Bunions and Butlers: Sounds from the South

The title of this blog pretty much says it all...I was combing through cemetery records for Greenville, SC, and found some real gems:

My Favorites:

Frances Moon

Flora Ozette

Samantha Clarentine

Gracy Myrtle

Addie Geneva

Harvey Levi

Homer Harrison

Tessie Mae

Coralee

Wyly Vincent 

Buster Edward 

Benton Marcellus 

Posey 

Zebby Vance 

Dexter

 Sibsets:

Rex, Roy, and Rufus

Junius and Jasper

Weird Nicknames:

Sunie

Hozey Lee

Heggie

Icie

Zimmie

Texie Talley

Fronie

Jettie Estelle

Loulie Latimer

Zadie

Hardy (technically not a nickname, but it has that “ee” sound ending)

Loveably Eccentric:

Sacharissa (I'm gonna sack 'er riss a horrible name!)

Mattiezelle

Ichabod

Lake

Loner Rainey Langley (No joke.)

Narcissie 

Sophronie

Spartan Irenus (Someone was going through a wannabe gladiator phase)

McBee (This sounds like a possible McDonald’s campaign. Mc-Beeeee yourself!)

Cain (anyone who names their child after the murderous brother is eccentric. Or stupid.)

The Presidential:

Bingeman Franklin (Dear parents, really? Here is all the evidence needed to prove that unique spellings are unnecessary, and often ignorant.)

George Washington

Grover Cleveland

Columbus Washington (Too much. Just too much historical naming going on here.)

Surnamey/Occupation Names with interesting consequences:

Bunion

Young (what did he do when he hit 50?)

Butler

Ransom Duke (this sounds like an order)

Emma and Cassandra...er? 

I found multiple instances of Emmer, and one Casander. Emmer is almost a legitimate name. The Irish name Emer, or Eimhear, is pronounced “ee-mer.” But Casander...I have no explanation for that one.