515 
“JS A 
The ancient Britons, Camden fays, generally took their 
names from colours, (becaufe they painted themfelves ;) 
which names are now loft, or remain hid among the Welfh. 
When they were fubdued by the Romans, they took Ro¬ 
man names, fome of which ftill remain corrupted ; though 
the greateft part became extimft upon the admiflion of the 
Englilh Saxons, who introduced the German names, as 
Cridda, Penda, Ofvvald, Edward, &c. The Danes, too, 
brought with them their names; as Suayne, Harold, Knute, 
See. The Normans, at the Conqueft, brought in other 
German names, as originally u!ing the German tongue; 
fuch as Robert, William, Richard, Henry, Hugh, &c. 
after the fame manner as the Greek names Afpafius, Boe¬ 
thius, Symmaclius, Sec. were introduced into Italy upon 
the divifion of the empire. After the Conqueft, our na¬ 
tion, which had ever been averfe to foreign names, as 
deeming them unlucky,' began to take Hebrew names ; 
as, Matthew, David, Sampfon, Sec. The various names 
anciently or at prefent obtaining among us, from what 
language or people foever borrowed, are explained by 
Camden in his Remains. 
It has obtained among us to give furnames for Chriftian 
names; which fome diflike, on account of the confufion it 
may introduce. Camden relates it as an opinion, that 
the pra&ice firft began in the reign of Edward VI. by fuel) 
as would be godfathers, when they were more than half¬ 
fathers. Upon which fome were perfuaded to change 
their names at confirmation ; which, it feems, is ufual 
in other countries. Thus, two fons of Henry II. of France, 
chriftened Alexander and Hercules, changed them at con¬ 
firmation into Henry and Francis. In monafteries, the 
religious affume new names at their admittance, to fhow 
they are about to lead a new life, and have renounced the 
world, their family, and even their name ; as, Sifter Mary 
of the Incarnation, Brother Henry of the Holy Sacra¬ 
ment, Sec. The popes alfo changed their names at their 
exaltation to the pontificate; a cuftom firft introduced by 
Sergius, whofe name till then, as Platina informs us, w'as 
Swine's-fnout. But Onuphrius refers it to John XII. 
or XIII. and at the fame time adds a different reafon for 
it from that of Platina, viz. that it was done in imitation of 
St. Peter and St. Paul, who were firft called Simon and Saul. 
Among the ancients, thofe deified by the heathen con- 
fecrations had new names given them ; as Romulus was 
called Quirmus ; Melicertes, Portumuus, Sec. New names 
were alfo given in adoptions, and fometimes by teftament: 
thus L. AEmilius, adopted by Scipio, took the name of 
Scipio Africanus ; and thus Auguftus, who was at firft 
called C. Ofiavius Thurinus, being adopted by the tefta¬ 
ment of Julius Caefar into his name and family, took the 
name of Cains Julius Ccefar O&avianus. 
Names were alfo changed at enfranchifements into new 
cities. Thus Lucumo, at his firft being made free of 
Rome, took the name of Lucius Tarquinius Prifcus, Sec. 
and flaves, when made free, ufualiy aflumed their mailer’s 
names. Thofe called to the equeftrian order, if they had 
bafe names, were always new named. And among the 
primitive Chriftians, it was the praftice to change the 
names of the catechumens. Thus the renegado Lucianus, 
till his baptifm, was called Lucius. 
Toward the middle of the fifteenth century, it was the 
fancy of the wits and learned men of the age, particularly 
in Italy, to change their baptifmal names for claffical ones. 
As Sannazarius, for inftance, who altered his own plain 
name Jacopo to Aftius Syncerus. Numbers did the fame ; 
and among the reft Platina the hiftorian at Rome, who, 
not without a folemn ceremonial, took the name of Calli¬ 
machus inftead of Philip. Pope Paul II. who reigned 
about that time, unluckily chanced to be fufpicious, illi¬ 
terate, and heavy of comprehenfion. He had no idea 
that perfons could wifli to alter their names unlefs they 
had fome bad defign, and actually fcrupled not to employ 
imprifonment and other violent methods to difeover the 
fancied myftery. Platina was cruelly tortured on this 
M E. 
frivolous account: he had nothing to eonfefs ; fo the 
pope, after endeavouring in vain to conviff him of herely, 
fedition, Sec. releafed hint after a long imprifonment. 
That names were originally aflumed from accidental, 
and often from ludicrous, circumftances, may be inferred 
from the practice of what we may call modern nations in 
their infancy. Thus among the chiefs of Canada In¬ 
dians, who joined the Britifti army during the ftiort con- 
teft with America in 181a, we find fucli names as Mar¬ 
plot, Walk-in-the-Water, Split-log, Sec. 
“ Our name,” fays the blind Metcalf, (fee vol. xv. 
p. 24.6.) “ came by a noble vigorous adlion in former 
times. It is fuppofed that England was in that remote 
period almoft covered with wood, and that there was a 
great many wild creatures in the wood ; and that what 
men were therein, were without name. Two being to¬ 
gether, they faw a red four-footed creature; they could 
not imagine what it was. One laid, Have you not heard 
of lions being in thefe W'oods ? He anfwered he had, 
but never had feen any fuel) thing. So they conjeftured 
that that was one which they faw. The creature advanced 
a few paces towards them. One of the men ran away; 
the other determined to meet it. Now, the animal hap¬ 
pened to be neither more nor lefs than a red calf: fo he 
that met it got the name of Metcalf; and he that ran 
away got the name of /.ig-htfoot. 
The four chief counfeilors of the empire of Mexico, 
fays Dr. Robertfon, were diftinguifhed by names which 
could have been aflumed only by a people w'ho delighted 
in blood : the firft was called the Prince of the Deathful 
Lance; the fecond, the Divider of Men ; the third, the 
Shedder of Blood ; the fourth, the Lord of the Dark 
Ho life. 
It foon became necefiary to add to the baptifmal name a 
furname, for the purpofe of better diferiminating perfons 
and families. This was originally diftinguilhed from fir- 
name , which denotes the name of the fire or progenitor. 
Thus Macdonald, Robertfon, are firnames, exprefling the 
Son of Donald, the Son of Robert. But the word fur- 
name fignified fome name fuperadded to the proper name 
to diftinguilh the individual, as Artaxerxes Long-imanus, 
Harold Harefoot, Malcolm Canmore. From this it is evi¬ 
dent that every firname was a furname, though the reverfe 
was not fo. In modern times they are confounded ; and 
Dr. Johnfon has rejected the word firname altogether; 
but Dr. Blair (in his Chronological Tables) retains it, 
uling it precifely in that fituation where furname would 
be proper; as, Ptolemy, firnamed (furnamed) Philome-' 
tor, &c. Sec. 
Surnames were introduced among all nations at an 
early period, and feem to have been formed at firft by ad¬ 
ding the name of the father to that of the foil. This was 
the practice among the Hebrews, as appears from the 
feriptures. Caleb is denominated the Son of Jephunneh, 
and Jolhua the Son of Nun. That the fame thing was. 
cuftomary among the Greeks, every one who has read 
the poems of Homer mull remember. We have an in- 
llance of it in the very firft line of the Iliad: A^iA ^r,o? 
unreal, “ Achilles the Son of Peleus.” This is per¬ 
haps the general origin of furnames, for it lias been com¬ 
mon among moll nations. Thus the old Normans ufed 
Fitz, which fignifies fon ; as Fitzherbert, Fitzlimmons, 
the fon of Herbert, the fon of Simmons. The Irilh ufed O; 
as O’Neal, the fon of Neal. The Scotch Highlanders em¬ 
ployed Mac ; as, Macdonald, the Son of Donald; Mac 
Lean ; “ the fon of a lean man ;” but never Mac Fat. 
The Saxons added the word Jon to the end of the father’s 
name, as, Williamfon. 
The Romans generally had three names. The firft, 
called preenomen, anfwered to our Chriftian-name, and 
was intended to diftinguilh the individuals of the fame 
family ; the fecond, called nomen, correfponded to the 
word clan in Scotland, and was given to all thofe who 
were fprung from the fame Hock ; the third, called cog¬ 
nomen, 
