The Russellville Democrat., 1881-02-17
HISTORY OF NAMES.
BY JAMES PARTON.

At Bedloe's Island, in New York har- bor there was a company of United States Infantry stationed some time ago, which had in it six men by the name of Smith. I heardthe roll of this company called one morning, and when the ser geant came to the Smiths, the ceremony proceeded thus:
 smith l. Here. Smith 2. Here. Smith 3. Here Smith f. Here. Smith 5 Here. Smith G. Here"
 This had an odd sound, and still more peculiar was it to hear good looking, re- spectable soldier spoken to and spoken of as Smith G." It reduced poor Smith to an unhappy insignificance, for which there was no justification.
 There is really no necessity for the continuance of this army of Smiths a name which has become so common as to be in some places no designation at all. The Smith 6" aforesaid was named Henry Oscar Smith. Now, by simply changing the order of his names, and calling himself Henry Smith Oscar, or Oscar Smith Henry, he would have ac- quired name. It is high time that something was done to reduce the multi tude of Smiths, and l can think of no DtlltI Dldil Ludtl lllC OuC JtloI luClltlouCu Because a man happens to have Smith among his names he is not obliged to put it last. The Earl of Derby is named Smith; but seeing in the London Direc- tory that his country is already blessed with considerable number of Smiths, he has the good sense to sign his name Derby
 The ancient Greeks for ages submitted to even greater inconvenience as in- deed, all the primitive races seem to have done. In old Athens, Smith had not even John to help itself out with, for the people had but one name apiece.
 Socrates was Socrates and nothing else. Demosthenes was only Demosthenes. As the eldest son usually received the name of his fathers father, this would have been more than inconvenient, but for way the lively Greeks had of giving apt nicknames. Thus, Demosthenes car ried all through his life nickname which he acquired in boyhood-Ba Batalos, which means suffering The most eloquent of orators was known among his fellow citizens by the name of Demosthenes Stutterer.
 Among the Greeks, the father claimed the right of naming all his boys, and he usually gave to his eldest the name of his own father; to his second son, the name of his wife's father; to his third son, the name of one of his wife's rela- tions; and to his fourth, the name of his own maternal grandfather. The mother, it appears, named her daughters on a similar principle. On the tenth day of Greek child's life sort of christening festival was held, when the name was given; and the act was accompanied by a religious service and feast, just as it is among Europeans at the present day. All the friends and relatives of the family were invited; a sacrifice was offered to the gods, and the affair concluded with a repast.
 The Romans did better than the Greeks in the matter of names Every noble Roman had at least three names, like Marcus Tullius Cicero. Cicero was the name of his family; Tullius was the name of his tribe; and Marcus was his own per. sonal name.
 The great mass of the people, however probably had but one name suggested by the occupation, or by some personal pc culiarity as rough boys now call one an other Short, Red-head and Long-legs We perceive in the New Testament that the Jews of the same period commonly had but one name. There was a mar whose name was John" In some caset something was added to li.arl; the in divdual, as Saul of Tarcus. Indeed throughout the Bible, there are few per sons mentioned who had more than ont name; from Adam and Eve to the proph cts, and from them outward to the apos ties.
 This custom of giving but one name tc each individual, explains why there are sS many John Smiths in the New York di rectory. As late as the year 1900, thu inhabitants of England, noble and simple had each but one name, and the names in common use were very few in mum Der.
 The Rev. c. w. Bardsley, an Englisl clergyman, who has minutely investigated thesubject of English names, and writer two interesting volumes upon it, men uons that, in the year 1900, out of on' hundred Englishmen, there would be al average of twenty Johns and fifteer Williams. Next to these in point of fire quency, were Thomas, Bartholomew Nichalas, Philip, Simon, Peter, Isaac Richard, Robert, Walter, Henry, Gu, Roger and Baldwin. Among femal names, the three reigning favorites wer Matilda, Isabella and Emma; next t these, Cecilia Catherine, Margaret ant Gillian; all of which except the last ar still familiar to us.
 Each person having but one name, an' the number of names in use being so few it was thing of necessity to use nor particular designations. Hence aros John the Smith, John the Carpenter, an' the rest
 It was the more necessary in forme centuries to add something to man name, because our foreiathers were over fond of family names, and 1t was not al uncommon thing for father to name al ofhis sons alike. Many evidences of thi are to be found in old wills and register The following is an extract from will ( l545, showing how different Johns in tn same household were distinguished:
 Alice, my wife, and Old John, my soI to occupy my farm together till Old Joh marries; Young John, nay son, shall hay