Fearless Females: Names

Do you share a first name with one of your female ancestors? Perhaps you were named for your great-grandmother, or your name follows a particular naming pattern. If not, then list the most unique or unusual female first name you’ve come across in your family tree.

I do not share a first name with any female ancestors.  In fact, I am so far the only Shannon there is.  My middle name and my maternal grandmother’s middle name are the same however, Dea.  Unusual isn’t it?  It is Latin for Goddess.  My great grandfather was a school teacher and several of his children had names with classical leanings.

As for unique or unusual first names, it seems that all my direct line lucked out.  Most of them have regular, ordinary names, such as Mary, Elizabeth, Katherine, pick a form of Anne, and of there are a plethora of biblical names.  The most interesting one I found was my 2^nd great grandmother Alta Eldora Davison.  In Latin Alta means high or elevated and Eldora seems to be of Spanish origin meaning gold, as in El Dorado.  I don't know why she was given this name, but it does roll of the tongue, doesn’t it?

Siblings and nieces of my ancestors didn’t fare so well in the normal names category.  Some of the more intersting ones were: 

Bathsheba

Bibiana
Emeretta
Flossie
Jemima
Lavina
Lettice
Libena
Lucretia
Minerva
Permelia
Philadelphia
Seynylla
Sophronia
Versa
Vinea
Zorah

Of course, being the geek I am, I LOVE the classical and historical names.  If had a girl I would be seriously be tempted to name her after one of the ladies!

*Image: Funky Shapes via photopin cc