Louise

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HISTORY AND ORIGIN

Louise is of French or old German origin and its meaning is universally accepted as renowned fighter or warrior maiden. It is feminine version of the masculine names Louis and Ludwig^[1] and if the name wasn't in common usage before Charlemagne named his third son, Louis, in 778 AD, it certainly would have been shortly after. Louis succeeded his father and became emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 813; an empire that included both Germany and parts of France which serves to explain a German/French origin.^[1]

POPULARITY

Louise was a very popular name in the 1800s. That popularity extended well into the 1900s, being ranked in the top 50 from 1910 to 1940, peaking at 18 between 1910 and 1920, before starting its decline in 1940. The name dropped out of the top 200 in 1960 and then fell out of the top 1000 by 1990.^[1] Although Louise can also be a surname it was not listed among the top 1000 names in United States according to 2000 census.

FACTS

• Gustave Charpentier composed an opera, Louise, first performed in Paris at the Opera-Comique on February 2, 1900. It was a popular opera then and can even be found being performed today. There was also a film version made in 1939. ^[1]

• Barbara Mandrell's younger sister, Louise Mandrell's first name is actually Thelma. Louise followed in her sister's footsteps and had a successful career in Country Music. She was also part of her sisters TV variety show, Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters, and is considered one of the most successful singers of the 1980s. ^[1]

FAMOUS PERSONS

• Tina Louise, the actress famous for playing Ginger on Gilligan's Island, started out as a nightclub singer and studied drama at the Actor's Studio. Although she had some small parts on Broadway and appeared in some low budget films, her most significant role was that of the marooned actress trying to make a life with the other castaways.^[1]

• Louise Brooks was an American actress of the silent film era. Her given name was Mary Louise Brooks and she played the lead female in several comedies films including It's the Old Army Game with W.C. Fields. She left Hollywood in 1928 after making Beggars of Life and moved to Germany where she made three films for G.W. Pabst. Her German films are considered some of the best of the silent age and her portrayal of Lulu the protagonist of Pandora's Box is consider by to be one of the great performances in film history. In the fifties her films were rediscovered by French film historians who believe her to be as great an actress as Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo. ^[1]

• Louise Bryant was an American journalist who held to Marxist beliefs and wrote articles and essays promoting a radically liberal political and feminist agenda. In 1917, she and fellow journalist, John Reed, traveled to Russia to support the Communist revolution that was changing the world's political landscape. It was her relationship with John Reed that was the subject of the 1981 movie Reds starring Diane Keaton and Warren Beatty. ^[1]

NAMESAKES

• Louise, Texas is a town located 80 miles South of Houston and was named for Colonel Hungerford's daughter Louise. Hungerford was a vice president of a railroad and the towns of Edna, Hungerford, Telferner, and MacKay were also named for his family members when the railroad came through in 1881. ^[1]

• Lake Louise is one of the attractions to Canada's Banff National Park. The beautiful lake set before the Victoria Glacier was named for Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, Queen Victoria's fourth daughter ^[1]

OTHER LOUISE'S

Louise Smith, Louise Johnson, Louise Williams, Louise Jones, Louise Brown, Louise Davis, Louise Miller, Louise Wilson, Louise Moore, Louise Taylor, Louise Aakre, Louise Aamodt, Louise Abarca, Louise Abate, Louise Abatemarco, Louise Abbas, Louise Abbey, Louise Abbondola, Louise Abbruzzese, Louise Abdalla, Louise Abdella, Louise Abdo, Louise Abdou, Louise Abdul, Louise Valerie, Louise A-belisle, Louise Aalto, Louise Aalund, Louise Aamot, Louise Aanenson, Louise Aaron, Louise Aarons, Louise Aavang, Louise Abadie, Louise Abara, Louise Abato, Louise Abbate, Louise Abbene, Louise Abberger, Louise Abbinanti, Louise Abbottjoseph, Louise Abdow, Louise Abdulkader, Louise Abe, Louise Abeal, Louise Abeel, Louise Abel, Louise Abeling, Louise Aaronson, Louise Aasen, More results

Author:Allen Mercer

NOTES