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[Facts] Re: Why are so many biblical names rarely used in continental Europe, unlike English-speaking countries?
Every country has its own traditions and therefore different names were established at different times.From the 12th century onwards, more and more Christian names were given in northern Italy, southern France and Germany. But not Old Testament names (like the ones you mention), but New Testament names and names of saints.In Germany, there were places with 90% saint or bilical names. Germanic names were heavily displaced over time.
Names of saints in particular were widespread in Germany.But many of the names were adapted to the German language. Here are some of the ways in which the name Johannes (John) could be given in Germany: Johannes, Johans, Johann, Johan, Johanneß, Johanns, Hans, Hanns, Hanß, Hannß, Hanncz, Hancz, Hannes, Hansman, Henselman, Henslein, Henßlein, Hanss, Hansz, Hanle, Henn, Hennsel, Hennslein, Hensell, Hennsel, Heslein, Henslin, Henßlin, Hennßlin, Hennslin, Hanßlein, Hensin, Hennlin, Jan, Jens, Jahn, Jannis and many more
In Germany, Maria became one of the most common female names in the 16th century.Then came the Renaissance, during which more and more names from ancient Greek or Rome were given.And the Reformation brought about major changes.
Fewer saints were given names.
In Calvinism, if possible only biblical names were given. Calvinism was particularly widespread in the Netherlands, Scotland, eastern Hungary and the USA. Not so much in Germany, France, Italy, Spain ...
Biblical names were mainly taken from the Old Testament (Abraham, Benjamin, Rebekka ...).But Protestantism mainly led to a return of Germanic names.Among the Catholics, many saints continued to be given names that were not necessarily biblical (Ignaz, Kilian, Franz, Xaver, Apollonia ...).In the centuries that followed, there were repeated waves of foreign names being given in Germany.
The fashion for names simply changed very often in Germany, so there were few names that were given over a very long period of time.
But there are some biblical names that have a very long tradition.
For example Anna, Maria, Johannes/Johann, Adam. Less common: Jeremias, Balthasar, Eva, Magdalene, David, Andreas, Thomas, Lukas, Gabriel, Elisabeth.
From your examples Jonathan, Benjamin, Aaron and Samuel.There was also a phase in which Christian names were adopted from other languages or newly invented. Like Dorothea, Christian, Erdmann (Adam), Traugott, Fürchtegott (Timotheus), Christholdin.
Some of those are still in use.
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I liked your answer.
After I read Wilhelm's question I was curious of what % were biblical in a 21-generations line of my tree, back to 1266.
[The oldest 17 gens. resided in the same spot... (Latest 4 gens. were born in the U.S.) ...a village in canton Schwyz on a plateau 880 m. / 2,890 ft. above sea level.]
-------Over a span, fathers/sons forms of John/Joe alternated, which I'm thinking could've been per custom (to honor?) rather than for religious reason.
*starred names appeared more than once (re-given)Hans (b. 1296, oldest recorded occurance of biblical form)
Jacob (Genesis)
*Johann (John, Revelation)
*Johannes
*Joseph (Genesis)
Mattheus (in Matthew)
Michael (Daniel, Revelation)
Nicolaus (Acts)
*Thomas (Mt., Mk., Lk., John)
--
*Anna (Luke)
Elizabeth (Luke)
*Josefa
*Magdalena (Mt., Mk., Lk., John)
*Maria (Mt., Mk., Lk., John, Acts, Romans)
Susana (Daniel, Luke)---------------Same village, non-biblical:
Albert
*Alois
*Anton
*Berthold (Abt.1266 - 1335, oldest recorded ancestor)
*Dietherich
*Dietrich
Dominick
Martin
Meinrad
Melchior
Rudolf
--
Antonia
Benedicta
*Catharina
*Catherina
Franciska
Helena
Kunigunde
Madura
Margret
Marinda
Meinrada
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Thanks!
This book explains a lot about the history of naming in Germany: Wilfried Seibicke: Die Personennamen im Deutschen. Eine Einführung. (for those, who know german).Also, quite a few of the non-biblical names you mentioned have a christian background via meaning (Dominick, Benedicta) or saints/legends (Melchior, Martin, Catharina, Albert ...).My own family doesn't trace as far back as yours, but the oldest names are mainly christian (versions of John, Catherine, Eve and Elizabeth). The 3 most popular names in my family tree are versions of Anna, John and Elizabeth.I found a non-representative list of the 49 most popular German women's names from the late Middle Ages:
10 of them were biblical, 2 were non-Christian, I couldn't find out the origin of 5 of them (presumably short forms, they are sometimes difficult to assign) and the remaining 32 names had a Christian background, e.g. saints.
https://www.beliebte-vornamen.de/1701-1495-w.htmI guess, it's just a different sense of naming tradition.
In European countries, other biblical names have a longer tradition than in the USA or UK.
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