abstractedly. "But I swore I wouldn't tell it and here I am tantalizing you." She yawned gracefully in my face. "Please come and see me. . . . Phone book. . . . Under the name of Mrs. Sigourney Howard. . . . My aunt. . . ." She was hurrying off as she talked--her brown hand waved a jaunty salute as she melted into her party at the door.
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (1896-1940) was an American writer of novels and short stories. He is widely regarded as one of the twentieth century's great writers. He finished four novels, left a fifth unfinished
It is possible that Fitzgerald's inspiration for the character name "Sigourney Howard" was the American poet Lydia Sigourney.
Lydia Huntley Sigourney née Lydia Howard Huntley (1791-1865) was an extremely popular American poet during the early and mid 19th century. She was commonly known as the "Sweet Singer of Hartford." Most of her works were published with just her married name Mrs. Sigourney. Mrs. Sigourney was born in Norwich, Connecticut to Ezekiel Huntley and Zerviah Wentworth. Their only child, she was named after her father's first wife, Lydia Howard, who had died soon after marrying Ezekiel.
"Sigourney" as a surname originated from French Huguenots who emigrated to the USA in the 17th century, the first arriving in 1624.
From the 16th to the 18th century the name Huguenot was applied to a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of France, historically known as the French Calvinists. The exodus of Huguenots from France created a kind of brain drain from which the kingdom did not fully recover for years. The French crown's refusal to allow Protestants to settle in New France was a factor behind that colony's slow population growth, which ultimately led to its conquest by the British. Persecution of Protestants continued in France after 1724, but ended in 1787 (Edict of Toleration) and the French Revolution of 1789 finally made them full-fledged citizens.
A Huguenot by John Everett Millais - a French Huguenot and his Catholic wife on the eve of the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre
In reaction to the growing Huguenot influence, and instances of Protestant zeal, Catholic violence against them grew, at the same time that concessions and edicts of toleration became more liberal. Tensions led to eight civil wars, interrupted by periods of relative calm, between 1562 and 1598. With each break in peace, the Huguenots' trust in the Catholic throne diminished, and the violence became more severe, and Protestant demands became grander, until a lasting cessation of open hostility finally occurred in 1598. By 1562, the estimated number of Huguenots had passed one million, concentrated mainly in the southern and central parts of the country. The Huguenots in France likely peaked in number at approximately two million, compared to approximately sixteen million Catholics during the same period.
Huguenots refugees found a safe haven in the Lutheran and Reformed states in Germany and Scandinavia in the early 1500s. Nearly 44,000 Huguenots established themselves in Germany, and particularly in Prussia where many of their descendents rose to positions of prominence. Several congregations were founded, such as the Fredericia (Denmark), Berlin, Stockholm, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Emden.
Barred from settling in New France, many Huguenots moved instead to the Dutch colony New Netherland later incorporated into New York and New Jersey and the 13 colonies of Great Britain in North America, the first in 1624. Huguenot immigrants founded New Paltz, New York, where is now located the oldest street in the current United States of America with the original stone houses, and New Rochelle, New York.
In Nordic languages, the patronymic was formed by using the ending -son, -sen, -dotter, -datter etc. The use of Scandinavian-style patronymics, particularly in its Danish variation with the ending -sen, was also widespread in northern Germany. This reflects the strong influence of Scandinavia in this part of Germany during the centuries. A father's first name is easily determinable when his children bear a patronymic; however, migration has frequently resulted in a switch from a patronymic to a family name due to different local customs. Most immigrants adapt as soon as birth, marriage, and death certificates must be written. Depending on the countries concerned, family research in the nineteenth century or earlier needs to take this into account.
Valkyrien (1969) by Peter Nicolai Arbo (Norway 1831-1892)
In France they began using surnames (family names) in the 11th Century as a second identifying name for people with the same first name. Family names were originally derived from patronymics, occupations, physical descriptions, or geographic origins.
So somewhere in the mix of intelligent French religious rebels and Old Norse/Scandanavian warriors the name Sigourney managed to travel over to the USA and be passed down through some literary legends all the way to the silver screen.
Sometimes the uncommon things in life are the most interesting!
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Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
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i love sigourney weaver.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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Artist Quirk
welcome to my weird and wonderful mind!
it stems from my obsession with semantics of course, i like to know what everything means, and what it used to mean . . . and i generally like to go off on a tangent! haha
the thing i find most interesting about america is how it is essentially founded on religious refugees who were escaping persecution . . . i think alot of current citizens of the USA forget that their founding fathers were seeking freedom from church led states etc
but the legacy is still there in a few names, and you cant get more of a famous ballsy female than sigourney!
Comment by Bill Green
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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thanks for the vote of support!
i do admire Sigourney, she is a fantastic role model, and i think she chose a name that does her justice!
Comment by Jason King
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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oh im so jealous!
Sigourney is a legend and one of the few women in Hollywood that get to play real gritty fleshed-out female characters
i want a an autographed pic!
Comment by Cheryl J
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I admire people that change their names to something with meaning to them and Sigourney is so much more interesting than Susan. I'd love to change mine but I've left it way too long so I'm stuck with it now.
The historical background was brilliant. Great research!
Comment by Morgan Bell
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i couldnt imagine having a different name . . . but i guess if you changed it when you were 14 it would probably be easier to get used to!
thanks for having a read of my little research tangent!
Comment by Cheryl J
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Budget Centsability
Comment by Morgan Bell
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