One of the sources I used for yesterday’s post on Ono Titchiner was a book full of 17th and 18th century marriage records from Surrey.
In the introduction, the author listed some of the more notable names to be found in the book:
There are some curious and uncommon Christian names from Biblical and Classical sources; amongst those of females, Achsa, Adeliza, Aphara, Anastasia, Aquila, Avarillar, Bathana, Bedia, Bethia, Cassandra, Caroline-Shepherdess, Celeste, Clementia, Damaris, Dionisia, Dufiner, Dulcibella, Eleanor, Emmaritta, Emlin, Euphemia, Grachauna, Gratitude, Hephzibah, Israel, Jacobinea, Jaminia, Juliana, Kimbra, Melior, Milbrough, Pamelia, Parthenia, Paterniller, Pleasant-Furs, Protesia, Silvestria, Sina, Statira, Tamar, Tempearance, Theodosia, Tryphena, “Virgin” [Price]; and amongst males those of Ananias, Bivel, Calverley, Chrusophilus, Demetrius, Deodatus, Derik, Emmet, Eusebius, Ezekiel, Fretwill, Gershom, Haman, Haseldine [Crab-tree], Jonah, Lazarus, Nazareth, “Offspring” [Brown], Ono, Prew, Purchas, Redhead [Eagle], Rulove, Sills [Gibbons], Theophilus, Truth, Uphill, Ward, Wintz, Zacheus, Zenas, Zeuler.
It’s interesting to note that a few of the above (like Juliana and Jonah) are now commonplace.
And I could imagine a few others (Tamar? Lazarus?) becoming trendy in the near future.
Which of these names do you like best?
Source: Bax, Alfred Ridley. Allegations for Marriage Licences Issued by the Commissary Court of Surrey Between 1673-1770. Norwich: Goose & Son, 1907.