Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-10-08
The family Circle.

FEMALE NAMEs-It is interesting t,
trace the SPECIFICATION of few name
which may be called common. Tax,
Mary, which, in its various Legitimate
forms, is borne probably by more persons
in Christian lands than any other name
Maria, Marion, and Miriam, have beet
adopted as English names, and all have
the same Specification. The first on record
who bore the name of Miriam, was the sis
ter of Moses and Aaron. The derivation
which is most generally accepted, is from
the word marah, bitter ; and as Miriam
was one of the captivity in Egypt, it is
not difficult to imagine reasons why this
name was chosen. Whatever was the orr.
gin, the first wearer of the name made il
a common one in Israel. perhaps from the
association of Miriam with the triumph
at the Red Sea. The name has AWAY S
been popular among Christians, and the
poet seems to have put in verse universal
sentiment when he wrote, {" l have pas
sion for the name of Mary" Elizabeth
or Elishaba was the wife of Aaron, the
mother Of the Jewish priesthood, and
Elizabeth the wife of Zlckarias, the priest,
Was the mother of John the Baptist. Thus
curiously was the name connected with
the beginning of the two dispensations.
The meaning of the name is, God hath
sworn" and it is therefore an appeal to
his covenant. ELISA, the name of the
queen who founded Carthage, better known
as DIDO, is the same as Elizabeth. So are
Isabel Isabella, and Eliza, other forms of
the same name. Esther, Hester, Stella,
and Estelle, mean star. Laura signifies
a laurel Anu, Anna, Hannah, are all vas
rIatlons OF the same name, which mean
grace; Margaret a pearl Martha is from
the same root as Mary; Susan and Susan
nah, lily; Rachel an eve Ly dia is from
the name of province in Asia, said by
Josephus to have been found by the chill
dren Of Lud, fourth son of Shem; Char
lotte and Caroline are feminine forms of
Charles or Karl, signifying man or man
ly; Emily, Amy, and Amelia, may mean
attable or industrious, and Emma, some
times COMPOUNDED with them, seems, like
mamma, to have come from the first lisp
lngs of the child, and is said to mean
grandmother; Ellen, Helen, and Helena,
mean light, in the sense of luminous
Catharine, or Katherine, pure; Clara,
Clarissa, and Clar;bel, came from famous
or fair; Jane and Joanna mean the grace
of the Lord Abigail, meaning =" the faith
er OF joy" must be read the cause of 10Y
Deborah is bee; Dorothea and Dora
mean the gift Of God Oorcas is ga
zele; Augusta is enerable-honorabe
or stately, If young ladies like that better
Agnes is pure Alice means "noble
cheer" good for housewife Adelaide
has similar sense Amanda means worthy
to be loved; Phoebe is shining; Bridget
means strength; Harriet is a household
name, meaning home rule. What the
very pleasant name of Cecilia may mean
is disputed. The Roman Caec,llian fam
lily objected to the legand that their ances-
tor was blind, as the name would import,
and invented other legands. The presen:
popularity of the name comes from St.
Cecilia, the martyr, who sang with her
last breath, and is in the calendar as the
patroness of music. Matilda should be
able to hold her own. her name meaning
batte-maid. Sophia is wisdom; Sophro-
MIA. OF strong mind, Rebecca, or Re-
bekah, comes from a root signifying to
blind, and is appropriately introduced in
prayer in the Episcopal marriage SER
vice. Louisa means famous holiness
Frances is free; Gertrude means spear.
maid; Antoinette is inestimable; Ara
bella, an eagle heroine. Roxana is the
dawn of day; Rhoda, a rose; Milicent
means strength Malvina, handmade
Florence iourishing; Wilhelmina, like
Wilhelm, and William, helmet of resolu-
ton. The list of names, with their signi-
hcations. might be indefinitely extended,
but what are here given will suffice to
show how much better the honest old
forms are than any travesty. If our
ladies were to investigate their own names.
and also to seek out the meaning and his
tory of other common things-for words
are things, and all things have history
they would find in such pursuit both rec.
reation and instruction.