Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-06-08
TASTE AS TO NAMES.
CONDITIONS ON WHICH THEIR GRACE
AND BEAUTY DEPEND,

How "A Commonplace Surname May BE
Transngurcd by Happy Prciix-Pn-
rcntal Stupidity-Initi1ls-S o.
Names for Children
Tastes differ as to names, of course, and it |
is impossible to draw Il line, with all the
sheep on ono side and all the goats on the !
other Some people think that John and
James are excellent names, while others con
slider them ugly and commonplace. Names |
like Charlotte and Clarence are admired by |
some and detested by others. But whatever
disagreement rs to particular names may
exist, it will be found that there is very little
difference of opinion as to the pleasant or UNI
pleasant sound of any ones full title, be the
same double, triple OF quadruple in its con
struction.
The grace and beauty of full name or
title depend on certain Incorporating con
ditions 1t should be rhythmical; it should
not be Pathological; it should contain n sufli-
cient quantity of vowel and consonant
sounds; it should be easily pronounccablc. it
should not suggest unpleasant associations.
For example: a. Three long monosyllabc
names in succession, like "John Paul jones'"
are not MS desirable rs Il combination of long
and short quantities, like "OliNer Wendell
Holiness e. Pathological names, like "John
johnson" or civilian Williams are IN abo
mination. 81 ELLA Ellis is too monoton-
Gus; it would be better to name the child
"Kate' or MARIAN a. "llcnry Wads-
worth Longfellow' satisfies all the foregoing
conditions, but it is not easily pronounced
The words do not run together smoothly, as
in "James Russell Lowell" o. benedict
Arnold sounds WE'LL but no one would be
apt to give that name to an infant.
soFrENED BY a PREFIX,
Since these conditions are so obvious and
SO easy of fulilmcnt, and since the choice of
names is so wide, the prevalence and per-
sstence of harsh, awkward names must he
constant source of wonder and disgust Even
when the surname is commonplace. as in the
case of the noble army of "Smiths' and
browns" or even hopclessly uncouth, as in
"Potts' or Hogs" it can be softcnod and
TRANSPORTED by happy prefix just rs ingeu-
ious decorators beautty bare walls and Un-
lovely articles of furniture. Thus sydney
Smith and Goodwin Smith and ballard
Smith are good names at least in this that
the smith part IS overshadowcd and as it
were, eliminated by the prefixes, which are SO
uncommon that they engross the attention.
But many parents are so stupid about this
than their babies. 1t is incredible that any
Christian should be baptized Judas lscar-
lot" but | read the other day that one of
Roscoe Conkling's ancestors rejoced in the
name "Ananas." What could have possessed
the parents of that unfortunate individual to
name him after the typical liar of all timel
As well might they have called him "Apol-
lvonn or "Beelzebub"
Again, the matter of initials comes in for
consideration as feature of minor, but still
appreciabe, Importance No matter how
smooth or high sounding ones name may be,
it will dull the edge of his self satisfaction if
the initials spell some offensive word The
composer of "Pinafore" has very pretty
name-"Arthur Seymour Sullivan'-but he
always drops the second of the three words
and very brief investigation will show the
reason why.
EUPHoNIoUs AND WELL BALANCED.
By all means let the children have eupho
nious well balanced names. If the Surnam.
be short and abrupt, the baptsmal name
should he pollysyllabic and flowing, and vic,
versa. A true ear and just sense of proper
ton will insure wise decision in every case
Keeping in mind the five conditions aread,
mentioned one will find, on further and mor
critical examination of the subject, that thu
best possible triple combinations, rhythmi
cally are either u a long monosyllable fol
lowed by trochee Tor spondee) and a dactyl
or ~ dactyl, followed by a trochee Tor spon
dee aud long monosylable In other words
If the surname he monosyllable, it is wei
for the first name to be of three syllables am
the second name of two syllables; but if tn
surname be dactyl it is best led up to by
monosyllabic first name and dissyllabi
second name. OF the second combinatio
"Oliver Wendell Holmes" is splendid e1
ample, coinciding with all the requisite cor
ditions, while excellent specimens of the frs
combination are found in "Ralph Wald
Emerson" and "John Greeneaf Whittier
which may be considered practically perfet
names, satisfying the demands of proportio
and rhythm, containing an agreeable variet
of vowel sounds, and being sufficiently smoot
In pronunciation, while not deficient
strength which should pertain to ever
masculine appellaton.
Trochaic surnames, which are the mo
numerous of all, are not so easily balanced
the foregoing. Three trOchees in line is
frequent combination, and not bad one !
any means Thus, Edmund Clarence Ste
man. is a very good name, viewed from G
points; but rhythmically Crank Dempst
Sherman" and George William Curtis ms
seem q little more satisfactory. Certain COZ
blnatIOns are cohSplcuously AWKWARD, as, 1
example, the three successive monosyllabl
already alluded to- in the case of John Pa
jones'" a dactyl followed by an iambus,
Frederic Eugene" and a dactyl followed
monosyllable and a troehee, as "Theodo
Dwight Woolsey." 1t will be found desirat
as general thing, by the way, to select
word of two syllables for the middle name
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