Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Talia

Talia is a name with a couple possible origins. It's most commonly considered to be from the Hebrew Talia (טליה) which means ‘dew from God.’ It is also sometimes used as an alternate form of Thalia, one of the nine muses in ancient Greek mythology (she was the Muse of Comedy). In this case, Thalia comes from the Greek word “thallein” meaning ‘to flourish, blooming’. Lastly, Talia could simply be the pet form of Natalia (originating from a Latin word denoting Jesus Christ’s birthday or Christmas Day). One of the interesting things we uncovered about Talia is that she was the original “Sleeping Beauty.” Her story was told in an early 17th century Italian fairytale which provided the inspiration behind Charles Perrault’s better-known “Sleeping Beauty” (see literary reference below). Thanks to the Italian fairytale, we know Talia has been in use for at least 400 years. In 2009, it was the 6th most popular girl’s name in Israel. Among English speakers, Talia is most popular in Australia.

All About the Baby Name – Talia

Personality

OF THE GIRL NAME TALIA

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 GIRL NAME TALIA

Talia first appeared on the U.S. popularity graphs in 1977. This happened to be the year after the 1976 release of “Rocky” (which was the first film in a hugely popular franchise about a rags-to-riches boxer written by and starring Sylvester Stallone). The actress who played Rocky’s wife Adrian (yo, Adrian!) is named Talia Shire, who also happens to be the real life sister of superstar director Francis Ford Coppola. Americans became enamored with her name, and so it first appeared on the female naming charts shortly after the movie’s release. Given the name’s popularity in Israel, we think it’s safe to say that Talia is also a beloved name among Jewish people (‘dew from God’). Talia is a very pretty name with understated sophistication and elegance. It’s different, slightly exotic, and has no history of being overused in America. Dew drops are considered refreshing and pure, and if it’s ‘dew from God’ than we have to imagine Talia is extra special.

Quick Facts

ON TALIA

GENDER:

Girl

ORIGIN:

Hebrew

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

3

RANKING POPULARITY:

351

PRONUNCIATION:

TAHL-ee-yah

SIMPLE MEANING:

Dew from God

Characteristics

OF TALIA

Mystical

Wise

Eccentric

Intuitive

Imaginative

Philosophical

Solitary

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Talia

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME TALIA

Talia is centrally featured in a 1634 Italian fairy tale written by Giambattista Basile. What makes this work notable is that it was the inspiration behind Charles Perrault’s 1697 “Sleeping Beauty” (a story which we all know and love). In the first Italian version of the fairytale (translated to “Sun, Moon, and Talia”), Talia is the daughter of a great lord. At Talia’s birth, wise men and clairvoyants are summoned by her father and they announce what’s in store for her future. They say she will be harmed by a splinter of flax, and so the great lord instructs that no flax ever be allowed into the household. When she is older, Talia approaches an old woman spinning flax on her spindle and asks to help. Of course a small splinter of flax gets embedded under her fingernail and she drops unconscious (presumably dead). Her distraught father, unable to bury his lovely daughter, places her in one of his country estates. Later, a king hunting in the woods discovers Talia and, unable to wake her, violates her (yah, we should have warned you, this version is a little more risqué than the Disney version). After he’s done with her, the king leaves. Still in a deep sleep, Talia gives birth to twins (boy-girl). When the baby boy can’t find his mother’s breast for food, he starts to suck on her finger and inadvertently sucks out the splinter. This causes her to immediately wake-up from her perpetual slumber. She names her children Sun and Moon and continues to live in her father’s country estate. In the meantime, the king (now married to another) returns to the wooded estate and discovers Talia awake with his children. Back at home with his wife the Queen, he calls out Talia, Sun and Moon’s names in his sleep which of course piques her interest. Once she extracts the truth from the king’s secretary, she orders the children killed and cooked for dinner. The cook hides the children and cooks two lambs instead. The Queen also orders Talia brought to court and be burned alive. As Talia screams, the king hears her and comes to the rescue. He orders the Queen, Secretary and Cook burned instead (until the Cook presents the unharmed children and is rewarded justly). The king and Talia marry in a fairytale happily-ever-after ending. As with all fairytales, this one’s moral is explained by the very last line: "Lucky people, so 'tis said, He who has luck may go to bed, And bliss will rain upon his head."

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME TALIA

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Talia


Popular Songs

ON TALIA

We cannot find any popular or well-known songs with the name of Talia


Famous People

NAMED TALIA

Talia Shire (actress)

Children of Famous People

NAMED TALIA

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

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME TALIA

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