I have heard that names among the African-American community can be somewhat exotic. Condoleezza is a good example. But I heard of a prize one the other day. The wife of a friend overheard, in Walmart, a lady calling her daughter. ‘Spatula! Spatula! I’ve got just two words for you, young lady; be-have!’ She swears it’s true.
I knew a Texan girl called Brandy. I once knew an Olive Grove, and I know someone who knew an Orson Carter. School records in Guildford show that in the late 19thc a girl was christened Mary Ann Twanet. I’m sure you can come up with lots more.
Wonderful names! It is so important to choose carefully bearing in mind not only the suitability of Christian name with surname, but also resulting initials. I read somewhere of a chap whose initials were R.I.P!
ReplyDeleteStarting a conversation with a new mum in the bed next to me some 33 years ago, I enquired the name of her new daughter. 'Liana' she replied. 'That's nice' I said vaguely wondering why she had named the little girl after the vines Tarzan swung on in the jungle! Still - better than Candida I suppose!
I was only thinking of names yesterday when I found out that a well known French bishop had been baptised Jacques Jean Joseph Jules - all good sensible names but how unusual to have then all beginning with the same letter. Having suffered teasing as a child because of an unusual 'middle name' myself, I do feel for those who have been given out of the ordinary names.
My mother once had a child in her class who emigrated with her family to Australia. their surname was Rabbitt!
Thank you for giving us your impressions of America - they have been fascinating and informative to those of us who have never visited. A safe journey back to sunny Sussex!
In rural central Illinois I know of a man by the last name of Pigg who named his daughters Ima and Ura. Most Midwesterners are nicer than that; I promise.
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