Bizarre name "meanings" are everywhere these days, but they are certainly nothing new. Just to prove it, here is a delighfully quirky article from the Regency era. To be fair, this does at least go from an etymological standpoint, and some of them still stand up.
ON DEFINITION AND THE ORIGIN OF NAMES To the Editor of the Lancaster Gazette
SIR -- Chance threw in my way the other day, Verstegan's "Restoration of Decayed Intelligence," a scare work abounding with much information, conveyed in the quaint language of the time (1634). In some observations on the structure of the English language, he differs materially with Johnson in the derivatives, although it is evident, that our great lexicographer, in other modes, was much indepted to Verstegan in the arrangement of his dictionary -- I subjoin a few specimens: --
VERSTEGAN JOHNSON
GAVELKIND, Saxon, Give all kind A provencial word for ground. ALMANAC, Sx Al-mon-aught* From al, Arabic, and men (Gt) i.e. All mon (moon) heed a month BABBLE, from Babel, Sax. to From babil, French, to talk confuse. idly. EVE, from even, Teutonic From æpen Sax. ABLE, from Abel, Teutonic From habite, French; sufficient. habilis, Latin. ALSO, from Aelsira, Sax. From all and se. HERALD, from Heait, Teut From herault, French. a champion a challenger ESQUIRE, from Seyld-knapa, From escues, French. Sax. shield knave.
I think the origin of the three first of these words, decidedly favours Verstegan's thesis -- Where Johnson ascertained that Gavelkind is a provencial word for ground, I am at a loss to discover. Bailey, too, differs materially in opinion with Johnson. He has it from Gavel and Cind (Sax) natural tribute; and I think it is but natural to conclude, that Verstegan is more correct in his definition of Almanac, from obsolete terms in our own language, than Johnson in his far-fetched references to Arabic and Greek -- In the words of Babble, Herald, and Esquire, I should be inclined to adopt Johnson's explanation in preference to the other. [...]
PROPER NAMES OF MEN &c.
ALDRED, from all dread - originally given to Princes. ALLEN, from all __, beloved. BALDWIN, from bold win, to overcome, to conquer. BARNARD, from beorn hart, -- bear's heart -- the courage of a bear. DUNSTAN, from Dum, a hill or mountain, and stone -- mountain stone, or rock, similar to Peter, in the Hebrew. EDWARD, from Ead, or Eath -- and oath, and word, to hold or keep his oath. FRANK (now called FRANCIS) from franc, free. FREDERICK, from fred -- peace, and ryc -- rich: rich in peace -- peaceful. GERTRUDE, from Gar -- all, and trude -- troth; good faith. GILBERT, from gild -- free, and bert -- right; very free and bountiful. HENRY, from hen or han -- have, and ryc -- rich; a possessor of wealth -- a rich man. HERBERT, or HEUBERT, from here -- an army, and hert -- right -- one well informed in military matters. HUGH, anciently written HEOGHE, from heugh -- a festival -- a joyful meeting. HUMPHREY, from hum -- an abbreviation of home, and frid -- free; a peaceful or free home. RICHARD, from ric -- rich, free, and hart -- heart; a liberal mind. WILLIAM, from gild helme -- During the war, of the Romans with the Germans, when one of the former was killed, his helm, or helmet, which was generally gilt, was placed on the head of the soldier who had slain him, who was honoured with the valour-inspiring title of gild helme. WYNE, wine, metaphorically, being beloved. Hence probably the British Gwynne, or Wynne.
I am fearful, in giving these extracts, I am incroaching too far on the limits of your paper; I shall, therefore, postpone the origin of English surname, till a future opportunity; and am, &c Dec 4, 1814 H.
* From a custom among the Saxons, of marking festival days and the moons, on carved sticks.
The Lancashire Gazette and General Advertiser (Lancaster, England), December 17, 1814
Comments
'Twas Ever Thus...
Bizarre name "meanings" are everywhere these days, but they are certainly nothing new. Just to prove it, here is a delighfully quirky article from the Regency era. To be fair, this does at least go from an etymological standpoint, and some of them still stand up.
ON DEFINITION AND THE ORIGIN OF NAMES To the Editor of the Lancaster Gazette
SIR -- Chance threw in my way the other day, Verstegan's "Restoration of Decayed Intelligence," a scare work abounding with much information, conveyed in the quaint language of the time (1634). In some observations on the structure of the English language, he differs materially with Johnson in the derivatives, although it is evident, that our great lexicographer, in other modes, was much indepted to Verstegan in the arrangement of his dictionary -- I subjoin a few specimens: --
VERSTEGAN JOHNSON
GAVELKIND, Saxon, Give all kind A provencial word for ground. ALMANAC, Sx Al-mon-aught* From al, Arabic, and men (Gt) i.e. All mon (moon) heed a month BABBLE, from Babel, Sax. to From babil, French, to talk confuse. idly. EVE, from even, Teutonic From æpen Sax. ABLE, from Abel, Teutonic From habite, French; sufficient. habilis, Latin. ALSO, from Aelsira, Sax. From all and se. HERALD, from Heait, Teut From herault, French. a champion a challenger ESQUIRE, from Seyld-knapa, From escues, French. Sax. shield knave.
I think the origin of the three first of these words, decidedly favours Verstegan's thesis -- Where Johnson ascertained that Gavelkind is a provencial word for ground, I am at a loss to discover. Bailey, too, differs materially in opinion with Johnson. He has it from Gavel and Cind (Sax) natural tribute; and I think it is but natural to conclude, that Verstegan is more correct in his definition of Almanac, from obsolete terms in our own language, than Johnson in his far-fetched references to Arabic and Greek -- In the words of Babble, Herald, and Esquire, I should be inclined to adopt Johnson's explanation in preference to the other. [...]
PROPER NAMES OF MEN &c.
ALDRED, from all dread - originally given to Princes. ALLEN, from all __, beloved. BALDWIN, from bold win, to overcome, to conquer. BARNARD, from beorn hart, -- bear's heart -- the courage of a bear. DUNSTAN, from Dum, a hill or mountain, and stone -- mountain stone, or rock, similar to Peter, in the Hebrew. EDWARD, from Ead, or Eath -- and oath, and word, to hold or keep his oath. FRANK (now called FRANCIS) from franc, free. FREDERICK, from fred -- peace, and ryc -- rich: rich in peace -- peaceful. GERTRUDE, from Gar -- all, and trude -- troth; good faith. GILBERT, from gild -- free, and bert -- right; very free and bountiful. HENRY, from hen or han -- have, and ryc -- rich; a possessor of wealth -- a rich man. HERBERT, or HEUBERT, from here -- an army, and hert -- right -- one well informed in military matters. HUGH, anciently written HEOGHE, from heugh -- a festival -- a joyful meeting. HUMPHREY, from hum -- an abbreviation of home, and frid -- free; a peaceful or free home. RICHARD, from ric -- rich, free, and hart -- heart; a liberal mind. WILLIAM, from gild helme -- During the war, of the Romans with the Germans, when one of the former was killed, his helm, or helmet, which was generally gilt, was placed on the head of the soldier who had slain him, who was honoured with the valour-inspiring title of gild helme. WYNE, wine, metaphorically, being beloved. Hence probably the British Gwynne, or Wynne.
I am fearful, in giving these extracts, I am incroaching too far on the limits of your paper; I shall, therefore, postpone the origin of English surname, till a future opportunity; and am, &c Dec 4, 1814 H.
* From a custom among the Saxons, of marking festival days and the moons, on carved sticks.
The Lancashire Gazette and General Advertiser (Lancaster, England), December 17, 1814
'Twas Ever Thus...
Bizarre name "meanings" are everywhere these days, but they are certainly nothing new. Just to prove it, here is a delighfully quirky article from the Regency era. To be fair, this does at least go from an etymological standpoint, and some of them still stand up.
ON DEFINITION
AND THE ORIGIN OF NAMES
To the Editor of the Lancaster Gazette
SIR -- Chance threw in my way the other day, Verstegan's "Restoration of Decayed Intelligence," a scare work abounding with much information, conveyed in the quaint language of the time (1634). In some observations on the structure of the English language, he differs materially with Johnson in the derivatives, although it is evident, that our great lexicographer, in other modes, was much indepted to Verstegan in the arrangement of his dictionary -- I subjoin a few specimens: --
VERSTEGAN JOHNSON
GAVELKIND, Saxon, Give all kind A provencial word for ground.
ALMANAC, Sx Al-mon-aught* From al, Arabic, and men (Gt)
i.e. All mon (moon) heed a month
BABBLE, from Babel, Sax. to From babil, French, to talk
confuse. idly.
EVE, from even, Teutonic From æpen Sax.
ABLE, from Abel, Teutonic From habite, French;
sufficient. habilis, Latin.
ALSO, from Aelsira, Sax. From all and se.
HERALD, from Heait, Teut From herault, French.
a champion a challenger
ESQUIRE, from Seyld-knapa, From escues, French.
Sax. shield knave.
I think the origin of the three first of these words, decidedly favours Verstegan's thesis -- Where Johnson ascertained that Gavelkind is a provencial word for ground, I am at a loss to discover. Bailey, too, differs materially in opinion with Johnson. He has it from Gavel and Cind (Sax) natural tribute; and I think it is but natural to conclude, that Verstegan is more correct in his definition of Almanac, from obsolete terms in our own language, than Johnson in his far-fetched references to Arabic and Greek -- In the words of Babble, Herald, and Esquire, I should be inclined to adopt Johnson's explanation in preference to the other. [...]
PROPER NAMES OF MEN &c.
ALDRED, from all dread - originally given to Princes.
ALLEN, from all __, beloved.
BALDWIN, from bold win, to overcome, to conquer.
BARNARD, from beorn hart, -- bear's heart -- the courage of a bear.
DUNSTAN, from Dum, a hill or mountain, and stone -- mountain stone, or rock, similar to Peter, in the Hebrew.
EDWARD, from Ead, or Eath -- and oath, and word, to hold or keep his oath.
FRANK (now called FRANCIS) from franc, free.
FREDERICK, from fred -- peace, and ryc -- rich: rich in peace -- peaceful.
GERTRUDE, from Gar -- all, and trude -- troth; good faith.
GILBERT, from gild -- free, and bert -- right; very free and bountiful.
HENRY, from hen or han -- have, and ryc -- rich; a possessor of wealth -- a rich man.
HERBERT, or HEUBERT, from here -- an army, and hert -- right -- one well informed in military matters.
HUGH, anciently written HEOGHE, from heugh -- a festival -- a joyful meeting.
HUMPHREY, from hum -- an abbreviation of home, and frid -- free; a peaceful or free home.
RICHARD, from ric -- rich, free, and hart -- heart; a liberal mind.
WILLIAM, from gild helme -- During the war, of the Romans with the Germans, when one of the former was killed, his helm, or helmet, which was generally gilt, was placed on the head of the soldier who had slain him, who was honoured with the valour-inspiring title of gild helme.
WYNE, wine, metaphorically, being beloved. Hence probably the British Gwynne, or Wynne.
I am fearful, in giving these extracts, I am incroaching too far on the limits of your paper; I shall, therefore, postpone the origin of English surname, till a future opportunity; and am, &c
Dec 4, 1814 H.
* From a custom among the Saxons, of marking festival days and the moons, on carved sticks.
The Lancashire Gazette and General Advertiser
(Lancaster, England), December 17, 1814
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