Unusual baby name: CowBelle

Will Ferrell (as cowbell-playing Gene Frenkle) on "Saturday Night Live" (Apr. 2000)
Will Ferrell (and cowbell) on “Saturday Night Live

You probably already know this, but today marks the 16th anniversary of the Saturday Night Live sketch “Behind the Music: Blue Öyster Cult” — the one in which comedian Will Ferrell portrays enthusiastic cowbell-playing character Gene Frenkle.

So if you’ve got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell, I think I can help you out.

Because today I’ve got two people who were apparently named cowbell.

First up is CowBelle Debradt. In 1940 she was 39 years old and living in Ohio with her husband and four sons. She was originally from Pennsylvania.

Cow Belle Debradt, U.S. Census 1940

Second we have CowBelle M. Willis. In 1940 she was 12 years old and living in Montana with her parents and sister.

Cowbelle Willis, U.S. Census 1940

I’ve spotted other Cowbell(e)s as well, but don’t yet have screenshots of the source documents as proof, so I’ll leave them off the list for now.

What are your thoughts on Cowbelle as a modern female name? Is it ridiculous, or could it be some intentionally-ironic hipster alternative to -belle names like Annabelle and Isabelle?

Source: 1940 U.S. Census

Image: Screenshot of Saturday Night Live

5 thoughts on “Unusual baby name: CowBelle

  1. I’m going to have to put it in the Ridiculous camp. “Beautiful cow” as a name for your daughter? Yeah. Not on my watch. :P

  2. I’d say ridiculous too…but if someone out there wants to go ahead and use it, I will gladly blog about that decision. ;)

  3. No matter how sacred, or tasty, I think it is unwise to name a child after a bovine. Hey, anyone named Bovine?

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