A lot of Irish women are called Majella. St. Gerard Majella is the patron saint of expectant mothers and those parents who didn’t fancy Gerardine for their daughters often went for Majella. Whenever I meet a Majella, I think, difficult birth. I am not sure whether Majella has any traction elsewhere but it continues to be a reasonably common name here for women aged 35 to 65. Goretti (another saint’s surname – St. Maria Goretti) is also a, less popular, choice for women of that age group.
You think that pair are bad? There is worse to come in this trend of using saints’ surnames as girls’ first names. My mother has a friend called Labouré which is, I think, the world’s worst name, just shading Gobnait (second worst girl’s name). I am reminded of all this because there was a quote from St. Catherine Labouré in the leaflet at mass on Sunday: I place myself before the good God and I say to Him: “Lord here I am, give me what You will.” If He gives me something, I am very pleased and I thank Him. If He gives me nothing, I still thank Him because I do not deserve anything.
So, not only the source of awful names but sanctimonious also. Feel free to share weird names you have known in the comments.
My mother’s name is Archbold (a family surname that somehow got inflicted on the girls in our family) shortened to Archie. Her grandmother (the original Archbold) begged my grandmother not to inflict it on her daughter, but to no avail..
My middle name is Gerard, Ithink because my older sister passed away shortly after she was born so my mothercut a deal with St. Gerard when she was pregnant with me. I do not know if I had a difficult birth, but I certainly caused a lot of difficulty in my youth.
The trend for flower names can be quite sweet, although the poor souls I’ve met called Dahlia and Camellia may not be so sure. Also tree and fruit names such as Willow, Rowan, Peaches and Apple seem slightly odd to me.
My sister’s middle name is Geraldine for much the same reason as above. And a colleague once claimed to think I had called my new baby daughter Gobnait!!! rather than Bláthnaid (which means Little Flower). Gobnait – AS IF! Serendipitously on the name front I overheard this the other day in local coffee shop –
Irish woman (definitely) to Brazilian barista – What’s your name?
Him – Ishmael
Her – Mine’s Chausette (that’s how she pronounced it, but presumably actually Josette); it’s French. (Pause) What does YOUR name mean?
Him- awkward silence
Me (to myself) – Not Sock anyway
Oh Disgruntled, that is truly terrifying. Arguably not as bad as Gobnait though.
BroLo, that’s rather nice really. I’m sure you were a saintly child.
Christine, my mother once knew a woman called Primrose Peacock. Imagine!
CAD, not, as you say, sock.