Curious ancestral forenames.

[BiałaZemsta]

My Great-Great-Grandfather was Adolf.

[Osweo]

Freelove...even a "Thank Ye"!

Middle name 'Kindly'?

Some classical names in there too, such as Ovid, Sylvanus, and Amphilis.

Weren't they typically given to negro slaves?

Omie: Name of a Norman French colonist. Maybe not that odd for French, but sounds simply Medieval. Anyone know what name this is a shortened form of?

I don't KNOW, but on reflection, might it be a short form of GuillAUME (Willliam)????

Even if the French don't shorten it like that, his new nieghbours MAY have done.

Kunigunda: The name of an ancestress of one of my PA Dutch ancestors. This one sounds heathen.

Wow, I'm jealous. I dare say I'd have to dig back into the Twelfth century for one like that!

[Electronic God-Man]

Middle name 'Kindly'?

Last name was Lord! Thank Ye Lord!

Weren't they typically given to negro slaves?

Down South, yes. In the north, not just them. These guys were from Massachusetts!

I don't KNOW, but on reflection, might it be a short form of GuillAUME (Willliam)????

Even if the French don't shorten it like that, his new nieghbours MAY have done.

Good point! Hadn't thought of it.

Wow, I'm jealous. I dare say I'd have to dig back into the Twelfth century for one like that!

Kunigunda Leysen was born in Rosenberg, Baden around 1611. Married a guy named Caspar. I need to convince any future wife that this would be a good name for a daughter.

[Foxy]

An ancestor of mine was called Olimpia.

[María G]

An ancestor of mine was called Olimpia.

A friend of a cousin of mine is named Olimpia!

[Foxy]

A friend of a cousin of mine is named Olimpia!

Also a dog of one of my neighbour but it's pretty rare in Italy. Other strange mames recorder in my family are Aida and Monia.

[Amapola]

Also a friend of mine :O

[Bard]

A female ancestor of mine was named Clorinda, which is pretty uncommon since it's not even a real forename, infact it was coined by an italian writer during renaissance.
http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Clorinda

[Angharad]

I have some unusual names in my family's past. Many of the Puritan names already mentioned here, also Azariah, Shubael, plus two unrelated Uzel's. Then there are the non-Puritans Yelverton and Willielmus.

Then there are the Dutch, whose forenames are impossible for me to pronounce, the men aren't so difficult, Pieter is almost exactly Peter, and I can almost pronounce Teuwis, but the women? Dirckje, Tryntje, Eytje, Nelletjen or Catalyntje? I try not to talk about them because I have no idea how to say their names. :|

[Trog]

I have the surname Nocca somewhere in my paternal side. Can mainly only find an Italian reference, but I have also seen a Gaelic reference somewhere too.