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Brownie (given name)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Brownie
GenderUnisex
Language(s)English
Origin
MeaningBrownie; diminutive for the surname Brown or the color brown

Brownie is a given name or a hypocorism often used in reference to the brownie. The name came into use in the 1890s when poems and drawings about the mythical beings were published by Palmer Cox in the children's magazine St. Nicholas. Broonie is a variant.[1] It was also a term for the Brownies, referring to Girl Scouts who are aged seven to ten. The term was taken from a story about the brownie. The word brownie is also a diminutive English word for someone with the surname Brown or for the color brown.

Usage

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The name was in rare use for both boys and girls in the United States between 1890 and 1920.[2]

Women with the given name

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  • Brownie Wise (née Humphrey; 1913–1992), American saleswoman credited with the success of the Tupperware company

Women with the nickname

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activist, social justice crusader and lobbyist

Men with the given name

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Men with the nickname

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See also

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  • Brownie Mary, nickname given to Mary Jane Rathbun (1922–1999), American medical cannabis rights activist who became known for baking and distributing cannabis brownies to AIDS patients

Notes

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  1. ^ Charbonneau, Karen (March 17, 2023). American Baby Girl Names: 1587-1920s. Post Falls, Idaho: A Ship's Cat Book. p. 136. ASIN B0BYTTGH3L.
  2. ^ Campbell, Mike. "Popularity in the United States". behindthename.com. Behind the Name. Retrieved 6 January 2024.