ABSTRACT
Christian names do have social significance, and perhaps particularly so in cultures where many families have the same surname, already a common situation in Wales. They have personal significance, too, for it has been shown that quite a lot of people regard Christian names as indicative of the type of person bearing them. The writer has shown that John is commonly thought of as trustworthy and Tony as sociable. Pre-conceptions of this kind can be strong enough to lead some people to dislike even their own names and in an enquiry by Mass-Observation one man is quoted as saying, ‘I have been conscious of having a Christian name (Percy) which did not fit in with my character, and consequently have had to live down my name.’
