M or N.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14216, 4 June 1910, Page 2 (Supplement)

M or N.

ON CHRISTIAN-NAMES. I s , there any task in England so lightheartedly undertaken, so capriciously carried through, and so devastatingly and irreparably fatal in the baneful influence it exerts on the futures of unconscious and, it may even be, unborn fellow mortals —is there one that can compare in far-reaching effects and slipshod performance with that regarded, with official inaccuracy, as the primary dutv of godparents? When one thinks of the first impression a name invariably creates, when 0110 remembers the inevitability of nomenclature, which may be likened to that constant dripping that wears away the hardest stone, one can but weep for tho countless victims daily offered up oil tho altar of Whimsicality, one can but recoil in horror from the selfsatisfaction of those heartless murderers.

It is often suggested, hut not very seriously, I fear, that young people who have attained a certain age should bo allowed to adopt the name by which they would like to be known. 1 cannot see why the idea should not receive proper attention. It is unnecessary to drag from their insufficient and usually suburban shelters the unhappy boys and girls branded for life with the patriotic flame that scorched so many

lu.-eii.sts nearly a decade ago, i'nr it is possible to lie dissatisfied with one's name even if 0110 has escaped such titles as Johannesburg • anrl Modder River. Quito ordinary names, unobjectionable to many people, may irritate their owners, yet tbeso have to bear through, life this burden imposed at a helpless age by stern and short-sighted guardians. Names have an irresponsible habit of suggesting certain characteristics. Edgar, for instance, though.l do not recollect ever having encountered anyone so called, always raises in nij' mind a vision of a thinnish man, fairly young, but of uncertain age, rather anaemic, and the owner of a drooping and slightly ragged fair moustache. Similarly, I always imagine Hamilton to be a pillar of rectitude, tall and broad, very tidily dressed, and wearing a made-up tie. J. could go through all the names like this, but it would interest no one, sinco wo all connect certain appearances with certain names. A gentleman wrote to tho papors rccenttly to ask why Alices were deceitful. I cannot tell him, but Alice always was a nasty, •sly liussev, up to some mischief, I'll be bound. Every in poetry and music slip scored; henco the song, "Alice, where art thon?" The writer of this letter proceeds to call attention to the integrity of Frank. I must bey; him to he on his guard. I wouldn't trust Frank for a. moment—his very name sounds like a trade-mark. It smacks of commerce. However, I am tripping over the very weed I wish to eradicate. Whether von or I like Frank does not matter in the least. The point is. docs he like his name? He may, of course; but, supposing he does not? 'lake niv own case, fur examnle. I have two names, an official one and a nickname. The former means "a maintainor of honour," whereas I have a penchant for fibs. The latter means "addition," or, it seems to me, nothing. Oi course, I'm an addition, but that does not help mo any more than it helped M. .lourdain to learn that he had spoken prose all his life, or Nibs, 111 Mr. Barrio's play, to learn that lie was a descendant. Vet my case—and this is the point—is in 110 way peculiar. My brother, who has never been near an oculist in his life, hears a name appropriately signifying "dim-sighted." Of course, there is always the consolation that one might have been worse oft still. There are unities —men's names, —which mean "breath," or "hairy." or "a. place in France," or "an olive," or "the roaring of tho sea. Again, most ladies can congratulate themselves that their names do not signify "a- wensc?].' 7 or "n. herb," or "a bee," or ".somewhat old." Hut, after all, if 3-011 do not like your present name, it is but a dreary' joy bhat can be derived from speculating 011 what you might have been (.-ailed. Names, by being given to persons before they have any distinmiishing nnalities at all, have lost half their use. There are two purposes that a name may fulfil in addition to the distinguishing mark that it must confer. It may be either appropriate to the character of the owner or pleasing to his Now, a name conferred at tho age of nought cannot possibly be appropriate or inappropriate or pleasing or displeasing. A letter or a number would do just as well, and would not create an atmosphere of meaningless but prejudicial symbolism. Then, when the young person arrived at years of discretion, he or she could choose a name descriptive or musical or, if possible, both. Thus everybody would be his own description. Registry offices would disappear, and "Who's W'lio" regain its youthful figure, whilst the din of our street's, harsh with John, Bob, and l)ick, would bo softened by the melodiously plashing syllables of' Crispin, Clement, and Ambrose. . . .

These beautiful Utopian dreams are very tempting, but we must not desert the grim reality, which is that we are misusing svmboljcal and often charming names, and deriving no pleasure or benefit from our Philistine "behaviour. Of course, it may be urged that it is impossible to know when a person readies the aee of discretion, anil that such names as "Hannibal," possessing an irresistible attraction for the youthful imagination, may seem, in after years, less desirable than the studious tones of "Erasmus" or "Baldwin's" riper charms. Still, responsibilities 'if ono kind and another are always being assumed at an immature aire, and we should at least have a, bettor chance of suiting ourselves if wo were allowed to choose our own names. AYe all of us. in our hearts, welcome nicknames, or would if we had the chance, partly bocause they are. as n. rule, a sign of affection, byt also, I suspect, because tljiy offer a way of escape from the tyranny of custom. —("St. James's Gazette.")