What are we talking about today?

I'll get back to theme days once I find a groove of posting regularly. In the meantime, most of my posts are about some variation of books, bikes, buses, or Broadway. Plus bits about writing, nonprofits, and grief from time to time.

This blog is mostly lighthearted and pretty silly. It's not about the terrible things happening in the world, but please know that I'm not ignoring those things. I just generally don't write about them here.

24 April 2012

U is for Ursula

Poor Ursula. It's a name beloved for villains (or at least unpleasant people), and a good stock name for bloggers who weren't sure what else to do with the letter 'U'.

Ursula
Means 'little bear', from the word Ursa, which you've probably heard if you've ever had a look at the stars in the northern hemisphere: Ursa Major and Minor are the Big and Little Dipper. (Incidentally, April is the best month for looking at the Dippers. Get out there tonight! Take the kids!) The name got as high as the 477th most popular in the U.S. in 1972.

Famous Ursulas: Saint Ursula (4th century), Ursula Nordstrom (author of The Secret Language, one of the first school stories I ever read), and Ursula Andress, a Swiss actress who has played a Bond girl. I hope she was better than Denise Richards, who I like in other things but who was absolutely lifeless as Christmas Jones. (Mind you, since I'm someone who only has a passing acquaintance with any pop culture that isn't written down, my critiques are probably not something you should put much stock in.)

Who wouldn't want to see more of
Lisa Kudrow? Source.
Fictional Ursulas: Ursula Buffay (Mad About You, Friends), Ursula (Much Ado About Nothing), Ursula the Sea Witch (The Little Mermaid), Ursula Flint Black (Harry Potter, seen on the tapestry in the Order of the Phoenix film)

My Ursulas: Not a one! It's not really a name I like much, and I only chose it for this series because of Ursula Buffay being Phoebe's twin sister on Friends. Also worth mentioning at this juncture (why not?): There's at least one crossover, I think when Paul and Jamie visit Central Perk on Friends, when they meet Phoebe and think she's Ursula. It's possible that Phoebe also crossed over to Mad About You, with the same result. I can't confirm this on IMDb, but I do remember at least one scene like this. And now I just want to watch Mad About You and Friends reruns until my brains rot and drip out my ear. Too bad I have homework to do.

Do you know any Ursulas? Are you a fan of Mad About You or Friends? (If not, I can't imagine how you've managed to read my blog for this long and stay sane.)

Sources:
Behind the Name
Baby Name Wizard
Harry Potter Wiki

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I actually worked with a woman named Ursula. She was very nice and very good at what she did. I am a fan of Friends.

Liz A. said...

I was almost named Ursula. My father thought it would be cool if my initials were USA. Luckily, my mother vetoed that idea.

Donna Shields said...

Don't know any Ursulas. But I do like Friends

Donna Shields said...

Don't know any Ursulas. But I do like Friends

J E Fritz said...

My only experience with an Ursula is from Friends, too. I kind of like the name, but I'm glad it isn't mine...

Anita said...

Thanks for your post. I've never known any Ursulas, but think it's quite a pretty name :)

Karen M. Peterson said...

I've never known any real life Ursulas, but I love Ursula Buffay and the sea witch. Great name!