Some Old English Names

Cathedral of Ely

GIRLS

Elfrida - a queen, who rather cruelly had an abbot murdered (hot irons put under his armpits). She was rumored to be a sorceress.

Ermenilda - a Christian saint, buried next to Ethelreda and Sexburga at Ely, England. Queen of Mercia. She was originally buried in Derham. A feast was held and while everyone enjoyed themselves, her remains were located in the church cemetery and stolen (they tried to battle the thieves and get them back, but failed). The thieves being the abbot of Ely and his monks. St. Ethelreda was her aunt and St. Sexburga was her mother.

Ethelreda - a Christian saint, buried next to Ermenilda and Sexburga at Ely, England (but her shrine was later destroyed and her relics removed). She was a princess, queen, and an abbess who founded a monastery there. Daughter of King Anna of the East Angles and wife of Toubert, ealdorman of Suth Girwa and then Prince Egfrid of Northumberland. This saint is also known as Audrey. She was the younger sister of St. Sexburga and aunt to St. Ermenilda. Talented, amiable, and beautiful, she was religiously devout from a young age and remained a virgin. St. Ethelreda wore woolen clothes, prayed all night, and ate only once a day. After she died her body remained uncorrupted.

Sexburga - a Christian saint, buried next to Ermenilda and Ethelreda at Ely, England. She was also a princess and a queen, and the eldest sister to St. Ethelreda and mother of St. Ermenilda. Abbess of Ely after Ethelreda's death.

Werburga- 

Ely, England

BOYS

Adulfus - king of the East Angles and brother of St. Ethelreda

Brithnoth - an abbot murdered by Queen Elfrida, first abbot of Ely, England.

Burrhed - a king of Mercia

Egfrid - king of Northumberland, son of Oswy and married to St. Ethelreda. He is sometimes called Egfridus.

Elsin-2nd abbot of Ely, England in the late 10th century.

Ercombert - a king of Kent, husband of St. Sexburga.

Ethelwold -abbot of Abingdon

Guthmund 

Leofsin-abbot of Ely, England in the 11th century.

Oswy- king of Northumberland, father of Prince Egfrid.

Ovin - an ealdorman of Ely, England

Theodwin - a monk at Jumiege

Thurston-7th abbot of Ely, England

Toubert-ealdorman of Suth Girwa and husband of St. Ethelreda. He is sometimes called Todbertus. Suth Girwa was the Isle of Ely and had also been called Elig and Elge. There were a lot of eels, you see, there and so that is how the island got its name.

Wilfric - 6th abbot of Ely, England in the mid 11th century.

Wilfrid- bishop of York, founder of 

Names on an August morning

GIRLS

Indus

BOYS

Milfred

Names a poet must have dreamt up

The names were used on real people sure enough, but don't they have the feel of some 19th century poem?

GIRLS

Evarene - a middle name, but interesting and I wanted to include it

Leopoldine - this was a woman's middle name, but it struck me and I wanted to include it here. The name is a feminine form of Leopold, a German name meaning "bold as a lion". 

BOYS

Woodrop - possibly a version of the name Woodruff.

Medal of Honor Recipients

 I watched a ceremony yesterday to award the Medal of Honor to various people (most had lost their lives performing their acts of heroism. Great heroism, I was in astonishment at the things one person could do in a short amount of time to save many lives). The Medal was given to soldiers who lost their lives long before I was born, during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Given how astounding their courage and feats were, I was surprised that it had taken so long for them to be given a medal. 

Here I list some of the more interesting names of those who have received the Medal of Honor. 

Gurdon - Gurdon H. Barter was a landsman on the USS Minnesota at the second battle of Fort Fisher. He was part of the landing party. January 15, 1865 (he was born about 1843, so he was 22 years old. He died April 22, 1900, just a few years older than I am, at 57.) He had volunteered to serve in New York and the USS Minnesota was a steam frigate. Fort Fisher was in North Carolina. The battle occurred under the command of General Alfred Terry and Admiral David Dixon Porter. Gurdon received his medal as did 8 other sailors from the Minnesota. While many others retreated, Gurdon did not and he remained to fight. At nightfall he brought back the wounded, the arms, and the colors (the flag). He received his award promptly, June 22, 1865. 

Delevan - Delevan Bates

Wilmon - Wilmon W. Blackmar

Welis - Welis H.Blodgett

Emmer - Emmer Bowen

Luman - Luman L. Cadwell

Ivers - Ivers S. Calkin

Ovila - Ovila Cayer

Hartwell - Hartwell B. Compson

Trustrim - Trustrim Connell

Freeman - Freeman Davis

Decatur - Decatur Dorsey

Coron - Coron D. Evans

Manning - Manning F. Force

A Name Like My Own

Dellas

I came across this name quite by chance. A gentleman died around here recently and this was his name. I would love to know more about this name. 

Names that Belong to Each other

I found these two names in a genealogy post by my distant cousin. Deco and Volta were married to each other. On a very awesome note, Deco's middle name was Dacy, a name I love but had never thought of for a boy. Deco was a mid-century fellow so I love imagining him relaxing in a clam chair with a glass side table, and the phonograph playing band music, while Volta wants to turn it off and turn on the radio to hear Edna St. Vincent Millay recite one of her poems. 

GIRLS

Volta 

BOYS

Deco

Names from the Silver Screen

GIRLS

Harlean - birth name of actress Jean Harlow

BOYS

Mont Clair - name of the father of actress Jean Harlow