Names With Zing

[Doug Harris]

Of course, Matthew Arnold lamented "the natural growth amongst us of such
hideous names,--Higginbottom, Stiggins, Bugg" and (especially) "Wragg." And
Milton cringed at some "rugged names," which "to our mouths grow sleek /
That would have made Quintilian stare and gasp"--namely, "Gordon / Colkitto,
or Macdonnell, or Galasp."

--Charlie


Not to mention a host of alpbahet-soup forenames that have
been causing tongues to twist and yes, introductions to halt
in mid, um, name exchange over the past few decades.
And lest anyone think I'm mind-setting on a certain cultural
or ethnic orientation where unusual forenames are concerned,
I refer you to a reference that's looked far more deeply into
this subject than I wish to:
http://books.google.com/books?id=MhcClKHjBZcC&pg=PA13&lpg=PA13&dq=black+fore
names&source=web&ots=iLS1Q2QydS&sig=7Up6IyVTdx-mNPgm4M388FQtJHk#PPP1,M1.

(the other) doug

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org