The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-04-25
81 istrlla M
Anecdotes of Names.


every one having first name that has a
Christian name. as was cxemplifed in
the case of Mr. Levi. who appeared as n
witness before tho Lord Mayor of Lon
don
What is your Christian name, Mr.
Levi ?" said that civic functionary.
81 have not got any, my lord" was
tic reply. IL am a jew, but my first
name is Moses.
Some people are not particular in
names, provided they snack Of the an
clients. owing to which it happens that
there is boy now living in Philadel
pha who has bcen chris,ercd five may
thus use the word-aftcr Commodus.o one
of the most Infamous of the Roman Em.
! rerors
The late Bishop Chase. of Illinois. had
dislike to having Greek and Roman
names imposed upon children, which he
displayed very pointedIy on Que occasion
when child was brought to him to be
baptiscd.
Name this child" said the bishop
"Marcus Tullius Cicero" answered
the father
What"
Marcus Tullus Cicero"
Tut tut with your hcathcn nops
sensel Peter I brptizl thee" Aud the child
was Peter thcnceforth aud forever.
The story is well known Of tie man,
who, having called four sons after Mat.
thew. Mark. Luke, and Jphn wished to
have the fifth chriStcucd ActS, because
as he said. he wanted to compliment
the apostles hit" but the sequel, MS
given 10y Mr. Lower. in the last edition
Of his valuable work on " English sur.
names" is not so familiar to MS. 1t ap.
pears that the father had two other sons.
who were chriStcucd Richand aud
Thomas. and that the story If the name
that had been proposed for No. ), get
ting wind amongst his schoolmatcs, he
was annoved'with having this di>tich re-
peated, of better metre than rhyme
Matthew, Mark, Luke, aud John,
Acts Of 'poSlles Dick and Tom"
Some persons appear to have tried how
near they could come to the height of
absurGitv. in giving names to their chill
dren. Benjamin Stokcly, the first white
settler in Mercer county, Pennsylvania.
(whose account thereof is in the fourth
volume of the Memoirs Of the Historical
Society Of Pcnnsy lvania) gave most cx-
traordinary names to ali his children
at present.. but one If them occurs to onr
mcmory-Aurora Borealis-by which
lie thought proper to designate one of his
daughters. a Mr. Stickncy, distant
relative Of DR.. Franklin. numbered his
children, calling the One Stickney. Two
Siicknoy. Sc We NIL eht mention here
the case of Mr. New who is sail to have
called his FIRST child. Something. AND the
next Nothing Int the story is probably
the creation Of the fertile Imagination Of
Mr.. Joseph Miller, or some of his sue.
ccssors.
An eminent lawyer. who adorned the
philadelphia bar forty or fifty years ago,
had son with the same first name as
himself who was Studying law in his of
flee. One day letter arrived without
any addition ofJUHioy, but intended for
the younger, which the elder gentleman
opened and read 1t was from a source
not very credifablc to any one.
am ashamed of vou.n said the
father, Indignantly, handing it to his
son.
T. am ashqmed of you, Sir" replied
the son. handing it lack, with his finger
pointed at the direction.
One of the sons of the Benjamin
Stokely Of whom we have spoken above,
was born during his fathers absence
from home. On his return his wife told
him that she lad called him BENJAMIN.
after him. "None of that" cried he, IL
have no notion Of hearing people talk of
oht Ben Stokc!y."
No name sbonld he given to child
that will suggest ludicrous idea when
written in full, or when the initial only
is used. We always pitiel Mr., p Cox
aud Mr.. T Potts, both worthy men, but
with thNughtless god.fathcrs
Middle-aged persons in Philadelphia
can recolloct druggist named Ash,
(uow deceased Whose friends had select.
ed Caleb for the first name lie was
constantly annoyed with inquiries from
ool-boys, aud others of the rising gen
eration as to the residence Of Mr.. Cal
abash.
Forty or fifty years ago, a very worthy
little French tailor, named Frogg, resid.
ed in Charleston, S. C.. and on the birth
day ofonc of his sons some wags persuaded
him that it would be a very good thing for
the child to call him after the chief mag.
istraie of the State-Governor Bull,
which was done accordingly, the uniucky
combination Of the two names never
striking the father until it was too late.
Have many of our readers seen the
pretty verses on the naming Of a child,
written by Mary, the unhappy sister cf
Charles Lamb We shall presume that
they have not, and without apology con-
clude this essay with them =
CHOOSING NAME.
have got a new-b born sister;
was nigh the first that kissed her.
When the nursing woman brought her
To papa, his infant daughter,
How papa's dear eyes did glisten!
She will shortly be to christen:
And papa has made the offer,
shall have the naming of her.
Now ] wonder what would please her,
Charlotte, Julia or Louisa
Ann aud Mary, they're too common;
Joans too formal for woman;