# Uncommon Given names of the past you never see much of anymore **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 11, 2016, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513 "2016-11-11T17:15:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/1 "2016-11-11T17:15:04Z")
Did we talk about this already?? Doing family genealogy I see so many unusual given names that I never hear of anymore Dorcus/Dorecus Malvina/Melvina Zeno Cleon Thrower Lyndal/Lyndel Dimples Maston Fronia Lutitia/Leticia Louverine Eron Jasper Sterling Mordecai Women name Tommie Zelphia Ephraim/multiple spellings The list could go on and on How about your family names ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/2 "2016-11-11T17:19:33Z")
As far as my old family Christian names, they’re foreign and I don’t know if they’re still in use in Norway. Some of them are: Olave Ingeborg Synneve Ole Iver But as for other older names, like those that I see in old novels, here are a few: Cornelius Sylvester Ishmael Jabez Augusta ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/3 "2016-11-11T17:38:34Z")
Had a great aunt (who died as an infant in the 1919 flu) who was named Cathron. Had a great-great-great grandfather named Rashar. (All of Scotch-Irish descent, and in the US for multiple generations at the time.) I’ve never personally ran across anyone with either of those names. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/4 "2016-11-11T18:29:08Z")
In my family tree, there are a couple of German women with the first name of Kunigunde (or Cunigunde). I’d never heard that name before in my life, and I daresay it isn’t common in Germany these days, either. Its etymology is kind of badass, though – “kuni” means “family” and “gund” means “war”. Others in my family: Apollonia (f) Barthel (m) Barthold (m) Wilhelmine (f) Enis (f) Gertrudis (f) Kilian (m) – unusual because he was German, born in 1675, and I have only heard that name used in Ireland Magdalena (f) Onofrio (m) Providenza (f) Saverio (m) Theobald (m) Tieleman (m) – his full name was Tieleman Tielemans Wolff (m) Yost (m) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/5 "2016-11-11T18:39:14Z")
Increase. Saw it on a gravestone. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/6 "2016-11-11T19:10:28Z")
My grandmother was named “Gisella.” She hated the name and changed it to Gertrude. I was entering Census data for [Familysearch.org](http://Familysearch.org) and jotted down some of the names that stood out. **Male** Melzar Manliff Yudemis Adille Zoel Ulric Ullas Heber Thiadore Vinal Quintilan Coyt Eulogio Kavon Morten Jeronim Persey Isik Jaftha Eugela Collis Phierette Narcisse Liborio Celedonio **Female** Tekla Alsondra Laney Quinnetta Oseia Feebie Ozite Gadella Euphanine Modeste Marceline Neithaïd Vitaline Demerise Delphini Elowiat Aela Florena Orpha Zelpha Garnetta Floris Zulicka Phena Quessie Sarita Hiti Pedato Saborah Zepha Ludusa Sidrae Missouri Inex Khadija Francies Ursalen ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/7 "2016-11-11T19:23:16Z")
I had a 5 x great ancestress named Mehitabel, living in Massachusetts. More closely related were 2 x great grandpa Silas, and his dad, Osmore. Also 2 x great grandma Henrietta, known as Rettie Great grandpa was a Herbert. Great grand ma was Jacomina. Grandma was Josephine. Mom was Lois. I won’t bother with the names from the 17th century or earlier; those were just weird. ---
**Author:** ![Turpentine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Turpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turpentine)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/8 "2016-11-11T19:23:19Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Increase. Saw it on a gravestone. Ah, good old Increase Mather. What about his son, Cotton? ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/9 "2016-11-11T19:48:57Z")
My great-grandmother was Canzada. She had a sister named Barzillah. And another sister named … Mary. I had an ancestor whose middle name was Orlena. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/10 "2016-11-11T19:57:04Z")
I have a Hedwig several generations back, which greatly excited my nieces when they heard about it. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/11 "2016-11-11T20:02:45Z")
> [@Turpentine](#): > > Ah, good old Increase Mather. What about his son, Cotton? I wish Cotton was a monkey. 🙂 We had a slew of **Fredericka** s in the 19th century. Helped to balance out the **Frederick** s. You don’t see **Aloysius** much any more; **Adalbert** , either. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/12 "2016-11-11T20:42:24Z")
Jasper and Sterling are increasingly popular names, for both boys and girls. ---
**Author:** ![misling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@misling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misling)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/13 "2016-11-11T20:57:37Z")
Among my many great-aunts: Vera, Genevieve, Rowena, Letha, Leda, Roma, Gladys, Vivian, Lila, Anthea, Letitia, Lavinia, Lydia. Among my great-uncles: Delmer, Elberta (yeah, sounds like a girl - he was named after some peaches), Silas, Jeroam. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/14 "2016-11-11T22:10:36Z")
On my husband’s side, Zadok. On my side, Flora and Ora. (Siblings. Ora was a boy.) Also, Desire, who was a girl. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/15 "2016-11-11T22:32:31Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > On my husband’s side, Zadok. > On my side, Flora and Ora. (Siblings. Ora was a boy.) Also, Desire, who was a girl. My daughter dated a boy named Ora a while back. The only one I ever met. He went by Orrie. He’d be about 30 now. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/16 "2016-11-11T22:38:40Z")
> [@misling](#): > > Among my many great-aunts: Vera, Genevieve, Rowena, Letha, Leda, Roma, Gladys, Vivian, Lila, Anthea, Letitia, Lavinia, Lydia. > Among my great-uncles: Delmer, Elberta (yeah, sounds like a girl - he was named after some peaches), Silas, Jeroam. Funny how some names come back. I work part time in elementary school and have recently encountered kids named Vivian, Lila, and Genevieve. I also knew a Genevieve who’d be in her twenties now, and had a Lydia in my most recent college seminar. And a colleague named her baby Silas last spring. Be interesting to see if Gladys and Elberta make a comeback. I had a great uncle named Orville…he was not the first in the family to hear that name, but it’s another name I don’t expect to see returning any time soon. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/17 "2016-11-11T23:42:07Z")
Oh, my grandfather had a sister named Arizona. They called her Zoney. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/18 "2016-11-12T00:05:03Z")
Among my English-speaking ancestors and kin are Males: Greenleaf, Peregrine, Meserve, Gilman, Ephraim, Ichabod, and Ebenezer. Females: Tamzen, Jerusha, Araminta, Sophronia, Hepzibah, and Zipporah ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/19 "2016-11-12T00:11:01Z")
Manoah, Isom, Joost, Macykin, Wallerand. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513/20 "2016-11-12T00:12:38Z")
Orville [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncommon-given-names-of-the-past-you-never-see-much-of-anymore/771513.md?page=2)