The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-02-26

WIS OnlHS w ehO law ehoe OAlO iSb
volunteer was wretch guilty of the crime
OF being named Caius, which was an unfor-
tunate name. The name of Hannibal, Grace
OF Baal, was considered to have some magic
power, and more credit was considered due
to it for its owners victories than to the
Carthaginian arms. When the census was
taken, the enumerators always began with a
lucky name, and the name of Scipio was re-
garded fortunate for any African trade,
commerce or enterprise. The name Julia
was unlucky, but Julian and Jovian were
fortunate. Cardinals, when elected to the
Papacy, have usually changed their names,
1t is said, from a superstition that If a
change were not made the new pope would
die in less than a twelve month. Agnes is
believed to be an unlucky name, but
Blanche is fortunate. In general, all names
are lucky which are indicative of some pleas
ing emotion or connected with some tortu-
nate historical individual. Alexander
is lucky, so is Julius, so also is
David, but John is bad, Judas is
worse, and Ananias and Lucifer the worst
of all. Jezebel is unlucky, together with
Sophia and Julia, while Mary, the name of
the Virgin, is the most fortunate In the list.
There are extant several books which have
neen written to show in what consists the
good or evil fortune of name, and most of
these derive the reason from incidents con-
nected with some individual who has been
either singularly blessed or cursed in his
career, and has thus attracted attention to
his name.
LONG AND SHORT NAMES.
The length OF shortness of names has at
tracted more or less attention in literary
history, and some interest is felt in this
branch of the subject. The Spanish nobility
hava II, fimas mot otto oh ad eyraot ;,onorta 40
to long and dignifed names, and an instance
is given in English annals of Spanish EN-
bassador considering himself insulted by be-
ing obliged to deliver his credentials to an
Engishman named Cults. The Spaniard
thought that the Briton must be very low
fellow or he would have longer name, and
much explanation had to be made before he
could be pacifed. The ancients used some
times to lengthen their names when coming
Into a fari,alaA- aanAnairss- 4ia-..e.- phe4
shortest name of history is from Germany.
and consisted of capital A. The longest
family names are also German. In this par.
ticular Germany rivals Spain, but the latter
is little ahead, though the gain is by a
trick. The Spanish mobiles in order to rem
der their names more high sounding. usual
ly add the place of their residence. and Don
Quixote will therefore become Don Quixote
de la Mancha, and his Dulcinea will be met
amorphosed into Donna del Dulcinea Toboso.
But in a fair contest, this trick will be ruled
out and the Germans will come in ahead. A
German newspaper some years ago contain
ed marriage notice of Mr.. Spitteimericher
to Miss Dudelmoeser, the ceremony being
performed by Rev. DR.. Dunderbereer. A
New York directory once published the
Of Tn Wow ~ &c
Such names as these are attended by no
small disadvantage. Imagine somebody try
ing to inform the last named gentleman that
his house was on fire or bis wife was in the
well, and the difficulty is at once apparent
But the German nation is by no means to be
blamed for its long names. Any one who
attempts to master such words s.Stadtverord-
dnetendyersamlungen, "Freundschaftsbr-
zeigungen," Observation-Disclosures
lungen," sverordnetenversam-
slungen," and Observation-Disclosures
senbuchhalter," will find the proper names
to be the easiest part of his undertaking.
ILLUSTRATIVE NAMES.
The fact that names are frequently illus
trative of character has already been stated,
but this popularity of names has been car
ried among various nations to a much great
er extent than is usually suppos ed. Illus
trations from the Hebrews, Greeks and Ro-
mans have already been given, but more
modern nations have illustrated the same
popularity quite as fercibly. The Saxon
names are eminently characteristic. Athel-
wulf was the "noble wolf" Athelstane the
''noble stone," and, in fact when we look
through the entire list we find few that are
not quite as significant as these The Puri.
tan names of the seventeenth century were
quite as full of meaning. The intense devo-
ton of the Puritans the Scriptures, par
ticularly the Old Testament Scriptures,
prompted them to adopt the old Scripture
names, and the Bible was ransacked for
names as odd and uncommon as possible
Strange combinations of names were made,
and in order that the unlucky youth might
be as well loaded as possible, several were
bestowed. One unfortunate of the time of
Cromwell was afflicted with the name of
Nebuchadnezzar Belshazar Hezekiah Epen-
rzur GruInp, Willie another went through
life bearing the burden of Senaccharib Jere-
miah Sarum. Finally the climax was reached
by giving children a whole text of Scripture
for name. Praise God Barebones, of the
Rump Parliament, was said to have groaned
under the affection of'sPraise- 5od-for-if-iC
MISUNDERSTANDING his-mercy-in-C Christ
-you-would-h ave-been-damned Bare
bones" One of Barebones' fellow-sufferers
was, "For-now we-see-through-a .glass-dark-
y-but-there-face-to-fac Higgers." This
extravaganza in naming was it sown
cure, for, after the Restoration many
of the Purirans found themselves
so much the object of popular rid
icule, on account of their lengthy and
absurd names, that they voluntarily changed
them for other and less cumbersome handles.
They have often been followed in this exam
pie by persons since who have been unable
to meet the laughter caused by their odd or
unfortunate names. A Mr.. Snapper some
pears ago had his name changed by the Con-
necticnt Legislature for the reason that it
provoked mirth, which wounded his feel
ings, while man named Skoot made a
similar application to the Legislature of
New York for the same reason.
CHANGES OF NAME
A change of name has always been con-
siiered somewhat unlucky, except for a
woman, when the woman usually regards it
as fortunate performance. Sailors are
said to have superstition with regard to a
ships change of name, and will not willing
ly sail in vessel that has undergone
change in this respect. The custom of a
Cardinal changing his name when elected
to the papacy is said to have originated with
Sergius H., whose name is said to have been
"Hogsmouth," and if the incident actually
happened nobody can blame him for any
step that rid him of SO unlucky a cognomen
Balzac, the great French writer, was origin
ally named GueE, the beggar, and changed
his name to get rid of one SO opprobrious.
Theophile, a French poet, was named Viaut,
which sounded so much like veau, calf,
that he dropped it, and was afterward
known by his first name only. Erasmus's
family name was Gerard, which meaning
amiable, he translated into Desiderius, and
then into the Greek Erasmus. The Romans
had a practice of changing their names upon
change of fortune, as already stated; Dio
Giles, when he assembled the throne became
Dlocle sian, and SO much Importance was at
tached to beauty of name among the Greeks
that the name was often changed for one of
greater charm of sound. Plato makes quite
point of this in one of his dialogues, and
insists that children should be given pleas
ing names. Changes of names have gener
ally, however, been caused by dissatisfaction
with the name already possessed, from some