What's in a Name?: First-Name Basis: Words That Are Also Names

People's first names have meaning in the sense that, when one is chosen from thousands of possibilities, it's usually picked because it has some special significance. But these names have another kind of meaning — they're also words that you can look up in the dictionary and use in other senses, beyond just what you've decided to call your pet parakeet or your first child.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. aurora
    bands of light caused by charged solar particles
    The aurora is a result of solar particles interacting with Earth’s atmosphere. The Verge (Oct 9, 2019)
  2. brook
    a natural stream of water smaller than a river
    In the distance a brook burbled happily along, and a great tree beyond it spread its branches wide. Prisoner B-3087
  3. dale
    an open valley in a hilly area
    After hiking o’er hills and o’er dales, Said the campers: “Good night; happy trails!” Washington Post (Sep 5, 2019)
  4. dawn
    the first light of day
    Frayed yellow threads of dawn were trailing through the sky when we finally reached the gate. The Bridge Home
  5. derrick
    a simple crane having lifting tackle slung from a boom
    Workers laid foundations of immense timbers in crisscrossed layers in accord with Root’s grillage principle, then used steam-powered derricks to raise the tall posts of iron and steel that formed each building’s frame. The Devil in the White City
  6. flora
    all the plant life in a particular region or period
    The resulting dense coexistence and biodiversity of the flora was something the smartest eco-gardeners around are only now striving to replicate. Washington Post (Oct 17, 2019)
  7. forest
    a large, densely wooded area filled with trees and plants
    Madoc is dressed in green, too, the color of deep forests. The Cruel Prince
  8. frank
    characterized by directness in manner or speech
    And Beatrice at our first meeting, looking me up and down, frank, direct, “You’re so very different from Rebecca.” Rebecca
  9. ginger
    having a bright orange-brown color
    Her flush matches the deep ginger of her hair. The Belles
  10. glen
    a narrow secluded valley (in the mountains)
    She lives in a remote glen in Donegal and organises silent retreats, teaching the power of meditation. BBC (Jul 23, 2018)
  11. grace
    the free and unmerited favor or beneficence of God
    “I am thanking God today for His grace and mercy.” Betty Before X
  12. guy
    an informal term for a youth or man
    Somehow, the barbers always became self-important, thinking of themselves as tough, no-nonsense guys because they cut the hair of tough, no-nonsense guys every day. The Great Santini
  13. heath
    uncultivated land with sandy soil and scrubby vegetation
    After a mild three hours of deep woods and lakes, you’re into a land of barren, windswept heaths and glaciers. Seattle Times (Oct 31, 2017)
  14. heather
    a low purple-flowered plant grown in the northern hemisphere
    The purple blaze of heather is becoming a less common sight, as heathlands and moorlands are lost. BBC (Oct 10, 2019)
  15. iris
    a plant with bright flowers composed of three petals
    Rose branches drape and bend, flowers dart upward, irises hungry for the sun stretch their greedy blooms to the light. Washington Post (Apr 24, 2019)
  16. justice
    the quality of being fair, reasonable, or impartial
    Why couldn’t the struggle in South Africa be not one of black against white, but one that pitted those who believed in freedom, justice and equality against those who didn’t? Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography
  17. marina
    a fancy dock for small yachts and cabin cruisers
    Looking down and to his left, he saw Ravenel shimmering across the river, the white yachts gleaming under marina lights, and shrimp boats ghostly below their nets. The Great Santini
  18. mason
    a craftsman who works with stone or brick
    After curing for several weeks indoors, the masons transported the adobe blocks to Fort Churchill, where Simerson Construction, also from Carson City, meticulously pieced back together sections of the ruins. Washington Times (Jul 27, 2019)
  19. melody
    the perception of pleasant arrangements of musical notes
    The music begins with its joyful melody, starting soft, getting louder and louder. The House That Lou Built
  20. patience
    good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence
    Lucinda closes her eyes until she regains her patience with me. Before We Were Free
Created on Wed Oct 23 16:23:11 EDT 2019 (updated Sun Dec 15 11:03:39 EST 2019)

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