Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Maurice

Maurice is an English and French masculine name from the Late Latin Mauricius, a derivative of Maurus which was a medieval byname for a Moor and means ‘dark, swarthy’. The Moors were Muslims from northern Africa who came to conquer and occupy the Iberian Peninsula for hundreds of years starting in the 8th century. Although the word ‘swarthy’ has negative connotations today, originally it was meant to indicate a dark complexion or weather-beaten face (more of a physical attribute of the Moors compared to the lighter complexions of Western Europeans). The name was born by a 6th century Byzantine emperor who successfully defeated the Persians and expanded the empire further east. However, the real influence behind this name’s popularity in the Middle Ages was thanks to a third century saint, Maurice – after whom St. Moritz, Switzerland is named. Saint Maurice was an Egyptian and a Roman soldier. He and his legion were called by the Emperor Maximian to suppress revolts taking place in Gaul. The pagan Roman Emperor apparently ordered the soldiers to harass the Christians and pay homage to the Roman pagan gods. Under the encouragement of St. Maurice, the legion of more than 6,000 men and soldiers refused and were thus executed for their insubordination. St. Maurice was martyred and became a much admired saint (especially in France and Spain). Maurice was brought to England by the Normans in the Middle Ages where the name generated adequate success among English-speakers.

All About the Baby Name – Maurice

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME MAURICE

The number Seven personality is deeply mystical and highly in tune with their spirituality. They operate on a different wavelength than the average joe. Spending time alone comes easily to Sevens, as it gives them time to contemplate philosophical, religious and spiritual ideas in an effort to find "real truth".  Sevens are wise, but often exude mystery as if they are tapped into something the rest of us don't understand. They love the outdoors and are fed by nature. Sevens are constantly seeking to understand human nature, our place in the universe, and the mystery of life in general. This makes them quite artistic and poetic, but they are also keen observers with high intellect - so they are equally scientific-minded. Sevens are charitable and care deeply about the human condition.

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME MAURICE

Maurice is a name that dates back to at least the 19th century in the United States. Back at the turn of the 20th century, this was a name that hovered close to the Top 100 most favored boy names in America. In fact, between 1911 and 1914, Maurice did manage to squeeze in there briefly. Over the ensuring nearly 100 years, Maurice has been inconspicuously declining on the male naming charts. The name is basically reaching its all time low right now at bearly moderate levels of usage. Since the turn of the 21st century, the Spanish and Portuguese version of this name (Mauricio) has now surpassed his English/French counterpart in the United States (although not by much). Maurice can either be pronounced like Morris (MAWR-is) or like the more sophisticated French version (mo-REES). It’s a charming name with a tall, dark and handsome quality.

Quick Facts

ON MAURICE

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

English

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

528

PRONUNCIATION:

mo-REES; MAWR-is

SIMPLE MEANING:

A Moor; dark, swarthy

Characteristics

OF MAURICE

Mystical

Wise

Eccentric

Intuitive

Imaginative

Philosophical

Solitary

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Maurice

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME MAURICE

Set in the elegant Edwardian world of Cambridge undergraduate life, this story by a master novelist introduces us to Maurice Hall when he is fourteen. We follow him through public school and Cambridge, and on into his father's firm, Hill and Hall, Stock Brokers. In a highly structured society, Maurice is a conventional young man in almost every way, "stepping into the niche that England had prepared for him": except that his is homosexual. Written during 1913 and 1914, immediately after Howards End, and not published until 1971, Maurice was ahead of its time in its theme and in its affirmation that love between men can be happy. "Happiness," Forster wrote, "is its keynote. In Maurice I tried to create a character who was completely unlike myself or what I supposed myself to be: someone handsome, healthy, bodily attractive, mentally torpid, not a bad businessman and rather a snob. Into this mixture I dropped an ingredient that puzzles him, wakes him up, torments him and finally saves him."

Alec is the object of desire of Maurice Hall in E. M. Forster’s story of the love between two men, Maurice, written in 1914 but, due to the sensitive nature of its theme, not published until 1971, posthumously. (It was made into a movie of the same name in 1987, with Rupert Graves in the part of Alec.) Maurice is trying, unsuccessfully, to change his sexual orientation, when he visits a country home and encounters the young gamekeeper, Alec. (What is it about the pull of the upper-class English toward their gamekeepers?!) Naturally, after their episode together, Maurice panics, mistreats Alec, and is subject to Alec’s blackmailing. One doesn’t have much to lose as a gamekeeper, after all. Maurice, unable to be “cured” of his “affliction”, considers leaving the country. All is resolved, however, if only in a clandestine way, when Alec and Maurice vow their love for each other and throw their fates together. That fate, alas, means they become woodcutters (and Maurice with his university education!), but presumably, they are happy woodcutters together. We may assume that the character of Alec represents true, unfettered nature, free of the stifling mores of the upper classes.

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME MAURICE

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Maurice


Popular Songs

ON MAURICE

A Day in the Life of Maurice Haylett
a song by Caravan

Enter Maurice
a song by the Steve Miller Band

Twat Called Maurice
a song by Consumed

Famous People

NAMED MAURICE

Maurice Sendak (children's book author)
Maurice Ravel (French composer)
Maurice de Hirsch (German-Jewish philanthropist)
Maurice Joseph Micklewhite (aka Michael Caine, actor)
Maurice Chevalier (French singer/actor)
Maurice Ernest Gibb (musician)
Maurice (a 6th century Byzantine emperor)
Saint Maurice (aka St. Moritz, a 3rd century saint)
Maurice Sendak (children's book author)
Maurice Ravel (French composer)
Maurice de Hirsch (German-Jewish philanthropist)
Maurice Joseph Micklewhite (aka Michael Caine, actor)
Maurice Chevalier (French singer/actor)
Maurice Ernest Gibb (musician)
Maurice (a 6th century Byzantine emperor)
Saint Maurice (aka St. Moritz, a 3rd century saint)
Maurice Sendak (children's book author)
Maurice Ravel (French composer)
Maurice de Hirsch (German-Jewish philanthropist)
Maurice Joseph Micklewhite (aka Michael Caine, actor)
Maurice Chevalier (French singer/actor)
Maurice Ernest Gibb (musician)
Maurice (a 6th century Byzantine emperor)
Saint Maurice (aka St. Moritz, a 3rd century saint)

Children of Famous People

NAMED MAURICE

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Maurice

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME MAURICE

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Maurice