Wilde and Wonderfull
May 17, 2023 5:57 AM Subscribe
Isabella Rosner: I've come across A LOT of good 17th- and 18th-century Quaker names over the past 3.5 years, as I've worked on my thesis. Now that my thesis is done and submission is near, it's time to share the more than 90 wildest early Quaker names I've found. (SLTwitter)
"Experience Cuppage" almost made me spit-take my espresso
posted by J. Tiberius at 6:06 AM on May 17, 2023 [12 favorites]
posted by J. Tiberius at 6:06 AM on May 17, 2023 [12 favorites]
Wait a minute ... “Barb Bee” ... is this an origin story?
posted by Fizz at 6:08 AM on May 17, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by Fizz at 6:08 AM on May 17, 2023 [6 favorites]
Someone should probably introduce Virgin Kent to Charity Nutt.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:10 AM on May 17, 2023 [19 favorites]
posted by uncleozzy at 6:10 AM on May 17, 2023 [19 favorites]
Someone should probably introduce Virgin Kent to Charity Nutt.
Patience, Rawbone.
posted by The Bellman at 6:16 AM on May 17, 2023 [29 favorites]
Patience, Rawbone.
posted by The Bellman at 6:16 AM on May 17, 2023 [29 favorites]
So, the thing about the 17th and 18th century names that I've heard is that frequently, especially if it's someone who's a member of a newly-fledged Christian denomination, the people were named after certain virtues they hoped their children would aspire to. That's why there are so many people named "Patience" and "Charity" and "Comfort" and such.
....And that is why I am ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED that there is someone on my own family tree - a ninth-great-aunt or something - whose name was "Freelove Bartholomew."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:19 AM on May 17, 2023 [50 favorites]
....And that is why I am ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED that there is someone on my own family tree - a ninth-great-aunt or something - whose name was "Freelove Bartholomew."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:19 AM on May 17, 2023 [50 favorites]
Revolution Sixsmith sounds like a Science Fiction character. And from a later tweet, "Hester Chester was also called Hetty Jester, which is equally fun."
posted by Spike Glee at 6:26 AM on May 17, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by Spike Glee at 6:26 AM on May 17, 2023 [7 favorites]
Ah, yes, I remember the Poope Sisters, Elizabeth and Samantha!
posted by briank at 6:28 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by briank at 6:28 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
I'm wondering about Robert Were Fox on a full moon.
posted by martin q blank at 6:33 AM on May 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by martin q blank at 6:33 AM on May 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
Virtue names remind me of a present day (lowercase-F) friend named Clara, short for Clarity, which is so perfect that I'm furious I didn't think of it first.
posted by nebulawindphone at 6:40 AM on May 17, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by nebulawindphone at 6:40 AM on May 17, 2023 [3 favorites]
Rosner's is a delightful account to follow. Lots of characterful beaded 17th century lions and stunning embroidery masterpieces by 10 year olds.
posted by runincircles at 6:41 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by runincircles at 6:41 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
My family was Quaker, I'm 10th generation. But my direct male line is 4 Johns, 2 Elijahs, a Cyrus and a William. There are a few offshoots of Enoch and a Keziah. But almost all the names are just boring. I feel robbed.
I'm also sad the distant cousins seem to have let family genealogy .org site lapse. But at least the Wayback Machine has it all archived.
posted by DigDoug at 6:44 AM on May 17, 2023 [3 favorites]
I'm also sad the distant cousins seem to have let family genealogy .org site lapse. But at least the Wayback Machine has it all archived.
posted by DigDoug at 6:44 AM on May 17, 2023 [3 favorites]
I'm ready for the Western featuring a reformed Quaker gunslinger called "Revolution Sixsmith".
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 6:59 AM on May 17, 2023 [17 favorites]
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 6:59 AM on May 17, 2023 [17 favorites]
A buddy of mine has twin six-year-olds named Harmony and Honesty.
posted by infinitewindow at 7:08 AM on May 17, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by infinitewindow at 7:08 AM on May 17, 2023 [6 favorites]
Virtue names remind me of a present day (lowercase-F) friend named Clara, short for Clarity, which is so perfect that I'm furious I didn't think of it first.
I've had Clarity in mind as a perfect virtue name for years now. Not that I'm having any kids, but I can always suggest it to pregnant folks in my orbit. (Granted, I now find it impossible to consider naming a child any name that isn't gender-neutral, but I suppose Clarity really isn't established enough to be gendered.)
posted by dlugoczaj at 7:13 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
I've had Clarity in mind as a perfect virtue name for years now. Not that I'm having any kids, but I can always suggest it to pregnant folks in my orbit. (Granted, I now find it impossible to consider naming a child any name that isn't gender-neutral, but I suppose Clarity really isn't established enough to be gendered.)
posted by dlugoczaj at 7:13 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
For fucks sake. Your last name is Christ and you're picking a first name. You go with Jesus??
I mean. It's a stance, I guess.
posted by potrzebie at 7:51 AM on May 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
I mean. It's a stance, I guess.
posted by potrzebie at 7:51 AM on May 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
Naming a child Love Beer is not setting them up for success from a nominative determinism standpoint, but I bet they have a good time with Temperance Poor.
I'm a little sad my folks didn't think to name me Old Adams.
posted by solotoro at 7:57 AM on May 17, 2023 [7 favorites]
I'm a little sad my folks didn't think to name me Old Adams.
posted by solotoro at 7:57 AM on May 17, 2023 [7 favorites]
Anyway, I'm looking forward to Becky Chambers's new book, Marvelous Scanfield.
posted by solotoro at 7:59 AM on May 17, 2023 [10 favorites]
posted by solotoro at 7:59 AM on May 17, 2023 [10 favorites]
When I saw this last night I decided that I am personally going to be Patience Fish when I start my next career. I will go by my full name, or maybe have "Patience Fish" as my first name such that my whole name would be Patience Fish Frowner. My next career is going to be in a fantasy world located somewhere between late Ankh-Morpork and Amalo, a bit less silly than the one, a bit less sad than the other. I'm thinking some kind of clerkship, small room somewhere, sober and threadbare suit with knee breeches, hair in a queue, that kind of thing. Buckle shoes. Reliable, melancholy ol' Patience Fish, taking my little walks and doing my little errands, that will be me.
posted by Frowner at 8:23 AM on May 17, 2023 [30 favorites]
posted by Frowner at 8:23 AM on May 17, 2023 [30 favorites]
I had a friend who was raised Quaker-ish. Her family was in it for the pacifism, mostly. She went to Quaker summer camps and said that there were basically two groups: kids from families like hers and kids from families who were fully into Quakerism.
The way she told it (and I have no way of verifying, and I'm remembering this from hearing it about 20 years ago) is that this other group generally let children pick their own names when they were ready to do so and that was usually between ages 4 and 8. She said that she had a lot of friends from camp with names like Dolphin and Rainbow.
The only really strange one I remember is that there was a kid named Pan Tangible.
posted by msbrauer at 8:25 AM on May 17, 2023 [10 favorites]
The way she told it (and I have no way of verifying, and I'm remembering this from hearing it about 20 years ago) is that this other group generally let children pick their own names when they were ready to do so and that was usually between ages 4 and 8. She said that she had a lot of friends from camp with names like Dolphin and Rainbow.
The only really strange one I remember is that there was a kid named Pan Tangible.
posted by msbrauer at 8:25 AM on May 17, 2023 [10 favorites]
This is great. I'm actually related to a Lancelot Wells, several generations back. My family tree also features Mamaduke Vickery, Perchance Dulaney, Charity Summer, May Gallop, and a man named Fork Ligon. Almost all of them in Virginia, where the whimsical naming conventions continued up into the twentieth century ( there were great uncles named Percival, Elgin, Ulysses, and Lax there). I think the best reason to ever delve into genealogy is the gift of the names--not famous, mind, just oddball-- you might encounter there.
posted by thivaia at 8:28 AM on May 17, 2023 [9 favorites]
posted by thivaia at 8:28 AM on May 17, 2023 [9 favorites]
Also, I feel like Pynchon could write a novel exclusively with the names on this list and it'd feel just about right.
posted by msbrauer at 8:28 AM on May 17, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by msbrauer at 8:28 AM on May 17, 2023 [6 favorites]
Returne Towle
Indeed, it's always good to know where your Towle's at.
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:40 AM on May 17, 2023 [14 favorites]
Indeed, it's always good to know where your Towle's at.
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:40 AM on May 17, 2023 [14 favorites]
On a related note, Puritan names were previously discussed here.
posted by TedW at 8:42 AM on May 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by TedW at 8:42 AM on May 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
I wonder if the Squire Boone in the list is the same one that is the namesake of Squire Boone Caverns in Indiana, or if there were at least two people in human history with this name.
posted by moonbiter at 8:45 AM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by moonbiter at 8:45 AM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
This will be perfect for my D&D NPC emergency name list! "What's that random fishmonger's name?" "Um...give me second...ah, yes. His name is Virgin Kent."
posted by ourobouros at 8:50 AM on May 17, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by ourobouros at 8:50 AM on May 17, 2023 [6 favorites]
"okay, we've tried traditional Western medicine and it didn't work; i think it's time for you to Experience Cuppage"
posted by dismas at 8:56 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by dismas at 8:56 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
Reminds me of the Utah Baby Namer, which introduced me to Jennyfivetina.
posted by slogger at 8:58 AM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by slogger at 8:58 AM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
My family aren't/weren't Quaker but I did have a great-uncle named Tump Browning. Tump was not a nickname, it was his actual name. So, Uncle Tump. It's fun to say.
posted by cooker girl at 8:58 AM on May 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by cooker girl at 8:58 AM on May 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
E X P E R I E N C E
B I Jposted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 9:06 AM on May 17, 2023 [6 favorites] A lot of these names sound like the names you give the government when you don't want to give them.your name.
posted by Mitheral at 9:13 AM on May 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by Mitheral at 9:13 AM on May 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
Lots of good Terry Pratchett names here.
I have a distant relative called Christmas Williams. And there are a lot of Old Testament names as well, like Enoch and Elijah. Oh, and a *lot* of people all called William Williams, which doesn't help when tracing the genealogy.
posted by 43rdAnd9th at 9:14 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
I have a distant relative called Christmas Williams. And there are a lot of Old Testament names as well, like Enoch and Elijah. Oh, and a *lot* of people all called William Williams, which doesn't help when tracing the genealogy.
posted by 43rdAnd9th at 9:14 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
I love how most of these turn into a sentence if you add a comma.
posted by gottabefunky at 9:26 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by gottabefunky at 9:26 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
Tag yourself I'm Hester Chester
posted by Navelgazer at 9:29 AM on May 17, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Navelgazer at 9:29 AM on May 17, 2023 [3 favorites]
Lots of good Terry Pratchett names here.
Yeah, I'm feeling like I finally got the joke on that, after spending decades taking on faith that those names were funny for a reason but having no idea what the reason was.
posted by nebulawindphone at 9:31 AM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I'm feeling like I finally got the joke on that, after spending decades taking on faith that those names were funny for a reason but having no idea what the reason was.
posted by nebulawindphone at 9:31 AM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
(See also: the experience of watching Monty Python as a kid in the US, laughing hysterically, and then finally, half a lifetime later, learning enough about class and politics in the UK to get the joke you were laughing at.)
posted by nebulawindphone at 9:34 AM on May 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by nebulawindphone at 9:34 AM on May 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
For fucks sake. Your last name is Christ and you're picking a first name. You go with Jesus??
Apparently Christ is a reasonably common German surname, although we're not talking about Germany here. Trump's grandmother was Elizabeth Christ, and his father was Frederick Christ Trump. His older brother was Frederick Crist Trump, dropping the "h".
posted by madcaptenor at 9:41 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
Apparently Christ is a reasonably common German surname, although we're not talking about Germany here. Trump's grandmother was Elizabeth Christ, and his father was Frederick Christ Trump. His older brother was Frederick Crist Trump, dropping the "h".
posted by madcaptenor at 9:41 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
Suddenly, my go-to RPG names, Gingko Biloba and Candida Auris, seem banal and ordinary.
posted by SPrintF at 9:43 AM on May 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by SPrintF at 9:43 AM on May 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
I clicked through to see that Gey Poope was trending, so at least some things about Twitter never change.
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 9:47 AM on May 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 9:47 AM on May 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
Donald Trump had a great-auntie Christ.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 9:54 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 9:54 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
Tag yourself I'm Hester Chester
Any relation to Don Martin's Fester-Bester Tester?
posted by Paul Slade at 9:58 AM on May 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
Any relation to Don Martin's Fester-Bester Tester?
posted by Paul Slade at 9:58 AM on May 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
→
Apart from the aspirational virtues thing mentioned above, early Friends were outside the protection of the monarch: literal outlaws. You could go into their house, steal all their stuff, beat them up: and the law would do nothing to stop you. So they were likely not in favour of giving names out. It was likely that the early Quakers' reputation for scrupulous honesty in trade saved them. That, and their refusal to bear arms against anyone.
I see a couple of names that may have gone on to greater family things. Early Friends were pretty close families, so there aren't too many distinct names. Plant Fry was likely related to J S Fry, the first and largest chocolate maker in the UK (and indirectly, to social reformer Elizabeth (Gurney) Fry). Loveday Allen could have been related to the chemist William Allen, founder of Allen & Hanburys.
posted by scruss at 9:58 AM on May 17, 2023 [8 favorites]
A lot of these names sound like the names you give the government when you don't want to give them your name.
Apart from the aspirational virtues thing mentioned above, early Friends were outside the protection of the monarch: literal outlaws. You could go into their house, steal all their stuff, beat them up: and the law would do nothing to stop you. So they were likely not in favour of giving names out. It was likely that the early Quakers' reputation for scrupulous honesty in trade saved them. That, and their refusal to bear arms against anyone.
I see a couple of names that may have gone on to greater family things. Early Friends were pretty close families, so there aren't too many distinct names. Plant Fry was likely related to J S Fry, the first and largest chocolate maker in the UK (and indirectly, to social reformer Elizabeth (Gurney) Fry). Loveday Allen could have been related to the chemist William Allen, founder of Allen & Hanburys.
posted by scruss at 9:58 AM on May 17, 2023 [8 favorites]
It was likely that the early Quakers' reputation for scrupulous honesty in trade saved them.
"To live outside the law you must be honest."
posted by Paul Slade at 10:02 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
"To live outside the law you must be honest."
posted by Paul Slade at 10:02 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
Experience Cuppage
I drive past that custom-brassiere store every day.
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:13 AM on May 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
I drive past that custom-brassiere store every day.
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:13 AM on May 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
I did an Ancestry deep dive into my family history about a year ago and during my investigation I discovered one Obedience and two Wealthys in my lineage. No Quakers as far as I was able to determine.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 10:26 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Parasite Unseen at 10:26 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
Who ever knew that Obi Wan was short for Obedience Waring?
posted by Jon_Evil at 10:42 AM on May 17, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by Jon_Evil at 10:42 AM on May 17, 2023 [6 favorites]
You could go into their house, steal all their stuff, beat them up: and the law would do nothing to stop you.
Is there a place I can read more about this? I know not being able to swear an oath would make legal redress more difficult, but I'd never heard they were completely unprotected before.
posted by mark k at 10:48 AM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
Is there a place I can read more about this? I know not being able to swear an oath would make legal redress more difficult, but I'd never heard they were completely unprotected before.
posted by mark k at 10:48 AM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
I want my next username to be 'Jane Quitquit'.
posted by of strange foe at 10:50 AM on May 17, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by of strange foe at 10:50 AM on May 17, 2023 [8 favorites]
I was just looking through a blog and contemplating an FPP of links to it, and came across this post which may be a good fit here, though the names are ordinary: Quaker Women in the Seventeenth Century (by Maren Halvorsen).
posted by paduasoy at 10:55 AM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by paduasoy at 10:55 AM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
I caught Reuben Rawbone and the Revolution Sixsmith when they opened for Charity Kill at the Fillmore.
posted by cmfletcher at 11:00 AM on May 17, 2023 [10 favorites]
posted by cmfletcher at 11:00 AM on May 17, 2023 [10 favorites]
this other group generally let children pick their own names when they were ready to do so and that was usually between ages 4 and 8.
Apparently Zava from Ted Lasso is a Quaker.
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:17 AM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
Apparently Zava from Ted Lasso is a Quaker.
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:17 AM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
Robert Were Fox: "More chickens missing last night? Truth, neighbor, my heartiest condolences. 'Tis a mystery what could be doing it."
posted by Scattercat at 11:26 AM on May 17, 2023 [13 favorites]
posted by Scattercat at 11:26 AM on May 17, 2023 [13 favorites]
Ah, I'm reminded of my favorite (fictional) Puritan name: Zeal-of-the-land Busy, from Ben Jonson's Bartholomew Fair.
posted by doctornemo at 11:26 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by doctornemo at 11:26 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
Robert Were Fox
Robert Now Some Other Animal
posted by doctornemo at 11:26 AM on May 17, 2023 [7 favorites]
Robert Now Some Other Animal
posted by doctornemo at 11:26 AM on May 17, 2023 [7 favorites]
Apart from the aspirational virtues thing mentioned above, early Friends were outside the protection of the monarch: literal outlaws. You could go into their house, steal all their stuff, beat them up: and the law would do nothing to stop you. So they were likely not in favour of giving names out. It was likely that the early Quakers' reputation for scrupulous honesty in trade saved them. That, and their refusal to bear arms against anyone.
Over at AskMetafilter, someone asked for apologies from religious leaders to their sovereigns, and I suggested The 1660 Declaration of the Harmless and Innocent People of God Called Quakers, written by founder George Fox. Link to a version with modernized spelling and punctuation.
We Quakers talk about the Peace Testimony a lot, and one cynical take is that it originated in this document, not so much as a principled position as ,"Please stop torturing and imprisoning us. We promise we aren't going to overthrow the monarchy. We'll play nice if you will!"
Here's the oft-quoted bit, though the document goes on for some time:
All bloody Principles & Practices we (as to our own particular) do utterly deny, with all outward Wars, and Strife, and Fightings with outward Weapons, for any end, or under any pretence whatsoever. And this is our Testimony to the whole World.
I have never heard of letting kids choose their own names as a general practice among Friends, and I've been a Quaker for a long time.
posted by Well I never at 11:28 AM on May 17, 2023 [9 favorites]
Over at AskMetafilter, someone asked for apologies from religious leaders to their sovereigns, and I suggested The 1660 Declaration of the Harmless and Innocent People of God Called Quakers, written by founder George Fox. Link to a version with modernized spelling and punctuation.
We Quakers talk about the Peace Testimony a lot, and one cynical take is that it originated in this document, not so much as a principled position as ,"Please stop torturing and imprisoning us. We promise we aren't going to overthrow the monarchy. We'll play nice if you will!"
Here's the oft-quoted bit, though the document goes on for some time:
All bloody Principles & Practices we (as to our own particular) do utterly deny, with all outward Wars, and Strife, and Fightings with outward Weapons, for any end, or under any pretence whatsoever. And this is our Testimony to the whole World.
I have never heard of letting kids choose their own names as a general practice among Friends, and I've been a Quaker for a long time.
posted by Well I never at 11:28 AM on May 17, 2023 [9 favorites]
Constant Shield is my favorite power-up.
posted by storybored at 11:44 AM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by storybored at 11:44 AM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
→
vi is older than I thought, then
posted by scruss at 11:51 AM on May 17, 2023 [11 favorites]
'Jane Quitquit'.
vi is older than I thought, then
posted by scruss at 11:51 AM on May 17, 2023 [11 favorites]
One reason I like strolling through old cemeteries is the interesting names you see on the stones. Female first names I've spotted include Klonda-Lo, Juliaett, Emergene, Ermine, Sardine, Lovey, Exilda, Everline, Laodicia, Izetta, Barnice, Flaudia, Pruella, Saphronia, Ortrude, and Meribah. Male names include Bethuel, Lubiottis, Orange, Orwille, Parkhurst, Lewmon, Salmon, Heman, Ancil, Lute, Tuffield, Adna, Emeroy, Durward and Almond. There's also Eudosia and Tryphena and their brothers Parmenas and Sylvanus. And Almon and his wife Alma. And Guy H. Guyer. And Dexter Grout.
posted by Redstart at 11:57 AM on May 17, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by Redstart at 11:57 AM on May 17, 2023 [7 favorites]
If I wasn't such a Farley Brain I would be studying for my final tonight instead of reading this list.
And if I wasn't your typical Furly Loosvelt I would have packed more than 3 stale mini donuts for a snack today!
But perhaps I will be God Blessed and pass the exam and find something to eat.
posted by Emmy Rae at 11:58 AM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
And if I wasn't your typical Furly Loosvelt I would have packed more than 3 stale mini donuts for a snack today!
But perhaps I will be God Blessed and pass the exam and find something to eat.
posted by Emmy Rae at 11:58 AM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
When I was growing up I knew a family whose last name was "Darling" which I always envied a little.
posted by Emmy Rae at 12:02 PM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Emmy Rae at 12:02 PM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
Guy H. Guyer
I need to know what the H was for.
posted by Emmy Rae at 12:20 PM on May 17, 2023 [3 favorites]
I need to know what the H was for.
posted by Emmy Rae at 12:20 PM on May 17, 2023 [3 favorites]
One of my cousins in the 19th century named four of their children after directions: North, South, East, and West. They had a large family so I'm assuming at some point they ran out of (or couldn't agree on) names and said fuck it.
posted by Preserver at 1:07 PM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Preserver at 1:07 PM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
Piling onto Revolution Sixsmith, I'm pretty sure Prince considered this one before settling on the Symbol.
posted by Quindar Beep at 1:27 PM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Quindar Beep at 1:27 PM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
Human.
posted by joannemerriam at 1:28 PM on May 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by joannemerriam at 1:28 PM on May 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
In the barn, after a shared moment of thankful bliss, the two quietly busy themselves rearranging their clothes, wiping bits of straw off of each other. Running her hands through his hair, she breaks the silence and whispers, “whatever shall we call you now, Mr. Kent?”
posted by Ghidorah at 1:38 PM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Ghidorah at 1:38 PM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
Heckin'
posted by potrzebie at 2:00 PM on May 17, 2023 [9 favorites]
posted by potrzebie at 2:00 PM on May 17, 2023 [9 favorites]
Guy H. Guyer
I need to know what the H was for.
"Hi"!
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:31 PM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
I need to know what the H was for.
"Hi"!
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:31 PM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]
We need influencer virtue names: Cashmoney, Grindset, Spon, Engagement, Clickthru.
posted by slogger at 2:58 PM on May 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by slogger at 2:58 PM on May 17, 2023 [5 favorites]
We need influencer virtue names: Cashmoney, Grindset, Spon, Engagement, Clickthru.
Optimization Dinwiddie has some hashtags for your next Friends Meeting.
posted by thivaia at 3:22 PM on May 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
Optimization Dinwiddie has some hashtags for your next Friends Meeting.
posted by thivaia at 3:22 PM on May 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
While we’re at it let’s go back to surnames that reflect your vocation. My boy could be Spon Contentson.
posted by slogger at 4:57 PM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by slogger at 4:57 PM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
"When he first arrived fifteen years ago, the minimal research he had done had suggested to him that the name ‘Ford Prefect’ would be nicely inconspicuous." --- Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams.
posted by SPrintF at 5:47 PM on May 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by SPrintF at 5:47 PM on May 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
Interesting as this is, would a list of unusual names from another religious/minority/underprivileged group be met with such positive responses?
posted by Ideefixe at 9:26 PM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Ideefixe at 9:26 PM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
Who knows? As a USian, being amused at them is still punching up, hundreds of years later. Their theology is wrapped into about half the idiosyncrasies of our mores. They were each other’s worst enemies.
posted by clew at 10:23 PM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by clew at 10:23 PM on May 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
The Carter parents were a quiet and respectable Lancre family who got into a bit of a mix-up when it came to naming their children. First, they had four daughters, who were christened Hope, Chastity, Prudence, and Charity, because naming girls after virtues is an ancient and unremarkable tradition. Then their first son was born and out of some misplaced idea about how this naming business was done he was called Anger Carter, followed later by Jealousy Carter, Bestiality Carter and Covetousness Carter. Life being what it is, Hope turned out to be a depressive, Chastity was enjoying life as a lady of negotiable affection in Ankh-Morpork, Prudence had thirteen children, and Charity expected to get a dollar’s change out of seventy-five pence–whereas the boys had grown into amiable, well-tempered men, and Bestiality Carter was, for example, very kind to animals.”
Terry Pratchett , Lords and Ladies
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 10:37 PM on May 17, 2023 [8 favorites]
Terry Pratchett , Lords and Ladies
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 10:37 PM on May 17, 2023 [8 favorites]
Tag yourself I'm Hester Chester
I'm Arent Wright!
posted by grobstein at 11:11 PM on May 17, 2023 [3 favorites]
I'm Arent Wright!
posted by grobstein at 11:11 PM on May 17, 2023 [3 favorites]
This is the third year I’ve had the pleasure of teaching a young lady whose name is Goodness. The thing about virtue names is that either they inspire the person to live up to their name, or to go the opposite way just to spite it.
posted by Ishbadiddle at 2:46 AM on May 18, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Ishbadiddle at 2:46 AM on May 18, 2023 [1 favorite]
In Spanish, we have oddly negative names for women, like Soledad (loneliness) and Dolores (pains). I think it has to do with famous statues of the virgin Mary.
posted by signal at 4:59 AM on May 18, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by signal at 4:59 AM on May 18, 2023 [2 favorites]
My favorite thing about those is that some of them, when they're common nouns and not names, are masculine—because sometimes Mary has pains or angels or a pillar (??) and it's not her fault those take el and not la when they're lowercase.
posted by nebulawindphone at 5:49 AM on May 18, 2023
posted by nebulawindphone at 5:49 AM on May 18, 2023
I'm Arent Wright!
As in, "that boy aren't wright"?
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:34 AM on May 18, 2023 [1 favorite]
As in, "that boy aren't wright"?
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:34 AM on May 18, 2023 [1 favorite]
I aren't know.
posted by grobstein at 8:41 AM on May 18, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by grobstein at 8:41 AM on May 18, 2023 [2 favorites]
I'm Arent Wright!
As in, "that boy aren't wright"?
Have you met his sister All and brother Too?
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:57 PM on May 18, 2023
As in, "that boy aren't wright"?
Have you met his sister All and brother Too?
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:57 PM on May 18, 2023
As a USian, being amused at them is still punching up, hundreds of years later. Their theology is wrapped into about half the idiosyncrasies of our mores.
This is even weirder than the anti-Mennonite threads. How is Quaker theology wrapped into "the idiosyncrasies of our mores"?
It boggles me that anyone would think that the problem with US society is that it has too much dialog and pacifism, but you do you I guess.
posted by Not A Thing at 3:07 PM on May 18, 2023
This is even weirder than the anti-Mennonite threads. How is Quaker theology wrapped into "the idiosyncrasies of our mores"?
It boggles me that anyone would think that the problem with US society is that it has too much dialog and pacifism, but you do you I guess.
posted by Not A Thing at 3:07 PM on May 18, 2023
It boggles me that anyone would think that the problem with US society is that it has too much dialog and pacifism, but you do you I guess.
Quakerism is a land of contrasts, and Quakers ascended to positions of wealth and power in America. Nixon was a Quaker and was more or less directly responsible for deaths in the 7 figures. William Penn owned slaves.
posted by grobstein at 4:29 PM on May 18, 2023 [2 favorites]
Quakerism is a land of contrasts, and Quakers ascended to positions of wealth and power in America. Nixon was a Quaker and was more or less directly responsible for deaths in the 7 figures. William Penn owned slaves.
posted by grobstein at 4:29 PM on May 18, 2023 [2 favorites]
I have always been interested in the genesis of Quaker names and enjoy coming across historical figures and literary characters who have a Quaker background. Thank you for sharing!
That said, 86 comments in, I’m interested in why Quaker names, in particular, feel like fair game for humorous fodder. It’s tough for me to imagine the folks of MF feeling comfortable joking about the given names of any other marginalized religious group (even if there are outliers within the group who eventually gained power). To me, it’s less about whether or not it’s okay or appropriate and more about an understanding of where the community itself draws lines.
posted by WaspEnterprises at 5:56 PM on May 18, 2023 [1 favorite]
That said, 86 comments in, I’m interested in why Quaker names, in particular, feel like fair game for humorous fodder. It’s tough for me to imagine the folks of MF feeling comfortable joking about the given names of any other marginalized religious group (even if there are outliers within the group who eventually gained power). To me, it’s less about whether or not it’s okay or appropriate and more about an understanding of where the community itself draws lines.
posted by WaspEnterprises at 5:56 PM on May 18, 2023 [1 favorite]
. It’s tough for me to imagine the folks of MF feeling comfortable joking about the given names of any other marginalized religious group (even if there are outliers within the group who eventually gained power). To me, it’s less about whether or not it’s okay or appropriate and more about an understanding of where the community itself draws lines.
It's a list of names from about three hundred years ago. I can't say I'm an expert in modern Quaker names but I looked at the website of a meetinghouse near me and the names from the last century are things like Thomas, Lydia, William, Peter and so on.
It's also a white, Anglo-Saxon, Christian group who came to this country during the period in question as literal colonizers. In between the two I just don't think it's triggering anyone's intuition about "marginalized peoples."
posted by mark k at 11:43 PM on May 18, 2023 [6 favorites]
It's a list of names from about three hundred years ago. I can't say I'm an expert in modern Quaker names but I looked at the website of a meetinghouse near me and the names from the last century are things like Thomas, Lydia, William, Peter and so on.
It's also a white, Anglo-Saxon, Christian group who came to this country during the period in question as literal colonizers. In between the two I just don't think it's triggering anyone's intuition about "marginalized peoples."
posted by mark k at 11:43 PM on May 18, 2023 [6 favorites]
That said, 86 comments in, I’m interested in why Quaker names, in particular, feel like fair game for humorous fodder. It’s tough for me to imagine the folks of MF feeling comfortable joking about the given names of any other marginalized religious group (even if there are outliers within the group who eventually gained power). To me, it’s less about whether or not it’s okay or appropriate and more about an understanding of where the community itself draws lines.
The only reason anyone in this thread is mentioning Quakers is because the original link did, and the only reason the original link did is because that's the specific 1700's sect the OP was studying. And back in the 1700s the Quakers were kind of interchangeable with Puritans insofar as naming conventions went. This is not a point-and-laugh at Quakers so much as it's as a point-and-laugh at history.
I knew a family of Quakers as a kid. The public perception of the modern Quaker is usually something like "oh, I always get them mixed up with the Universal Unitarians" or "oh, you mean like the oats". The kids had unusual names, but that was more a function of the parents having gone through a bit of a hippie phase, just like many non-Quakers in our town did.
The teasing here has nothing to do with them being Quaker names per se. The Quakers are also doing okay. (Although, a couple of them might gently point out to you that "if you're REALLY worried about being polite, the correct term is actually 'The Society of Friends', but we actually don't care either way.")
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:56 AM on May 19, 2023 [5 favorites]
The only reason anyone in this thread is mentioning Quakers is because the original link did, and the only reason the original link did is because that's the specific 1700's sect the OP was studying. And back in the 1700s the Quakers were kind of interchangeable with Puritans insofar as naming conventions went. This is not a point-and-laugh at Quakers so much as it's as a point-and-laugh at history.
I knew a family of Quakers as a kid. The public perception of the modern Quaker is usually something like "oh, I always get them mixed up with the Universal Unitarians" or "oh, you mean like the oats". The kids had unusual names, but that was more a function of the parents having gone through a bit of a hippie phase, just like many non-Quakers in our town did.
The teasing here has nothing to do with them being Quaker names per se. The Quakers are also doing okay. (Although, a couple of them might gently point out to you that "if you're REALLY worried about being polite, the correct term is actually 'The Society of Friends', but we actually don't care either way.")
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:56 AM on May 19, 2023 [5 favorites]
My lineage includes a Submit (female) and a Freelove (male).
posted by jgirl at 8:22 AM on May 19, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by jgirl at 8:22 AM on May 19, 2023 [3 favorites]
FREELOVES REPRESENT!
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:54 AM on May 19, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:54 AM on May 19, 2023 [3 favorites]
this other group generally let children pick their own names when they were ready to do so and that was usually between ages 4 and 8. She said that she had a lot of friends from camp with names like Dolphin and Rainbow.
I'm a very Quaker-adjacent person and this is by no means any kind of standard Quaker practice. It sounds like maybe some families of a certain socioeconomic persuasion may have indulged their kids' name preferences, but this isn't something common or directly linked to Quakerism.
William Penn owned slaves.
Quakers did not embrace abolitionism beyond a few dissenters until about 1780, alargely due to the work of John Woolman. Prior to that, most wealthy Quakers (and there were many of them) were enslavers, and some engaged in importing and trading slaves.
posted by Miko at 12:23 PM on May 20, 2023 [4 favorites]
I'm a very Quaker-adjacent person and this is by no means any kind of standard Quaker practice. It sounds like maybe some families of a certain socioeconomic persuasion may have indulged their kids' name preferences, but this isn't something common or directly linked to Quakerism.
William Penn owned slaves.
Quakers did not embrace abolitionism beyond a few dissenters until about 1780, alargely due to the work of John Woolman. Prior to that, most wealthy Quakers (and there were many of them) were enslavers, and some engaged in importing and trading slaves.
posted by Miko at 12:23 PM on May 20, 2023 [4 favorites]
Quaker here who knew my personal brand as my small-f friends’ weirdo capital-F Friend was completely on lock when this showed up in three separate text threads on the same day. I have been joking that at meeting for worship I’ll just get up and read out this list of names as vocal ministry and sit back down.
posted by mostly vowels at 9:07 PM on May 20, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by mostly vowels at 9:07 PM on May 20, 2023 [8 favorites]
My mother and grandmother were both named Berma, and were likely the only people with that name in the 20th century. We don’t know for sure, but think it may be after La Berma in Marcel Proust’s À la recherche du temps perdu.
posted by slkinsey at 7:30 AM on May 21, 2023
posted by slkinsey at 7:30 AM on May 21, 2023
I’ll just get up and read out this list of names as vocal ministry and sit back down.
Do it! I would have died of joy if something like that happened while I was there.
posted by Jarcat at 10:17 AM on May 22, 2023
Do it! I would have died of joy if something like that happened while I was there.
posted by Jarcat at 10:17 AM on May 22, 2023
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posted by joannemerriam at 6:04 AM on May 17, 2023 [2 favorites]