According to my Collins Gem Dictionary of First Names, 'Vivian' (Richards, Fuchs) is the male form and 'Vivien' (derived from French 'Vivienne') the female . 'Tennyson gave the name some vogue in the 19th century when he wrote the poem base on Arthurian legend called Vivien and Merlin.' But no doubt Tim has evidence that that distinction is not always kept!
I haven't read the Bronte novel, I'm afraid, but my information is that the eponymous Shirley was female - Shirley Keedar, an heiress of independent means, who ends up marrying Louis Moore. Wikipaedia says however:
Quote:
The title character was given the name that her father had intended to give a son. Before the publication of the novel, Shirley was an uncommon - but distinctly male - name and would have been an unusual name for a woman. Today it is regarded as a distinctly female name and an uncommon male name
Both Shirley and Evelyn are in any case arguably a bit different, because they were originally surnames (as was Leslie/Lesley) rather than male or female Christian names.
Evelyn Waugh's first wife was called Evelyn. They were known to their friends as the he-Evelyn and the she-Evelyn.
This post was last modified: 26-04-2014 11:31 PM by robin orton.
Search
Help
| 
