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HelpName of the day and following up on Hildegard and Ethel
Today's name of the day: Walburga. To me, right along the lines of Hildegard and Ethel, really ugly and comical. Agree or disagree? Opinions on Walburga?
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I don't find Walburga or Hildegard particularly comical (can't really comment on Ethel), but that's probably because I know a few too many real-life bearers of these names. Hildegards anyway. The youngest of these Hildegards is in her mid-60s now, the others are in their 70s and beyond. The one Walburga that I know - who goes by Walli, by the way - is in her mid-80s.
I'm totally with you on the ugliness, though.
Um, it probably doesn't help that Walpurgisnacht - Walburga's Night - is kind of the German version of Halloween, does it? You know, it's the night when all the witches mount their brooms, fly to the highest, darkest mountain in the (German) East and do whatever witches do when they are having a party. And the non-witches party in the valleys and villages ;)
Just to stay with the supernatural theme, Saint Hildegard is also dubbed the "Sibyl of the Rhine", complete with visions throughout her life, writing books about it, writing books on natural medicine and cures, theology and other things, including a detailed description of the female orgasm (must have been somewhat scandalous back in the 1100s ;) ).
Still, none of this makes the names any prettier.
And now that I've dumped this useless, random "knowledge" on you all, I must go back to... actually studying *sigh* :/
I'm totally with you on the ugliness, though.
Um, it probably doesn't help that Walpurgisnacht - Walburga's Night - is kind of the German version of Halloween, does it? You know, it's the night when all the witches mount their brooms, fly to the highest, darkest mountain in the (German) East and do whatever witches do when they are having a party. And the non-witches party in the valleys and villages ;)
Just to stay with the supernatural theme, Saint Hildegard is also dubbed the "Sibyl of the Rhine", complete with visions throughout her life, writing books about it, writing books on natural medicine and cures, theology and other things, including a detailed description of the female orgasm (must have been somewhat scandalous back in the 1100s ;) ).
Still, none of this makes the names any prettier.
And now that I've dumped this useless, random "knowledge" on you all, I must go back to... actually studying *sigh* :/
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Yes, every bit as ugly as Hildegard, if not more so.
It would make a good name for a Wal-Mart-owned crappy McDonald's wannabe. Get Wally-Burgers at Walburgas.
It would make a good name for a Wal-Mart-owned crappy McDonald's wannabe. Get Wally-Burgers at Walburgas.
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I find its clumsy ugliness strangely fascinating, but only in a thoroughly medieval context. Usage in our world would constitute child abuse, but in its own world it fits just fine.
I know a non-English speaking Hildegard, and it's never bothered me or anyone else, but of course she's part of a different naming tradition. If you want a real horror story of a name, try Hildagonda for size! There was a well-known one, Hildagonda Duckett, in South Africa just over a hundred years ago who wrote a recipe book; don't think anyone's used the name since then, though.
I know a non-English speaking Hildegard, and it's never bothered me or anyone else, but of course she's part of a different naming tradition. If you want a real horror story of a name, try Hildagonda for size! There was a well-known one, Hildagonda Duckett, in South Africa just over a hundred years ago who wrote a recipe book; don't think anyone's used the name since then, though.
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