Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Name of Thrones: Liechtenstein

Hello, readers!

Welcome to the fourth installment of my Name of Thrones series! I've been looking at modern monarchies from around the world and focusing on the names that don't have much use in the US. Princess and Queen have only recently left the top 1000, and I think that there are definitely more imaginative choices!

To Liechtenstein!


Notice that many of the male family members have Maria in their names! Many Christian monarchies include the name as a tribute to the Virgin Mary

Marie Aglaë - Princess of Liechtenstein
I've only come across this middle name once or twice, but I already love its classic French sound and the tréma over the last "e". Aglaë comes from the Greek for "splendor", and fits in nicely with vintage Agnes and Agatha. It has only been recorded in the US once in history: seven baby Aglae's were born in the US in 1992. 

Alois - Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein
A distant form of Louis, Alois is a handsome alternative. It means "famous in war", and it's a great sibling to the feminine Eloise. It's also distant from the fusty Aloysius. Alois has been incredibly rare in the US since the 1930's, but has the positive attribute of having a long history while maintaining its individuality. 

Joseph Wenzel Maximilian Maria - Prince of Liechtenstein, Count Rietberg
This young prince was named for ancestor Prince Joseph Wenzel Lorenz of Liechtenstein, who reigned during the eighteenth century. Wenzel is the German form of Wenceslaus (as in the Good King of song), meaning "great glory". I can see the similarities to Wendell, but I can't decide if either name is ripe for the picking. 

Marie-Caroline Elisabeth Immaculata - Princess of Liechtenstein, Countess Rietberg
Another name honoring the Virgin Mary, Immaculata means "pure" and has rarely been used in the US. It's very strongly Catholic, and could be an alternative to Chastity or Purity. Still, it's a difficult name to live up to, and would take a lot of explaining. 

Alfons Constantin Maria - Prince of Liechtenstein
I reviewed Alonso last week in my Top Names in Chile post, and now we'll look at another variant! Alfons means "noble and ready", and has been used more often in Romance-language communities. With Alfie getting popular in the UK, I think names like Alfred and Alfons might offer more formal long-form options. 

Moritz Emanuel Maria - Prince of Liechtenstein
A variation of the English Maurice, Moritz often conjures up images of the resort town in Switzerland. I think the name could work with today's geographical trends, as well as for its unusual -itz ending. The name means "dark-skinned", from the Moors. 

Georgina Maximiliana Tatiana Maria - Princess of Liechtenstein
Every name here has a feminine ending! Firstly, Georgina is a great alternative to Georgia, Regina, or Virginia. It could also honor a familial Gina. Maximiliana is a sweet, if slightly long way to get the nickname Max for your little girl - of course, Maxine and Maxima are other established options. Tatiana is a personal crush due its namesake, Tatiana Romanova (Anastasia's sister). 

Benedikt Ferdinand Hubertus Maria - Prince of Liechtenstein
None of these names are in the US Top 1000 (for boys, at least). Benedikt was named five years before Pope Benedict XVI ended his papacy, so that could be a religious honorific. Benedict has become better known in the US recently because of actor Cumberbatch. Hubertus is the Latin form of Hubert, meaning "bright-hearted". 

There are some really excellent choices here! Which are your favorites?

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