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What's your favorite name?
Ignatius, anyone? How about Clotilde?
One of the best aspects of genealogy research, for me at least, is learning some of the names my ancestors saw fit to bestow upon their children. When I first started and I found my 4th g grandfather Micah and his sister Silence, I was fascinated. Now, I know that naming conventions change over time and vary greatly with geography and other factors. (I also have a pet theory about the name Silence... In my family it always seems to have been given to the 11th or 12th child, so I believe that it was wishful thinking.)
Still, some names just jump out at you. My current favorites are:
Clotilde LeGrand (1st cousin twice removed)
Bezaleel Howe (b.1750 MA,d.1825 NY - 4th g grand uncle) (his son was also Bezaleel)
Ignatius Malloy (b. after 1845 - 1st cousin 3 times removed)
and my winner... S. Imogene Addison (b. abt 1820 - 1st cousin 4 times removed.) I think that the "S" was for Silence...
So what are your favorite names?
One of the best aspects of genealogy research, for me at least, is learning some of the names my ancestors saw fit to bestow upon their children. When I first started and I found my 4th g grandfather Micah and his sister Silence, I was fascinated. Now, I know that naming conventions change over time and vary greatly with geography and other factors. (I also have a pet theory about the name Silence... In my family it always seems to have been given to the 11th or 12th child, so I believe that it was wishful thinking.)
Still, some names just jump out at you. My current favorites are:
Clotilde LeGrand (1st cousin twice removed)
Bezaleel Howe (b.1750 MA,d.1825 NY - 4th g grand uncle) (his son was also Bezaleel)
Ignatius Malloy (b. after 1845 - 1st cousin 3 times removed)
and my winner... S. Imogene Addison (b. abt 1820 - 1st cousin 4 times removed.) I think that the "S" was for Silence...
So what are your favorite names?
Views: 1150
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kathleen Fox Allen on
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"Oh, Absalom, my son" - not a happy story, but it means "my father is peace" - nice. And I kind of like Asa and Temperance. But I have to agree with you about Epaphroditus...
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I like it... very cool.
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Permalink Reply by Charles J. Ballard on
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My wife has a great grandfather by the name of Zachariah Greenhill Leigh. Great strong name.
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You're right. It's a great name to live up to.
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Permalink Reply by Ursula Ann Martin on
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Mine is Innozenz Veseley, my gr grandfather...
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That seems unique. What is the origin of the name?
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Another unique name. Was Vinez originally a surname?
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Permalink Reply by Jodi Lynn Spade Roessler on
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Some that haven't been mentioned yet: my grandfather Oather Eugene Spade was named after his father Other Esco Spade (pronounced the same...). But seriously who could name a wee babe Oather?
*Algephia Ann Cagg - strangely enough she went by Anna - she died in the 1930s I believe and no one living knows how Algephia was pronounced (al-GEF-fea or al-JA-fea)
*Mahala was a very popular name in the mid 1800s. I've got several of those. I really like it!
*I have to admit to a Dorcas in my tree...NOT my favorite.
*Galley or Galey Lamb (male), I like this one too.
*Massie Johnson (female) dau of John Johnson and Lucretia Massie
*Silus Selenus Spall...heavy on the sssss's
*Thurza McCoy
*Trevanion Spall
*Uffington Wooldstone Thatcher b 1540 England d 1585 England - passed Wooldstone as a middle name to a son.
Other interesting names: Perpetua, Temperance, Rheney
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Now that's a collection of which you can be proud!
I like Mahala quite a bit, too. According to BehindTheName.com, it either means "lyre" or "weak/sick" depending on which root name you look at... I'd lean toward "lyre" myself... And I kind of like that Silus Selenus Spall would fit right into the Harry Potter world; plus, you have to appreciate the alliteration.
Were Oather and Other prounounced like "oather" or like the word other? Either way, I have to agree with you - it's a tough name to go through life with.
Thank you for sharing!
P.S. - I think I'd go by Anna, too :-)
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Yes it is pronounced OATHer. Grandpa goes by "Chub" though I don't know when he picked that name up... Oather has brothers named Acey and Jack...Spade! I can't believe I neglected to mention Other's father was named Letcher Esco (I believe in West Virginny twang it was pronounced Litcher but any clue on Esco?? Its kinda neat...). Lethcher's first wife was named Mandora, she went by Dora or Dory in censuses. Second wife was Vernie.
I agree with your Harry Potter assesment on Silus too! Too funny!
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Do you suppose your great-grandpa changed the spelling for his son because he was tired of being called "the Other Spade"? As for Acey and Jack... I love a family with a good sense of humor.
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Permalink Reply by Tina Wyatt on
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Gosh, I have so many in my family. Jewan, Itaska, Benbow, Ova Mae, Titania, Meridy (male), Levadia, Haytine, Issidona, Theodosia, Zipporah, Oberah, Fairelander, Arzilla, Alzira. They also loved to name people after states. For example I have a Nevada, Iowa, Arizona, Kansas. I could go on and on.
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