My turn at the names game

This could be the Couch sisters, Patricia Ann, Mary Carolyn, Barbara Jean & Beverly Diane

 by Pat Laster

 

                Since the 1940 census data was published, various columnists have jumped on the bandwagon by comparing given names with then and now. So here I come at the tail end before the horses begin galloping to catch up with the last bandwagon I missed.

Camille Nessler and Lynda Hollenbeck, both of The Saline [County, Arkansas]Courier, and even the Amity Standard’s own Norma Blanton beat me to the wagon and got the best seats. Camille’s take was on crazily-spelled names. Those she listed are: Mykull, Twany, Whenndee, Suhmanntha, Apple, Coco, Banjo, Quillon, Prestalyn, Jerrison, and Mountain Tree. Thanks, Camille.

Still, since I’ve been collecting names for some time now, I gotta get my two-cents worth in. I looked through my last journal page by page, knowing that somewhere I listed the 1940s 10 most popular girls’ names, the 1940s 10 most popular boys’ names, then present-day’s 10 most popular sobriquets. Many of the earlier boys’ names were the same as today’s. 

                While searching, I ran across this list of interesting complete names of folks still living: Tad Hair, Mike Right, Jeff Rent, Bo Beck, Cherish Gray, Prairie Rice, Mark Mix, Redhawk, and Two Rivers. And then there’s the lately deceased astronaut, Sally Ride. Makes the name Pat Laster seem like … well plaster, doesn’t it?

Here is a Doris Elizabeth Jean (surname omitted). Two of my late Aunt Doris’s daughters were named Jean and Elizabeth. To Marilyn Collins, a teacher of memoir-writing, a prompt of this kind should be written on a 3 by 5 card and kept for the future time I might have—after finishing everything else I’ve started –to begin my own memoir. (Done, Marilyn.)

Aha! Here it is! Madison, originally a surname then a boy’s name through the 1950s is now the 8^th most popular girl’s name in the US. Mia is 9^th on the 2011 list.

In the 1940s, Betty was 5^th most popular, Carol, 6^th and Shirley, 9^th. None of those are in the top 1,000 today. Also falling out of favor were Judith, Barbara, Sandra, Linda, Nancy and Mary.

The 1940s top ten boys ‘names remained in the 376 most popular names in 2011. James (1/17), William (4/3) and David (7-18). Others in the earlier list were Donald, Ronald, Richard, Charles, Thomas, Robert and John. (Yawn.)

In my previous journal, the final list of names noted from my day’s readings included: Fanny Blanche, still living at 99, Astra, Buford and Jap (from the 1913-era), Lum, Delilahann, Sherece, Olyn, Coleton, Nali, Tyress (Why hasn’t someone thought of naming their girl child Tygress?) and Misael.

Also, Theresia, Laura Lee (96), Drucilla (98), Doanie, Armando, Corise, Adler, Johnma, Kierra, Traxel, LaDenna, Denyce, Delia, Zan, Lura Clyde, Symantha, Rabia and Gael.

Just last Sunday, I found Rolla and Mabel (1912-era), Ingalls, LaVerle, Uela, Iwana, Geneil, Cathaleene, Dia and Theba, Mekale, JaMichael, Defonta, Kimber, Fantasia and Bobak.

Also Ludmilla, Rocco, Salman, Kurtz, Halton, Jakolby, Pearl (a male, 100 years old at death), Inocencia, Kecia, Jelonda, Moronda, Cindra, ReZell, Lovana, Eramo, Emry, Ponce de Leon (!), Philander, Plato and Evangel.

I wonder how many of those names made the latest census. Or the 1940s one.

 

c 2012 by Pat Laster dba lovepat press