Being an American of English (and [name_m]New[/name_m] English) ancestry, and an English major and English teacher, I find myself attracted strongly to these [name_m]New[/name_m] Englandy names.
Of course, this is my take on [name_m]New[/name_m] [name_f]England[/name_f] names so it is no doubt idiosyncratic. Which am I missing and how do you feel about these?
What is weird is I don’t identify female names as being [name_m]New[/name_m] Englandy.
There is something in the strength and masculinity of many of these names, the old-fashioned upright quality that makes them seem terrific choices for today’s boys.
I see in my teaching career what a hard time boys are having in so many areas and I think a name with some spine and history is just what the name doctor ordered.
@lesliemarion: I am from [name_m]New[/name_m] [name_f]England[/name_f], and really appreciate this list! I also thought of [name_m]Lincoln[/name_m] ([name_m]New[/name_m] Hampshire town), [name_m]Newton[/name_m] (Massachusetts), [name_m]Jack[/name_m], [name_m]Ted[/name_m], (any [name_u]Kennedy[/name_u] name), and [name_m]David[/name_m]. From your list, here are some of my favorites:
For girls, there’s always the state flowers/birds/trees:
[name_f]Laurel[/name_f] (Connecticut)
[name_f]Lilac[/name_f] ([name_m]New[/name_m] Hampshire)
[name_f]Violet[/name_f] (Rhode Island) (Hey [name_f]Rhoda[/name_f] for Rhode Island as well)
[name_f]Clover[/name_f] ([name_m]Vermont[/name_m])
[name_u]Robin[/name_u] ([name_f]Robyn[/name_f]) (Connecticut)
[name_f]Maple[/name_f] (Rhode Island/[name_m]Vermont[/name_m])
Other place names around there are [name_f]Candia[/name_f], [name_m]Hampton[/name_m], [name_m]Fitzwilliam[/name_m], [name_m]Conway[/name_m], [name_m]Thornton[/name_m], and I’ve always fancied Kittery for a girl.
You could also go the history route and do something with the signers of the Declaration of Independence ([name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Adams[/name_m], [name_m]Josiah[/name_m] [name_m]Bartlett[/name_m]) or the presidents from the region ([name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Adams[/name_m] again; [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] [name_m]Pierce[/name_m], I think), but that’s all I have time for
Yes! One of the things about [name_m]New[/name_m] [name_f]England[/name_f] names is how many of them are trees and plants and places. Especially the male names. [name_u]Elm[/name_u] is gorgeous and so are [name_m]Birch[/name_m], [name_m]Pine[/name_m], and [name_u]Oak[/name_u]. [name_m]Don[/name_m]'t know if spruces grow in NE, but [name_u]Spruce[/name_u] is a lovely name too.
I absolutely identify certain female names as ‘[name_m]New[/name_m]-Englandy.’ [name_f]Hester[/name_f], [name_f]Harriet[/name_f], [name_f]Sarah[/name_f], [name_f]Alice[/name_f], [name_f]Ada[/name_f], [name_f]Mehitabel[/name_f]…and those great old-time virtue names like [name_f]Verity[/name_f], [name_f]Amity[/name_f], and [name_f]Mercy[/name_f].
I think I forgot [name_u]Sterling[/name_u] and [name_m]Granite[/name_m].
There was a post awhile ago by a woman who loved [name_f]Garland[/name_f] as a male name and I disagreed.
Well, now I think she had something there. [name_f]Garland[/name_f] for a male is an old-fashioned name with a charm similar to [name_u]Gardener[/name_u]. Because it has historical male usage and it ends in the land sound, a la [name_m]Orland[/name_m],[name_m]Cleveland[/name_m], [name_m]Ferdinand[/name_m], I think it works.
Plus most of the kids I teach don’t know much about garlands of flowers anyway. And who says flowers are only for girls?
I like the idea of a passel of boys named [name_m]Cabot[/name_m], [name_f]Garland[/name_f], [name_m]Edmund[/name_m], [name_m]Talbot[/name_m], and [name_u]Sterling[/name_u].
