Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 10.djvu/389

 Origin and Meaning of Proper Na7nes.

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��" Krotn whonce comes Smith, all be lie Kniglit or

S(iuii"e, But from the smith that forgeth in the lire."

Smith, from the Anglo-Saxon " smi- tan," to smite or strike, means one who smiteth with a hammer, and origi- nally applied to a carpenter as well as to one who forges metals.

Many familinr names have been formed by simply appending the sign of the possessive case to the father's Christian name, as John his son, Abram his son, Peter his son, Nelly her son, Gilbert his son, in an abbre- viated form, become John's or Jones, Abram's or Abraras, Nell's or Nelson, Gib's or Gibson. By a similar abridge- ment we get Sanders and Alley from Alexander ; Benn and Benson from Benjamin ; Ball and Bawson from Baldwin (Anglo-Saxon, '* bald," bold, and " win," battle) ; Kitts and Kit- sou, from Christopher (from the Greek //Kffr^T and Oii>w') ; Cutts, Cuth- bert, Anglo-Saxon "Ciith," known or distinguished, and " beorht," brightness ; and Munn and Monson from Edmund.

Proper names are derived from almost every conceivable source. There is no sobriquet however vulgar, no calling however degraded, no con- dition however low, no deformity however repulsive, that does not fur- nish names to persons who thus inno- cently proclaim that their

"blood Has crept through scoundrels ever since the flood."

��If names were still as signifi- cant of attributes, qualities, and em- ployments as when they were first imposed, men might be found for every possible demand. Does one desire a companion for a journey? We mention a Traveller, a Walker,

��an Ambler, a Trotter, and a Ryder. If he, like Horace, is slow in his progress, he can choose a Hoblerand a Hopper. If he is a " fast" man, he may take a Jumper and a Skii)per, or that merry trio, Trot. Gallop, and Canter. Does one need spiritual counsel? The whole retinue of eccle- siastics are at his service from a Pope to a Priest, from a Bishop to a Dean. Is he in humor for a dance? Messrs. Steptoe, Lightfoot, and Dancey will fill the ''Scotch reel." Does he need a purveyor.^ A Butcher, a Blood, a Slaughter are ready for the work. Would he call a surgeon? Drs. Cutter, Cutting, Burns, and Smart are at hand. If he simply needs ad- vice or a prescription, — Drs. Physic, Bolus, and Nurse may be called. If he is dead, and mourning friends need assistance, Messrs. Church, Coffin, Tombs, or Graves may instantly be summoned. Indeed, there is no ser- vice required by man, from the cradle to the grave, which is not literally represented in the names of men. Sometimes a man's name stands in striking contrast with his vocation in business. How very incongruous would be the association, if Messrs. Coffin and Death should be the mana- gers of a fashionable " Assembly " ! Think of Craven and Coward '' in the imminent deadly breach," or Meek and Mercy officiating as hangmen, or Joy and Merry acting as undertakers. Horace Smith playfully alluded to the incongruity between the old names and the present uses of places about London. "Thus we apply the name of Whitehall to a black chapel. Cheap- side is dear on both sides, the Ser- pentine river is a straiglit canal, Knightsbridge has no bridge, Moor-

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