Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 3 of 5 1 2 3 4 5
#78298 08/19/02 04:40 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 771
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 771
I have a friend from high school & college whose children are *all* named for presidents. The two boys, Jefferson and Jackson, and the girl, Kennedy. Oddly enough, he works in DC now...

And I've yet to meet another Dagny. Although it was a big day when a friend of the family pointed out Atlas Shrugged. Still haven't read it, though.

And I love Daisy too, Rhuby! One of these days when I have children, that might just work its way into a girl's name: Manya Daisy. Eh, I'll think about it. But flowers are good.

Jumping all over the map here ~ since I saw Hyla's initial post, I've been meaning to bring up Aidan Quinn, the only Aidan I had ever heard of until now! But he's hunky.


#78299 08/19/02 05:26 PM
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
In reply to:

What is the origin of Chellis?


it was his great-grandfather's name. unfortunately, we've had no luck finding out any background about it. we do know a woman whose father was named Chellis, but they're pretty far and few between.



formerly known as etaoin...
#78300 08/19/02 05:56 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
When I was in the Navy I had a friend named Elchard. To make matters worse, he was Elchard III. Greatgrandma claimed she read it in a dime novel and liked the sound of it. Family lore had it that greatgrandma needed reading glasses.


#78301 08/19/02 06:40 PM
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Many years ago I read about a guy who was drafted into the Navy during WW II. His name was R. B. Jones. His parents gave him initials only. The Navy recorded his name into their system as R. (only) B. (only) Jones. yep. You guessed it. He went through his entire hitch as Ronly Bonly Jones.



TEd
#78302 08/19/02 08:51 PM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 131
C
member
Offline
member
C
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 131
What are the popular names now where you live?


I am constantly hearing Haley, Jordan and McKensie for girls. I'm about SICK of Haley!!! Boys names that seem 'in' right now are Tyler and Parker. I can live with those.

When I had my two daughters over the last three years I wanted traditional and classy - not 'gee, wonder where her parents got THAT name' kind of names. I chose Sara Elizabeth and Emily Grace. It was also important that ______ looked good in the sports pages as _______ Spencer, All-State Shortstop. Never knew a Chloe or a Cybil that could take down a liner off her feet, ya know??


#78303 08/19/02 09:48 PM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 475
D
addict
Offline
addict
D
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 475
Having sat down and thought about it, the most common girls names (occuring more than three times in one year in one school) in my school years were: Rachel, Jennifer, Aishia, Kelly, Gemma, Catherine (or Kathryn, Catrin etc) and Sunita. The most common boys names were Benjamin, David, Paul (or John-Paul of course) Jamain, Karl, Darren and Ashley. The current fashions amongst my friends and relatives having babies seems to be old 'granddad' names like Jake, Alfie or Sam for the boys and old, generally flower based names for the girls: Lily, Rose or Grace. I suppose these things must come in cycles. Old fashioned names lose the negative connotations they must have once had and become neutral again. Maybe it's just where I'm from in ever class conscious England but names bring up different images and different expectations, no matter how many times those prejudices are shattered (rightly) by meeting people first hand


#78304 08/20/02 08:06 PM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
B
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
B
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
He started "and I baptize thee Isa-" "no, Father, no" "it's Jonathan" I interupted quickly.

at babtism, the godmother said Timothy, and so he was


Faldage asked...Has this force of law? Would belM's son legally have been Isabelle if she hadn't interrupted?

In Québec, the Catholic stronghold in Canada, he would definitely have been named Isabelle. This until the early 1990's when the laws were changed. Before then, and like OT says, our baptism certificates used to be used for all manner of legal proofs, i.e. getting a passport.




#78305 08/20/02 08:19 PM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
B
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
B
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
>>I suppose these things must come in cycles. Old fashioned names lose the negative connotations they must have once had and become neutral again.

Ooof, I'm not sure about English names but most old-old French names are definitely not coming back. French names like Boudrias or Hormidas are relegated to the memories of my Granny's generation.


Well, there is always the odd weirdo, like my uncle, who insists on making all his kids sport dated names that nobody can spell - to make them unique you understand (Xavierine - pronounced za-vyay-reene - as an example, has never had her name spelled correctly by anybody )

Lily, Rose or Grace.

My Granny is named Rose-Aimée (beloved Rose). My other grandmother, Mammie, was named Anabelle (beautiful Ana)


#78306 08/20/02 09:04 PM
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Some weeks after Theo ws bon, I needed his birth cert, so I went to the Tri-county Health Dept and filled out a form asking them to sell me a copy of the certificate for Theodore Charles Remington, Jr.

The clerk looked at the form and said, "Oh, sir, you've got the first name spelled wrong." Well, that's one thing a person doesn't do, misspell his own name, so I looked at her blankly.

"I saw this when it went into the computer, and thought it was a strange name, but here's the register." And she pointed at a screen to show me the name "Stheodore Charles Remington, Jr." Immediately I had visions of having to go into court and go to the expense of getting a legal name change. And then I remembered that Peggy had vetted the birth registration form not once but three times because she didn't believe I could resist the urge to name my firstborn male child Theophilus (but that's a YART I won't go back into).

Turns out it was a fat finger problem there at the health department which took about 5 minutes to straighten out.

Whew!



TEd
#78307 08/20/02 10:40 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 508
N
addict
Offline
addict
N
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 508
a fat finger problem

Fat finger indeed if it spanned the distance from s to t on the keyboard! More like ham-handed.


Page 3 of 5 1 2 3 4 5

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,577
Members9,187
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 148 guests, and 2 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,710
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,931
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5