Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-06-01
Nfcknames and Other Names.

1t Is sometimes in mans favor to be knowh
depends on the nickname. Some are the re-
verse of complimentary. There is, for in
stance, gentleman who bears a somewhat
common name, which We shall for the occa-
sion call Brown, who has gone through life as
Dirty Brown" 1t cannot be pleasant to the
said Browns feelings to know that when any
of the clan Brown has done anything conspic-
uous. and he happens to be the Particular
Brown who has distinguished himself, his
friends announce the fact by saying, "Oh,
that's Dirty Brown who has done such and
such a thing or as the case may be. We
believe the SObriquet arose from an aversion
&c cold water which Brown shared with good
many other little boys while at Harrow-prob-
ABBY now he is The cleaulieSt OF men.
Only lhan very intimate friends ought to
call him by his Christian name. There has
been great deal too much lately of talking of
certain perSOnages in terms of undue famili
arity. We doubt, for instance, il Lord Charles
Beresford appreciates the affection which in
duces the Journals OF society to invariably
practice is Immensely popular with that, alas,
too numerous class who form the pubic of
these prints, and who are the effect-perha
we should say the cauSe-of their existence
Indeed there is no Surer sign of the thOrou gh-
going. back-StairS hanger-On of fashionable
society than the ease with which he or she
talks OF noblemen by their Christian names,
or their nicknames which have been given to
them by their intimate friends, and which
have, somehow or other, generally through the
journals aforesaid, filtered down to the para
lawful prey. We do no mean to say that we
can see any harm in public men, in the true
sense of the term. being known by nicknames
Mr.; Lowe is known to the present generation.
and Will be known to future generations, as
Bob" Lowe; and there is no SnobbshneSs in
calling him so, though. by the way, this name
The Whitehead Torpedo" which, having in
view his appearance and his peculiar style OF
oratory, is about as good as it could be.
Turning from uicknames to other names,
Oermlttpi tn y
that some mode should be found by which the
name given at baptism should only be a sort
OF provisional designation, to be changed at.
say. seven, fourteen, or twenty-one years of
age on due notice being given to the person
and the parties interested? What can be
more rash for example, that at the baptismal
FAINT with bald head and a red face, who
eighteen years afterward bursts upon society
wi raven locks and dark complexion, or to
brand as Felix the babe who in later ypaIS
wastes his fathers substance in rotouS liy-
ing, mari les a cook or worse, attempts suicide
and MIA ly ends his days in a work house? We
should also venture to impress upon par enS
the advisability of exercising some crcum.
Spectiun in beStCWing pet names on their off
spring IN early youth; for pet names have a
ha II OF sticking to the recpien S. aud although
thelf rr.htlons do not see IL because they aie
used to it. there is, to a stranger certain ele-
ment OF the ridiculous when one hears A strap.
u ny young woman of some eleven stone in
as 'Tiny.''
At the present time Scripture names are
gr' ally in vogue in many of the couutry di>-
tricls of England, and very odd ones are
sometimes chosen. We never .tu lily hea d
OF child called Judas IScariot or JeZeba
but we have heard of one of whom it was pro-
pO ed DIT the font that it should 90 through life
as f"ntiuS Plate and we think il did the
"1ll' latlng clergyman great credit tn It on the
!ame being propounded to him, he went on
without a step or a fa!ter, philip Peter.
hap'iZe these &c, and Philip Peter the child
remained, regardless of its parents proclivi-
lies. Another practice which has drained
during the last ten years Is that of double bar
relI1hg SurnameS. No doubt originally, double
names were only taken under the provisions
OF will on coming into a property, or on
marrying landed prOprietreSS in her own
right. Il that were the case now, there W Juld
he great many young gentlemen able to pay
theil tailOrs bills who are in temporary diff
"uities in spite of their high sounding appella
lions. or course, it is a privation, II, in graf
lude for favOrS rtceived-say the gift of liv-
ing-OneS parents have bestowed on one the
family name Of their noble patron, not to
make ones entire into society as Howard
Blown, POwySJuneS, or Manners Robinson,
instead of plain Brown, Jones or Robinson. 1t
is a Letter name to give the announcing me-
NAL. and ii gives the impression that one is
Collected with the noble families, azores lid.
which is agaii in ones favOr.-[ Lp7ldOn We r.