Dr. Hurlbutt proposes fabric names for your baby

Posted on Thursday, October 8, 2009, at 9:15 am, by Dr. Allardyce Hurlbutt.

Given that it would never occur to most of us to name our children after fabrics, the number of documented fabric names is remarkable. Though never common, these names occurred most often in the decades around the turn of the twentieth century, between roughly 1880 and 1920. The impulse behind them was presumably similar to the one behind the fashion for flower and gemstone names at that time.

(Note: In the discussion that follows, numbers appearing in parentheses indicate how many people with a particular name were listed in the U.S. Social Security Death Index at the time of writing.)

The three most common fabric names were Lace (111), Velvet (98), and Leather (92). Contrary to what one might expect today, Lace was primarily a masculine name, while Leather was primarily feminine. Velvet was usually feminine, but not always. Of the three, Velvet has seen the most ongoing use and is now invariably feminine. The fourth most common of these rare names was Felt (49), which appears to have been used mostly for boys.

Admittedly, some names are overrepresented for reasons unrelated to fabric. Paisley (42), for example, is a surname as well as a fabric, and in most cases its use as a given name likely represents a transference of the surname. The same must surely be true of Tweed (25), Cotton (21), and possibly Madras (17). The famous Puritan divine Cotton Mather (1663-1728) was named for his grandfather, John Cotton. Similarly, the lone example of Poplin (1) in the Social Security Death Index had been given his mother’s maiden name.

Synthetic fabrics constitute another case in which the use of a name was not always related to the fabric, as they began to appear before the synthetics themselves were invented and named. Thus almost all instances of the name Orlon (41) in the Social Security Death Index date from before DuPont introduced an acryllic fiber under that trademark in 1941. Likewise, several of the people named Rayon (26) were born before the U.S. Department of Commerce adopted that name in 1924 as a generic term for synthetic fibers made from cellulose. Rayon also happens to exist as a surname. Finally, at least two people named Nylon (6) were born before DuPont first marketed a new polyamide fiber under that name in 1938.

Here are some more fabric names from the Social Security Death Index:

• Velveteen (12)
• Fleece (11)
• Plush (8)
• Tulle (7)
• Jute (6)
• Linen (6)
• Satin (6)
• Silk (6)
• Velour (4) and Velours (2)
• Canvas (5)
• Chiffon (4)
• Ribbon (4)
• Chintz (3)
• Cheviot (2)
• Taffeta (2)
• Wool (2)
• Baize (1)
• Brocade (1)
• Calico (1)
• Flannel (1)
• Gingham (1)
• Muslin (1)
• Sateen (1)
• Tartan (1)
• Tricot (1)

Nor have fabric names entirely disappeared from the baby-naming scene. According to the Social Security Administration, seven American newborns received the name Denim (6) in 2000 and six the name Cashmere (26). The only example of Suede (1) in the Social Security Death Index was born in 1999.

One noteworthy feature of fabric names is that they can form bizarre combinations with certain surnames. Some examples:

• Cedarpoint Nylon King
• Lace Bible
• Stetson Suede Bible
• Leather Bibb
• Chiffon Goodwill
• Cotton Lavender
• Felt Ball
• Plush Prince
• Satin Flowers
• Velvet Bird
• Velvet Holiday
• Velveteen Berry
• Velveteen Sailors
• Velveteen Seals
• Wool Boy

Comments (closed):

Karla wrote on October 10, 2009, at 12:32 pm:

Waiting for Corduroy, Dotted Swiss, Linsey-Woolsey, Burlap, and Spandex. Also Leatherette, Dacron, and Homespun.

Dr. Allardyce Hurlbutt wrote on February 24, 2010, at 1:12 pm:

I should not have overlooked Prunella (30), a fabric formerly used for clerical gowns.