Odd Forenames in your Family?

[TropiConsul]

"Onesimus" in Long Island, New York  tops the list.  I can't even imagine where it comes from.

  In the name of God, Amen. January 21, 17 22/23. I, ONESIMUS TALMAGE, of East Hampton, being sick. I leave to my wife Rebecca, the use of the west end of my dwelling house "from the Bottom to the Top," during her life, also the use of my barn next to my house and my "teams and wainage," and one-third of the rest of my personal estate except farming tools. I leave to my daughter, Phebe Gould, the other part of my house and barns, and two-thirds of my home lot, and two thirds of 6 acres of land adjoining to the land of John Hedges; and two-thirds of my meadow lying at Little Northwest, and one-third of all my right at Montauket, and in the Town Commons. I also give to her, after my wife's decease, all the other part of my home-lot, house, and barn. I leave to my daughters Sarah and Mary all my other goods and lands, and they are to live in that part of the house left to my wife until they marry. I make Edward Jones, Jr., and my brother-in-law, John Wheeler, executors.
Witnesses, John Davis, Thomas Matthews, Nathan Mulford. Proved, March 29, 1723

[aghadowey]

"Onesimus" in Long Island, New York  tops the list.  I can't even imagine where it comes from.

It's a Biblical name- the name of a saint and comes from the Greek
http://www.behindthename.com/name/onesimus

[Redroger]

Nothing to do with my family but I thought I should mention that this week's local paper has a report of a wedding where the bride's first name is "Weed". I don't think its a mis-print as the name also appears on the caption to the photo.

I believe it, in the 1964 election at Billericay a candidate Eric Moonman was asked if he minded his Eric, but was referring to his election slogan "Launch Moonman"

I obviously don't know but was the bride referred to of a different ethnicity?

[coombs]

An ancestor sibling wed a lady called Spanisher Robson.

I have a Melbourne Auber in my tree and a Lorken Wallaker.

[andrewalston]

Can anyone think of a reason why Ada Shee, born 1865 in Salford, might be given the name "Malvina" ?

The name was reused a couple of generations later, but does anyone know whether the Falklands had been in the news in the early 1860s?

[cati]

Can anyone think of a reason why Ada Shee, born 1865 in Salford, might be given the name "Malvina" ?

The name was reused a couple of generations later, but does anyone know whether the Falklands had been in the news in the early 1860s?

'Malvina' was a name used by the poet James Macpherson in his poem 'Ossian' -  McPherson's work was quite popular, so perhaps Ada's parents had heard the name and liked it?

Cati

[Redroger]

Britain had claimed the Falkland Islands formerly the Malvinas in 1833, a generation earlier, so possibily you should go back a generation. According to Wikipedia the 1860s saw the settlement of the previously un populated West Falkland so that may have attracted some publicity here.

[andrewalston]

With parents from Leeds and Stockport, I don't think that a Falklands connection is as likely as the James Macpherson one.

I hadn't heard of him, but I'm not exactly well up on the literature popular in mid-Victorian times.

[g eli]

Not sure if she belongs to my family or not, but came across the name Cyllenius Martha Maddock whilst researching a possible ancestor.
Liz