Ever wondered what started the late-Victorian floral-name craze? These contemporary letters shed a fascinating light on the subject.
On the April 4, 1892 The Standard newspaper contained a (rather caustic) review of an article by Sir Herbert Maxwell, entitled "Personal Names," that had appeared earlier in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine. The journalist notes:
"It is curious, says SIR HERBERT, how few female names are derived from flowers. He can only think of three, ROSE, VIOLET, and LILY. DAISY, indeed, he has occasionally met with — though he is not likely to meet with it any more. But we suppose there must sometimes have been a NARCISSA in real life, as well as in POPE'S verse. But our English names of flowers do not lend themselves very readily to the purpose. We could not call a young lady a _(?)_, or a geranium, or a hollyhock, or a chrysanthemum, or an orchid. But there are one or two that might be pressed into their service. Why should not dahlia do as well as DELIA, or bluebell as well as ISABEL?"
Several responses to the article came pouring in to the Editor over the following days, mostly from vicars who were witnessing new fashions amongst the names of their newest parishioners, and some of the talk focused specifically on floral names.
Below are the accounts of those who witnessed the birth of the floral names craze in the late 19th century. Their opinions and theories on this "new" fashion are varied — which makes for all the more fascinating reading — and shows that, even then, people were divided over "trendy" names.
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PERSONAL NAMES TO THE EDITOR OF THE STANDARD
SIR, — In the Article in The Standard of to-day on Sir Herbert Maxwell's essay in "Blackwood" on Personal Names you truly say that "more Scripture names linger among the working classes than Sir Herbert seems aware of." Also, the same authority is not quite correct (so far as my knowledge goes) when he says that "few female names are derived from flowers." In this parish during the last five years or so there has been a revival of floral names at our old font. This may be from the exquisite care bestowed on our floral decorations at Easter and Whitsuntide. I have baptised since April, 1887, three "Violets," one "Lily Rose," one "Vera Rose," (a unique beauty of a name), two "Lilys," one "May," one "Ivy," one "Daisy"; and in 1886 I notice three "Roses," and we have two "Daisys" and three "Mays" besides in our Sunday school. [...] It is certainly to be noted that floral names have much increased in this parish during the last few years, and I should like to know if there is another "Vera Rose," or even "Lily Rose," baptised anywhere lately.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant, A.L.FOULKES Steventon, Berks, April 4.
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Were there any other Vera Rose or Lily Rose? Other readers responded to the challenge:
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SIR, — Perhaps you will allow me to supplement the remarks of the Vicar of Steventon by a few facts taken from the wider field of the Index of Births for the whole of England and Wales. Turning to the great family of the Smiths, there are found in one quarter's index — Elizabeth, 69 instances; George, 95; John, 125; Mary, 80; Sarah, 41; William, 130; and of the more modern names (that is, modern as to fashion), Albert, 61; Arthur, 49; Edith, 57; Ethel, 51; Florence, 69; Frederick, 53. [...] While as to floral names there are — Daisy, 14; Erica, Iris, Ivy, 4; Lily, 20; Olive, 6; Rose, 13; Violet, 9. The writer of your article suggests that names of common English flowers are not well adapted for personal names; doubtless that is so, and yet I have met with Hollyhock, Lavender, Dahlia (not infrequently), and others of the like. [...] I can assure the Vicar of Steventon that Lily Rose, or even Vera Rose is by no means absent from the indexes. One of the latest combinations is Gladiolus Azalea, and I may mention also, that many children born of the late years on the 19th of April have been named Primrose. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, B. April 5.
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SIR, — Let me supplement Mr. Foulkes's interesting list. I have a dear young friend somewhere in this country who (about eleven years ago) was christened Erica. "Only that and nothing more," Her parents, it was rumoured, had plighted their troth "Out in the sunshine, over the heather." Perhaps other instances may be quoted. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, H. E. G. April 5.
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SIR, — In reply to the inquiry of the Vicar of Steventon whether anybody has been christened "Lily Rose" in late years, I beg to inform him that I have a daughter whose names are "Violet Lily Rose." I am, Sir, your obedient servant, J. P. April 6.
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SIR — I cannot contribute a "Vera Rose" to Mr. Foulkes's catalogue of recently revived or invented floral appellations, but I have baptised, on April 22, 1888, a "Myrtle Rose" — unique, I believe; also, on February 7 of the present year, a "Daisy Rhoda," and on September 27, 1885, a "Lilian May." Indeed, Lilian, May, and Daisy, singly or in conjunction with something else, are now as common as possible here. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, C. G. R. BIRCH Brancaster, Norfolk, April 6.
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SIR — An infant was, twenty years ago, presented to me for baptism in an Oxford Church, under the name "Virgo Maria." The god-parents were ignorant of the meaning of the words, but the mother, on being asked where they had obtained that name, replied, "You see, Sir, my husband is a gardener, and there is a geranium named 'Virgo Maria,' so we thought it would be a nice name for our little girl." So, "Virgo Maria" must be added to the list of floral names. Could we not also find "Myrtle" and "Rose Mary"? "Basil" is a boy's name. What of "Flora," goddess of flowers? The growing disuse of "Jane" is much to be regretted. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, A. C. DOWNER St. Cuthbert's Rectory, Bedford, April 6.
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SIR — In one of the letters in the above subject in The Standard of to-day, the question is asked, "Could we not find Myrtle and Rose Mary?" I have a cousin called Rose Mary, whose surname is Flowers. Her great grandfather's name was Field Flowers. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, MARY FLOWERS. April 8.
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The following letter by Philip Bartlett is by far my favourite of all the correspondents not only because it gives us a wonderful insight into some of the superstitions against using floral names at the time, but also because of the lovely sentiments it contains.
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SIR, — It was my good fortune recently, on a railway journey, to make the acquaintance of a perfect nosegay of children, all members of one family, and all justifying the sweetness of the names that had been given them — Daisy, May, Lily, Violet, and Olive. There had also been a sixth, Pansy, but she, I was informed, had been transplanted to a better and brighter garden than any on earth. There is, I may mention, a strong prejudice existing in some minds against naming children after flowers, on the ground that children so called are supposed, like the flowers, to be short lived. I hope my little travelling companions may, at any rate, belie the superstition. In addition to the other ethical names enumerated by your Correspondents, I have baptised a child Repentance, who has proved one never to be repented of. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, PHILIP BARTLETT. Christ Church Vicarage, Lancaster, April 8.
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'Twas Ever Thus...
Ever wondered what started the late-Victorian floral-name craze? These contemporary letters shed a fascinating light on the subject.
On the April 4, 1892 The Standard newspaper contained a (rather caustic) review of an article by Sir Herbert Maxwell, entitled "Personal Names," that had appeared earlier in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine. The journalist notes:
Several responses to the article came pouring in to the Editor over the following days, mostly from vicars who were witnessing new fashions amongst the names of their newest parishioners, and some of the talk focused specifically on floral names.
Below are the accounts of those who witnessed the birth of the floral names craze in the late 19th century. Their opinions and theories on this "new" fashion are varied — which makes for all the more fascinating reading — and shows that, even then, people were divided over "trendy" names.
PERSONAL NAMES
TO THE EDITOR OF THE STANDARD
SIR, — In the Article in The Standard of to-day on Sir Herbert Maxwell's essay in "Blackwood" on Personal Names you truly say that "more Scripture names linger among the working classes than Sir Herbert seems aware of." Also, the same authority is not quite correct (so far as my knowledge goes) when he says that "few female names are derived from flowers." In this parish during the last five years or so there has been a revival of floral names at our old font. This may be from the exquisite care bestowed on our floral decorations at Easter and Whitsuntide.
I have baptised since April, 1887, three "Violets," one "Lily Rose," one "Vera Rose," (a unique beauty of a name), two "Lilys," one "May," one "Ivy," one "Daisy"; and in 1886 I notice three "Roses," and we have two "Daisys" and three "Mays" besides in our Sunday school. [...]
It is certainly to be noted that floral names have much increased in this parish during the last few years, and I should like to know if there is another "Vera Rose," or even "Lily Rose," baptised anywhere lately.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
A.L.FOULKES
Steventon, Berks, April 4.
.d
Were there any other Vera Rose or Lily Rose? Other readers responded to the challenge:
SIR, — Perhaps you will allow me to supplement the remarks of the Vicar of Steventon by a few facts taken from the wider field of the Index of Births for the whole of England and Wales. Turning to the great family of the Smiths, there are found in one quarter's index — Elizabeth, 69 instances; George, 95; John, 125; Mary, 80; Sarah, 41; William, 130; and of the more modern names (that is, modern as to fashion), Albert, 61; Arthur, 49; Edith, 57; Ethel, 51; Florence, 69; Frederick, 53. [...] While as to floral names there are — Daisy, 14; Erica, Iris, Ivy, 4; Lily, 20; Olive, 6; Rose, 13; Violet, 9. The writer of your article suggests that names of common English flowers are not well adapted for personal names; doubtless that is so, and yet I have met with Hollyhock, Lavender, Dahlia (not infrequently), and others of the like. [...]
I can assure the Vicar of Steventon that Lily Rose, or even Vera Rose is by no means absent from the indexes. One of the latest combinations is Gladiolus Azalea, and I may mention also, that many children born of the late years on the 19th of April have been named Primrose.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
B.
April 5.
SIR, — Let me supplement Mr. Foulkes's interesting list. I have a dear young friend somewhere in this country who (about eleven years ago) was christened Erica. "Only that and nothing more," Her parents, it was rumoured, had plighted their troth "Out in the sunshine, over the heather." Perhaps other instances may be quoted.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
H. E. G.
April 5.
SIR, — In reply to the inquiry of the Vicar of Steventon whether anybody has been christened "Lily Rose" in late years, I beg to inform him that I have a daughter whose names are "Violet Lily Rose."
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
J. P.
April 6.
SIR — I cannot contribute a "Vera Rose" to Mr. Foulkes's catalogue of recently revived or invented floral appellations, but I have baptised, on April 22, 1888, a "Myrtle Rose" — unique, I believe; also, on February 7 of the present year, a "Daisy Rhoda," and on September 27, 1885, a "Lilian May." Indeed, Lilian, May, and Daisy, singly or in conjunction with something else, are now as common as possible here.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
C. G. R. BIRCH
Brancaster, Norfolk, April 6.
SIR — An infant was, twenty years ago, presented to me for baptism in an Oxford Church, under the name "Virgo Maria." The god-parents were ignorant of the meaning of the words, but the mother, on being asked where they had obtained that name, replied, "You see, Sir, my husband is a gardener, and there is a geranium named 'Virgo Maria,' so we thought it would be a nice name for our little girl."
So, "Virgo Maria" must be added to the list of floral names. Could we not also find "Myrtle" and "Rose Mary"? "Basil" is a boy's name. What of "Flora," goddess of flowers? The growing disuse of "Jane" is much to be regretted.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant, A. C. DOWNER
St. Cuthbert's Rectory, Bedford, April 6.
SIR — In one of the letters in the above subject in The Standard of to-day, the question is asked, "Could we not find Myrtle and Rose Mary?" I have a cousin called Rose Mary, whose surname is Flowers. Her great grandfather's name was Field Flowers.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
MARY FLOWERS.
April 8.
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The following letter by Philip Bartlett is by far my favourite of all the correspondents not only because it gives us a wonderful insight into some of the superstitions against using floral names at the time, but also because of the lovely sentiments it contains.
SIR, — It was my good fortune recently, on a railway journey, to make the acquaintance of a perfect nosegay of children, all members of one family, and all justifying the sweetness of the names that had been given them — Daisy, May, Lily, Violet, and Olive. There had also been a sixth, Pansy, but she, I was informed, had been transplanted to a better and brighter garden than any on earth.
There is, I may mention, a strong prejudice existing in some minds against naming children after flowers, on the ground that children so called are supposed, like the flowers, to be short lived. I hope my little travelling companions may, at any rate, belie the superstition.
In addition to the other ethical names enumerated by your Correspondents, I have baptised a child Repentance, who has proved one never to be repented of.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
PHILIP BARTLETT.
Christ Church Vicarage, Lancaster, April 8.
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Posted at 08:59 PM in Historical Name Commentary, Nature and Plant Names | Permalink
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