Eccentric Puritan-era baby names

puritan baby names

The Clapp family of 17th-century Dorchester, Massachusetts, was headed by parents Roger and Johanna, both of whom had been born in England. They married in 1633 and welcomed at least 14 children, some of whom were given moderately eccentric Puritan-era names:

  • Samuel, born in 1634
  • William, b. 1636
  • Elizabeth, b. 1638
  • Experience, b. 1640
  • Waitstill, b. 1641
  • Preserved, b. 1643
  • Experience (#2), b. 1645
  • Hopestill, b. 1647
  • Wait, b. 1649
  • Thanks, b. 1651
  • Desire, b. 1652
  • Thomas, b. 1655
  • Unite, b. 1656
  • Supply, b. 1660

After coming across the Clapp family, I was inspired to search for other over-the-top Puritan baby names. Here are a bunch of examples, all from England:

  • Abstinence Pougher, baptized in 1679
  • Abuse-not Ellis, bap. 1592
  • Accepted Frewen, bap. 1588
  • Aid-on-hye Vynall, bap. 1596
  • Anger Bull, died in 1680
  • Be-steadfast Elliard, bap. 1636
  • Be-strong Philpott, bap. 1592
  • Be-thankfull Gyles, bap. 1601
  • Continent Walker, bap. 1594 – here, continent refers to the adjective, meaning “exercising self-restraint, especially sexually.”
  • Deliverance Fennyhouse, bap. 1605
  • Depend Outtered, bap. 1587
  • Doo-good Fuller, died 1628
  • Faynt-not Browne, bap. 1585
  • Faith-my-joy Grey, 1600-1602
  • Fare-well Hamlen, bap. 1589
  • Feare-God Couper, bap. 1588
  • Fear-not Browne, bap. 1589
  • Flie-fornication Andrewes, bap. 1609 – born out of wedlock
  • Forsaken Walton, bap. 1598 – born out of wedlock
  • From-above Hendley, bap. 1582
  • Free-gift Bishopp, bap. 1621
  • Give-thankes Cunsted, bap. 1587
  • God-helpe Cooper, both father and son, 1600s
  • Godly Fauterell, bap. 1579
  • Goodgift Gynninges, bap. 1633
  • Handmaid Johnson (married name), 1600s
  • Hate-evill Greenhill, bap. 1660
  • Have-mercie Stone, bap. 1613
  • Help-on-high Foxe, 1600s
  • Hope-full Wheatlye, bap. 1604
  • Hope-still Peedle, bap. 1611
  • Humiliation Hinde, both father and son, 1600s
  • Increased Helley, bap. 1587
  • Joye-in-Sorrow Godman, bap. 1595
  • Lament Foxe, bap. 1594
  • Lamentation Chapman, 1500s
  • Learn-wysdome Ellis, bap. 1589
  • Live-well Chapman, 1600s
  • Love-God Walker, bap. 1596
  • Magnyfy Freeland, bap. 1591
  • More-fruite Stone, bap. 1587
  • Much-mercie Harmer, bap. 1598
  • My-sake Hallam, bap. 1586
  • No-merit Vynall, bap. 1589
  • Obey Larkford, bap. 1587
  • Peaceable Sherwood, bap. 1597
  • Praise-God Barebone, born in 1598
  • Preserved Holman, bap. 1588
  • Purifie Presse, bap. 1584
  • Refrayne Wykes, bap. 1595
  • Rejoyce Lorde, bap. 1621
  • Renewed Hopkinson, bap. 1588
  • Repentance Benham, bap. 1597
  • Repent Boorman, bap. 1586
  • Safe-on-Highe Hopkinson, bap. 1591
  • Sin-denye Tebb, bap. 1592
  • Sory-for-sine (Sorry-for-sin) Coupard, bap. 1589
  • Stand-Fast-On-High Stringer, 1600s
  • Stedfast Bell, bap. 1587
  • Thankfull Frewen, bap. 1591
  • What-God-will Crosland, both father and son, 1600s

Which one is your favorite?

Sources:

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