Illinois State University ISU ReD: Research and eData Theses and Dissertations 3-19-2016 New Influences on Naming Patterns in Victorian Britain Amy M. Hasfjord Illinois State University,
[email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/etd Part of the European History Commons Recommended Citation Hasfjord, Amy M., "New Influences on Naming Patterns in Victorian Britain" (2016). Theses and Dissertations. 508. https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/etd/508 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by ISU ReD: Research and eData. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ISU ReD: Research and eData. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. NEW INFLUENCES ON NAMING PATTERNS IN VICTORIAN BRITAIN Amy M. Hasfjord 176 Pages This thesis examines a major shift in naming patterns that occurred in Victorian Britain, roughly between 1840 and 1900, though with roots dating back to the mid-18 th century. Until approximately 1840, most new names in England that achieved wide popularity had their origins in royal and/or religious influence. The upper middle classes changed this pattern during the Victorian era by introducing a number of new names that came from popular print culture. These names are determined based on a study collecting 10,000 men’s and 10,000 women’s names from marriage announcements in the London Times. Many of these new names were inspired by the medieval revival, and that movement is treated in detail. A smaller Celtic revival in names and a few other minor trends are also examined.