The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-16
ODD FACTS ABOUT NAMES.
A Method Of Designation Peculiar 10 ms


In this CITY and it's vicinity, says the
Baltimore News, there are number OF
persons who distinguish themselves IRON
others OF the same name by pecuiiai
method, thus:
John Gill Of r.
William GilmOr OF VIM.
James D. Mason Of r.
John T. Mason OF K.
John Ridgeley Of ii.
James Carroll Of c.
w. II. Pitcher of c.
Noah Worthington Of John.
Gustavus Warfield OF c., and so on.
The suffixes constitute pecuiiartues
which are the result OF necessity. For
instarce, John Gill OF r., meaning son
of r. the initial standing for the Chris
tan name OF his father, is the name OF
the well-known president OF the Mer-
camille Trust and Deposit Company ana
il distinguishes him from John Gill, the
lawyer and police commissioner. WI
liam Gnmor OF William, residing on chase
street so styles himself TO De readily
known from William GHmor, president
OF tie Baltimore and Lehigh Railroad.
In some instances the sufrix refers 10 the
birthplace or family seat as IN the case
of the Ridgeleys OF Hampden, and the
Carols OF Carrollton. The latter re-
calls the fact that John Carroll OF the
caves has signed himself as mot Of Car
rOllton.'
The name Of John T. Mason Of K. is
another peculiar instance. The Il. refers
to Roland, his fathers surname. His
name was changed to Mason by Az act
Of the Virginia legislature while ne was
an infant I'm law, and there being another
John T. Mason, be adopted the SUNK
after he became Of age. To avoid me
avl<wardness OF the conjunction of
he now signs himself John T. Mason X.
I'm no other name so far as search re
veals. does a form similar 20 this exist.
These suffixes have been found use
ful TO prevent the wrong delivery or let
tiers aud other communications, but u
is difficult 20 say how long ago the GUS
tom Of using them originated. 1t seems
20 be "a revival OF the ancient system 81
DESIGNATING men by a reference 20 their
fathers names. History says that Hen
~ T.. of England. named "A natural son
OF his Fltz Roy Oson OF a king, fitz being
q corruption from Of the French hls TO
overcome the objection of lady u mar
rying the young man because he had no
surname. This IS probably the earliest
instance of a reference 10 the father be
ing made in the name Of the son. that is
so far as English records relate. Later
Instances are shown ia the names John
son. williamson. etc. the original form
having been Johns son. Williams son.
Thus many originally Christian names
became Burnames. descending through
generations 10 the present day
in other languages the reference 10 the
parent appears In sundry Instances. In
Russian. for example witch" mems "son
g TBafarprfFrh ivan
son Of Peter. In Hebrew, Solomon ben
Gabriel has a like meaning; m Arabic,
Abraham iben Ezra: in Saxon. Esbert I'd
caring. the sUffix ling indicating mat
Egbert Is the son OF Edgar. IN Welsh
the word "aD" stands for 'son Ok, thus
David ap Howell In Irish the prefix
means grandson, as in oLoughin, III
means grandson Of Lougblin. Books or
reference on the subject OF names furnish
many curious examples of attempts 10
distinguish men by allusion TO their pa
rentage. The article on names In the Amer
team ryclopedia says that there are
only hfty-three Christian names which
can be used without appearance OF sin
gularity.
with this latter assertion in view &
is apparent that even II the parents Of
the eighty-hve men I'm Baltimore who
bear the plain, unadorned name Of John
Smith had conferred together % avoid
repetition. assuming that all these John
Smiths came into the world simultane-
ously. there would have had 20 have been
either repetition or noteworthy peculi-
arity. There is. however some mitigation
Of the condition Of the John Smiths IN
this town owing 10 the fact that twenty
four OF them are colOred men. But IN
the case OF the William Smiths the ma
jor.,y IS with the negro population there
being thirty-eignt cOlored and only TWEEN
ty-six white. Yet none OF them. white
or black has a distinguishing mark attach
ed 10 his name. It's the same In the in
ter-ninable Jones family. There are John
Jonese3 in limitless supply. but not a
thing in connection with their name 10
show which il which. Even In cases
where initials are used. there are some
times nineteen or twenty men with the
same middle letter.
1t might be supposed that a man named
Zanamenacek would not be put 70 straits
TO distinguish himself. yet there are two
men named Anton Zanmenacek In Bal
timOre. one of whom has 10 make him
self known BY the addition Of Junior"
to his name.
But there is at least one man in town
who does not have TO add anything TO
his name 10 distinguish him from other
individuals A letter addressed 10 him
10 Baltimore, without house. number or
street name would reach him quickly.
for his is the only name OF its kind N
the directory. In fact il Is reasonably
doubted whether there Is another name
like II In the United States. Il can't
be beat II is Monitor Waterman.