Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-10-14
The Neanlng Of Namcs.

letters or in print. This is practisad
chiefly by the 'young ladiesn Of the
period, very few of whom, we dare
say, know anything about the origin
or meaning of the names they mutt
late. A writer too has studied this
subject to some purpose, discOurses as
follows in the Philadelphia Lcd9cr
on
NAMES AND THEIR MEANINGS.
In the school lists, on cards Of invi-
tation, and wherever else young girls
names are written or printed, we con-
stantly find, in what are called "pet
names,u new variations from Old
usage. Mamie, Minnie, Clemmie,
Louie, BERTHE, Tudie, Lottie, Ettie,
Millie, Mollie, Tressie, Hattie, Nette,
Katie, Addie, Lidie, Ellie, Sadie, Car
rie, Gertie, josie, are to be found, with
many more of the like character.
The above samples are both sufficient
to make the ridiculous nature Of the
custom apparent, and to show that
absurdities grouped together do not
support each other, but make each IN
stance more ridiculous, by assoca-
ton.
The only excuse for "misnaming'
the young ladies is, that these tit.e'5
are supposed to be terms OF affection
and endearment. This plea is to y
degree valid, where the use o. tie
'pet names" is confined to the family
circle, or is the privilege Of very inti-
mate friends. But to write such
names, to sign them to formal letters,
to record them in school or other cata-
logues, and, worse than all, to print
them in any connection, is to widen
the "family circle" exceedingly, and
to increase "intimate friendship in
definitely.
In order to see what is lost by the
defacing of honored names, till their
origin can scarcely be recognized, it
may be interesting to trace the signi-
fication Of a f. W of these names which
in one sense-their frequency-may
be called common names. Take, first
Mary, which in its various legitimate
forms, is borne, probably, more by
persons in Christian lands than any
other name. Maria, Marion, and
Miriam, have the same significance.
The first on record who bore the
name is Miriam, the sister of Moses
and Aaron. The derivation which is
most generally accepted is from the
word marah, bitter; and as Miriam
was one of the children Of the captivi-
ty ofEgypt, it is not difficult to i'm
aRine reasons why this name was
chosen. Whatever was its origin, the
| first wearer of the name made it u
common one in Isreal, perhaps from
the association of Marian with the
triumph at the Red Sea. For an
obvious reason the name has always
been highly popular among Christians;
and the poet seems to have put in
verse universal sentiment when be
wrote, II have a passion for the name
of Mary.n Elizabeth or Elizbeba was
the wife Of Aaron, the mother Of the
Jewish priesthood; and Elizabeth, the
wife OF Zachariah, the priest, was thc
mother of John the Baptist.
Thus curiously is the name connect
| ed with the beginning of the two dis
pensations. The meaningof the name
is "God hath sworn" and it is, there
fore, an appeal to his convenant.
EIisca, the name Of the Queen who
founded Carthage, better knovn a.
"Dido," is the same as Elizabeth.
So are Isabel, Isabella, and Eliza,
other forms of the same name; Esther,
Hester, Stella and E-telle means a
star Laura signifies laurel; Am,
Anna, HanDah, are all variations Of
the same name, which means grace:
Margaret, pearl; Martha is from the
same root as Mary; Susan and Sus-
annah, lilly; Rachel, an eve; Lydia,
is from the name Of a province i'm
! Asia, said, by Josephus to have been
founded by the children of Lud fourth
son of Shem; Charlotte and Caroline
are feminine forms Of Charles or Kari,
signifying q man or manly; Emily,
Amy and Amelia, may mean afTabe,
, or Industrious, and Emma, sometimes
confounded with them, seems like
Mamma, to have come from the first
lisping of the child, and is said TO mean
grandmother.
Ellen, Helen aud Helena mean
light, in the sense of luminous; Catha-
rine, or Katherine, pure; Clara, Clari5-
So and Claribel, .ccme from famous or
fair. Jane and Johanna mean the
grace Of the Lord. Abigail, meaning
"the father of joy" must be read the
cause ofjoy. Deborah is a bee. Do
; rothea and Dora mean the gift of God.
Dorcas is gazelle. Augustus is vene-
rable-hon0rable or stately, if young
ladies like that better. Agnes is pure.
Alice means ''noble cheer,n good for
? q housewife. Adelaide has a similar
sense. Amanda means worthy to be
loved Phoebe is shining. Bridget is
strength. Harriet is household
name, meaning home rule. What
the very pleasant name Cecilia may
8 mean is disputed. The Roman C@cil-
liam family objected to the legend that
their ancestor was blind, as the name
would import, and invented other
, legends. The present popularity of
, the name comes from st. Cecilia,
: the martyr, who sang with her last
! breath, and is in the calendar as the
i patroness of music.
Matilda should be able to hold her
I own, her name meaning battle maid.
# Sophia is wisdom; Sophornia, Of q
=, strong mind. Rebecca or Rebekah
: comes from a root signifying to bind
v and is appropriately introduced in a
prayer in the Episcopal marriage SER
), vice. Louise means famous holiness
: Frances is free. Gertrude mean,
+ spearmaid. Antoinnette is inestima.
|, ble Arabella, al angel heroine
!. Roxana is the dawn of day; Rhoda, 9
rose. Millicent means strength; Nal.
vina, a hand-maid; Florence, flourish.
i ing; Wilhelmina, like Wilhelm anC
u William, helmet of resolution. Tht
Il list Of names with their signifcation
I might be indefinitely extended, bu
u what are here given will suffice t,
show how much better the honest old
forms are than any school CIR
g travestie,
.
, 4 noIOaplohIn DlinI Nom