The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-07-25
HOW NAMES ORIGINATE
GREEK AND LATIN SUPPLY MOST
OF FEMININE ONES.
Four Principal Sources for Most Of
Given Names Used Among Eng
Iish-Speakine People-How
Mary Became Popular.

There are four principal sources for
among English.speaking people-these
are Latin, Greek, Hebrew and Ger
man. A very few are of Saxon, Celtic,
Syriac, Persian or Arabic origin.
When England was Roman Catho-
lie country the name of the mother
of Jesus Christ was, from religious
and superstitious motives. very fire.
quently chosen by parents and for
centuries Mary was the most COM
mon female Christian name In Eng
land.
After the Reformation the increased
familiarity with the scriptures caused
the names of the characters of the
Old Testament history to be very fire.
quently adopted. To this period we
owe the introduction of Sarah or
Sara, Princess, and Hannah, grace.
The latter has many derivatives, such
as Ann, Anne, Annie, Anna, Annette.
Nanette. Nan, Nancy, Nance and Net
tie.
The Puritans were stepped In Bible
lore and were fond of taking the
names of Christian virtues as front
names for girls, as to them we owe
such names as Mercy, Modesty. Grace,
Patience, Prudence. Truth. Virtue.
Faith, Hope and Charity.
In Queen Anne's time came In
fondness for choosing names ending
In a or la, as Amelia, Letitia. Maria,
Lucida and Alicia, of several of which
there are alternative forms ending In
e. lie or y, as Olive. Lettice, Mary.
Lucy, Annie and Alice.
Elizabeth, which means "conse-
Grated to God" is Hebrew and came
into general use in England during
the reign of Queen Bess. Isabel is
the same name, of which Isabelle,
ISABEL, Isabella are variants; Bess,
Bessie. Bet, Betsy, Betty, Elisa, Elsie,
Lizzie, Liz and Lille being diminu-
tives.
Other Hebrew names In less COM
mon use are Abigail, Deborah and
Dinah, Pleasure as the significance of
Edna, and Eve, the mother of all,
means life.
OF Eve or Eva, Eveline and Evelina
are diminutives.
Joan. Jane, Joanna, Of which Janet
Ia the diminutive, are feminine forms
Of John; Jean. Jeanne and Jeanette
are the French equivalents. The
meaning is gift of God.
Jaqueline, Josepha and Tomasa are
respectively feminine forms of James,
Joseph and Thomas. The name of
Magdalene, given in the gospel to dis
tinguish Mary of Magdala from other
Marys. appears In French as Made
line, the shortened form OF which is
Maud
Maria has two meanings, bitter and
star of the sea. Marion is the
French form of this and May is a
diminutive of 1t. The name Marion
or Marianne is the result of the com
bination of Mary and Anne. Martha
means sorrowful or ruler of the house.
We owe to the two classical Ian
guages, Greek and Latin, as many
names as to all other sources put to-
gether, about 30 female given names
being traceable to the Greek and
about TO to the Latin. Several Greek
6rst names are taken from flowers,
precious stones and animals. Thus
Rhoda is a rose, Phyllis a green
bough and Diantha flower of Jove
Margaret and its diminutives, Madge,
Maggie, Marcy, means a pearl; Melis-
"a Is bee and Dorcas a gazelle
Among the most common Greek
names are Dorothea, Dorothy, Helen.
which is the original of Eleanor
among the most popular and fashion.
able names today.-New York World.