Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 December 1898 — The Oldest Forename. [ARTICLE]

The Oldest Forename.

In ancient times people had one name only, as Adam or David, and in order to distinguish persons of the same name It was the custom to affix the description “son of” Isaac or Jacob, as the case might be. Thus we get Solomon ben David among the Hebrews, and Evan ap Richard among the Welsh, to quote two examples. Although the argument that those names were not strictly “fore names” Is not within weight, yet it Is reasonable to accept them as such, seeing that the appellation had to be supplemented by another for the sake of distinction; we are, therefore, entitled to Include them within the scope of the question. Adam and other early Biblical names are regarded as the oldest for obvious reasons; but excluding these the choice falls upon Marmaduke, which Is the modern rendering of the ancient Chaldean Maruduk and Merodach, the god who Interceded constantly between the angry Ea and the humble Damkina, his father and mother. The Romans used both forenames and family names, and of the former, -two that date back about twenty-five hundred years, are still with us, namely, Marcus and Lucius, represented in modern tongues by Mark and the feminine Lucy. The old form “Marcus” is still retained In some families.