Weird Christian names

[Finder]

I was cruising through census & noticed some very strange christian names, one wonders what the parents were thinking of at the time, this name caught my attention most, "Featherstone Atkinson"  , like I mean to say that's not a good start to life, LOL!, anyone else noticed strange names?

James

[oleg_mcnoleg]

I think everyones family tree will have someone with a slightly odd name in somewhere or other. My favourites are:

Onesimus BARLOW
Coxe SWANNELL

Onesimus emigrated to Canada - but thanks to his forename he's easily spottable amongst records!

My personal favourite though is Samson Napolean PALMER. I was slightly surprised that he was given the middle name Napolean given that he was born in England only 40 years after the end of the Napoleonic wars. He married Flora Bella Jervas CHURCH - only to die at the relatively young age of 27.

Flora then married Samson's brother - the slightly less exotically named - Moses. As it was illegal (I think) to marry her husbands brother she married under the name Bella Gervas PALMER.

[Alexander.]

The most unfortunate lad on my tree was called Blick Henshall Nail.

Also in my research we are possibly related to (Sir) Frescheville Holles. I always wonder what Frescheville was known as, it's such a mouthful. Though none of the nicknames I can think of are very appealing.

In both cases these Christian names were surnames in the family (on the female line) that were dying out. Though for some strange reason Blick & Frescheville did not choose to pass the name onto their kids.

[Finder]

Oh my goodness!  , I suppose they had pet names, couldn't imagine saying Freschville or Onesimus for example on a daily basis

guess it wasn't unusual back then, though I still feel sorry for them

James

[KGarrad]

I keep stumbling on names I think as kind of strange, only to find a hundred (or more) in any census!

E.G.  Lettuce as a girl's name?
or Cinderella?

[rachelralph]

not family history but my little boy is called Leland which no one has heard of before. i was doing a little research on my grandads family a few weeks ago and came across a piece of writing that meantioned one of grandads ancestors weddings was performed by a rev. leland! i was dead impressed seeing as i named my boy thi 3 years ago never having heard of it in history.


i also used to loook after a girl called olufolabombini.

[Jebber]

When researching a friend's family I found Onesimus  was a regular occurrence in her family, often shortened to Oney.

The most unusual name in my tree is Polyphemus for  girl in 1881.

When you find an unusual name it is always interesting to search BMD to see how many there are, for example,  there are a lot of Leland in Free BMD births.

Jebber.

[rachelralph]

oooo really are they recent lelands or from a long time ago? i might go have a look. i just liked the name and hubby had seen it on a tv show and like it too, but i didnt relise it was a name that has been used in history

[johncrowner]

A few from 1881 census for Framfield (all Male) Ephirem;Nahor;Rezin;Hamiah;Trayton;Catch;(surname Twentytwo?) Nere;Silvanus:Zebulan;