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ArchivesRe: looking for historical information
in reply to a message by nia
I found the following on a Welsh language site which seems to be legitimate:
http://www.bwrdd-yr-iaith.org.uk/en/cynnwys.php?cID=1&pID=157
NIA
The name Nia became popular following the success of T Gwynn Jones' lyrical 'awdl', Tir na n-Og, which was published in 1916. The 'awdl' is based on an old Irish legend, where the poet Osian falls in love with Nia Ben Aur.
My interpretation of the above would be that Nia was first used in Welsh when T. Gwynn Jones wrote a Welsh version of the Irish legend about Niamh in 1916. I think it's unlikely that it was used in Wales before then.
If your documentation doesn't have to deal with the Welsh derivation, I think your best bet would be to look for evidence of its use as a pet name in Italy or Greece pre-1600. Certainly Nia is used as a pet form of names like Antonia in those countries today, as exemplified by the Greek-American actress Nia Vardalos. But it may not be likely that Nia was used as a baptismal form before 1600 in those countries, either.
http://www.bwrdd-yr-iaith.org.uk/en/cynnwys.php?cID=1&pID=157
NIA
The name Nia became popular following the success of T Gwynn Jones' lyrical 'awdl', Tir na n-Og, which was published in 1916. The 'awdl' is based on an old Irish legend, where the poet Osian falls in love with Nia Ben Aur.
My interpretation of the above would be that Nia was first used in Welsh when T. Gwynn Jones wrote a Welsh version of the Irish legend about Niamh in 1916. I think it's unlikely that it was used in Wales before then.
If your documentation doesn't have to deal with the Welsh derivation, I think your best bet would be to look for evidence of its use as a pet name in Italy or Greece pre-1600. Certainly Nia is used as a pet form of names like Antonia in those countries today, as exemplified by the Greek-American actress Nia Vardalos. But it may not be likely that Nia was used as a baptismal form before 1600 in those countries, either.
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