Smyrna times., 1868-11-04
CHILDREN'S NAMES.


We would remind them, however, that, apart
from the claims of good taste, which should
never be disregarded, every mothers son and
daughter have vested interest in the names
bestowed upon them. Parents have no right,
socially, to disqualify their offspring by afixing
to them either inappropriate or unSeemly ap-
pellations.
In well regulated families the simple rule is
followed of giving the children the names of
their grand parents, parents, and other rela- |
tives. In Scotland the first son is named after
the fathers father, the first daughter after the
mother mother, the second son after the faith |
or, and the second daughter after the mother |
This is good general rule to follow, which |
however admits Of exceptions No one, for
example, should perpetuate an ancestral name
which has graced the Newgate Calender, been
affixed to the village stocks, or swung from the
gallows tree. If the appellatiOn, moreover,
should be positively ugly, it ought to have the
go by. There is nothing gained by reviving
the Hezekiah Hogshesh, for example, of some
near relative, however reputable and dearly be-
loved. Parents can do no better than strength
en- the family bond of union by a repetition to
the furthest generation of the family names
from which the ugly and disreputable have
been weeded out.
The prevailing Christian names in an Eng
lish or American family are an indication more
or less of its origin The predominance of
Franks, Chareses, Hughs, Isabels, Louisas,
Catharines, &C., is proof of cavalier, as that
of Hezekiahs, Reubens, Jonas, Jonathans,
Rebeccas, Marthas, &C., is Of Puritanic de-
scent.
Names, however, are now frequently given
which indicate nothing more than the peculiar
sentiments, tastes, caprlces and fancles of those
who bestow them. The piOus are apt to turn
to the Bible for choice, and afix to their
children, with fond and almost superstitious
hope of sanctifcation, the name of some patri-
arch saint, or apostle. 1t is curious how little
discrimination is sometimes used in selecting
appellatiOns from the Holy Book, which is sup
posed with simple reverence to render sacred
everything it may contain. We have all heard
of the mother who insisted upon calling her
frst-born Beelzebub, for it was, she declared,
a Scriptural name, which none could gainsay
We know two promising scions of a serious
family, who bear respectively the names of
Abiathar Benaiah and Jonah Jonathan.
The sentimental are apt to be guided by the
last novel they have read, and to borrow the
name of favOrite hero or heroine for the be-
loved son or daughter of their house. "Our
second child, girl, says the Vicar of Wake
field, . / intended to call after her Aunt GIiS
sci but my wife, who had been reading ro-
mances, insisted upon herbeing called Olivia. "
The patriotic choose national names and thus
the Patricks abound in Ireland the Georges
in England, the Andrews in Scotland the Her
manns in Germany, the LOuises in France, and
the Washingtons and Franklins in the United
States. In selecting the names of distinguish
ed people for their children, it would be wise
for parents to await the full verdict of poster-
ty before committing themselves to any one s
reputation for greatness. 1t is not safe to as
sumo the excellence of any contemporary name,
and affix to child a supposed honorable ap-
| pellation which time may turn into stigma of
disgrace.
1t is better perhaps to avoid altogether the
names of mark, for the children who bear them
will necessarily suffer by the continually sug-
gested comparison with those who first bore
them. If the careers should be humble, their
humility will be increased; if aspiring their ut
most reach will be deemed a shortcOming. Rid
icule or disappointment must be the inevitable
result. No William ShakSpere Smith, Fran
els Bacon Jones, Isaac Newton Brown, Julius
Caesar jenkins, or Marcus Tullius Cicero Hig
gins can ever by any possibility, however gift
ed by nature and improved by art, reach a de
gree of poetry, philosophy, science, military
heroism, and eloquence to justify his name
and, if but simple mortal without extraordi
nary endowment, survive the ridicule of bear
J ing it. Dickens has committed this error il
Sydney Smith, Francis Jeffrey, and an AL
fred Tennyson. Dickens, however, though
no doubt that the splendor of his own nam,
was such as to condemn already to comparative
obscurity his offspring, and that they thu
might not be harmed by any additional con
trast of brilliancy reflected from his distin
guished contemporaries.
If parents are, for want of family names, il
search of others for their children, we woulC
commend them to the familiar and unobjec
tionable ones of William, John, Francis, Charlie
) Henry, Mary, Margaret, Louisa, Sarah Helen
' &C. The early English names are gettin
greatly into vogue; and you may hear in al
! most every nursery the pretty appellations Q
: Arthur, Edith, Ethel, Edgar, Alfred, and Ed
: win. These are mellihuous, and come fror
: ancestors common to Americans and English
s by both Of whom their memory deserves to b
/, perpetuated
r DID it ever occur to you, says the Li6erc
i Christian that the most beautiful scenery
y off the great thoroughfares and lines of trave
e hid, as it were, in out-of-the-way placesp
e would almost seem that the Creator had seal
# tered abroad only those common and garis