Monica (given name)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Monica |
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|---|---|
| Gender | Female |
| Origin | uncertain |
| Related names | Monique, Monca, Monicka, Monika, Monike, Moniqua, and Monnica |
| Wikipedia articles | All pages beginning with Monica |
Monica is a female given name with many variant forms, including Monca, Monicka, Monika, Monike, Moniqua, Monique and Monnica.
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[edit] Name origin and history
Monica is an ancient name, possibly of North African or Phoenician origin, and its etymology is unknown. It has also been posited that it may have been derived from the Latin moneo, meaning "to advise". Saint Augustine's mother was named Monica, and she was born in Numidia, North Africa, although she also was a citizen of Carthage, hence the possibility it may be of Phoenician origin.[1] It has also been associated with the Greek word monos, meaning "alone".[2]
Saint Monica's feast day is 27 August, and Monica is the patron saint of married women.
One of the early occurrences of the name in literature is the character Monica Thorne in the 1858 novel Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope.[2]
[edit] Popularity
In the United States, the name's popularity reached a peak in 1977 when it was the 39th most popular female name for new births. The popularity has gradually waned since then, being 76th most popular in 1990, and 239th in 2005.[3]
[edit] Name day
In the European tradition of name day celebration, the date for the name Monica or Monika varies from country to country. In Hungary it is 4 May, as it is in Sweden. In Slovakia it is 7 May, and in the Czech Republic it is celebrated on 21 May.
[edit] Notable people named Monica
- Monica (singer) or Monica Arnold (born 1980), American singer
- Monica Bellucci (born 1968), Italian actress
- Monica Cruz (born 1977), Spanish actress
- Monica Dickens (1915-1992), British author of books for adults and children
- Monica Edwards (1912-1998), British children's author
- Mónica Falcioni (born 1968), Uruguayan long and triple jumper
- Monica Goodling (born 1973), former Director of Public Affairs for the U.S. Department of Justice
- Monica Horan (born 1963), American actress
- Monica of Hippo (322-387), Carthaginian saint
- Monica Lewinsky (born 1973), former White House intern who had an affair with U.S. President Bill Clinton
- Monica Naranjo (born 1974), Spanish singer
- Mônica Rodrigues (born 1967), Brazilian volleyball player
- Monica Seles (born 1973), former tennis player
[edit] Fictional characters named Monica
- Monica Thorne in Trollope's 1858 novel Doctor Thorne
- Monica Geller, fictional character from the TV show Friends
- Monica (Monica's Gang), the lead character from the Brazilian comic book Monica's Gang
[edit] See also
- Mona (name)
- Monica (disambiguation page)
[edit] References
- ^ Norman, Teresa (2003). A World of Baby Names. Perigee, 213. ISBN 0399528946.
- ^ a b Room, Adrian (2002). Cassell's Dictionary of First Names. Sterling Publishing, 467. ISBN 0304362263.
- ^ "Popular Baby Names", United States Social Security Administration, search term: "Monica". Retrieved 2008-02-04.
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