THE ROSE OF SHARON

SHARON
Sharon is pronounced "Share-en". It is a popular first name as well
as a last name. It originates from the Hebrew or Irish, "a fertile plain". This plain
is between Jaffa (today, known as the port-city of TelAviv, in Israel) and Mount Carmel (today, known as Haifa, another Port city in Israel). It also means princess.

NAME VARIANTS
There are 28 Variants to the name, including Charin, Cheron, Shara,Shari and Sherry etc.

FAMOUS PEOPLE
Some famous people include, Sharon Stone, Sharon Gless, and Ariel Sharon.

Sharon Vonne Stone was born March 10, 1958 in Meadville, PA. She was the 2nd of 4 children. She is an actress, producer, and fashion model. The movie that made her famous was a 1992 film titled “Basic Instinct”.

Ariel Sharon was born Ariel Scheinermann on February 27, 1928. He was an Israeli Prime Minister and military leader, until his massive stroke in 2006 and a subsequent coma; since February 2008, he has remained in a vegetative state. He served as Prime Minister of Israel from March 2001 to April 2006. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert took power of the office of Prime Minister after his stroke. Ariel Sharon created the Kadima party and won office in 2001. He was the first prime minister of Israel that did not belong to the two parties which have existed for years, the Labor Party and the Likud Party.

THE ROSE OF SHARON

There are many theories as to what is the flower or shrub which has been referred to as the “Rose of Sharon” since the Biblical Days. A common theory of Biblical Scholars is that the “Rose of Sharon” is Pancratium maritimum, a flower which blooms in the late summer just above the high tide mark. Other Biblical Scholars suggest that “Rose of Sharon” may be

1. A “kind of crocus” (“Sharon”, Harper’s Bible Dictionary), or a Crocus that grows in the coastal plain of Sharon” (New Oxford Annotated Bible).

2. Tulipa agenensis, the Sharon tulip ( a species of tulip)

3. Tulipa montana, a bright red flower that looks like a tulip (teeming in the hills of Sharon).

4. Lilium candidum or Madonna lily ( a species of lily)

Today, the “Rose of Sharon” is referred to two different plants. Neither one of these plants is the plant which the Bible refers.

1. Hypericum calycinum or evergreen flowering shrub (Southeast Europe and Southwest Asia
2. Famiy Malvaceae Genus: Hibiscus Species: syriacus called “althaea syriacus” is a deciduous flowering shrub (East Asia). This variety is one of the top 10 Hummingbird plants.

INTERESTING INFORMATION
In South Korea, the “Rose of Sharon” is the national flower. It is the symbol of the present and historic Yi Dynasty of the Korean Royal Family.
“In the USA, the Rose of Sharon is the official flower of Phi Beta Chi, a national Lutheran-based Greek social letter sorority”.
Rose of Sharon is the eldest daughter of the Joad family and sister or Tom Joad in the “Grapes of Wrath”, by John Steinbeck.
“The Red Shoes”, an album by Kate Bush of “The Song of Solomon” from 1993 references the Rose of Sharon.
Killswitch Engage wrote a song titled “The Rose of Sharyn” from their album “The End of Heartache”.
Jesus is symbolically referred to as “The Rose of Sharon”.

NICHOLAS: WHAT'S IN A NAME?

GENDER: NICHOLAS is a predominantly male name; however, the female form, NICOLAA or NICOLE has also been popular in recent years.
PRONUNCIATION: The English name is pronounced "Nick -o Lass"; Dutch pronunciation, "Ni-claus"; and French pronunciation "Nee-ko-la". There are variations in pronunciation by country, and language. Nicole is pronounced "Nick-ole" in English.
POPULARITY: Nicholas was the 6th most popular name from 1995-2001 in the US. NICHOLAS was ranked 17 in the list of most popular baby names according the SSA (social security administration). NICKOLAS was ranked 336; NICOLAS was ranked 140; and NIKOLAS was ranked 383 in 2006. Nicole, the female version was ranked 74 in 2006. NICHOLE was ranked 945; NICOLETTE was ranked 997.
ETYMOLOGY:
Nicholas is an English translation of an original Greek name, Nikholaos. "nike" means victory and "laos" means people, together meaning "victory of the people". The feminine form is Nicolaa, or Fr. Nicole, and was a popular name in England and the Middle Ages.
VARIANTS: There are many hundreds of variants to the name Nicholas. The variations differ with each country, language, and history. Some of the more commonly used English forms of the name Nicholas are as follows. Male: Nicholas, Nikholas, Nicolas, Nikolas, Nick, Colin Female: Nicole, Nicolette, Nicolaa, Collette
European Variants Include:
Danish: Claus French: Nicolas Greek: Nickolaus, Nikolos, Niko, Nikos , Nico, Claas, Claus Italian: Niccolo, Nicoli, Nicolo Irish: Nioclas German: Nickolaus, Nikolaus, Claus, Nicolas Russian/Polish: Nikolai, Mikolaj, Kolya Slavic: Nicholai, Nicolai, Niklos, Nicholia
FAMOUS PEOPLE: Throughout history there have been many famous Nicholas' in the world.
1.Nicholas Negroponte (April 27, 1909) is an architect and a computer scientist. He is known as the founder and Chairman Emeritus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab, and also known as the founder of The One Laptop per Child association (OLPC). There were many famous sculptors, architects, painters, composers, and writers who have had the name Nicholas or one of its variants. One of the most famous is Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol' (April 1, 1809 March 4, 1852) was a Russian writer born in a village in the Ukraine. He is called the "father of modern Russian realism". He wrote famous works such as "Dead Souls", "The Government Inspector", and "The Overcoat". The first great printer of Venice was Nicholas Vlasto from 1480-1500. Nicolo Paganini was born October 27, 1782 in Genoa, Italy and died in Nice, France in May 27, 1840. He was an Italian violinist, guitarist and composer. He is known to be one of the greatest violinists till date. He was rumored to have "sold his soul to the devil" for attaining his ability.
2.Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) was an Italian writer political theorist.
3.Sir Nicholas Winton was born May 19, 1909. was a man from Britain who saved at least 669 Jewish children from the Nazi extermination camps. He organized the children to be transported from Prague to the UK. He paid 50 pounds per child and found families who were willing to take care of the children. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in October of 2007.
4.Arguably the most famous scientist with the name Nicholas is Nicolaus Copernicus (1550-1543). He was a Polish astronomer who advocated the heliocentric view of the universe.
5.Religious Leaders named Nicholas include St. Nicholas, aka Santa Claus was born in the year 270 in the village of Patara in Lycia which is now Turkey. At that time, it was ruled by the Greeks. He died on Dec 6, AD 342. St. Nicholas Day is celebrated on the day St. Nicholas died. Several Popes have also had the name Nicholas, including Saint Nicholas I (819-867), Pope from 858 to 867 was called Nicholas the Great; Pope Nicholas II, Nicholas III, Nicholas IV, and Nicholas V all had the name Nicholas.
6.Royalty in many countries have also had the name Nicholas. Nicholas I, a Russian Tzar (Russian: Nikolaj I), was born July 6, 1796 in Gatchina, Russia. He died March 2, 1855. He was the Emperor of Russia from 1825 until 1855. He was also the King of Poland until 1831. Some other famous names in history include: Nicholas I of Montenegro (1841-1921) the Prince of Montenegro; Nicholas II of Russia (1868-1918), who was the last tsar of Russia. He and his entire family were murdered by Bolsheviks.
7.Famous Actors with the name Nicholas, include Nicholas Cage/was born Nicholas Kim Coppola (born January 7, 1964 in Long Beach, CA). He has acted in recent films such as "The Wicker Man", "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" and "Ghost Rider".
8.Contemporary Political Figures such as Nicholas Sarkozy, was elected to become the next President of France on May 6, 2007. He was formerly the Minister of the Interior. Since he has become president, he has been very controversial due to the publicity of his relationship and recent marriage to model/actress Carla Bruni.
9.Nicholas Piramal India Limited is one of the most admired pharmaceutical plants in India, approved by the USFDA, the UK as well as Australia for manufacturing of pharmaceuticals.
Famous Women with the name Nicole, the female version of the name Nicholas:
1.Nicole Kidman: An actor who has won 31 Oscars and has had 48 nominations to date. She was born June 20, 1967 in Honolulu, Hawaii to Australian parents. She was married to Tom Cruise and is now married to Keith Urban, and is pregnant with her first biological child. She was the highest paid female actor in 2006.
2.Nicole Camille Richie born September 21, 1981 in Berkeley, CA. She is an actress, author and singer. She is the adopted daughter of Lionel Richie. She has become famous as an actress on the reality show, "The Simple Life". Her tumultuous personal life has also made headlines.
NAMESAKES:
Nickel is also a five cent coin that we use today. The term was coined in 1754 by Swedish minerologist, Axel von Cronstedt. Nickel was shortened from the Swedish "kopparnickel" (copper-colored ore). The German word is "kupfernickel" (Kupfer: copper + Nickel: demon, goblin, rascal). The ore was called this because miners thought it looked like copper, but it was not.
BOOKS: "The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nikleby by Charles Dickens
MOVIES/BOOKS: "The Notebook", a book by Nicholas Sparks, a famous contemporary writer. This book was also made into a movie. "Nicholas Winton - The Power of Good" (2002), is an international-Emmy award winning movie about Nicholas Winton, the man mentioned above who was Britain's "Schindler". He saved hundreds of Czech children from extermination by the Nazis. "All my Loved Ones" (1998) is another movie made about Nicholas Winton.
RESTAURANTS: Many Greek, Spanish and American restaurants are named after St. Nicholas. STORMS: Nicholas was a long-lived tropical storm in October-November 2003 Atlantic Hurricane Season. It never became a tropical cyclone and it caused minimal damage. TV STATION: Nickelodeon is the name of a motion picture theatre, from nickel, a five-cent coin and "odeon" as in "oideion" a building for musical performances. Nickelodeon was started in 1888.
The name Nicholas has not changed considerably from its first form. Nicholas may have become popular due to the popularity of St. Nicholas, better known as Santa Claus. This may also been a reason why it has remained the same throughout the ages. Saint Nick/Santa Claus has now permeated through all cultures of the world, and little children across the world look forward to Jolly St. Nick and the gifts he brings every year.

ANUSHA: WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Anusha is a very rare female first name and an even rarer surname. It has not been in the top 1000 names at least in the last 15 years, according to the US SSA (Social Security Administration).
The name is pronounced Anu-sha. It is primarily a Hindu or a South Asian name. Literally translated, it means “beautiful morning”, “a star”, or “the first rays of the sun at dawn”. She is also the name of a great beauty, or a goddess. She is“one with great ego, but loved by all”.
In Hindu astronomy, there is a star named Anusha.

It also has a biblical meaning. It is from the name Anna, which itself has various forms. Anna or Anne means “grace”. The Biblical name Anna is actually a Greek name, translated from the original Hebrew name Hannah. Hannah also means “grace”. Ann a lived in Jerusalem. She was the daughter of Phanuel of Asher (the name of a tribe). She was a prophet in her time. When she grew to be an old woman, she saw the infant Jesus, and she recognized him as the Messiah. (Luke 2:36, 37)

Anusha is also a “Bath-based online boutique”. It was started about a year ago, and specializes in exotic feminine products.

Anusha Dandekar is becoming a famous indian actress. She was born on January 1, 1982 in Sudan. She was brought up in Sydney, Australia. She is now a Bollywood Actress and has acted in movies such as, Anthony Kaun Hai (2006); Viruddh (2005), and in Mumbai Matinee (2003).

Anusha is also the title of a book, “Anusha – a homeless life in Sri Lanka”, by Yke Berkhouwer. The story of a family in Sri Lanka.

NOAH: WHAT'S IN A NAME?

GENDER:

Noah is more popular as a male name, however, in the Bible, Noah is also a name of a woman. In the male version, Noah (pronounced Noach; ch like Bach) is seen in the Bible, chapter of Genesis. Here, he is the main character depicted in the Great Flood, and the man who built the ark.1. He is the father of mankind and the survivor of the Great Flood. He drifted in the Ark for 40 days. The world’s nations are said to have descended from his three sons.

In the Female version, Noah (pronounced No’ah) in the Bible, Chapter of Numbers 26:33 is one of the daughters of Zelophead.1 The female version of the name comes from “nua” the verb in Hebrew meaning shake, rattle, stagger, wander, and sway. It means “shaky girl” or “lady wanderer”1

PRONUNCIATION:

Today, Noah is used primarily as a Male name. No Female Noah has been recorded in recent years. Today’s Noah is pronounced No’ah; much the same as the Biblical pronunciation of the Female form of the name. In Biblical times, Noah, as a male was pronounced Noach or Noak.

POPULARITY:

According to the SSA list, (US Social Security Administration), Noah ranked #15 in the list of most popular baby names reported in 2006. Noah increased in popularity as a name from 1993 to 2005.There was a great upsurge in the popularity of the Name Noah from 1960-1990. According to the SSA list, (US Social Security Administration), Noah ranked #15 in the list of most popular baby names reported in 2006.2
Some Fun Facts about Noah:
There are many song titles with the name Noah, including: “Noah” by Harry Belafonte; “Noah Freestyle” by Lil’Flip; “Noah Sugar Pan” by the Congos; “Noah’s Dove” by 10,000 Maniacs; “Noah’s Journey” by The Notebook Soundtrack; “The Noah Plan” by Peter Schilling.
Noah and Ally are Characters played by Ryan Gosling and Rachael Adams in the movie, “The Notebook”, a story about two young lovers.
What we don’t often think about is where Noah built the Ark. He built the ark in what is today, Iraq.

NAMESAKES:

Noah’s Place is a 24-hour animal medical center in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Noah is also used in the name of Restaurants. “Noah’s Table” an Armenian Restaurant and “Noah’s Restaurant” an American Restaurant are examples.

FAMOUS PERSONS:

Some famous people with the name include:
1. Noah Wyle born on June 4, 1971. He was born in Hollywood, CA and is currently an actor in Hollywood.
2. Noah Baumbach, born September 3, 1969 in Brooklyn, NY and is currently an actor and a film director.
3. Noah Webster born October 16, 1758 and died April 28, 1843. He was born in Hartford, Connecticut to a Noah Sr (1722-1813)3, who was a sewer and farmer He was an American Lexicographer who was the predecessor of the Merriam-Webster dictionary today. He was also textbook author, spelling reformer, political writer, word enthusiast, and editor. He has been called the "Father of American Scholarship and Education". In the US his name has become synonymous with dictionary.
4. Noah Berry Jr, born August 10, 1913 in NY, NY and died 11/1/1994 in Tehachapi, CA from cerebral thrombosis. He was also an actor.

VARIANTS:

Some Variants of the name Noah are:
1. Noach (the original Noah in the Bible)
2. Noak
3. Noe (Spanish form)
4. Noey
5. Norrie

ETYMOLOGY:

Noah is derived from Hebrew. The Hebrew name Noach, means rest, comfort, comforter, peace, long-lived, and wanderer.
In Sanskrit, the word for ship is “nau”, a variant of Noah, the first shipbuilder. “ma” in Sanskrit is the word for water. Manu (pronounced Ma-Nu) in Sanskrit is the name of the flood hero in Indian/Kashmiri mythology. “manu” in Sanskrit means man or mankind; this maybe because Manu/Noah was the father of all post-flood mankind. The English “man” is related to the Sanskrit, “manu”. 5
Manu, the Indian flood hero is said to have built an ark about 15,000 years ago in which 7 learned men, as well as plants and animal species were saved. The Ark was said to rest on the Himalayan peak. The people of Manu’s descendants (called Manushyas or Manavas, meaning Humankind in Sanskrit) believe that the remains of the Ark can be found on the Himalayan Peak. The oldest surviving work of fiction is a Hindu work of fiction, 4000 years old, called “Epic of Gilgamesh” which talks about a great flood and the building of an Ark.
Many cultures have similar trends of the Sanskrit “manu”.
Africa: King of the Congo was called “mani congo” and the Empire was called “manikongo empire”. The Congo basins included Angola, Zaire, Cabina, and Congo Republic.5
Americas: Sioux language, “minne” means water. Minneapolis is the city of water. Minnesota means sky blue water. In South America, Managua is the capital of Nicaragua. It comes from Nahuatl managuac meaning surrounded by ponds.5
Australia: “mai” is the name given to the aborigines.
Egypt: “menes” was the founder of the 1st Dynasty of Egypt. Egyptian mythology, Nu is the god of the waters who sent a flood to destroy mankind. “nu” is a watery mass of heaven and means sky. Nu and Nut were deities of the firmament and rain.5
Europe: “ma” took the form of “da” to mean water/river. This led to “don” (England/Russia); “danube” (Balkans); “danaoi”, 1st Greeks living in coastal regions; “water people”; “danu” meaning river or flowing. The Latvian River Dvina was formerly called Duna also a form of Danu. There is obvious similarity between Danu and Manu.5
Crete: “minus” is said to be the ruler of the Sea, and the son on Zeus; he was the founder of the 1st King of Crete.
Germanic: “mannus” was the founder of the West Germanic people and mentioned by the Roman Historian, Tacitus in his book, “Germania”. Gothic, the oldest Germanic language used “manna” or “gaman” to mean “fellow man”.5
Hawaii: “mano” name given to the Hawaiian indigenous people.5
Hebrew: “mayim” meaning water or waters.5
Japan: “maru” is the term included in all names of Japanese Ships. Japanese maru also means a round enclosure or a circle of refuge. Noah’s ark was the 1st great enclosure of refuge. In Japanese and Chinese Mythology, Hakudo Maru was a God who came down from heaven to teach people how to make ships; maybe related to Noah the 1st shipbuilder.
Lithuania: “mannus” was a Lithuanian Noah.5
Spanish/French: prefix “ma” is the original form of “mar” or “mer”, meaning sea. Both “mar” and “mer” come from the Latin “mare”.5
Sumeria: “anu” was a Sumerian God of the firmament. A rainbow is the great bow of Anu. Bow was a reference to Noah (Genesis 9:13, “I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a covenant between Me and the Earth”.)5
Sweden: “manniska” is related to the Sanskrit “manosa” meaning human being.5

As we can see, in almost every language and every country, there is a story of Noah and the Great Flood. The similarity in the words seems to be more than just purely coincidental.
Many Books and Movies have been written about Noah and his Ark. There are many versions of the story as well, depending on which country the story was written in.
What remains interesting is the consistent thread which binds all the stories which have been written about Noah. In most cultures, and most languages and countries, a very similar story exists about Noah and his Ark.