The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-01-20
Abont Nnnes.

A gentleman, whose chief characteristic
| appears to be thoughtfulness for others has
/ lately published a book entitled The
/ Child's Name" in which are given some
| FIVE hundred names which are uncommon
and more or less attractive. Il is intend
/ ed for the assistance Of parents who have
: trouble in naming their children. A COM
mentator on the book observes that the
| author must be regarded as one OF the ben
l efactOTs Of humanity. since people are more
4 or less judged by their names, and IL is
/ important that they should have attractive
ones.
OF course. il would be very nice II some
such work as this could be presented to
every mother OF a family: and il would
give her just five hundred more names TO
choose from in a dilemma. and create five
hundred possibilities OF further discussion
Of the subject. Mark Twain somewhere
observes that when he was a little boy he
used to go 20 the store to buy new knife.
and feel that the knife which his means
obliged him 10 select was far inferior 10
all the other knives In the long. glittering
showcase, whereas when he got his new
a
glorious acquisition. il is Just tie other
way with names. An appellatiOn which
seemed very attractive when compared with
a dozen others too often becomes awkward
commonplace. or tasteIess after il is ac-
tually bestowed on the hapless infant. II
is sad, but that is the way OF the world.
Perhaps the Indians were more civilized
than their contemporaries thought. when
they devised the plan OF not naming chill
dren at all until they had done something
which attracted attention. Two Bears. Big
Elk. and White otter had al least the
proud satisfaction Of knowing that their
names meant something to those who knew
their history
Under cur present system every child is
at the mercy Of its parents taste II the
fathers name happens to be Hogg, and the
mother is blessed-or affiicted-with a ro-
mantle disposition, the children are likely
to bear such baptismal names as Alonzo,
Reginald, LcOnora, and Ethelind, and the
combination is not esthetic in sound or
sense. Girls are named Blanche, Rose. or
Lily with utter disregard 20 the family ten
dehcies in the way Of figure and complex
ion; and boys are chrlstened by heroic
names which will be a burden 10 them all
their lives.
1t really seems as if it might be a good
plan TO allow each person three names. one
the surname, which cannot conveniently
be changed by the masculine half OF bu-
manity, for business reasons; another the
baptismal name. given by the parents. and
the third a name chosen by the bearer
when he or she becomes Of age. Most peo-
pie do to a certain extent adopt this pIan
when possible: thus. If a girl has been
called Libbie, or Bessie. all through her
childhood, and happens to be a young
woman of some dignity Of charac-
ter, she is apt TO insist on being
called Elizabeth when she is old enough to
insist on anything. Likewise the man who
has been Bob" to his family and friends
may sign himself r. Grahame Smith when
he begins to make his reputation. Why
should not advancing civilization bow TO
this tendency OF human nature and recog-
nize the fact that people have as much
right 20 choose their names As their
clothes? We no longer insist that a man
shall be ruled by his father in choosing
his life work or his wife; why should he be
compelled to abide by that fathers choice
Of name If he does not happen to like it?
1t Is possible that some way might be
arranged by which people could get rid CT
undignifed or ugly surnames when they so
desire. Those unfortunates who have to
spell out their names whenever they make