Genealogists are often interested in the meanings of surnames, the last names or family names of their ancestors. First names are interesting too, even if you are not in the position of trying to select one for a new addition to the family. You probably know what your first name means. Have you ever heard any of your ancestors’ first names and wondered what they meant? If you are curious, you can check out a web site like BehindtheName.com and see what those names mean.
There are a few names in my family tree that I am curious about. For example, my father’s middle name is Wilbrod. I had to do some digging to find out what that name means, but I eventually learned that the name has Anglo – Saxon roots. When it is spelled as Wilbrod, that is the French variation of the name. That makes sense, because my dad’s father was French Canadian. Wilbrod is also a Germanic name, and it is made up of two elements that are not necessarily meant to be considered together. “Willa” can mean desire, wish, or pleasure, while “brord” means point or spear.
My maternal grandmother’s first name was Velia. She was Italian, and the name is very pretty. Her name is also of Italian origin, and it means “hidden” or “veiled”. I really do like her name, and if either of my children had been girls instead of boys, her name may have been used as a first or middle name.
I had a great uncle named Rocco, and I always thought that his name was pretty cool. He was Italian as well, and the name is of Italian origin. His name means “rest”. One of my great aunts was named Edith, which is certainly not a common name any more. Her name is of Scandinavian or English origin and contains elements that mean “rich” and “war”. Her name is a Germanic name, so the components are not intended to have their meanings paired together.
First names can be as interesting as surnames. What interesting names are there in the branches of your family tree?
Photo by bandini on morguefile.com.