Songs Named After People (J-Z)
[continued post….] Merry Christmas Readers,
Our post today is about songs named after people. Musicians, like all artists, often produce art that revolves around the most important people in their lives. Per the Oxford Dictionary, a muse is simply defined as a "person or personified force who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist.” Some of the most famous muses in history include Emilie Louise Flöge (the partner of Gustav Klimt), Victorine Meurent (the lover of Édouard Manet), and Edie Sedgwick (the longtime friend of Andy Warhol).
Unfortunately, the muse-artist relationship tends to be a fraught one, with many of these relationships being toxic, acutely codependent, and tumultuous at the end. For instance, the photographer Dora Maar was known to be the longtime muse and lover of Pablo Picasso during the 30s and 40s. She went on to star in several of his portraits, most notably the Portrait of Dora Maar, Weeping Woman, and Woman Dressing Her Hair. With time though, their relationship deteriorated. Eventually, Picasso left her for a younger woman, which caused Maar to suffer a nervous breakdown and spend time in a psychiatric hospital. Following her relationship with the famous artist, Maar turned to Roman Catholicism, saying: “After Picasso, only God.’ (Artland).
Toxic relationships aside… we owe many thanks to muses (men and women!), who continually inspire artists to create better and more thought provoking art. Within the context of music, it seems every year a lucky crop of people are chosen to become the titles of songs. Before we begin, ask yourself: Have you ever searched, long and hard, for a good song that was named after you? Don’t be ashamed. We all do it. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to feel special, to pretend as if the musician wrote the song will only you in mind.
Well, today is your lucky day. We hope that you enjoy the curation of songs named after people below. And if your name doesn’t appear, maybe it will next year. Cheers!
CITATION AND CREDITS
Some facts were taken from Google and Wikipedia, but the vast majority of research about each name was sourced from the website www.ohbabynames.com. We’ve selected key quotes, but if you want more information about a certain name, click on the attached hyperlinks.
Check out the Spotify playlist for the full list of songs (including honorable mentions that didn’t make the cut!)
Juliette - 'Juliette is the French diminutive of Julie. Julie in turn is the French form of the Latin Julia (from the old Roman family name Julius). The name is etymologically derived from one of a couple places. For one, Julius is said to mean "downy-bearded, soft-haired" in old Latin which signifies a certain 'youthfulness' given the time of one's life when the first (soft) beard hairs grow. Secondly, the name Julius is believed to mean 'descended from Jove', another name for the Roman god Jupiter who presided over the Roman laws and social order.'
J
Judee - Judy, Judah. Judith is a feminine given name derived from the Hebrew name יְהוּדִית or Yehudit, meaning "woman of Judea". As a girls' name has its root in Hebrew, and Judee means "from Judea; Jewish". Judeeis an alternate form of Judith (Hebrew): biblical name. Judee is also a derivative of Judy.
K
Katherine - "Katherine is the typical English spelling of the French Catherine, a name made famous by a 4th century saint, St. Catherine of Alexandria, whose legend and cult grew during medieval times. The etymology of Catherine is debated, but the earliest derivative of the name is most likely the Greek Hekaterine, stemming from "hekateros" meaning "the far reaching one", suggesting that Katherine shares her roots with the Greek Titan Hekátē (Hecate), goddess of the wilderness, childbirth and the crossroads (see the name Catherine for more information)." I'm a fan of a lot of RAC's work. This song is much more mellow than some of his previous work. I recommend checking out his 2014 album, Strangers.
L
Lucy - Lucy is an English and French feminine given name derived from the Latin masculine given name Lucius with the meaning as of light (born at dawn or daylight, maybe also shiny, or of light complexion). Alternative spellings are Luci, Luce, Lucie, Lucia.
M
Maddy/Madeline - Meaning: Woman Of Magdala. The name Maddy means Woman Of Magdala and is of English origin. Maddy is a name that's been used primarily by parents who are considering baby names for girls. Diminutive form of Madeleine or Madison. Very outstanding and uniquely subtle song from French singer, Flavien Berger.
Mona - Mona as a girl's name is of Irish and Gaelic origin meaning "noble or aristocratic". It is also an Italian short form of Madonna.
Marika - Meaning: Of The Sea Or Bitter. The name Marika means Of The Sea Or Bitter and is of Polish origin. // Marika is a feminine given name of Polish, Greek, and Japanese origin. It has its origin in the Hungarian and Greek nickname for Maria, or its Silesian diminutive "Maryjka". // A variant of Maria with a "slavic" feel due to the diminutive -ka ending. Very popular in the 1970's in at least Sweden (alternate spelling: Marica) and Finland. Used also at least in Germany and Hungary.// In Hebrew it means Bitter, while in Japanese it means Jasmine or Jasmine tree.
N
Nancy - Originated as a pet form of Nan, which was originally a pet form of Ann (gracious, full of grace). Also, did you know that Father John Misty used to be an original member of Fleet Foxes, but left to do his own thing? Anyways, great song with great tempo changes.
O
Olivia - An elaboration of Olive (olive tree). The name was used by Shakespeare as the name of the heiress in the play Twelfth Night.// Livvy. Related names. Oliva, Olive. Olivia is a feminine given name in the English language. It is derived from Latin oliva "olive". Excellent John Mayer song. A win for all the Olivias out there.
P
Patricia - Feminine form of Patrick, which is from the Latin patrician (nobleman, an aristocrat).//Patricia is a common female given name of Latin origin. Derived from the Latin word patrician, meaning "noble", it is the feminine form of the masculine given name Patrick. The name Patricia was the second most common female name in the United States according to the 1990 US Census. "Oh Patricia, you've always been my North Star"
Q
Quito - Gender: Male. Origin: Spanish. Meaning: Fifth. The name Quito means Fifth and is of Spanish origin. Quito is a name that's been used primarily by parents who are considering baby names for boys. Okay, this songs probably about a place, not a person, but we included it anyways because it’s a good song.
Q
Quinn - 'Quinn is an Irish surname, essentially the anglicized form of the older Gaelic Ó Cuinn, meaning descendant of Conn. Conn, in turn, is a traditional Irish name meaning "chief, leader." Alternately, Quinn is also said to come from the Irish-Gaelic "ceann" meaning "sense, intelligence." A common Irish surname, Quinn is most often encountered in the North of Ireland, particularly County Tyrone. Historically, the Ó Cuinn clan served as quartermasters to the kings of Ulster for over four centuries (responsible for the supply of arms and provisions in both war and peace). As a forename, Quinn was first popularized in the United States and used freely on both genders. Today, Quinn remains unisex in America, although it is largely considered masculine in England and the Netherlands and feminine in Canada. Quinn could also be used as a short form of other Q names, like Quinten or Quincy.'
R
Rosealia - Rosalia is a feminine given name of Latin origin meaning "rose" and was the name of an early saint Saint Rosalia. In Latin, the Rosalia was a festival of roses celebrated variously throughout the Roman Empire. Better than Ezra's music video for Rosealia actually features Salma Hayek, which is interesting.
S
Shelia - Sheila (alternatively spelled Shelagh and Sheelagh) is a common feminine given name, derived from the Irishname Síle, which is believed to be a Gaelic form of the Latin name Caelia, the feminine form of the Roman clan name Caelius, meaning 'heavenly'.
Stephanie - 'The name Stéphanie was popularized by the French as a feminine form of the name Stephen which is derived from the Greek word "stephanos" meaning 'garland crown.' Stephen is found in the Bible as the first Christian martyr and as such, the first disciple of Jesus to receive the martyr's crown (or crown of glory). Like many names from the Bible, Stephen gained popularity in the Middle Ages when Christians bestowed Biblical or saintly names on their children as a protective measure. In some cases, popular male names would take on a feminine version. The name Stephanie became a particular favorite in the United States compared with other English-speaking counties.'
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Tatiana - 'Tatiana is a name of early Christian-Russian origin in homage to a 3rd century saint who was martyred in Rome for her Christian beliefs under the pagan Emperor Alexander Severus....The Eastern Orthodox Church (Byzantium Empire) embraced this story more so than the western Roman Catholic Church, which is how Tatiana became particularly popular in Russia, Eastern European and Slavic nations. St. Tatiana is the patron saint of students. The name Tatiana is actually the feminine form of an old Roman family name Tatius, from the Latin "tatianus" of unknown origin....Tatiana is still mainly used in Russia (with the pet form being Tanya) and other Slavic and/or Eastern European nations. English-speakers did not adopt the name until the late 20th century.'
U
Ulysses - "Ulysses is the Latin form of the Greek Odysseus, the mythological hero central to Homer's epic poem the "Odyssey" (written in the 8th century B.C.)....Ulysses also appears in this Latin literary masterpiece, but unlike the Greeks who glorified their heroic Odysseus, Virgil portrayed Ulysses as a "wrathful", self-indulgent and sinister Greek."
V
Violet - 'The name Violet comes from the Old French word "violette" by way of the Latin "viola" which indicates a certain kind of bluish-purple flower. Therefore, the vocabulary word denotes both the ornamental flower and the vibrant color. The violet flower is said to signify "modesty" and "faithfulness." Flower names became popular in the latter half of the 19th century and by the early 1900s, names like Violet, Rose, Lily, Viola, Daisy and Flora were all the rage. By the 1970s, flower names became passé but today are experiencing a revival once again.'
W
Winona - 'Winona is a Native American Indian name from "Winúŋna" meaning "firstborn daughter" or "eldest daughter" in the Sioux Dakota language. It was the name shared by both the wife and daughter of a well-known Sioux Chief, Wapasha III (c. 1816-1876), whose people lived on lands along the western banks of the Mississippi River in southeast Minnesota. Wabasha III, like his fathers before him, spent his life defending the land for his people in the midst of constant conflict and uprisings. Eventually they were forcibly stripped of their land and displaced to reservations in Nebraska and South Dakota. The region belonging to the Sioux Dakotas where Wapasha III once ruled as Chief is now located in Winona County, Minnesota (named after the Chief's firstborn daughter). As a female given name, Winona is mainly restricted to the United States (and probably some areas of Canada).'
X and Ys are missing for the time being until I can find good songs that I like... Coming soon...
Z
Zacharia - 'Zachariah is an English form of the Hebrew name Zekharyah meaning "Yahweh remembers". In the Bible, around the time the Persians conquered the Babylonians in the 6th century B.C., the Jews are allowed to return from exile and rebuild their temple. God realizes that the Israelites need a little motivation and calls upon the prophet Zechariah to help. In the Old Testament Book of Zechariah, the prophet reassures the people of Israel of God's continued covenant with them, and of His abiding comfort and care. In other words, Zechariah reminds the Israelites that "Yahweh remembers".'