I like walking around old cemeteries sometimes (partly to read the names) and this time I made notes of the more interesting ones in the memo pad on my phone. Here they are, first names only (with middles thrown in sometimes):
I have PAGES of names from cemeteries (mostly online records)! I love it. In fact, that’s where my user name came from–an old cemetery! (Is that creepy? ) My favorite find so far has been Monema, a name that I have found in SEVERAL cemeteries but I can’t find ANY information on online. I assume it’s pronounced mo-NEE-ma. On your list I like:
The house I grew up in was built in 1884 and had a small family (not mine) graveyard out back, like less than 20, but some of which had died in the house. I didn’t write down any of the names and my mom moved after I’d gone to college and she remarried, but I don’t recall any of them being particularly noteworthy. The small stones that belonged to children only had initials or were blank. I’d kind of like to go back and look at the headstones but I don’t have the contact info for the guy that owns the place now and I’d feel weird just showing up to poke around.
Those lists are interesting. While many of the names are new to me, I had a great-uncle [name]Lemuel[/name].
You’ve hit on one of my favorite topics! Here are some of mine that I’ve found particularly strange or enchanting. (I tried to put them in alphabetical order):
Almarinda
[name]America[/name]
[name]Araminta[/name]
Ardney
[name]Armstead[/name]
[name]Bernhardt[/name]
[name]Berry[/name]
Chelif (I’m not even sure how to pronounce this)
Emsy (or possibly Enisy)
Florianus (late 1700s tombstone)
[name]Larkin[/name] [name]Zophar[/name]
[name]Missouri[/name]
Othelia and [name]Ottilia[/name]
[name]Pinkney[/name] and Parham (brothers)
[name]Prudie[/name]
[name]Renata[/name]
[name]Rowland[/name]
Sinia
[name]Zella[/name]
[name]Zelma[/name]
And both [name]Marissa[/name] and [name]Amanda[/name] in the 1830s - I had no idea they were that old!
[name]Just[/name] thought I’d mention this as far as somewhat “normal” names being spelled oddly…it could be an accident. In the times before tombstones were carved machines (the 60s or so, maybe?) they were done by hand by the local tombstone maker. Sometimes…the names got misspelled in the process. And generally, tombstones were too expensive to pay to have it redone (which is what you would have had to have done then…no customer satisfaction guarantee), and they were generally too labor intensive to have it redone anyway. You’d probably only get it redone if you were wealthy. I’ve seen cases with names misspelled, months misspelled…pretty much if there’s a word on there, it can be misspelled.
Somewhat recently, I found an older tombstone with twins [name]Ella[/name] and [name]Ellis[/name]. I thought it was a cute combination that sounded quite modern, but the stone was old. I don’t remember the year.
) My favorite find so far has been Monema, a name that I have found in SEVERAL cemeteries but I can’t find ANY information on online. I assume it’s pronounced mo-NEE-ma. On your list I like: