Unusual first names (find, search, grandmother, father)

[MaseMan]

Originally Posted by MisfitBanana

Grethel. She went by Grace.

I have a case very similar in my family tree. I have a 5th great grandmother whose birth name was "Grizzel" but she either went by the nickname Grace, or it was changed by her descendants to sound more pleasing. This is according to a story I found on ancestry.com so it could of course be suspect.

[dixieheartless]

In my lines I have come across: Safronia (she went by Fronie), Narcissa (2 of them actually), Victus (female), Hardy, Honor, Right, (then there came Honor Right), Ettrick, Claibourne, & Ever.

[Teddy52]

Originally Posted by dixieheartless

In my lines I have come across: Safronia (she went by Fronie), Narcissa (2 of them actually), Victus (female), Hardy, Honor, Right, (then there came Honor Right), Ettrick, Claibourne, & Ever.

Now and then an older woman's obituary will be in paper and the name " Fronie" in parenthesis.

Usually her first name was Veronica.
Sanfronia would seem to fit better, though.

[Austin023]

There is a "Praxo" in my mother's family, who was born in New Hampshire in 1815. She tended to go by either Pearl or Praine, according to census and other things we have. Praxo is a Greek goddess of hospitality.

Sometimes unusual names are a good clue to finding more on someone, especially if their parentage is not known or uncertain. Another practice you'll see sometimes is a first name being given that was a surname of the mother or someone else in the family---there is a Simmons in my family, who is named such as his mother's maiden name was Simmons.
Then you have some really odd ones like Freelove, Huldah (Biblical name, rare now), Temperance, and so on....

[Tracysherm]

I LOVE some of those old New England Puritan names: Patience, Prudence, Temperance, Experience, Remembrance, Silence. I don't quite get "Freelove" or "Desire" since they seem a little suggestive. I also found lots of examples of Jerusha and Jemima in my Connecticut line.

Shoot, now I'm craving pancakes.

[bjh]

Originally Posted by Teddy52

I went to a college football game and every time #21 carried the ball the announcer would say--------------" Sir Gregory Thornton"

I wondered if he was from England.
I then looked his number up on the program and his first name was "Sirgregory "

Originally Posted by dixieheartless

In my lines I have come across: Safronia (she went by Fronie), Narcissa (2 of them actually), Victus (female), Hardy, Honor, Right, (then there came Honor Right), Ettrick, Claibourne, & Ever.

From Sophronia: Greek for wisdom. Sophronia | meaning of Sophronia | name Sophronia

[bjh]

Originally Posted by TracySam

I LOVE some of those old New England Puritan names: Patience, Prudence, Temperance, Experience, Remembrance, Silence. I don't quite get "Freelove" or "Desire" since they seem a little suggestive. I also found lots of examples of Jerusha and Jemima in my Connecticut line.

Shoot, now I'm craving pancakes.

Covered here: vvv

Originally Posted by bjh

Yes, definitely a (often Puritan) virtue name. They also named some daughters Desire, not meaning what modern readers might think.

Here's a good article about it: Cleveland Evans: Puritans gave us Mercy, Patience, Desire - Omaha.com

[bellabel19]

My name is Belen and I would love it if people ever learned how to read or spell... But my friend once dated a girl named Eilish and that really takes the cake for weird names.

[Mightyqueen801]

For some reason all the Dutch Henriettas in my family became Anna when they came here. I don't get the connection. And Gertje changed her name to Charlotte.

[ApplegateJ1]

My 3rd great-grandmother has a name I do not know how to spell: Bienoy. It might be Dutch, Irish or one of the languages from India. Grandmother said that Bienoy was from the family of a Dutch man who was disowned by his family when he wed an East Indian woman, and the couple moved to Ireland. But I do not know how many generations are between Bienoy and the Dutch-Indian couple. Any clues about the name would be appreciated.