But what about your name? What does it mean? What does it reveal about you and your relationship to your family?
Please research the meaning of your own name using the Behind the Name website. If your first name does not deliver any results, try your last name, or ask your family members what the name means to them.
In the comment section of this post, respond to the following:
- Select what you feel is the most memorable Puritan name from the article from Slate Magazine and explain what the name reveals about the Puritan culture.
- Finally, explain the significance of your own first or last name. Please include information you find from Behind the Name or from your own research.
Responses are due prior to class on Monday (9/22).
Regarding the Puritan names, one name in particular doesn't stand out. Rather, I am disgusted by the cruel, depressing names given to children.
Forsaken? Were these poor people robbed of all joy? Children were indoctrinated at birth: life is constant struggle and suffering.
Now, my name.
I am named after my mother's father, Edward Earle Allen. Interestingly enough, my father picked the name.
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| Pictured: My mother, the little girl, my two uncles, my grandmother, and my grandfather, Earle (1953). |
Also, I don't think anyone regularly calls me Edward.
Ed, Eddie, Eduardo, Edsel--these are all more common.
Alright, your turn, people.
The Puritan name that stuck in my mind was Obedience. Obedience sticks with me because the Puritan culture is strictly about obedience. Everybody has to follow the guidelines without question or else they suffer the Puritans wrath. Things like how to dress, how to speak, how to act… are ideas the Puritans polished and then enforce on their members.
ReplyDeleteMy own name, Samantha, originated in the US around the 1800s. It’s of an Italian back round and didn’t become popular in the US until about 1964 when the character in the hit TV show Bewitched, had the name. Since then it has become very popular in the United States ranking number 29, while making it number 42 in Canada and 46 in New Zealand.
I loved Bewitched as a kid!
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ReplyDeleteOut of all the crazy names Puritans gave children, Thanks was the name that struck out at me. Since the Puritans couldn't dance or do anything entertaining, maybe they got their kicks out of cruel sarcasm. I can just imagine a couple with a crying newborn baby who poops often and decide to name it Thanks. They just love their new fascinating life with this small human that they can't communicate with. Really, they're living the dream and couldn't be more grateful.
ReplyDeleteMelissa means bee in Greek, but that's not why my parents chose that name. When my mom was around my age, she watched Little House on the Prairie in Spanish. Two of the actresses on the show were named Melissa and my mom saw them as beautiful and talented girls. So when it came time for my birth, she already had the perfect name picked out.
More classic TV connections... Interesting!
DeleteFrom Humiliation to Die-Well, the Puritans definitely had a flair for giving their children unique names. However, the name that stuck out the most to me was Handmaid. It's strange simplicity and awkwardness makes it almost sadistically funny. It's like naming your child Mass-Murderer, and betting on the fact that they will grow up to be a mass murderer. The name Handmaid really showcases how the Puritans view their young girls. You must start out as someone's maid, get married to some old bearded guy at 14, crank out a few babies and then die. From the minute they are born, the young Puritan girls are doomed.
ReplyDeleteMy name, Lucie is French and it means "light." My father was the one who picked it and from what he's tried to explain to me, it seems as though he simply closed his eyes, picked a random page from a name book, and pointed his finger somewhere. I don't love my name, but I don't exactly mind it too much either. After all, it's just a name and it shouldn't have to say anything about me. My dad mentioned that he was originally going to name me Paula, but considering his name is Paul, that would have been weird.
The name I chose from the Puritan times is Placidia. Placidia was one of the pleasantly-strange names back then. Placidia comes from the Roman name, Placido, which means "quiet" and "calm'. I chose Placidia because the Puritan times were about being calm and peaceful not being garish or "over the top". People then lived a simple life of going to church, going to work, and taking care of your family, that was usually it. Now having a name like Placidia you would think of her of living just like what her name means.
ReplyDeleteFor my own name, Caitlyn, it comes from the Greek name Katherine meaning "pure", ironically fitting perfectly with our lesson on Puritan times. My parents chose my name Caitlyn, because I'm from Irish decent and they wanted to name me after my Father's Mom's Irish background in honor of her.
Out of all the cruel Puritan names, the name Helpless sticks out to me the most. This name sticks out because it reminds me of criminals. There is no help for amoral people because they don't feel sorrow for doing others harm. This name is saying there is no help for these children and they are already destined to fail.
ReplyDeleteIn Greek the name Timotheos (Timothy) means honoring God. But the origin behind my name is much simpler. My father is named Timothy so he passed the name onto me. I don't mind my name but I would rather it be something with two syllables. Three just seems too long.
Ha. Simplify, simplify, simplify.
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ReplyDeleteHumiliation was a really memorable Puritan name. It's meant to remind the person that their world is filled with pain, and I think it did its job. A guy back in to 1620s named Humiliation Hynde named both of his sons Humiliation Hynde, and I like to imagine that the man was just acting like a giant baby. Because of how much he hated his own name, he gave it to his sons because he wanted them to suffer too.
ReplyDeleteMy name, Janet, originated from a Hebrew word meaning God is gracious. I think it's funny because I don't even believe it god. I'm Buddhist, but whatever. I like my name, but sometimes I wish it could be a fancier version like Jeannette. Anyways my parents named me Janet after Janet Jackson because my brother is Michael. It was supposed to be Michelle at first, but then they decided not to because a relative knew somebody named Michelle who was not a nice person.
"Anyways my parents named me Janet after Janet Jackson..." I probably would have led off with that piece of information. Nice!
DeleteOut of all the unusual and cruel Puritan names, the name Humiliation got my attention. It surprised me when the person who was named Humiliation also named his children Humiliation proving that everyone thinks of children as a lowly being. Puritans thought of children as evil. They think children have no obedience and therefore requires guidance. Puritan parents think that their children humiliate them by doing wrong things. Puritans also believed in witches and therefore thought that children are vulnerable to them.
ReplyDeleteAs for my name, Dhwanil means "sound of wind" and obviously it originates from India. Its hard to believe but my family didn't came up with my name but a nurse did. She told my parents and they liked it so they named me Dhwanil. My last name Patel is a prominent and common last name not just in India but in many countries including USA and UK. It means "leader or head of village" and it was one of the most important last name back in 1700s.
"Sound of Wind"--love it!
DeleteThe one Puritan name that stuck out to me most was Helpless. For one the name is so depressing and just sad. It would just put me in a gloomy type of mood. For a child to be named that in the Puritan times suited them perfectly because thats exactly what they were. They were helpless they had no say no childhood. They were stuck in such a suppressed life limited to so many things. Its sad to know that, that in fact was how children lived and im just glad I wasnt stuck with such a horrible name like Helpless.
ReplyDeleteMy name Amara, is originated from Arabic meaning eternal. In spanish it is also know as imperishable. My mom found my name looking in a book of Arabic names and symbals. I like my name its very had to picture my name being something else. Sometimes it.is annoying because 9 out of 10 pronounce it wrong. Most the time I correct people but a lot of time if its not far off I just let it be. Its tireing correcting people all the time but its cool because I wouldnt change my name for any other one.
Thanks was a really memorable Puritan name for me. The name Thanks means exactly that; thank you. Thanks for being born, thanks to God for blessing the world with another child who will have the opportunity to create the future or thanks to God for making you the way you are.
ReplyDeleteMy name is spelled weirdly so the original Brianna means high and noble, originates from Ireland, and is the female version of Brian. Briana was first used in the 1950's and didn't get popular until 1970. In 1999, it was the 14th most common name in the United States and is ranked 51 today. I don't really mind my name. My mom was going to name me after a female warrior-Jael Laurel-who protected her people by driving a stake through the enemy's head, but my dad and my brother didn't like that.(My dad didn't like any of the names my mom chose out for me including the one I have now but as you can see he settled.) A lot of people ask me if my name is pronounced Breanna or Breona; its the second one but I usually just say call me Bre.
"My mom was going to name me after a female warrior-Jael Laurel-who protected her people by driving a stake through the enemy's head, but my dad and my brother didn't like that." Whoa, fearsome!
DeleteHelpless. It’s what the Puritans are from the day they are born until the day they die. So why not name your child helpless because that is what they are. It’s sad and twisted but it fits perfectly.
ReplyDeleteWell first off you have to know my dad is a huge Van Halen fan and he was known in school for them. He loved the Sammy Hagar era so when I was born he picked named me after him. Even though my name is Samuel because it was more proper than Sammy, I still love being called Sammy.
Interesting. I am a David Lee Roth man myself. Don't tell Dad.
DeleteSilence was the most memorable Puritan name. This reveals that the Puritans kept their mouths shut, unless they happen to be condemning innocent people to death at the time, as it was then that they could talk all they want. All new ideas were silenced as well. What makes it memorable was my thought about how ironic it would be if I were named Silence, as I talk a lot and can never shut up.
ReplyDeleteMy name, Bryan, means “high or noble”, which fits me well. I, however, detest my name because I was named after someone whom I do not care for, my father. If my parents put more than twelve and a half seconds into naming me, instead of just naming me after my old “man”, then I could have a cool name. A cool name, one with a random capital letter in the middle of it, like JaQuan or LeeRoy, would fittingly display the swag that I have, so I wish my parents named me something cooler than “Bryan”.
"Swag" is a way of life, not a name.
DeleteEven though there are a lot of disturbing Puritan names, Ashes is the one that really caught my eye. It's hard for me to picture someone naming their innocent child such a horrible name. Naming a child Ashes says a lot about Puritan culture because life must really be terrible for someone to be named after the remnants of something burned. It shows that Puritans had a negative outlook on life and simply lived in unhappiness.
ReplyDeleteUntil you ask me what my name is, I forget that my name is actually Jessica. I usually go by Jess to avoid the awkward pronunciation and because I really don't like it. My name was first used in Shakespeare's play "The Merchant of
Venice" and is referenced in the bible as "Jescha." My dad and sister picked out my name and even though I despise it, I am blessed that Jessica has a diminutive, Jess.
The name that stuck out to me was "Anger". To me this is shows that the parents of the children are negative thinkers. They set up the future of their child to be horrible by naming him/her Anger. This child will always be remembered by this, everyone he or she meets in life will think bad things of this child because of their name. The Puritans were obviously very negative thinkers.
ReplyDeleteJoseph can be traced back to the Hebrew name Yosef. Joseph means "he will add". But I was given this name because of my grandfather's name which is also Joseph. Honestly I don't mind my name except for the fact that It can sound like a lot of things like go, so,(etc.). It is a very simple name that everyone knows how to pronounce so I can't complain.
My name sounds like random sounds: "ugh" and "ah" and "heh." I feel your pain.
DeleteA name says a lot about you. It is something you go by everyday and what you have to hear constantly. The cruel and horrible names dished out through the Puritan community left children horrified with probably little self-worth. The first thing they learn with names such as "damned" and "slave" sets these children up for a terrifying life. From the moment they can comprehend these children are taught if they do one wrong thing, its off to hell they go. Possibly an even worse outcome is that they know all they can do is work until their death.
ReplyDeleteHowever my name, Kennedy, was never set in my parents heart or passed down the family tree. Oddly enough it was picked out of a hat at my parents' job. Even though it doesn't have a great back story I love my name. I think its uncommon and fitting, I couldn't imagine being a Taylor, Morgan, or Lauren.
Out of all of the strange names that the Puritans would name their children, the name Happy stuck out in my mind. Puritans took pride in what they named their children and the names they gave their children came from the Bible, prophecy, and morals. Once the child was named the parents hoped that the child would live up to the name and that is why Happy stuck out in my mind. The Puritans worked from the day they were four or five to the day they died. Puritans banned most Holidays because they believed it was just a day to get drunk. Also the Puritans banned basically all fun. Music was banned because they believed it created laziness. They played little games because they were all about working, and Puritans believed that God was against theatre and that he would allow accidents to happen to the actors and playgoers. So having your child's name Happy must have been a big joke since they didn't do many fun things.
ReplyDeleteMy name Haley became popular from a British Actor named Hayley Mills from the Parent Trap. Hailey in Scandinavia means hero, in Ireland it leans toward the meaning ingenious and in the more English version it means "from the hay meadow". Hayley is derived from Heg Leah meaning hay clearing. My parents picked my name out of a baby name book and the reason they named me Haley is because they liked it. They actually tried out names by walking around and saying the name as if they were telling me to do something like to go clean my room. The other names they were going to pick were Hannah, Erin, Caroline, Kate, and Sarah however my parents tried really hard in finding the best name for me because my mom never liked hers and I love my name because not many other people have it.
The name "Anger" really stood out to me because what person would want to have that attached to their name. It makes an impression that,that person is always angry. This shows me that the Puritan culture had some strange reasoning behind naming there children. Can having anger be a good thing ? I don't think so.
ReplyDeleteFor my first name Jasmine the English definition is a climbing plant with flagrant flowers. It is used to make perfumes. My name is ranked 103 in the United States for popularity. My mom named me this name Becuase ever since she was a little girl she loved that name.
The name that stuck out to me the most was "Helpless". To me, it seems like the Puritans were trying to predict the fate of their children. If the child never cried, their name would be "Silence". If the child always laughed, their name would be "Happy". If their child couldn't walk or talk by a certain time, their child would be deemed helpless, hence the name.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Ryan, and it is mostly a guys name. It means "little king". I don't like my name. It's just so unusual for a girl. Every year on the first day of school, the teachers call my name and always look for a guy to raise their hand. When I do, they come up to me and say "Wow, I really like that name for a girl." Even though my mother named all of her children unisex names, I would rather have my name be spelled as more of a feminine way.
The name "Helpless" is what stuck to me the most. This represents the cruelty of the puritan culture and how this deeply affected the children in those times. It made it seem like children were absolutely the worst possible forms of human beings and were recited as "major sinners". But this name made a child feel as if life has completely turned its back on them and left them on their own.
ReplyDeleteThe name my parents titled me "Bogdan" is in relation to a Slavic name in eastern Europe ranging from Poland to Macedonia. The name means: "Given by God" because the last child my parents had right before I was born was 15 years ago which is my brother who's a grown man (apparently my parents think it's very special for some odd reason). When I first introduce my name most people ask me to repeat it because it's obviously not a common name here in the U.S.
Interesting.
DeleteOut of the Puritan names Helpless was defiantly the name that stuck out most to me. I can’t even imagine being named something so depressing. It perfectly describes the childhood of the puritans. They were helpless to people. All they were used for was to be servants and they were to have no fun. Its really cruel to grow up with the name helpless too. It’s a constant reminder that your parents don’t care that much to give you a nice and proper name.
ReplyDeleteMy name Teagen, is originally spelled “Teagan”. Its means beautiful one and doe in Gaelic. My parents named this because they thought it was a pretty name and because it Irish. I really like having my name because no one I’ve ever met has had the exact same name as me making it very unique which fits me well.
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ReplyDeleteNothing emits the idea of love quite like the name “If-Christ-had-not-died-for-thee-thou-hadst-been-damned.” First off, many would wonder how much time he would spend writing his name in the “Put name here” spot or how many kids got sick of talking to him because of how many words they would have to say. “OHH!! You just got burned, If-Christ-had-not-died-for-thee-thou-hadst-been-damned.” Or maybe even, “OHH! Don’t leave me hangin, If-Christ-had-not-died-for-thee-thou-hadst-been-damned.” OHH the irony… But this shows the competitiveness of the Puritan culture when it comes to names. They competed on the basis of whose child’s name is more outrageously wrong and religious. This also showed how little they actually cared for children. To name them based on items, religion and feelings supports the fact that they considered them as property and sources of labor. If children never loved their names, why should they love themselves?
ReplyDeleteThe name Alfonso means “Noble and ready” for some odd -historic reason. It was the name of six kings of Portugal and some kings in Spain. That explains the nobility but why “ready.” Ready for what? Another theory claims that a part of my name means, “battle.” Let’s connect the dots… my name means “The king is ready for battle.” What a special name!! I was once a proud owner of a unique name, now a signal for troops.
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ReplyDeleteHelpless. Why would anyone name their child Helpless? Maybe they wanted their children to know that they were helpless during this time, or maybe they want the name as a reminder that if you do not follow your role as a child you then will be helpless? I honestly don't know, I sit here puzzled attempting to dissect and fully evaluate and understand the adult Puritan mind set.
ReplyDeleteMy name Jessica is Hebrew for "rich child of God" the story behind my name is that my name Jessica Jenniffer was suppose to be my uncles name but when during delivery my grandmother knew he was a boy that all got canceled. fast forward 21 years later when my mother was pregnant with me she decided to name me what my grandmother would have named my uncle but now it's all mine. So technically my grandmother named me.��
As my eyes wandered over name to name I couldn’t thinking of what kind of characters these children must have grown up into and how many of them might have been killed early on or found a way to leave Puritan culture. But, by far these names revealed how much they loved their children, how much they were devoted to their religion and how little they respected children as people. For instance, “Forsaken” such a wonderful name for a child that must be loved correct? Well apparently not by today’s standards. It’d be more likely to see “Forsaken” in a fiction book or the next Final Fantasy game than you would in life. Either way though a name that means abandoned or deserted certainly wouldn’t have been good for that boy or girl’s self-esteem. Yet, again the resounding truth rings from inside the Puritan culture as it was in the simplest terms no fun and incredibly strict. Everything was to work hard and have no fun while doing it so, why wouldn’t their names reflect the same thing especially the ones that can count as full on sentences.
ReplyDeleteFor my own first name Kayla you can find in the baby naming book I have that it means crown or laurel and from Behind the Name.com it’s Yiddish. Which, makes a ton of sense as in Jewish religion children are supposed to be named after someone who died in the family. Now, I’ve never met the great, great, aunt or great aunt (Honestly I can’t remember) from my family as she was dead when I was born but, apparently I was named after her. More interesting is my last name and how that came to be. According to my last Du-Bois its first off obviously French. However, after taking a look at the certificate at my Aba and Ema’s (Dad’s grandparents) my parents and I found out that it’s a name of nobility. Now Dubois is the Smith of France. Yet, when the – and the capital B are added to it shows where your stature in French nobility would have been and that would have been at the top of the top upper-class. We even have a family crest that goes along with our name that means of the woods. That can easily be pulled up during class on Monday if you wish to see it. Now the most fun thing I find to do with all may names including the middle is to take their meanings in order see what it makes. Now my middle name means reborn so with them all put together my names say, The crown reborn of the woods. Pretty cool if I do say so myself although I think that’s as much as I can say about my name as of now. If there’s more I find out when I’m older you can be sure I’d probably write it down somewhere and keep it with me.
"Yet, when the – and the capital B are added to it shows where your stature in French nobility would have been and that would have been at the top of the top upper-class." Intersting.
DeleteThe Puritans were weird and cruel people to have named their children, Fear-God. Fear-God was the name that stuck out to me the most because it truly shows the culture and life of these people. The Puritans spent their entire lives devoting themselves to God. Even from a young, they were taught to fear him. Those children grew up believing that if they did not obey God, they would burn in hell. Unfortunately for that child, he/she was constantly reminded of this.
ReplyDeleteI hate my name. My name, Donna, sounds old and the actual meaning is lady. However, I find the story behind how I was named to be somewhat funny. I was actually named after my doctor. The reason being is that my parents wanted me to be a one. So what better way to insure that I would be become one, was to name me after my doctor.
Back in the days of the Puritan's, it would be largely agreed upon that the name "Abstinence" summed up their culture with a terrifying amount of accuracy. However, it's easily suggested that the unease caused by this aspect of their culture was, more often than not, completely ignored. "Abstinence" means "the fact or practice of restraining oneself from indulging in something". Puritans were known for their attempted denial of the desires for sins (lust, gluttony, wrath, etc.) that humans naturally feel. They believed that, by thinking with pure logic and acting with pure logic (eating only when physically hungry, sleeping only when physically tired, etc), and by abstaining from all "temptations of the flesh" (showing too much skin, giving into intimacy, etc) was the key to a successful life and society. The name "Abstinence" directly reflects on this characteristic of the Puritan lifestyle. If you were fortunate enough to be blessed with this name, you would literally be left no room to grow as a person. If you miraculously chose to flee from the Puritan lifestyle, all risks aside, you would be stuck with a name that labels you as the type of people you were running from and trying to avoid. Your destiny as a person was basically predetermined by the name you were given. "Abstinence" was most likely an abstinent person, but probably only because his/her name made him/her feel obligated to live that way.
ReplyDeleteThe name "Dana" is Dutch. According to Google "Dana is a baby boy name." And ironically, I've met more guys named Dana than girls.
According to more in depth websites, the name Dana means "from Denmark". However, in Hebrew, Dana means "God has judged" referring to the male version of the name, Daniel. In the Old Testament of the Bible, the prophet Daniel survived a den of lions and was apparently judged by Go.
My parents argued over my name for months. Dana was my brother's nanny's middle name, and the only name my Mom and Dad could agree on. My Mom says she chose mine and my brother's names because they were unique and appropriate for every age. When I'm an adult, my name won't sound ridiculous whereas names like "Brittany", "Princess", etc. probably will.
It is interesting how our names somewhat define the people we become.
DeleteJust the thought of these outrageous names Puritans were given when they were born makes me wonder what went on through their minds. I mean Handmaid, Abuse-not, Humiliation and all the other ridiculously cruel "names", really? Even out of the most wretched ones, the one that stood out the most to me was Obedience. Did the Puritans really expect their children to follow commands like a dog? But, I guess that's what Puritan culture was like. Society then told kids to do everything that is expected of them. Society didn't ask nicely, no, society told. Children were not allowed to have any problems, any say, or any thoughts about things. They were taught from a young age to be as perfect as possible, to be obedient. So what better way is there to remind them of that, other than literally reminding them of what they are expected to do their whole life when you call their name.
ReplyDeleteAside from the demoralizing Puritan names, my own name, Cynthia, actually doesn’t have a special meaning. My mom said that she just chose it and when I searched it up, it literally means “woman from Kynthos”. Kynthos was a mountain on Delos where Greek moon goddess Artemis and her brother Apollo were born. So, I guess you can say that I was named after a mountain, pretty special right? However, although my English name doesn’t mean much, my two Chinese names means something a little more. My official Chinese name, Xue Er, according to my mom means, “winter-child”. Which, ironically, makes no sense because I was actually born in the fall. But, my other name, Lu Yi, which everyone in my family, and one of my next-door-neighbors, calls me means “lucky”. My mom said she chose it because it means that I would have a good life and that everything that I want to do with my life would be easy. Which, again I find ironic because I have a lot really bad days, and by a lot, I mean like almost every other day.
Xue Er -- lovely!
DeleteFear-God. Such an odd name for a puritan child. I don’t know if the barebones were just hardcore religious folks and believed God was this great and powerful king who could punish anyone who stood out of line, or just wanted to scare people with the name. The world will never know. Puritans typically focused their time on religion and living a simple life. From going to church twice a week to staying out of evildoers, the puritans did everything in accordance to God’s plan, and I’m pretty sure naming your child “Fear-God” wasn’t one of them.
ReplyDeleteAs for my name, my mom had this huge obsession with Disney movies. From The Hunchback of Notre Dame to Pinocchio—she loved them all! But her most favorite was Aladdin. A couple years later and voila! Here I am, named after a princess.
The Name that stood out the most for me, was Hope, and not just because it is a sweet name. 416 babies in the U.K. were born with this name in 2012, showing that it is still popular today. Also, it is a positive name, unlike "Forsaken," and "Helpless," which are negative, like many names in the Puritan culture. This is how I think that Hope, is the name that stands out the most in Puritan culture.
ReplyDeleteDarren, not much is known for certain about this name, however, it is believed to be a rare surname, with its origins in Ireland. My parents told me that the name was quote, "picked at random," and my parents also told me that they wanted a unique name for me, and for my initials to be, "D.B." Though my name isn't too interesting, I am grateful to not have a name like Forsaken.
Of all the cruel and disgraceful names that used to be used to name children Handmaid sticks out to me. Out of all the possible names a parent could have chosen why would one name them handmaid, it really shows how little that child must have meant to their parents. I think it just shows how children were thought of in the Puritan community back in those times. It is a good representation of the fact that they are alive to work. I mean Handmaid was practically named slave. So, obviously the poor child named handmaid must have known from the time they were born that they are nothing special nor important and they only have to potential to be a "handmaid".
ReplyDeleteMy name Kiley is not as interesting nor is it as memorable as the names back in the Puritan times. Kiley is just another version of the name "Kylie" which arose in Australia and is said to mean "Boomerang". This is the first time I ever heard that so I don't really now how to interpret it, due to the fact that comparing someone to a boomerang, doesn't usually mean something positive. But, after asking my parents why they named as they did for the first time ever I actually got some real yet strangely awkward answers. I asked my mother who said my father picked it out so then I went to him. He then went into specifics on how when he was younger he had this obsession with Kylie Minogue, so when he got on news that he was having a daughter he of course he thought that it was necessary to name her after the most beautiful woman he could think of. That being said I guess I understand why he named me that, but I st\till don't really find my name interesting and wish it could have been a little more unique.
"...he had this obsession with Kylie Minogue..." Awesome!
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ReplyDeleteOut of all the unusual and relentless Puritan names, Helpless definitely stood out to me. Back then, children weren’t valued. Instead they were regarded as property of their parents. Parents were ordered NOT to cater to their children, but to give them what they needed. Discipline. Furthermore, children were told to revere their parents and give weight to their sayings and instructions. Essentially, they were being treated more like slaves, than actual children. As cruel as it sounds, the name “Helpless” is a perfect fit for them. Especially since they were already told, they were evil, no good, and would live only to work and die.
ReplyDeleteMy name, Kayla is English and means “Beloved” or “Who Is Like God”. My mom said she wanted to name me Dominique Milan...Ugh! Thank God, my dad came to save the day. Although, I wish he hadn’t picked a name that a million other girls had. I don’t really hate my name, but I wish I had something that was more unique. However, my personality is what distinguishes me from everyone else. You won’t ever meet another Kayla like me! Also, I have many embarrassing and ridiculous nicknames. Which kind of make up for the lack of uniqueness in my real name.
Well here’s some of the top of my head: Pookie(Grandma), Angel(Uncle Roy), Toot-Toot(Grandpa), Yellow Heifer(Aunt Jack), Kay(friends), Hamler (Coaches)
But I would prefer Kayla in class.
Hahaha. Pookie it shall be.
DeleteFirst of all you would expect a God fearing people to have very plain religious names, but you'd be wrong one name in particular stands out to me the most If-Christ-had-not-died-for-thee-thou-hadst-been-damned. I mean honestly could you imagine that on the back of a football jersey. Then again the Puritans didn't play football.
ReplyDeleteNow here comes my name which is also religious;
I was named after the main character Christian in Pilgrims Progress, which like puritans is religious. I was also named after my Dads favorite college basketball player Christian Laettner, so my name comes from both religious and athletic background.
I honestly have no clue what happened to the post I did yesterday, but lets just do this again.
ReplyDeleteHumiliation. A name that stuck with me, not only out of sympathy, but because it shows the lack of respect Puritan children got. Humiliation Hynde and his two brothers with the same exact name didn't do anything wrong, but be born. It's like being born in world where you are expected to fail, expected to be nothing, expected to be a humiliation. Well, I'm just glad that these boys lived in a loving family with supportive parents!!
Now back to the important stuff, me. Taylor is a french name usually given to someone who was wanted to be a tailor or is a tailor. Which is ironic because if you gave me a pair of scissors someone is getting hurt (most likely me). Taylor Van, followed the family tradition. Every Van has to have a name that starts with the letter T. I've always thought because the initials TV sounded cool, but realized the tradition started before TV's were even invented. Out of all the names that start with T, they picked Taylor. Why? For $24, a friend of my mom's gave my parents only $24 to name their favorite child after her.
"Why? For $24, a friend of my mom's gave my parents only $24 to name their favorite child after her." Wow.
DeleteEach of the names on the Puritans list were as cruel as the next. Though none stood out directly the name Ashes held a mysterious ring of the minds of English Puritans. They believed the end of the world was near and yet they lived built villages and named children after their future. The name Ashes reveals the fears of fire, of that one day it would be because of fire or heat that would cause their end. And that all there would be left is ashes raining upon death. Ashes was not just the future it was a reminder of god, rules and the consequences that come with disloyalty. Puritanism culture focused all of their energy on obedience and loyalty. Ashes was just another name in a twisted society struggling to be perfect in the eyes of God.
ReplyDeleteMy name is my name. As I think I could never picture any person with another name than the one they have now let alone my own. According to “Behind the Name” my name originated from Hebrew. From the Old Testament Jacob and Leah’s only daughter was named Dinah. It began to be an English given name after the Protestant Reformation. I personally don’t have a cute story on why my name is what it is. There is no story. But it means to be judged. By what is the real question. Another meaning is to vindicate. It means to be reasonable or clear of blame. I suppose I don’t try to be blamed for anything nor am I usually suspected to be the culprit in any cases. And I guess I’m not that person to run the streets yelling at midnight. I’d say that’s pretty reasonable. But then again I’m biased towards myself. Dina will forever be my name, 4 letters, 2 syllables and forever my job to correct the common mispronunciation referring to a dinosaur.
At least your last name doesn't sound like "saur."
DeleteThe name that stands out to me the most is If-Christ-had-not-died-for-thee-thou-hadst-been-damned. This name stands out because it shows how much they worshipped God. This child had a father named Praise-God. Today we do not care about religion. All we care about is how many likes we get on Instagram.
ReplyDeleteMy first name comes from an Irish background meaning little king. Now, I don't have any experience with being a king. However, I can tell you that I am little. I do like the name Ryan even though it is pretty common. If I have a son i will be sure to name him Ryan.
"Today we do not care about religion. All we care about is how many likes we get on Instagram." Wow...
DeleteSorry-for-sin Coupard, Die-Well and Farewell Sykes, Praise-God Barebone, and even Continent Walker, although clever, make me laugh. Funny as they are to hear, these names are somewhat of an evil. Naming a child "Anger" can mislead many, if not all, people into believing that this person's character is aggressive. This shows how little Puritans cared for their children. Not for the child's health and well-being, but for their happiness.
ReplyDeleteAs for my name, it's Kassia. Pronounced: kuh-see-ya. According to "Behind the Name", Kassia is a variant of Cassia, which originates from Ancient Rome and is the masculine form of Cassius. On other websites, such as "sheknows.com", if my name originates from Poland and England, it means "pure". Though, when it originates from Greece, it means "pure" as well as a "spicy cinnamon".
My name was chosen in a very normal and unceremonious way, though turned out to be a sweet, fitting, and unique (yet hard to pronounce) name. And I owe it all to the internet. The meaning of my name suits me comfortably. Personality wise, I'd say that I am generally "pure" and have no deep, dark secrets to hide. I am who I am, and most everyone knows it!
In a more technical view, I am what you would call "pure-blooded", meaning both my Mom and my Dad are one hundred percent Russian, leaving me with the same heritage as well. Overall, I like my name and I honestly don't mind correcting people once in a while. After reading the article "A Boy Named Humiliation", I'm just glad that I wasn't named Kill-sin Pimple.
Well, to be fair, I'm just happy my name is not Kill-sin Pimple.
Ha. Aren't we all.
DeletePuritans are a peculiar bunch of individuals. Yet, setting the peculiarity aside, their names are… interesting to say the least, and by interesting I mean cruel. It’s difficult to imagine someone conjuring up an identifiable title along the lines of: If-Christ-Had-Not-Died-For-Thee-Thou-Hadst-Been-Damned, and deeming that to be perfectly acceptable amongst society is absolutely insane. Even the man left with said “name” changed it to Nicolas Barbon. And who could possibly blame him. That’s exactly what I’d do if my Parents called me by a “freaking” sentence.
ReplyDeleteNow, Nicholas derives from Nikolaos, which means “Victory of the people”. Now,unlike some, I’m quite fond of my name. Now even though that may have sounded a tad narcissistic, (Trust me I’m far from it) the likeability, for me, comes from its simplicity. Short,simple, easy to remember. Well… easier to remember than: If-Christ-Had-Not-Died-For-Thee-Thou-Hadst-Been-Damned.
(Btw: There isn’t really a story behind the selection of my name. I’m not based by anyone in my family. I guess Nicholas just seemed a bit more appealing than anything else at the time so… there’s that)
The name I thought was the most interesting was silence. To me it sounds like a really legit dark name maybe like a drummer for a rock band or something but to me if a person had that name now I'd think they would be a cool like chill type person. Back then it was probably a name that children had because they were probably were to loud so they would just name their child silence so they would get the picture that they couldn't be as loud but it could also mean that they have no say starting from birth in what they can believe in.
ReplyDeleteThe name Gabriel means "God is my might" or "strong man of God." Originally my dad wanted to name me Ruben jr. After himself of course but my mom didn't like it because my uncle who had the same name as my dad was a notorious drug dealer. My dad wasn't there when I was born because he was with the military in Egypt so when I was born my mom called me Gabriel which was what she wanted to name me. I was named after the angel Gabriel one of the only two angels named in the bible the other one which was Michael. Angel Gabriel was in the old and New Testament who was the one who came to Mary and told her she was pregnant with Jesus. Also it means Gavri'el in Hebrew. I consider my name to be special my mom is a Christian that's why she named me it and it's not common name but alot of people who are named Gabriel are probably Christian.
Gabriel is one of my personal favorite names.
DeleteThe most memorable name from the puritan culture was hard for me to find because none really stood out. If i were to choose a name though it would have to be Obedience. Not because Obedience is a stand out name but because it explains the puritan culture all to well. Puritans were very obedient to god and most would agree they were probably too obedient because of the which trials and the killing of sinners.
ReplyDeleteAfter doing some research on the name Brandon i found it means "hill covered with broom" in old English. I couldn't give you even a little explanation of what that means. After looking further into it i found that Brandon is a variant to the name Brendan which means "prince". I think this gives me the authority to make everyone call me Prince Brandon on a hill covered with a broom. My parents name me Brandon Thomas Eaton because they thought it would be a good name for a future president but i don't agree. Who knows maybe one day ill be President Brandon Eaton.
Out of all these odd Puritan names, Happy was the one that caught my attention. When I saw that name on the list, I thought to myself: how ironic? These Puritans live such boring, dull, awful lives I find it hard how a child could be happy in that type of environment. It's funny, because I could only imagine how unhappy Happy was.
ReplyDeleteMy first name is Jan. Supposedly, it was my dad's nickname, so he named my brother and I both Jan. (My brother is Jan Vincent. I am Jan Zachary.) I'm still wondering to this day why his nickname was a girl's name. Thanks a lot dad. Now I'm stuck with some people calling me JZ. However, I go by my middle name, Zach. Zach means "god will remember." My mother was the one who decided my middle name. It was either Zachary or Ezekiel. I was middle-named after Zachariah from the bible.
You should be happy that you are able to give birth to a living creature and be able to name it whatever you choose. But, obviously the Puritan's didn't care about that. Many of the names given to the children are just straight weird and others are just horrible and mean. One that particularly caught my eye was, Kill-sin. You have got to be out of your mind to name your child that and that's just how the Puritans were.
ReplyDeleteI've heard a plethora of weird names and out of all of them mine seems to stand out to people. My parents took forever to finally pick my name. Going from Angelica to Francesca or Valeria they finally picked one. There is a bunch of people out there called Althea but there aren't to many Altea's. Healer, is what Altea means which actually fits me well since I want to be a doctor. But what doesn't fit me well is my last name, Parlapiano. In Italian it literally means, speak softly which I obviously don't do at all because I am one of the loudest people I know. Overall, I like my name and I'm glad I wasn't a Puritan so I don't have a name like, ashes or something crazy.
Despite there being a variety of names that could easily make people either highly amused or disgusted, the most prominent Puritan name I found was Fear-God. Not only does this name raise questions regarding Puritan parents, it represents their entire lifestyle perfectly. They come into the world to find that life is suffering and they must fear God's wrath. Vain enjoyment was a sin and the only thing useful they could do with their lives was work and pray that they would go to heaven.
ReplyDeleteLevi is a Hebrew name dating back to biblical times. In Hebrew, it means "joined" or "attached". I am grateful I wasn't given a generic name because that would be quite boring. Interestingly enough, in the New Testament, the apostle Matthew also went by Levi. It began to be used as an English Christian name after the Protestant Reformation. In a statistic I found to be highly questionable, Levi is the 50th most popular name as of 2013. Since I've never met another person named Levi, I am not entirely sure this is true.
Awesome name. I'm jealous.
DeleteWhile looking at the Puritan names I was not very interested in any. They all seemed pretty basic and boring. In a way this resembles the Puritan lifestyle. You had to follow certain rules or else you weren’t accepted or respected. If you didn’t agree or follow the way they did certain things you wouldn’t be considered true to God.
ReplyDeleteWhen researching the name, Lindsey, it comes from a place called Lincoln Island. The word Lincoln means “lake or pool”. This surprised to because my whole life I’ve grown up on Lake Lenape and it has been the only body of water I felt comfortable swimming in knowing nothing was going to attack me. The lake has made me a part of who I am in a way. Not the actual lake itself but the gift of looking out the window and seeing it in my backyard. When I was little everyone I was friends with lived in my neighborhood so they all had the same luxury that I did so I thought it was normal to have some type of water in your backyard but growing up and going to school, meeting new people made me realize that everyone doesn’t have what I have. This made me more fortunate for what I do and to never take anything for granted because nothing is ever permanent.
The name Kill-sin Pimple stuck out to me the most. Not only does it show the Puritans' cruel nature of naming, but their obsessive dedication to their religion. They also obviously didn't care about their children as much as we do today.
ReplyDeleteThe name Erin means Ireland and peace. My fathers side of the family was a long line of descendants from Ireland. Plus I am like the peacemaker of the family, always trying to sort things out. The story behind my name was that my Dad wanted a unique spelling of Erin into Erynn and my mom wanted my name to be Olivia (horrible name by the way). So they compromised on Erynn Olivia.
I personally like the name Olivia.
DeleteThe name that stick out the most to me is Silence. The name just reminded me of all the people that were quiet and was a bystander during the witchcraft trials. There are people who are getting killed just because of "witchcraft" accusation. No one ever thought that this whole thing with the witchcraft is just an act and everyone was just wasting their time. Instead, they just stand there and watch the death of many people.
ReplyDeleteThe name Justin came from a latin word, lustinus, which derived from Justus. Justus means "just" or "righteous". This was the name of several saints including Justin Martyr, a Christian philosopher of the 2nd century. I got my name from the celebrity, Justin Timberlake. When I was born, there was an Nsync live performance that was on TV. After it was over, Justin was being interviewed. My mom saw it and thought it was a good name for me. So she picked it.
Can I call you Timberlake?
Delete