Welcome to the Backwoods!

[pegasus2o5.livejournal.com]

My family is from backwoods Alabama and I wanted to share some of the awesomely awful names dangling in my family tree. :) I love my family but sometimes I want to just ask "Where did you get this name?" Here are all the names, "normal" and non, of my grandparents and their siblings, and a few spouses. We're white, for what that's worth--it makes a big difference with naming norms in the South.

Mom's side of the family:
Denzil Dewey
Unita (f)
Gleason (m)
Lavene (m) (goes by Pete)
Valerus (m) (went by his last name, Floyd)
Evelyn Dorris (called Dorris, prn DAR-is)
John
Edgar
Marzella
Lena Kate (goes by Kate)
Brian
Walker (m)
Ollie Belle (f)
Bera (prn Beer-ah) (f)
Agnes
Mavis (f)
Leona
Joseph Clayton, called JC
Gladys
Ola

Dad's side of the family:
Charles Mina (mostly called Mina, prn MY-na) (m)
Willie Gay (called Gay) (female)
Melda (f)
Allen
Durrell (I was 15 before I realized this wasn't spelled Durail.) (m)
another Evelyn
Lula
Isabell (prn more like Izzabull)
Lavelle (f)
Annie Mae
Ishmer (m)