marycatelli: (Golden Hair)
marycatelli ([personal profile] marycatelli) wrote in [community profile] books2022-12-30 12:10 am

Curiosities of Puritan Nomenclature

Curiosities of Puritan Nomenclature by Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley

A somewhat broader treatment, since it starts with the Norman Conquest, to set the stage. Witty in a dry academic manner. Sometimes goes into lists of instances of name to prove their use. A 19th century work so limited to before that time.

The Norman Conquest completely changed the name pool, and vastly shrank it, giving rise to numerous nicknames, down to ones with double diminutives. It also discusses religious names in use prior to the Reformation.

Then it goes into the effect of the Reformation and the Puritans in particular -- which drove out many of the religious names, even from the Bible. And introduced new ones. And the limited number of nicknames for them.

Then it goes into other techniques, such as virtue names, and the compound names that were sentences or phrases, and more. Rounds off with a discussion of the effect on American names.

Concludes with discussion of double names.
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)

Well ...

[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith 2022-12-31 12:33 pm (UTC)(link)
My favorite is Flie-Fornication.