Please help me choose a girl's name!

Aww, got your attention, didn't I? No, MargeCat is not having kittens ?(at least not that I know of!), but I need to find a period-correct 18thC. name for my Rev War reenacting persona. My real name would be ok, but I dislike it (my middle name, Anne would be appropriate, but it was very common then). My character is a woman who either emmigarated from England as a child/or/or whose parents are well-off English settlers. Hubby will be a prosperous American farmer, with a couple of servants.

Here's a list of popular English/American 18th C. names:

Anne
Hannah
Mary/Molly
Margaret
Lucy
Elizabeth
Charlotte
Patience (definitely NOT appropriate for me!)
Fanny/Frances (would rather avoid Fanny, as in England, that's slang for the female pudenda!)
Katherine/Kate


Which do you like? Also, if anyone can think of any other appropriate names, please let me know. Thanks!

I love Molly! But since you're supposed to be upper-class, it might not be right. Charlotte's pretty, and not common. But I think I have to vote for Kate. Derivative of a very high-class name, but brisk, capable, and down-to-earth.

We want to see pictures of you both in costume! Pleeeeease?

You can find more here:

http://userpages.aug.com/captbarb/femvets.html


Rachel
Grace
Deborah

Here is another site:

http://nameberry.com/list/245/Colonial-Names-for-Girls

And another site:

http://www.lothene.demon.co.uk/others/women19.html

Lucy
Elizabeth
Gertrude
Eliza
Loretta

Here are more:

Jane
Amelia
Clara
Nellie
Susan
Miriam
Victoria
Laura

I personally like Eliza
.
.
.

I would also have to vote for Katherine/ Kate. It seems to very sweet but strong. I had a Grandma named Katherine that came over from Holland but our family is orginally from Prussia. Say the least a good strong name.

I like Charlotte the best. But Katherine is a close second!!

... Those are a lovely names...may I add to
-Prudence
-Lorraine

My four favorite names for a girl have always been

Alexis
Paden
Brice
Hope

I guess Paden and Brice would work for a boy as well but I think they suit girls better.

I have my family tree sitting open in front of me... and have a few suggestions... maybe not as common.

Melinda (Melinda Adams, b. 1824)
Louisiana Martha (Louisiana Martha Norris, b. 1848)
Eleanor (Eleanor Cowley, b. 1776)
Esther (Esther Makepeace, b. ?? but most likely late 1700's)
Persis (Persis Goodall, b. 1806)
Abigale/Abigail (Abigale Howe, b. 1766)
Susannah (Susannah Goddard, b. 1742)
Thankful (Thankful Marshall, b. 1803)

I do have plenty of Ann's, Elizabeth's, etc... but there's a beginning of some not as common names... but I still see them enough... and not just in my family history. There are also other spellings from that time... these were just the primary ones... and these were predominately middle to upper class folk. There's one line that is solidly back to the Mayflower... as well as some other decent lines...

I like Patience actually... when a baby is born, the parents don't know how the childs' temper will be... and i think being the opposite is amusing... but that's me. I picked a Russian name for Sheepherder for my SCA name (but never joined, sadly)... but was part of a Scottish clan... I'm sure you've heard the jokes about SCotsmen and sheep...

But feel free to consider any of my family names... I gave full names with birht years as well so you know when they came from. my mother did a lot of geneology, but there's a lot missing as well... like dates of folks from the 18th century...

Amanda

Margaret Anne sounds good to me

I e Katherine or Kate, my youngest's middle name is Katherine after my Grandmother

I like the name Katherine. That'd be my pick.

I think Katherine and Charlotte are both pretty, regal names. I loved the name Molly until I went to work with a nurse named Molly, who ruined the whole name for me!

For a character in your scenario, I love the name Mercy, as in Mercy Otis Warren, but I've always liked Kate as well. It's sassy!

I like Charlotte or Patience. Though I love the name Katherine/Kate, I know too many 9 year old girls named that!

Here are some more names from that era from my family tree--Mostly English descent settlers in MA:

Jerusha
Mercy
Martha
Temperance
Betsey
Lydia
Dorcas
Thankful
Deborah
Jane

so where do you re-enact? I went to a French and Indian War encampment at Crown Point in NY last year it was so cool...

I've always liked the name "Arabella"

I'm a little biased to the name "Lucy"

Ooooh, Jerusha! That's a beauty!

Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

I love Molly! But since you're supposed to be upper-class, it might not be right. Charlotte's pretty, and not common. But I think I have to vote for Kate. Derivative of a very high-class name, but brisk, capable, and down-to-earth.

We want to see pictures of you both in costume! Pleeeeease?

Click to expand...

I should be getting my new dress form this week, & I'll try to post pics of the dress I made last month (I'm camera-shy! ).

Funny, so many people chose Charlotte; that's what I was leaning toward!
Thanks, everyone, for the votes!

Originally Posted by marieba

I like Charlotte or Patience. Though I love the name Katherine/Kate, I know too many 9 year old girls named that!

Here are some more names from that era from my family tree--Mostly English descent settlers in MA:

Jerusha
Mercy
Martha
Temperance
Betsey
Lydia
Dorcas
Thankful
Deborah
Jane

so where do you re-enact? I went to a French and Indian War encampment at Crown Point in NY last year it was so cool...

Click to expand...

We reenact in Pa. & New Jersey.