# Weird first or middle names in your family **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 5, 2007, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622 "2007-07-05T18:13:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/21 "2007-07-05T19:59:30Z")
My grandmother and her sisters were named Eunice, Millie Gray, Celestial and Sophronia. Her bothers were Dodd and Milton. I’d particularly love to know how their parents, living waaay the hell out in rural North Carolina in the 1910s, came up with Celestial and Sophronia. > [@](#): > > Originally posted by **Max the Vool** > _And one other oddity… my mom’s side of the family is old south stock, pure whitebread for many generations back on both sides… but one of her ancestors (maybe her grandfather?) was named Carlo, a name I think of solely as Latino._ Same situation, except in my case, it’s my great-great-aunt Juanita. > [@](#): > > Originally posted by **Qadgop the Mercotan** > _Fridfrod > Gandalf_ Gandalf? _Fridfrod_? Explain yourself, man. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/22 "2007-07-05T20:10:54Z")
Most of out names are pretty average. Some of my cousins have a little more trendy names (Jennifer, Kenzie, Brittany). The youngest cousins have weird names, but then they are in Welsh (Calum and Rhys). The oddest name I can think of in the family is Sherrilyn. My Auntie Sherry. The only reason I found out was I had an old sleeping bag from Grandma with the name on it and I asked her who the heck that was, ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/23 "2007-07-05T20:31:17Z")
Ellis. It’s my father’s middle name; I believe it came from a friend of _his_ father’s (whether it was a first or last name, I can’t say). Since one of my nieces now also has it as her middle name, it can officially be called a “family name” among us. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/24 "2007-07-05T20:37:26Z")
In my family: Darence (female) Oddly, she goes by “Kitty” instead of the lovely “Darence” Alfie (another lady!) Drucie (my grandma) Bernard (pronounced BER-nerd) go figure… Autha Toadie (male) Carl Gustav Millie Modell (female) I think some of my ancestors were dippin’ into the moonshine. I know there are a few more odd ones but can’t think of them at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/25 "2007-07-05T20:40:42Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] In my family: Osmore Mehitable Josephine Silas Lamberta Fridfrod **Gandalf** Uthyr [/QUOTE] Bolding mine. A-HA! That’s why! You’re brimming with such Lord of the Rings dork cred because it’s part of who you are. This explains lots. ---
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/26 "2007-07-05T20:40:55Z")
I also have a cousin called Tick (real name George) and a great-uncle who goes by Rat (real name Paul). If we’re including nicknames in the survey. ---
**Author:** ![liberty3701](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@liberty3701](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liberty3701)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/27 "2007-07-05T21:05:52Z")
[QUOTE=Flutterby] The oddest name I can think of in the family is Sherrilyn. My Auntie Sherry. The only reason I found out was I had an old sleeping bag from Grandma with the name on it and I asked her who the heck that was, [/QUOTE] My mother-in-law’s name is Sheralyn. She named her three sons very ordinary names, except Jonathon. Normal name, weird spelling. My mom had an Aunt Lou and an Aunt Tom; Lou being short for Louise (changed from Lulu, who had a sister Hattie) and Tom for Thompson (her last name). I get odd looks when I offer people Aunt Tom’s Sugar Cookies, a recipe she passed down to my mom. I have a cousin Dorinda (Dori for short), and my middle name is Learn. That’s all the weirdness I can think of for my family, though I have a friend with the middle name Burley, his grandfather’s nickname. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/28 "2007-07-05T21:05:53Z")
Some great names in this thread! My oldest son’s middle name is my grandpa’s middle name – **Lane**. It was either that or Wilmer. My best friend’s daughter’s middle name is **Skeie** , pronounced Shy-ah. It’s Norwegian, I think. Her grade school teachers were forever telling the little girl that she must be spelling it wrong. I had twin second cousins named **Avon** and **Avonelle**. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/29 "2007-07-05T21:08:19Z")
My sons middle nme is Hunter. After you know whom. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/30 "2007-07-05T21:09:51Z")
I’ve got a Bernard (BER-nerd) too! And a: Willa (hey - it used to be much more uncommon. She was named for her dad, William) Alpha (nope, she was the second child) Venice (2 of 'em! Pronounced Veneece, not like the city) Lanier (as a middle name) Milan (again, a middle name) ShyAnne (yep - phonetically. We railed against that one, but no dice) Janae Shad Irma Maybelle Corny Oate Aim Bontje ---
**Author:** ![Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine_and_Smiles)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/31 "2007-07-05T22:20:24Z")
Let’s see, in my family there are: Dakota Odelia Franz Marney Nothing too crazy, but definitely out of the ordinary. ---
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/32 "2007-07-05T22:44:37Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] My great-aunt on my father’s side was “Liv,” pronounced “leave.” [/QUOTE] She wasn’t scandinavian, by any chance? ---
**Author:** ![stretch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@stretch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stretch)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/33 "2007-07-05T22:55:21Z")
In my family: Waldeen (female) Arthea (female) Violet Ora (female) ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/34 "2007-07-05T23:09:58Z")
My great grandmother’s name was Birdella, or Birdie for short. She named her son (my grandfather) Myron, but he went by his middle name (Ken). ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/35 "2007-07-05T23:11:58Z")
My mothe is of French descent, so many of the names on her side sounded odd to me as a child, though I recognise that some of them are fairly common now. Odette and Danica are a couple that I’ve not heard elsewhere though, and my mother got the French version of Theresa for her middle name My father’s side was a lot more bland, but his step-father (who was also of French descent, unlike my father), got saddled with the name Ulysses–he went by the equally unusual name of Romie. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/36 "2007-07-05T23:21:51Z")
I think I’ve posted it before, but my late grandfather’s middle name was _Fozdick_. And he was nice enough to hand the name down to my uncle, too. My MiL is Antoinette. Until I met her, I didn’t know any one in the past 200 years had such a name. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/37 "2007-07-05T23:27:50Z")
My great-uncle Phil was not Philip, but Philemon. He named one daughter Charman, pronounced as in please don’t squeeze the. ---
**Author:** ![Marjorie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5ac83/32.png) [@Marjorie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marjorie)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2007, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/38 "2007-07-05T23:37:10Z")
[QUOTE=Dung Beetle] Just thought of another-- Uncle Delano. [/QUOTE] That was my grandpa’s middle name. My grandma’s middle name, as well as her mother’s first name, was Orlou. ---
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/39 "2007-07-06T00:08:03Z")
Some lunatic in our family named his daughter Tasman. oh wait, that was me… :rolleyes: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622/40 "2007-07-06T00:15:36Z")
Girls: Louisiana (sometimes spelled Louisianna) Paralee (sometimes spelled Para Lee) Adelaidina Temperance (several of these on both sides of the family) Roda-Joicee ## Myrticine Boys: Arlington (2 of them) Abishalom (a variant of Absalom, of course) Salathiel (it appears in the begatting section of the Bible; the last member with this name died this year in his early 90s) Robert Toombs (the name of a particularly vicious white-supremacist Confederate [even by Confederate standards he was a fanatic] for whom 3 members of the family were named [all in the same line, the younger two named for the elder two]) Yancey (also dates to the Civil War and for Alabama politician Wm. Lowndes Yancey, though the current holder is an 80-something woman) Zadock (the last holder died a few years ago and he was at least the 4th) The weirdest (and there are 6 members who have one or the other of these names including 2 who have both): Judieth Tresvant [sometimes spelled Trezevant]. My father/grandfather’s given names were Stephen Garland, both of which mean “wreath” or “crown”- I’m not sure if this was coincidental. My mother’s name was the quintessential southern belle name, Blanche, though she was named for the silent film actress Blanche Sweet (who my grandmother was a huge fan of- had she been a boy her name would have been Douglas after D. Fairbanks). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-first-or-middle-names-in-your-family/410622.md?page=3)