Norma’s Notebook: Personalized Journal for Norma
A simple, pretty journal made for one person: Norma. Her name is set in script above pink watercolor apple blossom on the cover.
- 160 lined pages
- 6" x 9" paperback
- Watercolor apple blossom cover with "Norma's Notebook" on the front
- Printed and shipped by Amazon
What does the name Norma mean?
Norma was made famous by the stage. Behind the Name credits librettist Felice Romani, who used it for the Gaulish priestess at the center of Vincenzo Bellini’s opera Norma (1831), possibly basing it on the Latin norma, “rule”. Wikipedia adds that Romani borrowed the name and plot from Alexandre Soumet’s tragedy, that Soumet may have been influenced by the Norns of Germanic myth, and that a single Norma is recorded as early as 1203. The name is also used as a feminine form of Norman, “Norseman”.
Norma nicknames and other forms
Norma is compact, and the sources list few relatives. Behind the Name gives Normina as an English variant, and Wikipedia points to Norman as the masculine counterpart. One famous Norma used hers as a middle name: actress Norma Shearer was born Edith Norma Shearer.
Some famous Normas
Norma Shearer was the first performer to earn five Academy Award acting nominations, received six in all, and won Best Actress for The Divorcee (1930). Silent-film star Norma Talmadge was among the most popular idols of the American screen in the early 1920s and is best remembered for Smilin’ Through (1922). And Marilyn Monroe, a top-billed actress for a decade, was born Norma Jeane Mortenson in Los Angeles in 1926.
Norma through the decades
Norma peaked between the wars. US Social Security data has it entering the top 200 in the 1890s, rising to 36th in the 1920s and its best rank, 28th, in the 1930s, when nearly 73,000 American girls were named Norma. It was 69th in the 1940s, 133rd in the 1950s and 177th in the 1960s, then left the top 200. Wikipedia notes it is still a very common name in the US but is now seldom given to babies.
Did you know?
The opera that launched the name has a famous showpiece: the soprano prayer “Casta diva”. Wikipedia says Norma premiered at La Scala in Milan on December 26, 1831, and that Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland and Montserrat Caballé were among the notable post-war singers of the title role.
Gift ideas for a Norma
- For an opera lover. Program notes and favorite arias, for a name born at La Scala.
- For a classic-film fan. Watchlists and notes, in honor of Norma Shearer.
- For Boxing Day. Norma premiered on December 26, so it suits a post-Christmas gift.
- For a 90th birthday. Norma peaked in the 1930s, so big birthdays are here.
Who is it for and how she can use it
Whether Norma is eight or eighty, a 6" x 9" notebook is a comfortable size: big enough to write in properly, slim enough to carry. The 160 lined pages don’t come with a set layout, so she decides what it’s for. Journal, planner, class notes, recipes, travel log or doodle book all work. And with her name on the cover, nobody will mistake it for theirs.
Why personalized works
Personalized gifts show you thought about the person, not just the occasion. A notebook with Norma on the cover is affordable, useful every day and still feels special. It’s also a safe choice when you’re not sure of someone’s style, because everyone needs somewhere to write things down.
Frequently asked questions
How big is Norma’s Notebook? It’s 6" x 9" (about 15.2 x 22.9 cm), with 160 lined pages in a paperback cover.
Where do I buy it? On Amazon. It’s printed on demand and shipped by Amazon, so delivery and returns go through your usual Amazon account.
Do you have other names? Plenty. If you’re shopping for more than one person, see all name notebooks and our personalized name notebooks page.
Check out Norma's Notebook on Amazon
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Norma's Notebook is published by Black Stag Publishing.