Read American Language Supplement 2 Online
Authors: H.L. Mencken
American Language Supplement 2 (99 page)
The new age was Hellenistic and it was also Tennysonian.… Steeped as it was in all the poets, Greek, German, French and English, it was losing the Hebraic flavor, although it preserved the Hebrew names when these were euphonious also.… One observed a similar change in the country districts, where the Hebraistic imagery was dying also. The country-people had vaguer standards, but they too longed for something pretty and were not concerned to scrutinize its source and value. They sometimes invented names that struck them as having associations with the classical world or the world of the poets and romancers. In these less critical regions, one encountered such names as
Liverius, Lurella, Lucina, Levina, Zepheretta, Loretta
and
Zerrilla
.
3
The same madness showed itself in England, and in 1882 a writer in the
Cornhill Magazine
4
was denouncing such “inventions of ignorance” as
Almetana, Annarenia, Berdilia, Elderline, Fortituda, Henerilta, Margelina, Perenna
and
Ulelia
. In this country the new fashion was short-lived in the Northeast, but it went into the Southwest and West with the immigration of the post-Civil War period, and there it began to flourish after 1900. Before then it was apparently only a feeble growth, for lists of frontier women born before 1890 show only a few of the more grotesque names, though such diminutives as
Lovie, Dolly, Hattie
and
Nellie
are numerous.
5
Just where and when the current epidemic got its start I do not know, but it must have been south of the Potomac and west of the Alleghanies.
With its center in Oklahoma, it now has fastnesses in Texas and the Deep South, and there are outposts stretching all the way from up-State New York to the Los Angeles region of California. It has gained little local headway in any of the large cities east of the Mississippi, but some of them,
e.g
., Chicago, Detroit and Baltimore, acquired large colonies of Okie and Linthead females bearing its stigmata during World War II. Perhaps it will be most profitable, before undertaking a discussion of the anatomy and physiology of such names, to give a somewhat extensive list of them. The following, though some of them may seem almost impossible, are all typical. They were mainly gathered in the Southwest, and all of them are supported by printed sources, though I have omitted references in most cases.
1
Adenesia
Adula
Adyhon
Aerielle
Agnella
Ahmelda
Alapluma
2
Alcarla
3
Alease
4
Alexanderene
Alfa
5
Alga
Aliene
6
Alla Jo
AlMeda
Aloha
Aloyd
Alsenatha
Altamease
7
Alto
Al Verne
Amasca
1
Amerette
Aminnia
Andina
2
Ana
3
Anajean
4
Angelle
Anniece
5
Anthonette
Aola
Apalonia
Apple
Ara
Arazona
6
Arcelia
Ardeal
Arene
7
Argeree
Argigene
Arind
Arjesta
Arlenzor
8
Arloine
Armadilla
Armemaryvetta
9
Armilda
Armista
10
Armderdeen
11
Armyl
Arnez
12
Arsula
13
Artesia
Arthurene
14
Artonsia
Arvesta
Arvigne
Arzonia
Arylne
Asenath
Atha
Attelia
15
Aubrigene
Auburn
Au Dell
Audery
16
Aulana
Aura
Austaphine
Australia
17
Authalene
18
Autice
19
Avayd
20
Ava Marie
21
Avola
Aytla
22
Azadia
Azuba
23
Azuna
24
Bardiene
Bashie
25
Be Ann
Beatfred
26
Begonia
Belziazona
27
Benenia
28
Bennie Mae
Berdella
Berna Dean
29
Beronest
Berry Jayne
Berthie
30
Besma
1
Besshunter
2
Betress
Bette
3
Bewsie
Bezzie
4
Bibianna
Billye
5
Birdeen
6
Blanka
Bleba
7
Bobby
8
Bocalvia
9
Boncilla
Bonnie
10
Bozana
Brazell
11
Breza
Brightie
Brooxie
Brunetta
Brytha
12
Buena Vista
13
Byioba
Bythella
Calara
Calista
Cama
Camolia
Camyada
Canaliza
Candelaria
Capitola
Carbena
Carlee
14
Carnell
Carrine
Casindania
Catharan
15
Catrisa
Cecyle
Celethal
Cementa
16
Cerilla
17
Chairynne
Charla
18
Cherubim
19
Chestannie
Chineeah
Chizella
Chlorine
20
Christoria
Chyna
Cirrelda
Civilla
Clalie
ClarEtta
21
Clata
Clazene
22
Cleatus
23
Cleopatria
1
Clesta
Clevanel
Climena
2
Cloa
Clome
CloVera
Cly
Coita
3
Colita
Commoleen
Congetta
Connace
Cordula
Corean
4
Cosy
Covadonga
5
Coweene
6
Cozella
Crenna
Cudell
Cylistine
Cylvia
Cyra
Dabney
7
Dacel
Daffodil
Daisybee
Danny Lou
8
Dardanella
Darel-Gene
9
Darlene
10
Darthilda
11
DaRue
Dasy
12
Dawnette
13
De’An
14
Dee-Dee
15
DeKina
Delavendra
Delette
De Lores
16
DelRose
Delymaine
Demis
DeNell
17
Deoda
Dereen
18
Detta
Deucie
Dewdrop
19
Dialtha
20
Dicey Mae
21
Disa
Dixie Lou
22
Dodis
Dondeline
Don Elda
Donna Bee
Doozie
Dorabelle
Dorethe
23
Doris Jean
24
Dorlye
Dorraine
Doyel
Druesylla
25
Drulla
Dullere
Duphemia
26
Dura
Dustia
Duta
DuWayne
Dynama
Ealeta
Earthel
1
Easlyn
Echo
Edgarta
Edgealea
Edina
2
Edneau
Eduta
Eidel
Elah
3
Elcie
4
Electamae
5
Eledice
Elgretta
Elicious
Elleuvinia
6
El Louise
Elmonia
Elodee
Elore
Elpha
Elura
Elvaree
Elvis
Elzada
Ema Jane
7
Enolia
8
Empo
Enclyn
Endamile
Enrechetto
Eola
9
Ermyl
Ernadine
10
Ernestyne
11
Erneze
Esterine
12
Etalea
13
Ethna
Ethol
14
Etna
Etoyle
Etrulia
Euarda
Eulice
Euphia
Eurah
Eutanna
Eutha
15
Eutris
Euzelle
16
Evannah
Evarista
Evassa
Evelyene
17
Everdiena
Ever Mae
E-Vetta
Evon
18
Exaverm
19
Exolda
20
Ezza
Fae
Fairy
Fan El
Farl
Faucette
Faynola
Fayrene
21
Faythe
Feby
22
Felesta
Fema
23
Fermetta
Ferra
Filleul
Fledarea
Floay
Flodeen
Floradawn
Florestine
Floscella
Flosye
Flowanna
Foleeta
24
Fomby
Foncilla
Fondanell
Forsha
Foy
Fra
Fragoletta
25
Francelia
Frankie Bell
Franklinina
Fray
Freddie Mae
Freelin
Frema
Froeda
Gae
Galeen
Galween
Gamelle
Gara
Garguerite
1
Garnada
Gatha
Gaylene
2
Gaynelle
Gazelle
Geann
Gearldina
3
Gelda
Gemmalee
Geneal
Genia
Georgeilein
4
Geronia
Gesnia
Getalea
Ghaska
Ghyneth
Gilleen
Girtha
5
Gladis
6
Glamora
7
Glanda
Glary Ann
Glassie
Glea
Glenoulia
Glineva
Glinner
Gloe
Gloriola
Glovetta
Glowrene
Glucinda
G’Ola
8
Goletha
Gommerray
Gondra
Gradena
Grava-Nell
9
Groveline
10
Guandoln
Guarito
Guela
Guen
11
Gueresy
Gyilil
Hallijean
Halloween
12
Hannora
Harolyne
Harrietta
Harvesta
Hathyel
Hele
Henriola
13
Heroina
14
Hertasene
15
Hesba
16
Hexie
Hiramette
Holly Jo
Horlene
Horres
Hygiene
Hosa
Hughzetta
Hywana
Ibada
Icel
17
Iceyphenolia
18
Iddela
Idoline
19
Idoree
20
Idress
Iduma
Ietta
Ifla
Ilo
Imilda
Imojean
21
Ineda
Iness
22
Inolia
Iovia
Irealia
Iril
Isalona
Isma
Isota
Itealia
Ithama
Itrice
Iturna
Ivan Dell
Iverna
Iville
Ivynnelle
Izola
Jacel
Jackaline
28
Jackie Jane
Jacoba
Jahala
1
Ja Jaye
Jamie Lou
Janann
Jarmie
Jaunelda
Jaunice
2
Jayne
Jayrene
Jeanita
Jearl
Jeeta
Jeffanna
Jelessia
JeNanne
Jennyberry
Jeoneta
Jeoraldean
3
Jerryline
4
Jessoise
Jimmie
5
J’Nette
Jo
6
Joanita
JoAnn
7
Jocelia
Jodine
Joeeda
Johnah
8
Johnny-v
9
Joi
Joma
Jonnie Lee
Joreath
Joveta
JoyRene
Jozelpa
Juanzell
Julaine
Juneesia
Juva
10
Jymme
Kaloola
11
Kanzadah
Karleen
12
Kashatta
13
Keldora
Kerry
14
Keturah
Kewpie
Kimona
Kiwanis
Kizize
Kona
Koral
LaBelle
Lacene
Ladelle
15
LaDellys
La Duska
Ladye
LaFern
Lahoma
Lala
La Lahoma
Lalabelle
Lalan
La Morte
Lanivine
LaOba
La Phalene
Lapriel
Larada
16
Larceny
17
Lasarian
La Terulia
Latrina
18
Lauginia
L’Aurelia
Lausia
Lava
19
Lavalette
20
LaVassar
21
LaVaughne
La Vieve
22
Lavisa
Laweese
23
Lazella
24
Lazette
L’Dean
1
LeAda
Leafy Ella
Leannette
Learlene
Lebita
Ledell
Lee Ona
2
Legna
3
Lejitta
Leletia
Lemma
Lendol
Lenva
Leonodine
Leota Glee
Lepha
4
Lepoline
Leroyal
Letha
Letress
L’Etta
Lettucia
LeTulle
Leumiza
Levala
Levonna
5
Lexine
Leyetta
Liddane
Ligretta
Lillious
Lincolna
6
Liora
Livera
7
Lloa
Lloydine
8
Loaine
Lo Bella
Loberta
Locust
Loe Mae
Lonzetta
Lorama
LoRayne
Loree
Lorna Jo
Lo-ruhmah
Lotolia
Louah
LouCille
Louiezon
Lounoma
Lousetta
9
Louwillie
Loventine