Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-08-04
ONE GENT
GIRLS, NAMEs CHANGE.


The Decline Of susan. Mary. Jane. sarah.
Catherine. and All the ola Favaritcs
The roll of honor in the public school
affords us an excellent opportunity to
study the present fas ion in girls names,
SAYS the New Orleans Times Democrat.
The names of our I'M athers and grand
mothers, largely Bialical and universally
in use at the beginning of the century,
are out OF favor to-day.
In nearly a thousand names there is no
Nancy Extremely popular in the last
century,, and but single Martha and
Maria Jane has gone almost out of use,
there being but two recorded, and.
strange To saw, both of French parent
age, but number of Jennies and jean
nettes survive. There is one Emily and
one Charlotte, no Catherine. but two
Hates, and innumerable Katies, which
seems to be the latest form that Gather
inc has taken--Catherine. Kate, Katie.
Sarah, very popular so years ago, has
practically disappeared in favor of Sallie
and Sadie. Caroline is also out of fash
ion, superseded by Carrie and Lena SUI
san does not boast single representa-
tive, but there are number of Susies; and
Elizabeth has retired from service in fa-
vor Of Lizzie. There are but three Mar
garets, but plenty of Marguerites and
some Margarettas. Ellen is dead as q
name. but Nellie is still quite popular.
Mary has been thought the most fire.
quent female name, being both euphoni-
Gus and pleasantly and honorably asso-
ciated. 1t is said that one-third of the
women and girls of France are Maries.
1t is different in New Orleans, where the
number of Marys is very small and grow
ing smaller every day. There are num-
berof Mollies and Mamies, and not few
Maries; indeed, at one time it looked as
if all the Anglo-Sa Marys would be
gallicised into Marie, but so many be-
came converted that it rather overdid
the business, and Marie became as COM
mon as Mary, which may account for
the number of girls of French on creole
parentage who bear the English form of
the name MARY.
Shakespeare's names are coming in as
fashionable, even at this day. There
were more Violas on the roll of honor
of the public school than james, Hates,
Emilys Ellens, Nancys, Margarets, Caro-
Sarahs together The name is fashion
able just now, but we are afraid its
popularity will not last long, for our
colored citizens have taken hold Of it
and have doomed it to the same fate as
Violet and Pnlxie Stella is a good
second, and Mable, Ethel, Alma, Daisy,
Luella, Lorretto, Edna, and Rita, fol-
low as in most favor just at present
Any one Of them will discount Susan,
Sarah, or Jane many times over, and
even lead Mary
Ruby, quite in favor 10 years ago, is
cetting rather antiquated. The fanciful
names of the last century, as Amanda
and Malvina. are also going out Hazel,
which came in with Hazel Kirk some
dozen years ago, did not stick" and is
not increasing. "Birdie" has been
| laughed out and is less common than 10
wears ago; indeed, number of Brides
| have converted it into BERTHE. Gladys is
apparently forcing its way to the front,
and promises to be well received. Pearl,
! Pearlie, and Perle are also coming in,
and nearly every form Of Rose will do
! but Rose itself, for there are Rosellas,
| Rosettas, Roselias, and Rosamonds.
Shakespeare, as we have said, is a
prime favorite for female names. His
| Viola leads them all in New Orleans and
even Ophelia is quite common among
the girls, Notwithstanding that lady's un-
happy fate; but apparently no mother
has had the courage to name her daugh-
ter Desdemonia The opera has given
us Aida, Norma, and Carmen-which
seem TO have crept in of late-all rather
inappropriate names, taking the lives of
these ladies into consideration. Long
fellows Priscilla has but single repre-
sentative on the roll. Secassia recalls
the late war; but how is it that Secassia
is attending the public schools Of this
| late day!
But of pure fancy names, picked up
/ here and there from novels or poems, or
possibly thought out. there is no end.
1t will be seen that if any one can sug-
\ gest good name for girl there ara
dozens Of mothers prepared to adopt 1t
at once If the present tendency con-
tinues. Sarah and Susan will become SO
rare in another generation that they will
sound sweet to US again and be honored
by our grandchildren as they were by
our gTandfathers. We fell it necessary
to warn godmothers that the Viola.
Stella, and Daisy racket is being over
worked.