Tabitha (Syriac) - "Clear-sighted." Although we read in Acts ix. 36 that the Christian widow of Joppa, whom St. Peter restored to life, was named "Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas," this is really a distinction in the names, the former being Syriac, and signifying "clear-sighted," while the latter is Greek, and means "a gazelle." Since she was famed for her needlework, sewing-parties have further immortalised her name under the title of "Dorcas meetings," also "Dorcas thimbles."

Tafline (Hebrew) - "Beloved." Welsh feminine contraction of Taffy, from David and Davy.

Tamar (Hebrew) - "A palm-tree."

Tamasine (Aramaic) - "A twin." English feminine of Thomas. Other forms are Tamzin and Tamzine.

Temperance (English) - "Temperance" or " Moderation." An abstract virtue name.

Terentia (Latin) - "Tender-hearted."

Teresa (Greek) - "Carrying ears of corn." Italian and Spanish form of the name. The English form is Theresa and the French Therese.

Teresita - Diminutive of Teresa.

Terisina - Polish variant. Terezia, Hungarian. This is one of the group of "harvest names," and comes from the Greek word for summer, and the verb to reap or gather in the crop.

Terpsichore (Greek) - Literally, "She that delights in the dance." Terpsichore was the muse of dancing, and, like Dorcas, has been remembered by the many "Terpsi-chorean societies" which flourish each winter. The name is actually derived from two Greek words, "terpsis" (pleasure), and "choros" (dancing).

Tertia (Latin) - "Third daughter."

Tewdews (Welsh) - "Divinely given." Welsh form of Theodore.

Thalia (Greek) - "Bloom."

Thecla (Greek) - "Divine fame." The English form Theokles - "Divine fame " - was an ancient heathen name, and in all probability Thekla or Thecla is the feminine contraction of this. St. Thecla is called by the Greeks the "Proto-martyress," as St. Stephen is the "Proto-martyr." According

Children to tradition, Thecla belonged to a noble family of Iconium, and was converted by the preaching of St. Paul. When persecution arose, she was exposed to the lions at Antioch, but instead of rending her they crouched down at her feet. What form her martyrdom ultimately took is unknown.

Thekla - German form.

Theodora (Greek) - "Divine gift." English and German form.

Theodosia - Popular variant of above.

Theophila (Greek) - "Divinely loved." English form.

Thetis (Greek) - "Sea-maid."

Thia (Greek) - "Divine one."

Thirza (Hebrew) - "Pleasantness."

Thomasia (Aramaic) - "A twin." Also Thom-asine.

Thora (Norse Teutonic) - "Thunder."

Thrine (Greek) - "Pure." German contraction of Katharine.

Thyra (Norse) - "Belonging to Tyr."

Thyrza (Hebrew) - "Pleasantness." English form of Thirza.

Tibbie (Hebrew) - "God's oath." Scottish contraction of Elizabeth.

Tibotta (English) - "People's princess."

Tienette (Greek) - "A crown." From French

Etienne (Stephen).

Tilly - Contraction of Mathilda ("mighty battle-maid").

Timothea (Greek) - "Fear God."

Timothee - French form of above.

Titania (Greek) - "Fairy queen."

Toinette (Latin) - "Inestimable." French form, contraction of Antoinette. Toinon - Another French form. Tracy (Greek) - "Carrying ears of corn." Trix (Latin) - "Blesser." Contraction of Latin

Beatrix. Other diminutives are Trixie and

Trixy. Trudchen (Teutonic) - "Spear-maid." Trude - Trudel and Truta are other forms. Truth (English) - "Truth." Tryphena (Greek) - "Dainty." Tryphosa - German form of above.

Uda - (Teutonic) - "Rich."

Ulla (Norse) - "Will."

Ulva (Norse) - "Wolf."

Una (Celtic) - "Famine." Also "One." The real meaning of Una is one "born in famine," but from its similarity to the feminine Latin "Una" (one) that meaning was given to it to the exclusion of its true one. Sometimes, even, the signification of "Truth" is given to it because Truth is one. The story of una and St. George forms the subject of a book of Spencer's "Faerie Queen."

Undine (Latin) - "Of the waves." German form. The delightful romance of "Undine," by La Motte Fouque, deals with the story of a beautiful water-nymph, who, like all her comrades, was created without a soul. By marrying a mortal she obtained one, but only at the price of accepting with it all the pains and penalties of the human race.

Unna (Icelandic) - "Woman."

Urania (Greek) - "Heavenly."

Uranie - French variant.

Ursa (Latin) - "A bear." From the Italian Orso and Orsino came the surname of the celebrated Roman family of Orsini. According to an old legend, Ursula was a British maiden, who, on her way to meet her betrothed husband, was driven from her route by adverse winds, and, after being shipwrecked on the German coast, finally reached Cologne. Here, she and her "eleven thousand virgin companions," so legend says, were slain by Attila, King of the Huns.

Ursel - English form.

Ursula - Popular English and German form.

Ursule - French variant. Ursola (Spanish).

Valburg (Swedish) - "Protection from death."

Valentine (Latin) - "Healthy." It is interesting to note that while Valentine is used both for masculine and feminine, it is the English form which is masculine, and the French the feminine. It is derived from the Latin "valeo," "to be sound," and also "to be worth," so that among the old Romans a sound, healthy man was necessarily valiant - i.e., worth something in battle. From the same root come our familiar "valour," and also "value." It seems a little curious that a celibate priest of Rome, St. Valentinus, should have become so intimately associated with the exchange of love-tokens given upon February 14; but it was because he attempted to impart a Christian signification to the old heathen custom of drawing lots for lovers in honour of Juno Februata, and succeeded in transferring the rather doubtful fame of the Goddess of Love to himself.

Valentina - Italian form. Valentina Visconti was the sister-in-law of Charles VI. of France, and famed for her purity of life in a corrupt Court.

Valeria - "Healthy." Italian and German of Valentine.

Valere and Valerie - French variants.

Vanora (Scottish) - "White wave."

Vara (Greek) - "A stranger." Illyrian contraction of Barbara."

Vashti (Persian) - "Venerable."

Venetia (Celtic) - "Blessed."

Venice - Another form of above. These two names are contracted forms of the Latin "benedictine,"and also the Russian "vene-dict" (Blessed).

Venus (Greek) - "Love." Venus was the Goddess of Love and Beauty, and presided over marriage.

Vera (Russian) - "Faith."

Verena (Teutonic) - "Sacred Wisdom."

Verena (Greek) - "True picture." The Latin and German form of the more familiar name.

Veronica - "True image." The name is really a compound of the Latin "verus" (true) and the Greek "eikon" (an image). The title was first bestowed upon a compassionate woman, who, touched by the Saviour's sufferings as He made His toilsome way to Calvary, wiped His brow with her handkerchief, and, for reward, found the likeness of His face imprinted on it.

Veronique - Favourite French form.

Vergilia (Latin) - "True Helpmeet."