The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-08-19
HOW NAMES ORIGINATE
GREEK AND LATIN SUPPLY MOST
OF FEMININE ONES.
-Four Principal Sources for Most ef
Given Names Used Among Eng.
iIsh-speakIne PeepIe-E1ow
Mary Became Popular.

There are four principal sources 70,
almost all the given names In use
among English-speaking Deople-thess
are Latin. Greek. Hebrew and Ger
man. A very few are Of Saxoh, Celtic
Syriae. 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.
ouently 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.
suently adopted. To this period we
owe tho Introduction Of Sarah or
Sara. Princess. and Hannah, grace.
The latter has many derivatives, such
h9 Amp, anne, Annie. Anna, Annette,
NsksltI, Nan, Nancy, Nance ana NsH
ue, G3-Sst<t1zz11lss APts~
The Puritans were steeped 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 nsaan 4txno H.
fondness for choosing names ending
In or ia, as Amelia, Letitia, Maria,
Lucida and Alicia, OF several OF which
there are alternative forms ending In
e. ie or y. 40 Olive. Lettice, Mary,
Lacy. 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,
Ysabel, Isabella are variGnts; Bess.
Bessie. Bet. Betsy, Betty. Elisa, Elsie,
Lizzie, Liz and Lille being dimins-
tivea.
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 EveIiEa
are diminutives.
Joan, Jane, Joanna, of which Janet
Is the diniinutive, are feminine forms
Of John; Jean, Jeanne and Jeanette
are the French equivalents. The
is gift of God.
Jaqueline, Josepha and Tomasa are
feminine forms Of James,
Joseph and Thomas. The name of |
given in the gospel to dis
Iinguish 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 |
of IT, The name Marion
Dr. Marianne is the result of the com.
1ination of Mary and Anne. Martha
means sorrowful or ruler of the house.
We owe to the two classical lam
yuages, Greek and Latin, as many
names as to all other sources put to-
yether, about so female given names
being traceable to the Greek and
about 70 to the Latin. Several Greek
irst names are taken from flowers,
precious stones arg animals. Thus
Rhoda Is rose, Phyllis a green
,ough and Diantha flower of Jove.
Margaret and its dininutives, Madge.
Maggie, Marcy. means a pearl; Melis- |
ia is bee and Dorcas gazelle. |
Among the most common Greek |
lanes are Dorothea, Dorothy, Helen
which Is the original of Eleanor
among the most popular and fashion.
Ible names today-New York World. |