The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23
APARTMENT HOUSE NAMES.
No Easy Task to Find Them-SaantS Fur.
niah MANY Good OnoA.


nish Many Good Ones.
There used to be story to the effect
that George M. Pullman allowed one Of
his daughters $4,000 a year for naming
palace cars" said q New York architect.
Nearly every one who heard the story
supposed Miss Pullman had q sinecure,
and that the salary was merely the vehicle
chosen by her father to convey an annual
present to her. But II she did find names
for the thousands Of cars that the Pullman
company built she earned her money.
Before had been called upon to find
a name for a new apartment hotel had
never dreamed what hard job 1t Is.
of course, the car names are not so
important nor 30 difficult to ind, for all
the cars are numbered as well as named,
and the name is chiefly ornamental. No
one Ia compelled to remember 1t, and trav-
eles are not likely to complain II they
find themselves assigned to cars the names
of which are not euphonious.
1But when It comes TO naming an apart
ment house or hotel 1t Is different. The
name ought to be short, musical, eu-
phonious, easily spelled. easily remem-
bered. not commonplace, nor yet wholly
unknown. For tho same reason that a
man should never name q child for any
one who is still alive hotel would better
not be named for any popular hero Of
the hour.
-You haven't any idea how hard It is to
find name for hotel, and 1t Is still harder
to find name for high class apartment
house. Just try to think OF a name you
would like to see carved In stone over the
entrance to a family hotel you were to
own or manage. You might use your
own name if it isn't Jones or Smith or y
you didn't bring it from Russia or Hungary
with you. But Is your own name well
enough known to be easily remembered
Would 1t add anything to the attractive
ness OF the house to q stranger! ls 1t
easily pronounced and spelled? All these
things and more are required.
"The name must never have been con.
nected with any unfortunate event. II
must not be historically offensive to any
race, nation or creed. 1t must not have
any hoodoo associations.
these are among the reasons 20 many
houses are named after saints. The re-
ligious prejudices Of few people are strong
enough to make them resentful against q
holy man or woman OF another creed, and
besides, few people know enough OF sanity
biography to be conversant with tho deeds
of those who have been canonized. The
than those OF sainted men. on the general
principle that women are more interesting to
more people than men.
Il remember the first time was called
upon to find q name for q big apartment
house In fashionable part OF New York
Ny firm received the contract and the
owner added the stipulation that we should
find name. had no idea what Q task II
| would be, 80 We didn't ask any additional
| compensation. After a general plan Of the
building had been outlined, We all set tc
work to find name.
Then tried lot Of Indian names, but
, I found that all that were not already at.
| tached to hotels were unsuitable for some
other reason. went into mythology ano
struck the same snag. Then / tried the
names Of cities. counties, places, monarchs
statesmen. ancient and modern. but they
was forced to try the saints, and with the
aid Of public library found more names
than New York could use In many q year.