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
Alapluma2
Alcarla3
Alease4
Alexanderene
Alfa5
Alga
Aliene6
Alla Jo
AlMeda
Aloha
Aloyd
Alsenatha
Altamease7
Alto
Al Verne
Amasca1
Amerette
Aminnia
Andina2
Ana3
Anajean4
Angelle
Anniece5
Anthonette
Aola
Apalonia
Apple
Ara
Arazona6
Arcelia
Ardeal
Arene7
Argeree
Argigene
Arind
Arjesta
Arlenzor8
Arloine
Armadilla
Armemaryvetta9
Armilda
Armista10
Armderdeen11
Armyl
Arnez12
Arsula13
Artesia
Arthurene14
Artonsia
Arvesta
Arvigne
Arzonia
Arylne
Asenath
Atha
Attelia15
Aubrigene
Auburn
Au Dell
Audery16
Aulana
Aura
Austaphine
Australia17
Authalene18
Autice19
Avayd20
Ava Marie21
Avola
Aytla22
Azadia
Azuba23
Azuna24
Bardiene
Bashie25
Be Ann
Beatfred26
Begonia
Belziazona27
Benenia28
Bennie Mae
Berdella
Berna Dean29
Beronest
Berry Jayne
Berthie30
Besma1
Besshunter2
Betress
Bette3
Bewsie
Bezzie4
Bibianna
Billye5
Birdeen6
Blanka
Bleba7
Bobby8
Bocalvia9
Boncilla
Bonnie10
Bozana
Brazell11
Breza
Brightie
Brooxie
Brunetta
Brytha12
Buena Vista13
Byioba
Bythella
Calara
Calista
Cama
Camolia
Camyada
Canaliza
Candelaria
Capitola
Carbena
Carlee14
Carnell
Carrine
Casindania
Catharan15
Catrisa
Cecyle
Celethal
Cementa16
Cerilla17
Chairynne
Charla18
Cherubim19
Chestannie
Chineeah
Chizella
Chlorine20
Christoria
Chyna
Cirrelda
Civilla
Clalie
ClarEtta21
Clata
Clazene22
Cleatus23
Cleopatria1
Clesta
Clevanel
Climena2
Cloa
Clome
CloVera
Cly
Coita3
Colita
Commoleen
Congetta
Connace
Cordula
Corean4
Cosy
Covadonga5
Coweene6
Cozella
Crenna
Cudell
Cylistine
Cylvia
Cyra
Dabney7
Dacel
Daffodil
Daisybee
Danny Lou8
Dardanella
Darel-Gene9
Darlene10
Darthilda11
DaRue
Dasy12
Dawnette13
De’An14
Dee-Dee15
DeKina
Delavendra
Delette
De Lores16
DelRose
Delymaine
Demis
DeNell17
Deoda
Dereen18
Detta
Deucie
Dewdrop19
Dialtha20
Dicey Mae21
Disa
Dixie Lou22
Dodis
Dondeline
Don Elda
Donna Bee
Doozie
Dorabelle
Dorethe23
Doris Jean24
Dorlye
Dorraine
Doyel
Druesylla25
Drulla
Dullere
Duphemia26
Dura
Dustia
Duta
DuWayne
Dynama
Ealeta
Earthel1
Easlyn
Echo
Edgarta
Edgealea
Edina2
Edneau
Eduta
Eidel
Elah3
Elcie4
Electamae5
/> Eledice
Elgretta
Elicious
Elleuvinia6
El Louise
Elmonia
Elodee
Elore
Elpha
Elura
Elvaree
Elvis
Elzada
Ema Jane7
Enolia8
Empo
Enclyn
Endamile
Enrechetto
Eola9
Ermyl
Ernadine10
Ernestyne11
Erneze
Esterine12
Etalea13
Ethna
Ethol14
Etna
Etoyle
Etrulia
Euarda
Eulice
Euphia
Eurah
Eutanna
Eutha15
Eutris
Euzelle16
Evannah
Evarista
Evassa
Evelyene17
Everdiena
Ever Mae
E-Vetta
Evon18
Exaverm19
Exolda20
Ezza
Fae
Fairy
Fan El
Farl
Faucette
Faynola
Fayrene21
Faythe
Feby22
Felesta
Fema23
Fermetta
Ferra
Filleul
Fledarea
Floay
Flodeen
Floradawn
Florestine
Floscella
Flosye
Flowanna
Foleeta24
Fomby
Foncilla
Fondanell
Forsha
Foy
Fra
Fragoletta25
Francelia
Frankie Bell
Franklinina
Fray
Freddie Mae
Freelin
Frema
Froeda
Gae
Galeen
Galween
Gamelle
Gara
Garguerite1
Garnada
Gatha
Gaylene2
Gaynelle
Gazelle
Geann
Gearldina3
Gelda
Gemmalee
Geneal
Genia
Georgeilein4
Geronia
Gesnia
Getalea
Ghaska
Ghyneth
Gilleen
Girtha5
Gladis6
Glamora7
Glanda
Glary Ann
Glassie
Glea
Glenoulia
Glineva
Glinner
Gloe
Gloriola
Glovetta
Glowrene
Glucinda
G’Ola8
Goletha
Gommerray
Gondra
Gradena
Grava-Nell9
Groveline10
Guandoln
Guarito
Guela
Guen11
Gueresy
Gyilil
Hallijean
Halloween12
Hannora
Harolyne
Harrietta
Harvesta
Hathyel
Hele
Henriola13
Heroina14
Hertasene15
Hesba16
Hexie
Hiramette
Holly Jo
Horlene
Horres
Hygiene
Hosa
Hughzetta
Hywana
Ibada
Icel17
Iceyphenolia18
Iddela
Idoline19
Idoree20
Idress
Iduma
Ietta
Ifla
Ilo
Imilda
Imojean21
Ineda
Iness22
Inolia
Iovia
Irealia
Iril
Isalona
Isma
Isota
Itealia
Ithama
Itrice
Iturna
Ivan Dell
Iverna
Iville
Ivynnelle
Izola
Jacel
Jackaline28
Jackie Jane
Jacoba
Jahala1
Ja Jaye
Jamie Lou
Janann
Jarmie
Jaunelda
Jaunice2
Jayne
Jayrene
Jeanita
Jearl
Jeeta
Jeffanna
Jelessia
JeNanne
Jennyberry
Jeoneta
Jeoraldean3
Jerryline4
Jessoise
Jimmie5
J’Nette
Jo6
Joanita
JoAnn7
Jocelia
Jodine
Joeeda
Johnah8
Johnny-v9
Joi
Joma
Jonnie Lee
Joreath
Joveta
JoyRene
Jozelpa
Juanzell
Julaine
Juneesia
Juva10
Jymme
Kaloola11
Kanzadah
Karleen12
Kashatta13
Keldora
Kerry14
Keturah
Kewpie
Kimona
Kiwanis
Kizize
Kona
Koral
LaBelle
Lacene
Ladelle15
LaDellys
La Duska
Ladye
LaFern
Lahoma
Lala
La Lahoma
Lalabelle
Lalan
La Morte
Lanivine
LaOba
La Phalene
Lapriel
Larada16
Larceny17
Lasarian
La Terulia
Latrina18
Lauginia
L’Aurelia
Lausia
Lava19
Lavalette20
LaVassar21
LaVaughne
La Vieve22
Lavisa
Laweese23
Lazella24
Lazette
L’Dean1
LeAda
Leafy Ella
Leannette
Learlene
Lebita
Ledell
Lee Ona2
Legna3
Lejitta
Leletia
Lemma
Lendol
Lenva
Leonodine
Leota Glee
Lepha4
Lepoline
Leroyal
Letha
Letress
L’Etta
Lettucia
LeTulle
Leumiza
Levala
Levonna5
Lexine
Leyetta
Liddane
Ligretta
Lillious
Lincolna6
Liora
Livera7
Lloa
Lloydine8
Loaine
Lo Bella
Loberta
Locust
Loe Mae
Lonzetta
Lorama
LoRayne
Loree
Lorna Jo
Lotolia
Louah
LouCille
Louiezon
Lounoma
Lousetta9
Louwillie
Loventine
Lovelady
LoVina
Lovorn
Loxi
Loy
L’Rue
LuAlice
Luanda
LuCiel10
Luda11
Luena12
Lugarda
Lush
Lutellia
Luttie
Luvna
Luweoda
Luzelle
Lyligh
Lyndyll
Lynovecta
Lyska
Mebele13
Macena
Madalyne14
Madame15
Madora
Mae16
Maela
Ma’ene
Maeola
Mafalda
Magalone17
Magnease
Mahleen
Maimai
Majel
Malaoa18
Malixia
Malma
Malta Jean
Mamel
M’Amis
Manaloa1
Manassas2
Mandalina
Manifee
Manila
Maomi3
Marcalee
Marcellette
Mardella
Margaline4
Margell
Margileth
Mariedythe
Mariel
Marijo
Marine5
Marmette
Marschula
Marseille
Marsylvia6
Marthamarcella
Martyl
Marvee
Marye7
Ma’Su
Mateel8
Matha9
Matina
MauDee
Maudella
Maudleigh
Mauva
Mauzell
Mava
Mavance
Mavontiene
Maymire
Mayola
Mayozie
Mazelle
Mazura10
McNora
Mecca11
Media
Medrith
Mega
Melbourine12
Melcena
Meniola
Mercidean
Merdelle13
Merdine14
Merhize
Merma
Meroah
Merry Lou
Metarie
Mia
Mickey15
Milada
Milca
Mildren
Millinee
Milta
Minian
Minnewa
Mirta
Mocolee
Modaine16
Mohelia
Molvene
Moma
Monima
Monteze
Morveen
Mosetta17
Mosiellee18
Moslyn
Motare
Moyett
Murdena19
Murva
Muzelta
Myda
Myricille
Mystia
Nadda
NaDine
Nadinola20
Naevene
Naio
Najala
Naparia
Narylyn
Nasrine21
American Language Supplement 2 Page 69