Blue

See also: blue

English

Etymology

From the German surname, Americanized from Blau or its French cognate Bleu.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uː

Proper noun

Blue

1. A surname from German. An anglicization of German Blau.
2. (rare) A female given name from English, typically used in conjoined names like Bonnie Blue or Blue Bell.
3. A male nickname, occasionally used as a formal given name. (Australia) Nickname for a person with ginger hair.

Quotations

• 1957, Rolf Harris (lyrics and music), “Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport”:

  Play your didgeridoo, Blue.

• 1983, Gilbert Sorrentino, Blue Pastoral, Dalkey Archive Press, published 2000, →ISBN, page 49:

  Serge is my name; some call me Blue, as you will see if you think about it, this makes my pen name, Blue Serge.

• 2003, Mark W. Royston, The Spout Spring, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 35:

  "Uriah Blue Royston," she rolled the name over. "Uriah, I understand, but Blue?" she questioned.
  "Ann's grandfather's name was Blue, although it probably started out as 'Blew'," Peter mumbled, trying to remember the Dutch spelling.

Noun

Blue (plural Blues)

1. A letterman at Oxford or Cambridge.
2. (historical) A member of the Royal Horse Guards (which merged with the 1st Dragoons in 1969)
   • 1944, Noël Coward, I Wonder What Happened to Him?, first verse:

     Have you heard any news / Of that chap in the Blues / Was it Prosser, or Pyecroft, or Pimm?

3. Synonym of British Blue (“a breed of cat”)
   • 2001, Alan Edwards, The New Guide to Cat Breeds, page 89:

     This Blue shows the remarkable, sleek bodyline of the breed.

Anagrams

• lube, Lebu, Buel, Ubel