Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-07-18
WARMERS SAFE CURE.
NAMING THE BABY.
The Scientific and Literary Principles
InyolYed Elucidated-

Writer'S spend much time and
thought in selecting a name for a play
or novel, for they know that success Is
largely dependent on 1t. Parents, how
ever, are strangely careless and unsclen-
tiic in giving names to children In
the Harvard aud Yale catalogues of
last year j find but two or three really
good combinations. Usually, when a
new conner arrives, some old family
name Is taken; or, II the parents ex-
ercise an original choice, they are too
much excited to be guided by any
sound euphonic principles. They for
get that not cnly from the social point
of view 1t is very advantageous to have
ones name remembered, but that from
the business point of view notoriety is
capital, and must be obtained by per-
sistent and ingenious advertising.
Nor is the saving of time and money
on the part of the knocker at the gate
of notoriety the only thing to be con-
sidered, for, from the altruistIc point
of view, the lessening of the effort of
recollection on the part OF the world is
far more important. The economy OF
the public stock of energy wasted In
inuumerable unconscious efforts to re-
member a name without any corners
for the memory to grasp, but persist
enIiy IuIust Ivf0ro ,e, ~s~ia resnit sr
an increase of available mental force
applicable to settling the question or
future probation, or TO raising the
ethical standard, or to reforming the
tariff, or to disposing or the surplus.
The importance of the subject leads
me to suggest one or two OF the CHIEF
fundamental principles Of the science of
naming children The system Is SIM
pie, and any provident parent can cas-
lily master and apply It.
III Avoid odd, or eccentric, or poe
tic combinations, and be guided by
euphonic quality only. 1t is true that
an odd name may be remembered, but
| the association with 1t Will not be
pleasing. The idea of oddity or afec-
! ton may attach to the shadowy per-
sonally built up in the mind OF the pub
| lie. Under this rule hyphenated
names, especially hyphenated Christian
names, like Floyd-Jones Robinson, are
| to be avoided. Writing the first given
name with an initial and the second in
| full is also evidently opposed to correct
scientific principles.
~. The best form of name is dactyl
and a spondee, like Jeremy Taylor. F"
| Every one has heard OF the ''Shakes-
peare of divines." and has a dim idea
| of an agreeable personality attached to
| the name. Had his name been Charles
| Taylor It is far within bounds to say
| that his reputation would be about one
third of what it is now.
(3.) If the surname is not one that
can be treated according TO the above
rule, it should be fitted with a given
name, such as to bring the combina-
| ton as nearly as possible to the above
length and cadence, as Sidney Dobell,
| Ellery Vane, Henry Ward Beecher,
Dante Rossetti, Theodore Watts and
the like; OF, otherwise, to two long syl-
lables, like Mark Twain or Bret Harte.
| The subdivisions of this branch Of the
subject are too numerous to be given,
but all rest on principle No. 2. The
phonlc value of the surname Is, under
oar custom, the controlling element in
practically applying the science OF
| names.
The great value of names beginning
with Mac or . is evident. because they
| so readily combine with the ordinary
Christian names Any one would be
favorably disposed to Arthur O'Connor,
for instance. A boy pervades our
quiet neighborhood simply because
his name Is Johnny MacWhorter. he
is not in any respect a remarkable boy,
but his name forces him into promi-
nence by its phonic value. There are
some ten or twelve boys who are com.
rades, but he and another dactyl-
spondee boy, Emory Watson, are the
only ones ever spoken of. No doubt
there are others who do as much mis-
chief and make more noise. but these
| two reap all the fame.