Thursday, April 24, 2008

17th-Century Names

Today's Puritan name comes from Windsor, Connecticut, where
Jezabel Wilson

was born on February 24, 1673.

She's no Godbert Godbertson, but I think it's a little cruel to name a little girl Jezebel in such a religious community. Perhaps her parents (the more conventionally named Samuel Wilson and Mary Griffen) wanted to inculcate humility or emphasize the depravity of all people, even babies. Even so, imagine carrying that name into your pew every week.

Dore illustration via.

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