NATALIE CUYLER

(French) form of Natalia, adopted from Russian in the early 20th century, probably, like Nadine, under the influence of Diaghilev's Ballet Russe, which was established in Paris in 1909. The name is now very common in France and in the English-speaking world, where it was borne by the actress Natalie Wood (1938–81). She was born Natasha Gurdin, in San Francisco. Her father was of Russian descent, her mother of French extraction.

Dutch: probably a variant of Koole, from a short form of the personal name Nikolaas (see Nicholas). This is a common Dutch name in the Albany area. A variant form of the surname in the Netherlands is Kuilart, suggesting perhaps that these could be occupational names for a potato grower, from kuilen ‘to plant potatoes’ (from kuil ‘pit’, ‘hole’).