#history shows

[redd956]

My Suggestions for Military/History Related Media to Consume (1/?)

Band of Brothers:

Band of Brothers is an 8 long episode series, depicting the stories of American E Company during WW2. Although there are some noticeable inaccuracies in their stories, the overall performances and cinematography is wonderful. Some of the original E company veterans were also consulted in the creation. It is a brutal watch, and the first episode can be quite the slow burn. Overall the story is intriguing, historical, and brews food for thought.

Long, Long Holiday

Long, Long Holiday is a children's French cartoon about a family that lived on a town near Normandy beach during WW2. The story is incredibly sweet, but has is realistic unexpected turns. It follows the two main young characters, their group, and their journey as French patriots. It was incredibly adorable to watch, but the show takes itself quite seriously, and can easily be watched by all ages. It's not based off a true story, but instead the accounts of the French civilians who had to endure through the war.

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930, 1979, 2022)

All Quiet on the Western Front was originally an anti-war novel written in 1929. Everyone involved was quick to make a movie, and it took the world by storm. Quickly everything about was declared propaganda, unpatriotic, and dangerous thinking. It was banned in the country it was written in, Germany, as well as notably in Australia, United States, Italy, and Austria.

The film, it's two remasters, and the book itself are all great additions. It can easily be a hard brutal watch. The movie itself holds major historical influence. It's about German soldiers in WW1, the brutality of the war, and the propaganda that spread around. Both during the writing of the original book, and the first movie veterans on all sides, but especially the Germans and French were consulted. Americans also played a major role in creating the production. Many small graphic and heartbreaking details in the productions, come from these references. It is a great watch, especially if you are advocates for anti-war.

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

If the previous three didn't rip your heart to shreds, this one will, and will do so efficiently, brutally, and without mercy. I am not kidding this is an incredibly difficult watch. It will likely be the most difficult watch on this list. It is an anti-war Ghibli movie about low income Japanese children trying to survive after the atomic bombs dropped in WW2. It is counted as a tragedy, will make you cry, and doesn't hold back any punches. Incredibly graphic.

Girls und Panzer

For something far more light hearted, and less about actual history I suggest Girls und Panzer for our local military tank nerds. It's a competitive sports anime, but instead of being about an actual sport, it's about the worldbuilding of the Girls und Panzer world. Tanking is a symbol of feminine power, and the anime follows the adventures of an ex-tanker getting back into the sport in an attempt to save her school. It's very light hearted, fun, and the stakes are surprisingly high. The accuracy for the tanks is amazing too, which makes it just as fun. There's two seasons, and a movie.

[cinamun]

What a time to be alive.

Happy Black History Month to all and to all a good night ❤️🖤💚

[talesbythirupathi]

The 10 Greatest Mysteries on Earth That Defy Explanation

"Mysteries on Earth that remain unsolved" refer to strange or unexplained events, phenomena, or discoveries that scientists, historians, and researchers have not been able to fully understand or explain. These mysteries may involve paranormal activities, lost civilizations, bizarre disappearances, unidentified objects, or natural phenomena with unknown causes.”

The Bermuda Triangle: A Mysterious Region

The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the Devil’s Triangle, is a mysterious area in the North Atlantic Ocean, roughly forming a triangle between Miami (Florida), Bermuda, and Puerto Rico. It has become infamous for the unexplained disappearances of ships and airplanes, with no wreckage or distress signals often found. Despite many theories, the true cause of these vanishings remains unknown.

Famous Disappearances

Some of the most well-known cases include:

USS Cyclops (1918) – A U.S. Navy ship with 300 crew members disappeared without a trace.

Flight 19 (1945) – Five U.S. Navy bombers on a training mission vanished, along with a rescue plane sent to find them.

Star Tiger and Star Ariel (1948, 1949) – Two British aircraft disappeared while flying over the Bermuda Triangle.

SS Marine Sulphur Queen (1963) – A tanker ship with 39 crew members was lost, with only small debris found.

These incidents, along with many others, have fueled speculation about what could be causing such mysterious disappearances.

Possible Explanations

Magnetic Anomalies – Some believe the region affects compasses and navigation systems, leading to disorientation.

Rogue Waves – Massive waves, over 100 feet high, could easily sink ships and damage aircraft.

Methane Gas Eruptions – Underwater gas bubbles may reduce water density, causing ships to sink rapidly.

Extreme Weather – Sudden storms and hurricanes may explain many accidents.

Extraterrestrial Theories – Some believe UFOs, time warps, or even the lost city of Atlantis are involved.

The Voynich Manuscript: A Mysterious Book

The Voynich Manuscript is a 600-year-old book, written in an unknown language, filled with bizarre illustrations of unidentified plants, strange symbols, and astronomical diagrams. Discovered in 1912 by rare book dealer Wilfrid Voynich, it is considered one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in linguistics and cryptography.

The Mystery of the Text

The manuscript, believed to date back to the 15th century, contains around 240 pages of strange symbols and an undeciphered script that does not match any known language. Despite efforts by linguists, cryptographers, and AI researchers, its meaning remains unknown. Some believe it is written in a lost language, a coded cipher, or even a meaningless hoax.

Strange Illustrations

The manuscript features mysterious drawings, including:

Unidentified Plants – No known species match these botanical illustrations.

Astronomical Symbols – Complex star maps and zodiac-like diagrams.

Human Figures – Strange women bathing in interconnected tubes, possibly representing alchemy or biology..

Possible Explanations

A Lost Language – Some experts believe it is written in an extinct or unknown script.

A Complex Cipher – Others think it is an advanced code, yet to be cracked.

A Hoax – Some suggest it is a meaningless medieval prank.

Alien or Supernatural Origins – A few theorists even claim it has extraterrestrial connections.

The Dyatlov Pass Incident: A Chilling Mystery

The Dyatlov Pass Incident remains one of the most bizarre and unexplained tragedies in modern history. In 1959, nine experienced hikers from the Ural Polytechnic Institute embarked on a trek in the Ural Mountains of Soviet Russia. Days later, all were found dead under mysterious circumstances, with injuries that defied logical explanation.

The Discovery of the Bodies

Rescue teams found the hikers’ tent torn from the inside, as if they had fled in panic. Their bodies were discovered scattered across the snowy landscape, some in only socks and underwear, despite freezing temperatures. The most disturbing findings included:

Severe Internal Injuries – Some victims had broken ribs and skull fractures, similar to a car crash impact, but with no external wounds.

Missing Eyes and Tongues – Two hikers were found with missing eyes, and one had no tongue, raising suspicions of an attack.

Signs of Radiation – Traces of radiation were found on their clothing.

Possible Explanations

Avalanche Theory – A small snow slide may have forced them to flee, leading to fatal injuries.

Katabatic Winds – Powerful, invisible winds could have disoriented the hikers.

Military Tests – Some believe they stumbled upon secret Soviet experiments, exposing them to radiation.

Paranormal Theories – Some suggest UFOs, Yeti attacks, or even supernatural forces.

The Wow! Signal: A Cosmic Mystery

The Wow! Signal is one of the most intriguing space mysteries ever recorded. On August 15, 1977, astronomer Jerry Ehman detected a strong radio signal while scanning deep space using the Big Ear Radio Telescope at Ohio State University. The signal, which lasted 72 seconds, was so unusual that Ehman circled it on the printout and wrote "Wow!", giving it its famous name.

What Made It Special?

The Wow! Signal stood out because:

It came from deep space, near the constellation Sagittarius.

It was 30 times stronger than normal background noise.

It lasted 72 seconds, the exact time the telescope could listen to a fixed point before the Earth’s rotation moved it away.

It has never been detected again, despite multiple follow-up searches.

Theories Behind the Signal

Scientists have proposed several explanations, but none have been confirmed:

Extraterrestrial Origin – Some believe it was a signal from an advanced alien civilization trying to communicate.

Natural Cosmic Phenomenon – It could have been from a pulsar, quasar, or another unknown space event.

Earth-Based Interference – A radio transmission from a satellite or a secret military source might have caused it.

Comet Theory – Some suggest it was a signal reflected from a passing comet, though this remains debated.

Jack the Ripper’s Identity: A Chilling Mystery

In 1888, a serial killer known as Jack the Ripper terrorized the Whitechapel district of London, brutally murdering at least five women. His victims were often found mutilated, with their throats slashed and internal organs removed. Despite extensive investigations, the killer’s identity remains one of history’s greatest unsolved mysteries.

The Victims and Killings

The confirmed victims, known as the "Canonical Five," were:

Mary Ann Nichols (August 31, 1888) and Annie Chapman (September 8, 1888)

Elizabeth Stride (September 30, 1888) and Catherine Eddowes (September 30, 1888)

Mary Jane Kelly (November 9, 1888)

Possible Suspects

Over the years, many theories have emerged about Jack the Ripper’s true identity. Some notable suspects include:

Montague John Druitt – A mentally unstable lawyer who disappeared after the murders.

Aaron Kosminski – A Polish barber suspected due to recent DNA analysis of a blood-stained shawl.

Dr. Thomas Cream – A doctor convicted of poisoning women, though he was imprisoned during the murders.

Prince Albert Victor – A theory suggests a royal cover-up, though it lacks evidence.

Why Was He Never Caught?

Victorian-era forensic science was limited, and the police lacked modern investigation techniques like fingerprinting or DNA analysis. The killer’s sudden disappearance also deepened the mystery.

Despite countless theories, Jack the Ripper’s identity remains unknown, making him one of history’s most notorious and elusive criminals.

The Taos Hum: An Unexplained Sound

The Taos Hum is a mysterious, low-frequency humming noise reported by residents of Taos, New Mexico. First documented in the 1990s, this strange sound has puzzled scientists and researchers because only some people can hear it, while others perceive complete silence.

Characteristics of the Hum

Described as a low, distant droning noise, similar to a diesel engine idling.

Heard indoors more than outdoors. Most commonly reported at night.Only 2% of Taos residents claim to hear it.

Scientific Investigations

Numerous studies have tried to determine the source of the Taos Hum, but none have reached a definitive conclusion. Theories include:

Industrial or Electromagnetic Signals – Some believe the sound could be caused by power lines, radio waves, or underground gas pipelines.

Tinnitus – A medical condition that causes ringing in the ears, but this theory is unlikely since multiple people report hearing the same sound.

Geological Activity – Subterranean vibrations, shifting tectonic plates, or underground water flow could produce the hum.

Psychological Phenomenon – Some scientists suggest it might be a case of mass hysteria or heightened auditory sensitivity.

The Sailing Stones of Death Valley: A Natural Mystery

In Death Valley, California, large rocks mysteriously move across the desert floor, leaving behind long, visible trails in the Racetrack Playa, a dry lakebed. Weighing up to 700 pounds (318 kg), these "sailing stones" shift without human or animal interference, and no one has ever directly witnessed their movement.

Observations and Theories

For over a century, scientists and visitors have puzzled over this phenomenon. Early theories suggested strong winds, magnetic forces, or supernatural explanations, but modern research provides a more scientific perspective.

Wind Theory – Some believed powerful desert winds pushed the rocks, but their weight made this unlikely.

Ice Floe Theory – In 2014, researchers caught the stones moving on camera. They discovered that thin ice sheets form around the rocks on rare wet nights. As the ice melts under the sun, gentle winds push the floating ice, slowly dragging the rocks along the muddy surface.

Water and Mud Lubrication – Rainfall creates a slick surface, reducing friction, allowing wind or gravity to move the stones.

The First Recorded Movement

In 2014, researchers with time-lapse cameras finally witnessed the stones moving. Under the right conditions, thin ice sheets break apart and push the rocks at speeds of 2–5 meters per minute.

Though no supernatural forces are at play, the Sailing Stones remain a rare and fascinating natural event, proving how unique weather conditions can create seemingly impossible movements in the hottest place on Earth.

The Lost City of Atlantis: Myth or Reality?

The Lost City of Atlantis is one of history’s greatest mysteries. First mentioned by the Greek philosopher Plato in 360 BCE, Atlantis was described as a powerful and advanced civilization that mysteriously disappeared beneath the ocean thousands of years ago. Despite numerous theories and searches, its existence remains unproven.

Plato’s Description

Plato wrote about Atlantis in his dialogues “Timaeus” and “Critias.” He described it as:

A highly advanced society with great wealth, technology, and military power. Located beyond the “Pillars of Hercules” (believed to be the modern-day Strait of Gibraltar).A vast island nation that sank in a single day and night due to a great catastrophe, possibly an earthquake or tsunami.

Theories About Atlantis

Over the centuries, many theories have emerged regarding Atlantis’s possible location and fate:

Santorini, Greece – Some believe Atlantis was inspired by the Minoan civilization, which was devastated by a massive volcanic eruption around 1600 BCE.

The Bahamas / Bimini Road – Underwater rock formations near the Bahamas resemble ancient roads, leading some to link them to Atlantis.

Antarctica Theory – Some speculate that Atlantis could be buried beneath the ice of Antarctica due to shifting continents.

Pure Myth – Many scholars argue Atlantis was a fictional story meant to serve as a moral lesson about the dangers of greed and arrogance.

The Kryptos Sculpture Mystery: A CIA Enigma

The Kryptos sculpture, located outside the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, is one of the world's greatest unsolved cryptographic puzzles. Created by artist Jim Sanborn in 1990, it contains four encrypted messages. While cryptographers and intelligence experts have solved three of them, the fourth remains a mystery to this day.

The Structure and Its Codes

The sculpture consists of a curved copper sheet, covered in 1,800 characters arranged in an encrypted text. Sanborn collaborated with a former CIA cryptographer, Ed Scheidt, to design the ciphers, which incorporate techniques like transposition and substitution ciphers.

The First Three Solved Messages

Message 1 – A passage describing hidden information buried somewhere.

Message 2 – A reference to magnetic fields and their role in encryption.

Message 3 – A quote from Howard Carter, the discoverer of King Tut’s tomb, describing the moment of discovery.

The Unsolved Fourth Message

The final 97-character segment of Kryptos remains unsolved, despite attempts by world-class cryptographers, including those at the CIA and NSA. In 2010 and 2014, Sanborn released two hints, revealing that the words "BERLIN" and "CLOCK" are part of the final solution, possibly referencing the famous Berlin Clock (Set Theory Clock).

Why It Remains Unsolved

Highly complex encryption may involve multiple layers of ciphers.

Misleading elements could be designed to confuse solvers.

Unknown key needed for decryption remains undiscovered.

The Zodiac Killer’s Final Cipher: An Unsolved Mystery

The Zodiac Killer was a notorious serial killer who terrorized Northern California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He is linked to at least five confirmed murders, though he claimed to have killed 37 people. What makes him unique is his habit of taunting the police and media with coded letters and cryptic ciphers, some of which remain unsolved.

The Zodiac’s Ciphers

The Zodiac Killer sent four ciphers (known as Z408, Z340, Z32, and Z13) in letters to newspapers, daring the public to crack them:

Z408 (Solved in 1969) – This was the first cipher, solved by a schoolteacher and his wife. It contained a disturbing message about hunting humans for pleasure but gave no clues to his identity.

Z340 (Solved in 2020) – A team of cryptographers cracked this 51-year-old cipher, revealing a message mocking the police and claiming he was not afraid of capture.

Z32 (Still Unsolved) – This 32-character cipher is believed to contain clues about a bomb he threatened to plant, but its meaning remains unknown.

Z13 (Still Unsolved) – This is the so-called “My Name Is” cipher, which could contain the Zodiac's real name, but has never been cracked.

Despite scientific advancements, many mysteries on Earth remain unexplained. The Bermuda Triangle, the Wow! Signal, and the Dyatlov Pass Incident continue to baffle experts. Ancient enigmas like the Voynich Manuscript and the Lost City of Atlantis fuel speculation, while modern puzzles like the Zodiac Killer’s cipher and the Taos Hum remain unresolved. These mysteries challenge our understanding of history, science, and even the possibility of extra-terrestrial life. While researchers strive for answers, some of these phenomena may never be fully explained, reminding us of the vast unknowns still waiting to be discovered in our world and beyond.

[cryptocism]

"just as I did, in 1983."

you'd never know my favourite parts of the show are the fucked up insane bits when my first instinct is to draw the cheesiest thing imaginable

[infinitelystrangemachinex]

The stewards of the old world are always keen to give you a glimpse of their might... According to legend, the ancients built specialized chambers to seal away false prophets.

The Arcane is waking up.

[hinamie]

surprise it's yuri!!!in 2024

[starii-void]

going to chb must be crazy like imagine sharing a camp with

-one of the strongest demigods ever who's saved the world like at least 3 times, fought multiple gods & titans and WON (and is a tartarus survivor)

-the literal main architect of OLYMPUS who's also saved the world multiple times (also tartarus survivor)

-THE lord of the wild who's also close friends with the first two (and has helped save the world multiple times)

-an emo kid from the 1930s who again helped save the world and is also a tartarus survivor (TWICE)

-a son of apollo who survived tartarus with nothing but cargo shorts and sheer will (pun intended)

-the main designer and builder for the argo II, also the first hephaestus kid to have fire powers since hundreds of years ago (did i mention killed gaea? no? yeah he did that too)

-a girl who somehow charmspeak-ed gaea into falling back asleep (also side note daughter of super famous actor because why not)

-pretty much everybody is a two-time war veteran

-THE GOD APOLLO who just sometimes comes down to visit in the form of a teenage boy

-did i mention dionysus, god of wine madness and theatre

-also chiron, trainer of pretty much every greek hero ever

[weirdsociology]

hey writers we have to talk.

if you've read any romance or fanfic in the past twenty years (i know you have), you know that there are a certain number of scents associated with hot dudes. you can probably recite the list of Things Men in Fic smell like in your sleep: leather, black pepper, pine, sandalwood, "something uniquely him", clean sweat, and if the character has ever fucking been within 50 yards of a firearm, something called "cordite".

here's the thing.

NO ONE SMELLS LIKE CORDITE.

cordite was a highly specific type of smokeless gunpowder developed in the 1890s by england specifically and used mostly in wwi.

if your good-smelling guy is not (a) english (b) using a very specific type of british rifle (c) dying in a trench in flanders, he does not smell like cordite. technically even if he does meet all those conditions he still doesn't smell like cordite because he smells like trenchfoot.

the point is, cordite is so far from universal that no one but the most hardcore gun nerds give a single shit about it. making your Sexy Hero smell like cordite is like naming a cassette-only bootleg live recording from the 1970s as your favorite grateful dead album. everyone at the party hates you immediately and knows you're doing it for clout. also, it's just factually... wrong. please stop. i know everyone else is doing it, but you can do the right thing here, i believe in you.

so what do people who are using guns smell like?

well if your story is set before the late 1880s, the smell of a fired gun is black powder, which, unfortunately, smells like seventeen flatulent cows have been shoved in a tire factory. trust me, you do not want your Hot Dude to smell like black powder. it's b a d.

if your story is set after the late 1880s, guns are using some variety of modern 'smokeless' powder - which speaking broadly doesn't really have a ton of scent when used. it does have some, but it's sort of non-descript: the best way i can describe it is the sweet, ozone, hot-plate smell of popping your car hood with a warm engine.

people who use guns a lot don't smell like fired guns all the time anyway, so while those scents might work in a fight scene, they're not realistic all the time. but there are some things that your Sexy Shootist will smell like basically 24/7 and that's metal and gun oil. metal you can go and sniff (i recommend non-stainless steel), but if you want a reference, most gun oils have a sharp, organic smell that's not dissimilar to canola oil but muskier and with a tang overtop. it's not unlikely leather is in the mix as well due to routine handling of leather equipment and gear. modern gear also tends to have a certain smell although it varies by production country and storage conditions - lots of opportunities there.

in conclusion: gunslingers and hired killers and military folks can be sexy and smell great on page, but i am begging you not to say "cordite" when you mean "gunpowder" ever again. we can do this. we are writers and therefore pedants. i believe in us!

[yeoldenews]

A Guide to Historically Accurate Regency-Era Names

I recently received a message from a historical romance writer asking if I knew any good resources for finding historically accurate Regency-era names for their characters.

Not knowing any off the top of my head, I dug around online a bit and found there really isn’t much out there. The vast majority of search results were Buzzfeed-style listicles which range from accurate-adjacent to really, really, really bad.

I did find a few blog posts with fairly decent name lists, but noticed that even these have very little indication as to each name’s relative popularity as those statistical breakdowns really don't exist.

I began writing up a response with this information, but then I (being a research addict who was currently snowed in after a blizzard) thought hey - if there aren’t any good resources out there why not make one myself?

As I lacked any compiled data to work from, I had to do my own data wrangling on this project. Due to this fact, I limited the scope to what I thought would be the most useful for writers who focus on this era, namely - people of a marriageable age living in the wealthiest areas of London.

So with this in mind - I went through period records and compiled the names of 25,000 couples who were married in the City of Westminster (which includes Mayfair, St. James and Hyde Park) between 1804 to 1821.

So let’s see what all that data tells us…

To begin - I think it’s hard for us in the modern world with our wide and varied abundance of first names to conceive of just how POPULAR popular names of the past were.

If you were to take a modern sample of 25-year-old (born in 1998) American women, the most common name would be Emily with 1.35% of the total population. If you were to add the next four most popular names (Hannah, Samantha, Sarah and Ashley) these top five names would bring you to 5.5% of the total population. (source: Social Security Administration)

If you were to do the same survey in Regency London - the most common name would be Mary with 19.2% of the population. Add the next four most popular names (Elizabeth, Ann, Sarah and Jane) and with just 5 names you would have covered 62% of all women.

To hit 62% of the population in the modern survey it would take the top 400 names.

The top five Regency men’s names (John, William, Thomas, James and George) have nearly identical statistics as the women’s names.

I struggled for the better part of a week with how to present my findings, as a big list in alphabetical order really fails to get across the popularity factor and also isn’t the most tumblr-compatible format. And then my YouTube homepage recommended a random video of someone ranking all the books they’d read last year - and so I present…

The Regency Name Popularity Tier List

The Tiers

S+ - 10% of the population or greater. There is no modern equivalent to this level of popularity. 52% of the population had one of these 7 names.

S - 2-10%. There is still no modern equivalent to this level of popularity. Names in this percentage range in the past have included Mary and William in the 1880s and Jennifer in the late 1970s (topped out at 4%).

A - 1-2%. The top five modern names usually fall in this range. Kids with these names would probably include their last initial in class to avoid confusion. (1998 examples: Emily, Sarah, Ashley, Michael, Christopher, Brandon.)

B - .3-1%. Very common names. Would fall in the top 50 modern names. You would most likely know at least 1 person with these names. (1998 examples: Jessica, Megan, Allison, Justin, Ryan, Eric)

C - .17-.3%. Common names. Would fall in the modern top 100. You would probably know someone with these names, or at least know of them. (1998 examples: Chloe, Grace, Vanessa, Sean, Spencer, Seth)

D - .06-.17%. Less common names. In the modern top 250. You may not personally know someone with these names, but you’re aware of them. (1998 examples: Faith, Cassidy, Summer, Griffin, Dustin, Colby)

E - .02-.06%. Uncommon names. You’re aware these are names, but they are not common. Unusual enough they may be remarked upon. (1998 examples: Calista, Skye, Precious, Fabian, Justice, Lorenzo)

F - .01-.02%. Rare names. You may have heard of these names, but you probably don’t know anyone with one. Extremely unusual, and would likely be remarked upon. (1998 examples: Emerald, Lourdes, Serenity, Dario, Tavian, Adonis)

G - Very rare names. There are only a handful of people with these names in the entire country. You’ve never met anyone with this name.

H - Virtually non-existent. Names that theoretically could have existed in the Regency period (their original source pre-dates the early 19th century) but I found fewer than five (and often no) period examples of them being used in Regency England. (Example names taken from romance novels and online Regency name lists.)

Just to once again reinforce how POPULAR popular names were before we get to the tier lists - statistically, in a ballroom of 100 people in Regency London: 80 would have names from tiers S+/S. An additional 15 people would have names from tiers A/B and C. 4 of the remaining 5 would have names from D/E. Only one would have a name from below tier E.

Women's Names

S+ Mary, Elizabeth, Ann, Sarah      

S - Jane, Mary Ann+, Hannah, Susannah, Margaret, Catherine, Martha, Charlotte, Maria

A - Frances, Harriet, Sophia, Eleanor, Rebecca

B - Alice, Amelia, Bridget~, Caroline, Eliza, Esther, Isabella, Louisa, Lucy, Lydia, Phoebe, Rachel, Susan

C - Ellen, Fanny*, Grace, Henrietta, Hester, Jemima, Matilda, Priscilla

D - Abigail, Agnes, Amy, Augusta, Barbara, Betsy*, Betty*, Cecilia, Christiana, Clarissa, Deborah, Diana, Dinah, Dorothy, Emily, Emma, Georgiana, Helen, Janet^, Joanna, Johanna, Judith, Julia, Kezia, Kitty*, Letitia, Nancy*, Ruth, Winifred>

E - Arabella, Celia, Charity, Clara, Cordelia, Dorcas, Eve, Georgina, Honor, Honora, Jennet^, Jessie*^, Joan, Joyce, Juliana, Juliet, Lavinia, Leah, Margery, Marian, Marianne, Marie, Mercy, Miriam, Naomi, Patience, Penelope, Philadelphia, Phillis, Prudence, Rhoda, Rosanna, Rose, Rosetta, Rosina, Sabina, Selina, Sylvia, Theodosia, Theresa

F - (selected) Alicia, Bethia, Euphemia, Frederica, Helena, Leonora, Mariana, Millicent, Mirah, Olivia, Philippa, Rosamund, Sybella, Tabitha, Temperance, Theophila, Thomasin, Tryphena, Ursula, Virtue, Wilhelmina

G - (selected) Adelaide, Alethia, Angelina, Cassandra, Cherry, Constance, Delilah, Dorinda, Drusilla, Eva, Happy, Jessica, Josephine, Laura, Minerva, Octavia, Parthenia, Theodora, Violet, Zipporah

H - Alberta, Alexandra, Amber, Ashley, Calliope, Calpurnia, Chloe, Cressida, Cynthia, Daisy, Daphne, Elaine, Eloise, Estella, Lilian, Lilias, Francesca, Gabriella, Genevieve, Gwendoline, Hermione, Hyacinth, Inez, Iris, Kathleen, Madeline, Maude, Melody, Portia, Seabright, Seraphina, Sienna, Verity

Men's Names

S+ John, William, Thomas

S - James, George, Joseph, Richard, Robert, Charles, Henry, Edward, Samuel

A - Benjamin, (Mother’s/Grandmother’s maiden name used as first name)#

B - Alexander^, Andrew, Daniel, David>, Edmund, Francis, Frederick, Isaac, Matthew, Michael, Patrick~, Peter, Philip, Stephen, Timothy

C - Abraham, Anthony, Christopher, Hugh>, Jeremiah, Jonathan, Nathaniel, Walter

D - Adam, Arthur, Bartholomew, Cornelius, Dennis, Evan>, Jacob, Job, Josiah, Joshua, Lawrence, Lewis, Luke, Mark, Martin, Moses, Nicholas, Owen>, Paul, Ralph, Simon

E - Aaron, Alfred, Allen, Ambrose, Amos, Archibald, Augustin, Augustus, Barnard, Barney, Bernard, Bryan, Caleb, Christian, Clement, Colin, Duncan^, Ebenezer, Edwin, Emanuel, Felix, Gabriel, Gerard, Gilbert, Giles, Griffith, Harry*, Herbert, Humphrey, Israel, Jabez, Jesse, Joel, Jonas, Lancelot, Matthias, Maurice, Miles, Oliver, Rees, Reuben, Roger, Rowland, Solomon, Theophilus, Valentine, Zachariah

F - (selected) Abel, Barnabus, Benedict, Connor, Elijah, Ernest, Gideon, Godfrey, Gregory, Hector, Horace, Horatio, Isaiah, Jasper, Levi, Marmaduke, Noah, Percival, Shadrach, Vincent

G - (selected) Albion, Darius, Christmas, Cleophas, Enoch, Ethelbert, Gavin, Griffin, Hercules, Hugo, Innocent, Justin, Maximilian, Methuselah, Peregrine, Phineas, Roland, Sebastian, Sylvester, Theodore, Titus, Zephaniah

H - Albinus, Americus, Cassian, Dominic, Eric, Milo, Rollo, Trevor, Tristan, Waldo, Xavier

# Men were sometimes given a family surname (most often their mother's or grandmother's maiden name) as their first name - the most famous example of this being Fitzwilliam Darcy. If you were to combine all surname-based first names as a single 'name' this is where the practice would rank.

*Rank as a given name, not a nickname

+If you count Mary Ann as a separate name from Mary - Mary would remain in S+ even without the Mary Anns included

~Primarily used by people of Irish descent

^Primarily used by people of Scottish descent

>Primarily used by people of Welsh descent

I was going to continue on and write about why Regency-era first names were so uniform, discuss historically accurate surnames, nicknames, and include a little guide to finding 'unique' names that are still historically accurate - but this post is already very, very long, so that will have to wait for a later date.

If anyone has any questions/comments/clarifications in the meantime feel free to message me.

Methodology notes: All data is from marriage records covering six parishes in the City of Westminster between 1804 and 1821. The total sample size was 50,950 individuals.

I chose marriage records rather than births/baptisms as I wanted to focus on individuals who were adults during the Regency era rather than newborns. I think many people make the mistake when researching historical names by using baby name data for the year their story takes place rather than 20 to 30 years prior, and I wanted to avoid that. If you are writing a story that takes place in 1930 you don’t want to research the top names for 1930, you need to be looking at 1910 or earlier if you are naming adult characters.

I combined (for my own sanity) names that are pronounced identically but have minor spelling differences: i.e. the data for Catherine also includes Catharines and Katherines, Susannah includes Susannas, Phoebe includes Phebes, etc.

The compound 'Mother's/Grandmother's maiden name used as first name' designation is an educated guesstimate based on what I recognized as known surnames, as I do not hate myself enough to go through 25,000+ individuals and confirm their mother's maiden names. So if the tally includes any individuals who just happened to be named Fitzroy/Hastings/Townsend/etc. because their parents liked the sound of it and not due to any familial relations - my bad.

I did a small comparative survey of 5,000 individuals in several rural communities in Rutland and Staffordshire (chosen because they had the cleanest data I could find and I was lazy) to see if there were any significant differences between urban and rural naming practices and found the results to be very similar. The most noticeable difference I observed was that the S+ tier names were even MORE popular in rural areas than in London. In Rutland between 1810 and 1820 Elizabeths comprised 21.4% of all brides vs. 15.3% in the London survey. All other S+ names also saw increases of between 1% and 6%. I also observed that the rural communities I surveyed saw a small, but noticeable and fairly consistent, increase in the use of names with Biblical origins.

Sources of the records I used for my survey: 

Ancestry.com. England & Wales Marriages, 1538-1988 [database on-line].

Ancestry.com. Westminster, London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1935 [database on-line].

[thecinamonroe]

Marilyn Monroe behind the scenes of the “Jack Benny Show”, September, 1953.

[youtubevideopromotion]

Our spine-tingling video delves into the darkest corners of the past, exposing unsettling truths omitted from mainstream narratives. Through meticulous research, haunting visuals, and expert commentary, we bring to light macabre events that shaped our world. Whether you're a history buff or intrigued by the darker side of our past, this eye-opening exploration awaits. Don't miss the chance to confront unsettling truths history tried to bury. For more visit here

[sophiathefallen]

I think people underestimate the popularity of Steven Universe because I opened Tumblr today and Steven Universe is trending. So I think to myself, "is it a special day in Steven Universe's history?" Nope, the closest thing is a short was released this day in 2020. Ok, so then I wonder if any news came out about it. I check Rebecca Sugar's and Cartoon Network's social media. No Steven Universe posts. Finally, I decide to just click the tag and...the posts have nothing in common. The captions are all different, no characters dominate more than they normally do, it's just...another day on Tumblr. Steven Universe just be like that

[beggars-opera]

Hey since we're in the 20s again can we bring back heavy eyeliner for all genders please. Those silent film guys knew what was what