Cryptic First Names Trivia Quiz

Answer: alexander

To the in Spanish = al
Former spouse = ex
Along with = and
British queen, shortly = ER (for Elizabeth Regina)
Al + ex + and + ER = Alexander

'The Oxford Dictionary of First Names' indicates that the name derives from the Latin form of a Greek name, made up of components meaning 'to defend' and 'warrior'. The most famous person to bear the name is probably Alexander the Great, who conquered much of the ancient world.

Answer: james

Play jazz extemporaneously = jam
Spanish for 'is' = es
Jam + es = James

The English name James is related in meaning and derivation to the name Jacob. The French equivalent of both names is Jacques. James has been the name of kings of both Scotland and England, a number of US presidents, and film stars such as James Stewart.

Answer: anna

Indefinite article = an
Coming and going indicates a reversal of the second utterance of the article, or 'na', hence 'An + na' giving us Anna.

This is a variant of the name Anne, used in English and other languages such as Dutch and German. Anna Anderson was the name used by the woman who claimed to be the daughter of Tsar Nicholas, Anastasia, who had supposedly survived the 1918 murder of the Romanovs.

Answer: herbert

The girl's = her
Actor Reynolds = Burt
Her Burt sounds like Herbert.

Herbert is of Germanic origin, and made up of parts meaning 'army' and 'bright' or 'famous'. The first name of Falklands War Victoria Cross recipient Lieutenant Colonel 'H' Jones was Herbert Other famous Herberts include British Prime Minister (1908-16) Herbert Asquith, and the actor Herbert Lom.

Answer: daniel

Squirm indicates an anagram of 'lie and' giving us Daniel.

The name Daniel derives from Hebrew, meaning 'God is my judge'. Children become familiar with the tale of Daniel in the lion's den from an early age. More recent bearers of the name include American frontiersman Daniel Boone and Oscar-winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis.

Answer: sylvia

Window ledge = sill, 'hear' indicates a homonym, in this case 'syl' or 'sil'
Roman road = via
Put them together for 'Sylvia' (or 'Silvia').

'The Oxford Dictionary of First Names' postulates that the name, being that of the mother of the mythical founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, is probably a reworking of the word 'silva', meaning 'wood', with an earlier form of her name. Others to bear the name include the poet Sylvia Plath.

Answer: warren

This is a double definition clue, as a warren can be a rabbit's home. Masculine indicates a name for a boy.

Warren is an example of a surname used as a first name, and may derive from a place name in Normandy and/or the same source as the German first name Werner. Famous Warrens include US President Warren G. Harding, and the actor Warren Beatty.

Answer: tracy

Copy with transparent paper = trace
View = see
Heard indicates that tracesee sounds like Tracy.

Tracy is another transplanted surname, most likely deriving from a French place name. As a girl's name, it is sometimes taken to be a pet form of Theresa. Famous people to have been given the name include Pulitzer Prize winning author Tracy Kidder (a man) and the actress/writer/producer/director Tracey Ullman (a woman).

Answer: sandra

British gunners = Royal Artillery, initially = RA
Beach surface = sand
RA following sand gives us Sandra.

Sandra is a short form of the Italian Alessandra (Alexandra), the feminine form of Alexander. US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor is one famous person to have this name.

Answer: elizabeth

Swedish money = krona, 'a little' indicates the short form 'kr'.
Definite article = the, 'endless' indicates that only 'th' is used.
Erik Zabel - kr = EiZabel + th = Eizabelth, which takes only a shift of the 'L' to arrive at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth is the usual English spelling of the Biblical Elisabeth, meaning 'God is my oath'. It was the name of the mother of John the Baptist, and has been given to more than one queen of England, the much-married actress Elizabeth Taylor, and (incidentally) the author of this quiz.

Answer: vanessa

There are four species of Vanessa butterfly in North America, including Vanessa atalanta (Red Admiral) and Vanessa cardui (Painted Lady), and the clue alludes to this fact.

Some sources indicate that the girl's name Vanessa was invented by Jonathan Swift, whilst others refer to the butterfly connection. Famous people to bear this name include the artist Vanessa Bell and the actress Vanessa Redgrave.

Answer: helen

This is a hidden word clue, indicated by the words 'look for'
'...t(HE LEN)tils...'

The origin of the name is uncertain, though it may be connected to the Greek word 'helios' for the sun. Helen of Troy is probably the most famous person with this name. Others include actresses Helen Hayes and Helen Hunt, and politician Helen Clark, elected Prime Minister of New Zealand in 1999.

Answer: lee

Double-definition. The lee side of a ship or building is the side that is out of the wind.

Lee is another surname used as a first name, and derives from an Old English word meaning 'a wood'. As a girl's name it can also be a variant of Lea (or Leah). Famous Lees include the actor Lee Marvin and the actress Lee Remick.

The alternate answer, Win, was suggested by player mfc. Win can be short for Winston or Winifred, and 'comes out of the WINd'.

Answer: peter

This is a hidden word clue, indicated by the words 'look for'.
'...your (PET ER)ic...'

Peter derives from the Greek 'petros', meaning 'a rock, a stone' St. Peter is usually acknowledged to have been the first Pope. Other famous Peters include actors Peter Sellers and Peter O'Toole, pianists Peter Nero and Peter Duchin and Canadian historian Peter C. Newman.

Answer: linda

Linda means pretty in the Spanish language, and this is one possible derivation of the name.

'The Oxford Dictionary of First Names' also suggests that it could be a shortened form of Belinda, or perhaps related to names ending in '-lind' meaning 'tender, soft'. Famous Lindas include the actresses Linda Blair and Linda Darnell, several FunTrivia editors and prolific quiz author LindaC007.