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Muriel (given name)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Muriel
Muriel is an English name derived from Celtic elements meaning "sea" and "bright"
Pronunciation/ˈmjʊəriəl/ MURE-ee-əl
GenderFeminine
Language(s)English
Origin
Language(s)Celtic
Other names
Cognate(s)Muireall (Scottish Gaelic), Muirgheal (Irish)

Muriel /ˈmjʊəriəl/ MURE-ee-əl[1] is a feminine given name in the English language.

Origin/history

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The name is of Goidelic origin and was originally spelled as Muirgheal (muir "sea", gheal "bright") in Irish and Muireall in Scottish Gaelic. Various versions have long been evident in Breton, Irish, and Scottish Gaelic languages. The name was very common in medieval England, typically in the form of "Merial". Unusually for a name of Celtic origin, it remained common after the Norman Conquest, although rare from about 1300.

Remaining common in Scotland as Muriel, the name in this form was introduced back into England[2] in the mid-19th century, facilitated by Dinah Craik's 1856 novel John Halifax, Gentleman whose title character's daughter is named Muriel. Born in 1802, Muriel is said to be named "after the rather peculiar name of John's mother."[3]

The name Muriel was listed in the top 200 names from 1912 to 1933, with its highest rate of popularity in the 1920s.[4] Since that time, use of the name has declined and is now rare.

Notable persons with the given name

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Fictional characters

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Muriel". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 4 February 2011. which cited: Dictionary.com Unabridged, Random House.
  2. ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006), A Dictionary of First Names, Oxford Paperback Reference (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, pp. 199, 352, 406, ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1
  3. ^ Dinah Craik, John Halifax, Gentleman, Kessinger Publishing, p. 262.
  4. ^ "Muriel - Baby Name Meaning, Origin, and Popularity". Nameberry. Retrieved 2022-01-05.
  5. ^ Hilton, Lisa (2008). Queens Consort: England's Medieval Queens. London, UK: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 9780297852612.