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The Name Agnes

Robin   Tue Oct 17, 2006 2:03 am GMT

My name is Robin Goodfellow: Puck However the Polish pronunciation of Puck is just unbelievable.

Damian in London E16   Tue Oct 17, 2006 12:14 pm GMT

Agnes is one of those names which belong to 19th century novels...consigned to history. It's strange how some names from those days are still being given to babies today while others (like Agnes) are considered old fashioned and nobody would inflict them on today's offspring. Emma is still very much in vogue, while Agnes is definietely not, like Doris, Ethel, Cuthbert, Egbert, Gladys, Hector, Maud, Violet, Lilian, Norman, Silas........... Cornwall has a really lovely little place called St Agnes. Check it out and see a panoramic view of cool Celtic Cornwall from the Beacon at St Agnes: http://www.st-agnes.com/gallery/index.php

Namer   Tue Oct 17, 2006 2:13 pm GMT

>> Doris, Ethel, Cuthbert, Egbert, Gladys, Hector, Maud, Violet, Lilian, Norman, Silas........... << I can understand why no one would name their kid the others, but what's wrong with Lilian and Silas?

Adam   Tue Oct 17, 2006 6:13 pm GMT

"Should it be Agnes's mother or Agnes' mother?" It is always Agnes' - even if it is singular. In English, all names that end in S - Agnes, Charles, etc - always have the apostrophe after the S and it's never Agnes's or Charles's etc.

Adam   Tue Oct 17, 2006 6:15 pm GMT

I think I prefer Agnes to Agnieszka.

Adam   Tue Oct 17, 2006 6:16 pm GMT

"I've always thought of Agnes as being a very Scottish name, sort of like Angus!" Agnes is not Scottish. It's Greek It derives from the Greek word hagne, the feminine form of hagnos, meaning "chaste" or "sacred".