Mavis

Mavis is a feminine given name taken directly from the name of the song thrush bird, also known as the mavis (from Old French mauvis, of uncertain origin). The name was first popularized in modern times by British author Marie Corelli, who used it for the character Mavis Clare in her 1895 novel The Sorrows of Satan. In the novel, the name was described as "rather odd but suitable", as the character "sings quite as sweetly as any thrush". Before this literary revival, the word had already appeared in poetic works of the 19th century, such as Robert Burns's 1794 poem Ca' the Yowes (“Hark the mavis evening sang/Sounding Clouden's woods amang”) and the popular love song “Mary of Argyle” (c. 1850) by Charles Jefferys.

Popularity and Distribution

Mavis was a well-received name in the first half of the 20th century. It ranked among the top 100 names for newborn girls in New Zealand from 1900 to 1943 and in the United Kingdom from 1924 to 1944. In the United States, Mavis first appeared among the 1,000 most popular names for newborns after 1915, reflecting its cross-cultural appeal.

Meaning: Song thrush bird
Origin: Old French
Type: First name
Usage regions: English-speaking countries (United Kingdom, New Zealand, United States)
First modern use: Marie Corelli's The Sorrows of Satan (1895)

Meaning & History

Popularity and Distribution

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