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Along with other people I'm sure researching their families I have ancestors with unusual names but today I found a female relative who appears to have been named after a famous person. Why? I have no idea at present and likely never will know. The relative in question is Florence Nightingale Collison born 1877 Chorley, Lancashire. She was my gt, gt, grandmother's niece.

Question is has anybody else found a relative named after someone famous?

I kid you not, I've found another one!!!!!

James Napoleon Bonaparte Bracewell born 1841 Bury, Lancashire. My 4 x gt. grandfather's brother.

Did you see the recent story about the child who was named Adolf Hitler? He also has a sister with the middle names "Aryan Nation"

JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell
Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell
Adolf Hitler Campbell
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=fe0_1232589978

On the subject of famous names, Cassius Marcellus Clay (the boxer) was named after a 19th-century abolitionist (1810-1903), but the irony is that Cassius changed his name to Muhammad Ali, the same name as a brutal slave owner and slave trader (1769-1849). (Islam's Prophet Muhammad was also a slave owner and trader).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uljiKiIK ... r_embedded

I can add:

George Washington Andrew, born 1865 Saddleworth, Yorkshire
George Washington Townley, born 16-October 1884 Saddleworth, Yorkshire (George eventually emigrated to the US).

I don't think I have any interesting names

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Mel

Searching for lost relatives? Win the Lottery!

Neither have I Mel

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

My favourite is Beethoven Reeves Best Sparke Bannister, born Burnley about 1878, died 26 April 1926,

Wow

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

You've just got to love parents sometimes. We think that it's bad these days that people name their offspring after football teams, places etc. and assume that this is a new phenomenon. Have just had a look at Beethoven Bannister and his siblings......

Handel Orrige - 1862
Haydn - 1863
Jullien Mozart - 1866
Mendelssohn Skelton - 1868
Robert Rossini - 1870
Beethoven Reeves Best Spark - 1875
Willie - 1881

Someone was obviously interested in music. They did have some daughters, who must have thanked their lucky stars that there were no female composers....but poor Willie...they must have run out of names!

Many thanks for Beethoven Bannister's siblings! It hadn't occurred to me to check out the whole family.

Ruth

I am going to pretend that poor Willie was a reflection of an interest in literature as well as music in this family...named after, who else?, Willie shakespeare!

David Stuttard was born in Gt marsden but after marriage at various times he lived in Northern ireland in both belfast and Londonderry.

His last son was named Maurice George Brian Boru Stuttard.

(Brian Boru was a legendary King of Ireland centuries ago. At somepoint he annexed the Isle Of Man as a part of his kingdom and in the year of 1002 he successfully became King of all Ireland)

I thought Brian Boru Stuttard was a great addition to this strand.

Looking back now to the first of these posts, I was reminded of a book I recently saw referred to online. I hope Florence Nightingale Collison was more fortunate than Florence Nightingale Shore, the subject of a book by Rosemary Cook: "The Nightingale Shore Murder' .

Florence Nightingale Shore was a nurse in Sunderland and a god-daughter of Florence Nightingale. She was
murdered on board a London to Hastings train in 1920 and her killer was never caught. (More information online if you google 'Florence Nightingale Shore'.)

Ruth

Best I can come up with from my tree is Albert Redvers BADEN Limb, named after Lord Baden Powell. Bit tame in the context of the others

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Maureen
If you can't fight, wear a big 'at