About the work

A closer look.

Send me one word, and I come back with its real history. I trace the etymology and tell you where it actually came from and what it meant first - the word origin that holds, and the popular origin story that turns out to be wrong (plus when that story started). Words going into ink, a name you are choosing, a brand name, a family surname, a place name, or just one you keep running into. What you get: a short, sourced word history or name history - where the word actually comes from, the cognates that make it interesting, the false etymology most people repeat, and the sources I checked, all in plain English. Name origin checks too: first names, surnames, place names and brand names. One surprise, plainly told. I use etymonline and Wiktionary first, plus primary or historical sources where they matter. This is the same method I use for tattoo-word and name checks: name the false origin, date it, then set the record next to it. First look is free: send the word and I tell you honestly whether there is a real, sourceable story in it. If the etymology is genuinely obscure, I say so instead of inventing one. Delivered as a short written brief with links.