Do Names Influence Character?

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXII, Issue XII, 19 March 1904, Page 62

Do Names Influence Character?

A name, especially a Christian name —or “given” name, as they call it in America—is bound to be more or less of an accident. One baby is very much like any other. It is quite impossible at the early age at which an infant is usually christened to predict with any likelihood of correctness what profession or calling that baby will eventually adopt. If it were, one might be

able to give the child an appropriate name-

For a country squire, for a clerk, for a mechanic, a day labourer, for anyone, in fact, who is just a steady-going, everyday kind of person, with no particular brilliance of intellect or aptitude for any special calling, his or her name is a minor consideration. But for him or her who is destined to become an author, an artist, an actor, a doctor, a

great engineer, or scientist, it is quite certain that the question of name is of the very highest importance. The first proof of this fact is that actors have for generations past made a regular practice of adopting stagenames, which eventually become property so valuable that ladies do not change them even when they marry. Authors, too, frequently write under noms-de-plume, which are equally likely to be remembered by their readers. Who will deny,, for instance, that “Mark Twain” is more apt to strike the eye than Samuel Clemens, “Max Adeler,” than Charles H. Clark, or “Dagonet,” than G. R. Sims? Quite apart, however, from pen or stage names, a calm consideration of Christian names seems to show that the possession of a strong strange-sounding or uncommon name has something definite to do with its owners success in life. Not that the individual whoso parents or sponsors present it with such a name must necessarily rise to eminence in consequence of it. There are plenty of instances to the contrary. B -t the fact remains that a very large proportion of the leading men and women of this year of grace, 1904. uo possess uncommon names, especially given names-

This is particularly true in the literary world. When the greatest bard of Empire published his first work, most people imagined that Rudyard Kipling was merely a pen name. The same mav be said of the creator of Sherlock Holmes.

Rider Haggard is the sort of name which would strike one even if its bearer had no other claim on the mind. Hall Caine is another striking name. So are Shan Bullock, Marion Crawford, Max Pemberton, Justin McCarthy, Pett Ridge. Guy Boothby, Maclaren Cobban, Augustine Birrell, Raymond Blathwayt. and a host of others that might be mentioned. All these, however, are genuine names which their owners received as babies.

The stage, too, has many most distinguished members whose own names are of themselves sufficiently striking for a self-given stage name to be entirely unnecessary. Beerbohm Tree is the first instance to mind, and Squire Bancroft the second. Then how about Forbes Robertson. Olga Nethersole, Dion Boucicault, and Hayden Coffin? Could more striking combinations be easily invented?

Among the very best known artists of to-day are a number whose names are almost equally striking. One may note as examples Carruthers Gould. Mortimer Menpes, Max Beerbohm. Zehusa Shannon. Bernard Partridge. Briton Riviere. Brown, again is a com-

mon name enough, but there is only one Gordon Brown.

There is nothing specially distinguished about the name of Heaton, but in conjunction with Henniker, it becomes “familiar in our mouths. So, too, with Hardie, yet few M.P.s are better known than the hero of the deer stalker —Keir Hardie. Mr Chamberlain seems to have had some inkling of the value of a good first name when he chistened our youngest Chancellor of the Exchequer Austen. Among other diplomats whose names we all know well are Taubman Goldie, Schomberg McDonnell. St- John Brodrick, and Winston Churchill.

Quite half of our famous doctors have strong and uncommon combinations of names. Broadbent, Lauder Brunton. Dyee Duckworth, are examples. Among kings of finance are to he found a wonderful assortment of namesThere is something imposing in the mere four syllables, Pierpont Morgan. Waldorf Astor is another striking combination. Whittaker Wright. Clinton Dawkins. Blundell Maple, Jay Gould. Ohio C. Barber are others which come at

once to mind. Tt would be easy to fill pages of this paper with columns of strange names all belonging to well-known peonle. Kennerley Rumford in music, Winnington Ingram as a cleric, Ray Lankester as a scientist, Redvers Buller in the Army. Lowthian Bell. Fletcher Moulton are one or two further examples. But enough has been said on this point. There is one other thing which parents would do well to bear in mind. Without doubt some of the ordinary names are more lucky than others. Therefore, those who object to out-of-the-way or eccentric Christian names should consider the advisability of giving their children a lucky name. Alfred is one of these* Alfred Beit is

probably the richest man in the world. Alfred Austin is Poet-Laureate. Alfred Lyttelton was a great cricketer, and is a coming statesman. Sir Alfred Jones is the greatest shipmaster, and Sir Alfred Hickman one of the greatest ironmasters. If more examples are needed, there is Alfred Deakin. Premier of Australia: Alfred Gilbert. R.A-: Canon Alfred Brook, and a host of other well-known and fortunate Alfreds.