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Does anyone know why the need for a 2nd name came about or indeed the true origin of the 2nd name?
Andrew
Andrew
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I am not too sure when two given names (first and middle) came in to use but I am pretty sure it started in Germany. It really only became popular in the middle of the 1800s in English speaking countires amongst the general populations.
I assume since it appeared in royal families it might have been used as a way of appeasing rivals faction within families by naming a child after more than on person.
I assume since it appeared in royal families it might have been used as a way of appeasing rivals faction within families by naming a child after more than on person.
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I am reminded of Johann Sebastian Bach.
Almost everyone in his family was Johann 'something' Bach.
It seems to me that these names were often used to appease, as mentioned, family concerns or maybe the saints themselves.
Naturally John and Mary are the most common and Jacob/James and Elizabeth follow closely behind. These names are not just popular (and thusly reused within families) but the names of those persons closest to Christ.
I wonder if anyone here knows when the Jean-x and Gian-x style of names developed in France and Italy respectively with regard to the German pattern.
I also believe that other languages excel in bi-part names modernly by shear numbers. Namely the Low-German (Lise-x, x-lise) and Spanish (Mari-x, x-lisa).
Almost everyone in his family was Johann 'something' Bach.
It seems to me that these names were often used to appease, as mentioned, family concerns or maybe the saints themselves.
Naturally John and Mary are the most common and Jacob/James and Elizabeth follow closely behind. These names are not just popular (and thusly reused within families) but the names of those persons closest to Christ.
I wonder if anyone here knows when the Jean-x and Gian-x style of names developed in France and Italy respectively with regard to the German pattern.
I also believe that other languages excel in bi-part names modernly by shear numbers. Namely the Low-German (Lise-x, x-lise) and Spanish (Mari-x, x-lisa).
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