“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.’ – William Shakespeare.
I have several Roses in my family tree, plus some Rosemarys, Rosettas and Rosellas. Given names are a fascinating insight into the traditions, culture and thoughts of our ancestors. Though sometimes I shake my head and ask, “What were the parents thinking!”
I have relatives named Iris, Daisy, Holly, Ivy and Lily. In fact, there is a Lilly White and a Violet Blue Taylor. And an Olive Blanch Taylor.
Some names travel through generations. In about 1670 Femmetje Ritter was born in New Amsterdam, New York. Femmetje is the Dutch version of Pheobe.
In 1734 her granddaughter Femmetje Swart was born. She seems to have died early.
In 1797 Femmetje Swart’s brother John’s granddaughter Phebe Swartz was born (the family anglicized the spelling).
In 1837 Phebe Swartz then named her daughter Phebe Strain. She died as a young woman.
In 1858 Phebe Strain’s sister Elizabeth named her new daughter Phebe Rogers.
In 1921 Phebe Rogers’ granddaughter (my aunt) Phebe Horlacher was born.
So this naming tradition in my family goes back to 1670 – over 250 years.
On one side of my family Cinderella was a favorite name. Cinderella Lester was born in 1805. Two of her children named their daughters Cinderella, giving us Cinderella Strange and Cinderella Bynum. There’s one more ‘Cinderella’ in my tree, at least I think so. Sound this name out slowly: Syndaralugh Page.
Our 17th century ancestors were biblically literate and often named their children from the Scriptures. I have, of course, lots of Marys, Marthas, Abrahams, Moseses and Davids. But there are also: Absolam, Bathshebah, Beulah, Hezekiah, Zimri, Philadelphia, Theodora, Leodicia, and Nebuchadnezzar. And an Alpha Omega Cragun.
Christian virtues were popular names among our Puritan ancestors. My tree contains the names: Charity, Patience, Prudence, Obedience, Experience, Thankful, Remember, Joy, Honor, Love, Peace, Faith and Faithful.
I think its always been an inclination to name a child after a famous person. Perhaps there’s a wish to honor someone or the hope that the baby will grow to manifest the namesake’s virtues. My great-great granduncle was George Washington Swope, and I have 27 other George Washingtons in my tree (and a Washington George). There are fifteen Thomas Jeffersons, fifteen Andrew Jacksons, and sixteen Benjamin Franklins. After the Civil War a generation of men named their children after their heroes. I’m related to Ulysses Sherman Holmes and William Tecumseh Sherman Strange. There are three relatives named Ulysses Grant and five with Lincoln as a first or middle name. My 2nd cousin 3x removed was named Ulysses S. Grant Cook. Perhaps in an effort to be non-partisan he named his son Lee Grant Cook. The parents of Garfield Arthur Lucas named their son after two presidents.
I have seven relatives named Goldie, Golda or Golden. I’m related to Silver Drake, Ocean Jewel Prather and Emerald Land. There are fifty baby girls named Pearl or Pearly in my tree, including Ruby Pearl.
I first came upon the name ‘Doctor’ as a given name in a census record for a young boy. The name ‘Doctor’ is found occasionally in historic records. It may come from an English or Irish superstition that says the seventh son of a seventh son has special healing abilities. I have four Doctors in my tree and though none are seventh sons of seventh sons, at least three of them may be a seventh son. Doctor Jackson Shirley (1817-1891) was a seventh son. Doctor Franklin Cook (1806-1839) may have been a seventh son (though I count 8th). Doctor Jackson Shirley (1843-1921) – I have no idea, maybe they just liked the name. Doctor D. Reynolds (1860 – ) may be a seventh son. His parents had 16 children, but not all are accounted for in the records I can find.
My 2nd cousin 4x removed, Alas Morris, died at the age of 2 months 13 days. Did the grieving parents named her Alas? Or was this an attempt at Alice?
My husband has a relative born in 1888 named Famous Louise Hastings. You might think she would use the name Louise, but every legal document, her obituary, and her headstone indicates the she went by Famous.
Another relative was named Favorite Pet Cook. When she was born on May 3, 1879 she had a 10 year-old sister and an 8 year-old sister. One wonders what they thought of the baby being named ‘Favorite’? Something else odd about this family. When the census taker visited in June of 1880, he recorded the names of everyone else in the family but for the 1 year old, he wrote down ‘Infant Cook.’ In a time of high infant mortality it was not uncommon to not name a child until the parents were sure it would survive. But they still hadn’t named her after thirteen months?
And speaking of truly odd names. . . There is Strange Nathaniel Cragun. You may have noted that the name Strange does show up in my genealogy, it was my grandmother’s maiden name. But I can’t find that the Craguns have a tie to that family. Then there’s Frederick Weird Stairwalt. – Weird was sometimes seen as a last name (and occasionally spelled Wierd) but I can’t find a link to them. We can only hope Strange Cragun and Weird Stairwalt each had a good sense of humor. Or a thick skin.