Patches of Names

Martha, as with many "th"-sound names, was originally pronounced with a hard "t." Just remove the "h," and the first pronunciation endures.  Marta is the form used in several European nations, including Bosnia, Czechia, Sweden, Italy, and Spain. She has enough international flair to prevent her from tying to one culture. Well, if you think of Marta Von Trapp from The Sound of Music , the name gets an Austrian vibe.  Some of the most famous real-life Martas, though, are not Austrian (the real-life Von Trapp children's names were changed for the musical). Broadway actor Marta Abba hailed from Italy and Hollywood movie star Marta Eggerth from Hungary.  Even America has given us a few famous associations. First, Arthur Tracy released his song "Marta, Rambling Rose of the Wildwood" in 1931. The name entered the top 1000 the next year. In the middle of her fifty-four-year run came Marta Kauffman, who later created the TV series Friends .  Marta onl...

Maeve has long seen usage as a name in Ireland alongside associating herself with a few legendary queens. Her usage recently spread into the English-speaking world; the name has entered the United States top 1000 in 1997 and the top 100 in 2023. Alongside her Celtic heritage and legendary feminist background, Maeve sounds soft and feminine without being dainty or girly. She is also nickname-proof, a quality of most single-syllable names.  Prospective parents who find Maeve too popular, alongside casual name fans, will find this list of alternatives useful. The following names, all ranking below the top 100, capture enough of the name's appeal to win parents over: Bethan is a Welsh diminutive of classic Elizabeth. The "beth" sound makes this soft name feminine enough, while the ending prevents her from crossing into "girly" territory. Blythe has the same soft sound and lack of nicknames as Maeve. While this name has no legendary origin, Blythe brings up Gilbert o...