Colonial Era Historical Fiction Help?!

Writers' Corner
1

As a required English project, I’ve got to write a story about a character from Colonial-[name_f]Era[/name_f] [name_u]America[/name_u]. I’ve got a name in mind, but I need a bit of help with some other aspects.

I’ve got the name [name_f]Maybelle[/name_f] for my main protagonist.

  1. Does it sound colonial-era ish enough?
  2. Any middles? [name_f]Maybelle[/name_f] [name_f]Mercy[/name_f], maybe?
  3. [name_m]How[/name_m] would you picture her? [name_m]Rich[/name_m]? Poor?

And for her siblings, [name_f]Molly[/name_f] [name_f]Remember[/name_f], [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] “[name_f]Tilly[/name_f]” [name_f]Faith[/name_f] (twin of [name_f]Molly[/name_f]) and [name_f]Felicity[/name_f] [name_f]Isannah[/name_f].

  1. What male name (or two) would fit in that sibset, and go along with colonial era names?
  2. Anything that should be changed to be more historically better?

[name_f]Answer[/name_f] as many as you can, I’m in great need of help. Thanks!

2

I also need last names.

3

I don’t think of [name_f]Maybelle[/name_f] as particularly Colonial, but her middle name [name_f]Mercy[/name_f] is. It really depends on if her parents were puritans. I like the sisters names, but I think that if the twins are going to have M names, perhaps your heroine should have a name starting with a different letter?
I would picture [name_f]Maybelle[/name_f] [name_f]Mercy[/name_f] as a modern woman, with jet black hair and violet eyes. She likes to laugh, and defies societies expectation.
A few name suggestions:
[name_f]Frances[/name_f]
[name_f]Agnes[/name_f]
[name_f]Arabella[/name_f]
[name_f]Augusta[/name_f]
[name_f]Bridget[/name_f]
[name_f]Maria[/name_f] (pronounced Muh-[name_m]RY[/name_m]-uh)
[name_f]Susanna[/name_f]
[name_f]Louisa[/name_f]
[name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]
[name_f]Clara[/name_f]
[name_f]Diana[/name_f]
[name_f]Esther[/name_f]
[name_f]Emma[/name_f]
[name_f]Julia[/name_f]

Source: Gorgeously Georgian - British Baby Names

Surname ideas:
Beaclerk
Blunk
Arlotte
Baud
[name_u]Bird[/name_u]
[name_f]Blythe[/name_f]
Bonamy
Browne
[name_f]Catt[/name_f]
Cockbill
[name_f]Coe[/name_f]
Fellows
[name_f]Doe[/name_f]
Cypher
Cuckow
[name_u]Finch[/name_u]
Keat
Keate
[name_f]Lark[/name_f]
[name_m]Lovell[/name_m]
[name_f]Merry[/name_f]
Partridge
Marrow
Pope
[name_u]Poe[/name_u]
Popplestone
Sharpe
Stark
Thrush
[name_f]Wren[/name_f]
[name_u]Barry[/name_u]
Applin
Aldren
[name_m]Hall[/name_m]
[name_m]Kirk[/name_m]
Pond
[name_u]Vale[/name_u]
Sowman
Bowcott
Clemms
Eagers
MacEwan
[name_m]Godfrey[/name_m]
[name_f]Greer[/name_f]
[name_u]Perry[/name_u]
Nibson
Tibbs
Lutwidge
[name_m]Cole[/name_m]
[name_m]Dixon[/name_m]
[name_m]Hitch[/name_m]
[name_u]Pascoe[/name_u]
[name_m]Sim[/name_m]
Willcox
[name_u]Abbott[/name_u]
[name_m]Bishop[/name_m]
Bloom
Berryman
Bloomer
Bowring
[name_m]Chaplin[/name_m]
[name_m]Clarke[/name_m]
[name_m]Cotten[/name_m]
Coxetter
[name_m]Fiske[/name_m]
[name_m]Fowler[/name_m]
Flinter
Kemp
Lockhart
Moyne
Osler
Pester
[name_f]Plum[/name_f]
Sanger
[name_u]Sawyer[/name_u]
[name_m]Ward[/name_m]

Source: gaminggeeks.org/englishsurnames
Source: Nameberry - Welcome to the Nameberry Forums

Good luck!

4

[name_f]Maybelle[/name_f] is definitely not a colonial era name. [name_f]Mercy[/name_f] or [name_f]Amabel[/name_f] could be though.

5

Thank you so much! I realised as soon as I posted her and the twins had the same starting initials.

I’ve got a couple different in mind from your list.

Thanks a ton!

6

I think it doesn’t matter if the name is strictly that era, although it bugs my OCD. I do like [name_f]Amabel[/name_f] though.

7

The issue is that the name isn’t strictly in that era- it’s that the name wasn’t really used until the Victorian [name_f]Era[/name_f]. And if this is for an assignment, I’d be as historically accurate as possible.

For a brother, I’d go with something more traditional- [name_m]George[/name_m], [name_m]Edward[/name_m], [name_m]William[/name_m], [name_m]John[/name_m], etc.

Sibset idea:
[name_m]George[/name_m]
[name_f]Felicity[/name_f]
[name_f]Mary[/name_f] “[name_f]Molly[/name_f]”
[name_f]Matilda[/name_f] “[name_f]Tilly[/name_f]”
and [name_f]Louisa[/name_f]

Surname: [name_m]Munroe[/name_m]

8

It is an assignment, although I dot think our teacher will be to strict about it. I do want to make it historically accurate though, so I agree with you there, I’d like to make it as historically accurate as I can.

I think I’m good with names now. I need some Native American names, though.