August
19 was my late mother’s (Anna Pearle Scott) birthday (1912). It is also Bill
Clinton (1946) and Tipper Gore’s (1948) birthdays. Plus a jillion others’, not
many of whom I’ve heard of. Oh, some actresses, composers, but beyond that, no.
The list I viewed began during the 16th century and ended in the
1970s.
Mom
had a thing about Bill Clinton because they shared the same birthday. She loved
him. He (his office) sent her birthday cards. She sent him birthday cards. She
had two FOB Christmas tree ornaments she dearly prized. (And I continue to
use.)
She would have watched everything on TV about
Chelsea’s wedding. Likely, she would have said, as was her tendency, “For such
an ugly child, she made a pretty bride.”
Mom didn’t like her own mother’s spelling of Mom’s
middle name (appearing on her wedding announcement), so Mom omitted the “e.”
Her parents’ names were Flossie Samuel and Elmer Holloway.
I named my fourth child Annamarie—one word—after both
her grandmothers. I often laughed and said, “It could have been Margie Pearl!”
In all my name-collecting, I have never seen that combination.
Ah, a perfect segue into something that takes up
hours (when added over the years) of my leisure time, my paper-reading time:
names. It started with the High Profile section of the daily state paper. Odd
first names; odd surnames. Then I discovered the obituaries held, in addition
to names, so much more information.
Lately,
I’ve begun keeping a name’s list of those 90 years old and older at death. And
if he/she was born before 1920, I keep a list of the deceased parents’ names. (A good friend told me once to 'get a life.')
Compare
the names of the parents of this generation to the parents in early 1900. Now
days, parents of either the deceased or the engaged might be Susan and Eugene, Cynthia and Timothy, Patricia
and Paul, Sharon and John.
Ninety years ago, parents' names were
George Washington and Lucinda Beatrice, Frank Willie and Anna Elizabeth, Virgil
and Dora, William and Myrtle, and Richard and Mary Ida. (BTW, I have a beloved friend named Anna Elizabeth. Some things don't change.)
Given names of engaged couples—except for Elizabeth
and William, which span all times—are noticeably different, too. A Rachel Lee (middle name) is marrying a
Nathan Lee (middle name. In earlier times, a William Daniel married a Sarah
Adeline.
Today’s parents have names like Beverly and Quranner;
in the old days, it might be Fred and Mittie Jane, or Clenis and Odessa, Argus and Effie. Like
Dave Barry, I’m not making this up.
One more example:
Parents today might be Kathy and Denny, Janet and Steve. In the decade
of 1910-1919, it might be Will and Willie, Mattie Pearl and Hugh, William Dexter and Bertha, Len and
Beulah.
Fascinating, the changing fashion in names. In
one issue of this month’s Saline Courier, were the following new babies’ given
names: Tinleigh Rein, Yesenia Angelic, Tate Ryan, Xander Hayden, Tinley Elyse,
Chevy Lynn Kayee Vegaa and Hunter Matthew.
Just this morning--and before I even read the obits in the state paper--I jotted down these names: Kayliee, Vivica, Dellar, Kiyanda, Deja and Brianetay.
AND this from Wednesday: Chris Christopherson-- a California fire spokesman. Is no name sacred???
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