BIG PROBLEM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 101, 2 May 1938, Page 5

BIG PROBLEM.

j CHOOSING A NAME. CINEMA HAS INFLUENCE. I STORY OF BIRTH REGISTRAR. I , (By E.K.G.) One approaches the counter of many; romances and many tragedies blithelv; and one asks: May I speak to the ; Registrar of Births? 'I he clerk, with long experience behi|id him. inquires tactfully: When iwas the child born? ) Blooming then with bachelor blushes. (the inquirer (meself. 'twas) explains that the business one has with the ; registrar is neither personal nor j patriarchal, but merely general interest i in the progress of the race. and. particularly, in its nomenclature. ] n other j words, liow is the present-day young jAucklander named—and why? I It is a serious business this naming I of the new-born, for names have person" jality. The only one who isn't interested iat that stage is the wee mite, who is said to look like father, but will probably turn out to be like his mother's second cousin on the distaff side. Pleasing "In-laws." Usually somebody has to be pleased— two grandfathers, two grandmothers, a I rich bachelor undo, and father and I mother—so it is a toss-up whether the I "blessed event" will carry Oilfillan jArbnckle. Stephen William. Montgomery I Clarence. Bill Jim. or the whole conijbination (and then be called Snowy I for short by the boys). Homes have [been broken up over junior's name. I fortunes lost, and enemies made. It i* !il serious business. I There have been rules propounded, j based on euphony. One writer says "j that if the surname is of one syllable .'(like Smith), the Christian name should •be of three syllables. a« in Christopher ■Wren. If two names are 'jiven in that I case the second name should be of two I 1 syllables. mi that it runs smoothly o\cr jthe tongue and doesut disgrace thei

j wearer should he become famous as a ; great novelist, poet or dictator. Appar- '. ently the correct combination is as important as the correct grouping of a . scrum, and there musn't be a wing- ; forward to get in the way. The one. I two. three, or three, two. one formation is strongly recommended. j "Quins'" Still Influence. ! That, however, is ail by the way. and given merely for the basis of theory. But personality must lie taken into : account, if a bawling three-day-old, or I as yet unborn member of tli2 hr.m-.ii i race, can lie said to have per.? luality . that is apparent. It is a bit hard it ' young Clarence turns .out to have the . nature of a William, or vice versa (nr 1 liliel being intended in either case — ; they are both nice chaps)—you see the ' dilliculty. though? i; Tbeiv arc other factors at work. h<.a ever, and that is where a eurvey oi the Birth Register has its points. Those . factors are many and varied, depending , on the impression made on the mass ol .the people by general tendencies, greai personalities, or great events. ■ j Judging from the Auckland registci • the greatest influence on the mothers ol r the race was made by the emergence into the public eye of the Dionne Quinr.tupels. and particularly Diamie of that ' fivesomc. A search over the past U* 1 montbs brought to light quite » ; number of Diannes. Dianas, and othei I variants. One Deanna showed that this ;; tendency was not all act Mated by the .famous Quins. A little Hollywood song- | bird had a hand in it. too." { No Benitos. ,' Politics had mo place in the paternalI maternal mind. apparently. One . searched in vain for Anthony Kdens. ,! Adolph Hitlers. Benito Mussolini--. . Stanley Baldwin*. Francisco Fiaix-os. . Kamon de Valeras. losif Vissarionovich . Stalins. or even a Theodore Ilooscvdt. „ There was a Michael or two and a few Josephs. Imt niaylie that did not mean j anything, for they weren't i" combination. A Calvin had an American slant. Sport, too. had a mis:-. Not one Lofty. ; not one Karl—no Jack Lovelock —not • a Springbok nor an All Black. SportI ing giants are at a low ebb in the • fax our of young parents. The I'oynl l-'amilv was well reprei rented with (leorges. Klizalieths. Margaret > and lloso.-: anil literature had a ij passing reference in a James Barrie.

Barrys were fairly common, though the reaeon for these was not apparent— apart from the fact that it is quite ft • nice name, all things considered. Scotland is contributing a major . share of the names. lans. Keiths and Kenneths are a mounting list, while ! generally there is a tendency towards simplicity and an older generation. Pat- ; ricias. -lanes. Marys, Ernests. Georges, Catherines. Peters. Williams. Anns and ,] Annes, and Davids are frequent, with David winning by a few lengths. Marie ; Josephine has a slightly historical leaning. Shirleys and Deannas. ( It is left to the cinema industry to ■ provide the major influence, with a wide variety of choice. Ha m< in (Xorarro) has a supporter, as has alt-o Douglass (-Montgomery). A Warner i< probably . a tribute to the Baxter of that name, but. mayhap, it is a gesture to the whole industry through Warner ]>!<>-. ; The female *ide supplies The i'lguest list, with the Dialings ,nid Deann.is. !mt .leanette ( Mai -Donald i h;i> t\\ ■ lifting-, <un-e with tilt- ad<lii i«i)i ••! X.inia I Sheareri. iinli< aling .1 •!)■>. i«I *- -1 iiiit-gi-aiice t<> lN*:iiity. A SliirliM (Temple) jumps out "f tin- i>;i-_'<\ an<l in turn are ■ noted a Mori.- i< IVron 1. h Madeleine ! ( ;irr<.! !. iiini a Uek-ll (\iiis«.u). The mothers, pi'ilia lily, put their co!-lei-tive f.">! J«i«'i when it came to axia'ii.n. Tlicre are n<> Arthur Kdmnnd Cloiistniis. no .loan Battens. >•■ iar tli. v art- keeping to the ground level.