FAMILY MATTERS

simply referring to a person by his middle name’s initial (“W” as in the case of the recent Texan president, who was from Texas, but born in Connecticut).

Greek firstnames from the Classical period appear regularly – even in a place as far away from Athens as Kentucky (my mother in law Vesta’s name is an example).

Another way of handling confusions is to refer to people by using nick names – which are often colorful: “Danger,” “Old Buckery,” “Mace,” Catfish,” “Bangor,” “Soldier,” “General Lige,” are just a few examples.

Women, however, do not usually carry these sorts of nicknames; they are referred to by others: “Sarry,” for “Sarah”; “Lindy”

for “Melinda,” etc. Also, first and middle names might be reversed by the parents to distinguish one of their children from another close relative: Mary Ann might be used for one, for example; Ann Mary for the other.