Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 269, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 November 1918 — Some Extraordinary Name Are Occasionally Fastened Upon the Innocent Babes [ARTICLE]

Some Extraordinary Name Are Occasionally Fastened Upon the Innocent Babes

Wba* . extraordinary name# some compelled to bear or cboosW to assume! I hestitate to call them “Christian names,” because they aren’t Christian, very often. “Given names" Is perhaps the better way of describing them. Perhaps you have heard of the Irishman assisting at- a baptism, who, when ho heard the godmother answer “Hazel ’ to the qoestion as to the child’# name, broke forth: “For the love av hlven; the whole calendar is full of the names of blessed female saints, and they do be callin' the baby after a nut!” I thought of that when I looked through the catalogue of a girl’s college the other day and noted these labels: Golde Mae, Eura, Ar villa, Kathryn; Elva, Melba, Izer, Neva, Ramona, Mabelle, Vida, Esta, Mi Ills, Mayme, Mable, Arthetta, Lilyan, Bnlah, Arbita, Nannie, Ara, Jennie, Roxa, Zurelle, Zuiiene, Vanja, Mote, Comma. It was a comfort to get back to Bridget and Margaret ! Names are not arbitrary combinations of vowels and consonants; they have, or should have, significance, a historic setting, a personal and family relationship, that dignifies them. r To invent fantastic labels for pet dogs may be allowed'; but human beings ought not to be put on that level. So, misspellings of familiar names, Christian or family, seem dither undignified or ignorant, now when fixed spellings have been accepted. Can some one explain Ga Nun and ITReU, both of which variants intrigue me?— Living Church.