Month: August 2023

In Memoriam: Thomas J. Gasque (1937-2023)

Thomas Gasque, Ph.D. (Photo: Legacy.com)

Thomas J. Gasque, Ph.D. (Photo: Legacy.com)

The American Name Society is sad to report the recent passing of one of our oldest and dearest members, Dr. Thomas J. Gasque (Professor Emeritus of the University of South Dakota). Over many decades, Professor Gasque served as a highly respected member of the ANS Executive Council. From Editor-in-Chief of the ANS scholarly journal, NAMES, to ANS President, Professor Gasque’s record of service to the ANS is both long and distinguished. Indeed, long after he retired from the University of South Dakota, he continued to support not only the ANS, but also the international onomastic community. On July 12, 2023, just a few months before celebrating his 86th birthday, Professor Gasque, died in the Lexington Medical Center in West Columbia, South Carolina. The ANS extends its most heartfelt condolences to his beloved wife Alice Tealey Gasque and the entire Gasque family. Professor Gasque will be remembered as a scholar, a mentor, and a true friend. An official obituary for Professor Gasque can be found in NAMES: A Journal of Onomastics volume 71, no. 3: 71-75.

Call for Papers: 2024 ANS Annual Conference (Online, 17 February 2024) — PROPOSALS DUE 31 August 2023

PROPOSALS ARE DUE 31 AUGUST 2023

The American Name Society is now inviting proposals for papers for its next annual conference. After considering an official proposal made on May 8, 2023, the ANS Executive Council voted to hold the 2024 Annual Conference online, as a 1-day event; the ANS expects to hold additional 1-day conferences during the remainder of 2024. Thus, the 2024 ANS conference will not be held in conjunction with the LSA meeting, which is still slated to be held in person, 4-7 January 2024 in New York City.

Abstracts in any area of onomastic research are welcome: personal names, place names, business and institutional names, names theory, names in literature, among others.

Proposals require these elements:

  • Title of proposed paper
  • 250-word abstract
  • Shorter 100-word abstract suitable for inclusion in conference program
  • 50-word biography suitable for inclusion in conference program

To submit a proposal, complete the 2024 Author Information Form found here:

http://www.americannamesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ANS-2024-Author-Info-Sheet.doc

Email completed form to Dr. Michel Nguessan at this address: cangaley@yahoo.com

For organizational purposes, include this phrase in the subject line: ANS 2024 Proposal

The DEADLINE for receipt of abstracts is August 31, 2023.

All proposals will be subjected to blind review. Notification of proposal acceptances will be sent by September 30, 2023.  Authors whose papers have been accepted must be current members of ANS. Please contact Dr. Michel Nguessan at the above email address if you have any questions or concerns.

We look forward to receiving your submission!

Download a PDF of this call for papers here.

Join the American Name Society!

If you enjoy reading about names, we encourage you to join the American Name Society and share your name news with us! Membership is very affordable, with yearly dues of $25.

Membership in the ANS allows access to a community of scholars and its communications, as well as eligibility to present your research at the ANS annual conferences and the ability to submit articles to Names: A Journal of Onomastics.

Keep apprised of the latest onomastic research by joining today!

Call for Papers: 2024 ANS Annual Conference (Online, 17 February 2024) — PROPOSALS DUE 31 August 2023

PROPOSALS ARE DUE IN ONE WEEK, 31 AUGUST 2023

The American Name Society is now inviting proposals for papers for its next annual conference. After considering an official proposal made on May 8, 2023, the ANS Executive Council voted to hold the 2024 Annual Conference online, as a 1-day event; the ANS expects to hold additional 1-day conferences during the remainder of 2024. Thus, the 2024 ANS conference will not be held in conjunction with the LSA meeting, which is still slated to be held in person, 4-7 January 2024 in New York City.

Abstracts in any area of onomastic research are welcome: personal names, place names, business and institutional names, names theory, names in literature, among others.

Proposals require these elements:

  • Title of proposed paper
  • 250-word abstract
  • Shorter 100-word abstract suitable for inclusion in conference program
  • 50-word biography suitable for inclusion in conference program

To submit a proposal, complete the 2024 Author Information Form found here:

http://www.americannamesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ANS-2024-Author-Info-Sheet.doc

Email completed form to Dr. Michel Nguessan at this address: cangaley@yahoo.com

For organizational purposes, include this phrase in the subject line: ANS 2024 Proposal

The DEADLINE for receipt of abstracts is August 31, 2023, IN ONE WEEK.

All proposals will be subjected to blind review. Notification of proposal acceptances will be sent by September 30, 2023.  Authors whose papers have been accepted must be current members of ANS. Please contact Dr. Michel Nguessan at the above email address if you have any questions or concerns.

We look forward to receiving your submission!

Download a PDF of this call for papers here.

Call for Papers: 2024 ANS Annual Conference (Online, 17 February 2024) — PROPOSALS DUE 31 August 2023

PROPOSALS ARE DUE IN TWO WEEKS, 31 AUGUST 2023

The American Name Society is now inviting proposals for papers for its next annual conference. After considering an official proposal made on May 8, 2023, the ANS Executive Council voted to hold the 2024 Annual Conference online, as a 1-day event; the ANS expects to hold additional 1-day conferences during the remainder of 2024. Thus, the 2024 ANS conference will not be held in conjunction with the LSA meeting, which is still slated to be held in person, 4-7 January 2024 in New York City.

Abstracts in any area of onomastic research are welcome: personal names, place names, business and institutional names, names theory, names in literature, among others.

Proposals require these elements:

  • Title of proposed paper
  • 250-word abstract
  • Shorter 100-word abstract suitable for inclusion in conference program
  • 50-word biography suitable for inclusion in conference program

To submit a proposal, complete the 2024 Author Information Form found here:

http://www.americannamesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ANS-2024-Author-Info-Sheet.doc

Email completed form to Dr. Michel Nguessan at this address: cangaley@yahoo.com

For organizational purposes, include this phrase in the subject line: ANS 2024 Proposal

The DEADLINE for receipt of abstracts is August 31, 2023, IN TWO WEEKS.

All proposals will be subjected to blind review. Notification of proposal acceptances will be sent by September 30, 2023.  Authors whose papers have been accepted must be current members of ANS. Please contact Dr. Michel Nguessan at the above email address if you have any questions or concerns.

We look forward to receiving your submission!

Download a PDF of this call for papers here.

About Names: Dr. Evans on the name “Nancy”

Jazz Singer Nancy Wilson (Photo: Public Domain)

Dr. Cleveland Evans writes about names for the Omaha World-Herald. In his August 13th column, he discusses the name “Nancy”.

Nancy’s leaving the small screen next week.

“Nancy Drew,” the third television series based on the classic young adult detective novels, ends its four-year run on the CW Aug. 23.

Nancy was originally derived from Agnes. In medieval England Agnes was pronounced “Annis,” with nickname “Ancy.” In some dialects, “mine” was used for “my”. “Mine Ancy” eventually became “my Nancy.” Nell developed from Ellen and Ned from Edward the same way.

Annis was often confused with Ann. Soon Anns as well as Agneses were called Nancy. When literacy increased after 1600 and the “g” in Agnes started being pronounced, Nancy switched to just being a nickname for Ann.

By 1800, many thought of Nancy as being a separate name. That’s shown in the 1850 United States census, where despite most entries not including middle names, 2,411 women were listed as “Nancy Ann.”

The total number of Nancys in 1850 was 263,261 — over 10 times as many as in Britain’s 1851 census, when total populations were similar.

After 1860, Nancy receded. In 1880, when Social Security’s yearly baby name lists start, it ranked 62nd. Its lowest year was 1909, at 118th.

Nancy’s big revival coincided with the fame of Nancy Astor (1879-1964). Virginia-born Nancy Langhorne married Waldorf, son of Viscount Astor, in 1906. He entered Parliament in 1909, but had to resign in 1919 when his father’s death made him Viscount. Nancy won election to his seat, becoming the first woman in Britain’s Parliament.

Want to learn more? Read on to learn more about the name “Nancy”!

Join the American Name Society!

If you enjoy reading about names, we encourage you to join the American Name Society and share your name news with us! Membership is very affordable, with yearly dues of $25.

Membership in the ANS allows access to a community of scholars and its communications, as well as eligibility to present your research at the ANS annual conferences and the ability to submit articles to Names: A Journal of Onomastics.

Keep apprised of the latest onomastic research by joining today!

Call for Papers: 2024 ANS Annual Conference (Online, 17 February 2024)

The American Name Society is now inviting proposals for papers for its next annual conference. After considering an official proposal made on May 8, 2023, the ANS Executive Council voted to hold the 2024 Annual Conference online, as a 1-day event; the ANS expects to hold additional 1-day conferences during the remainder of 2024. Thus, the 2024 ANS conference will not be held in conjunction with the LSA meeting, which is still slated to be held in person, 4-7 January 2024 in New York City.

Abstracts in any area of onomastic research are welcome: personal names, place names, business and institutional names, names theory, names in literature, among others.

Proposals require these elements:

  • Title of proposed paper
  • 250-word abstract
  • Shorter 100-word abstract suitable for inclusion in conference program
  • 50-word biography suitable for inclusion in conference program

To submit a proposal, complete the 2024 Author Information Form found here:

http://www.americannamesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ANS-2024-Author-Info-Sheet.doc

Email completed form to Dr. Michel Nguessan at this address: cangaley@yahoo.com

For organizational purposes, include this phrase in the subject line: ANS 2024 Proposal

The DEADLINE for receipt of abstracts is August 31, 2023.

All proposals will be subjected to blind review. Notification of proposal acceptances will be sent by September 30, 2023.  Authors whose papers have been accepted must be current members of ANS. Please contact Dr. Michel Nguessan at the above email address if you have any questions or concerns.

We look forward to receiving your submission!

Download a PDF of this call for papers here.

‘Food-Name Rules’: Rising Tensions Between US Producers and EU Regulators

“Greek Feta”, a public domain image by Jon Sullivan. But do we really know its provenance?

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal explores the tensions between US cheesemakers and the regulated cheese market in the European Union. The names of nearly 300 cheese are protected, among 3,500 food and beverage names. One US producer, Klondike, is unable to export its feta to Europe because they would have to call it “white-brined cheese, or some variation that doesn’t mention the word feta.” To be named “feta”, the cheese must be produced in Greece according to EU regulation.

Read more over at The Wall Street Journal.

Call for Book Chapter Proposals: “Names, Naming, Gender, Sex, and Sexuality” (DUE 15 August 2023)

Call for Book Chapter Proposals

LAST CALL: ONE WEEK REMAINING

Names, Naming, Gender, Sex, and Sexuality

Edited by I. M. Nick and Sharon N. Obasi

Recent years have seen a significant increase in public awareness of and sensitivity towards the diversity of individual and group identities where gender, sex, and sexuality are concerned. These developments have also been accompanied by the introduction of many new names for individuals and groups to label these developments. At the same time, in many places around the world, there has been a marked backlash against recognizing the complexity of identity where gender, sex, and sexuality-are concerned. These counter movements have also been marked by onomastic developments. The current call is for book chapters that specifically explore the interplay between names, naming, gender, sex, and sexuality. Possible subjects to be explore include, but are by no means limited to the following:

  1. Law and regulations governing the personal names of individuals by gender, sex, and sexuality
  2. Names for diverse individual and group identities (e.g., cis, trans, bi, LGBTQ+).
  3. Naming customs in cultures that recognize three or more genders
  4. National and international trends in gendered names and naming
  5. Naming, gender and artificial intelligence bots, virtual assistants, etc.
  6. Inferring gender based on phonology (phonoonomastics)
  7. Researching names and gender: perspectives on compliance and integrity
  8. Naming and gender policies in education
  9. Names and gender in advertising and health messaging
  10. Historical and/or cross-cultural investigations into (in)official names for gender and sex

Proposal Submission Process

  • Abstract proposals (max. 500 words, excluding the title and references) should be sent as a PDF email attachment to Professor I. M. Nick (nameseditor@gmail.com)
  • For organizational purposes, the proposals must include “Gender2023” in the subject line of the email
  • All proposals must include an abstract, title, and a preliminary list of references;
  • The full name(s) of the author(s); the author(’s’) affiliation(s) must appear in the body of the email. These details should NOT appear in the attached proposal.
  • In the case of multi-authored submission, one person must be clearly designated as the primary contact
  • The DEADLINE for proposal submissions is August 15, 2023. All proposals will be submitted to a double-blind review process. Authors will be notified about acceptance on or by September 15, 2023
  • Final chapters (max 7,000 words, excluding abstracts and references) will be due April 15, 2024

For further information about this call, please feel free to contact Professor I. M. Nick (nameseditor@gmail.com). We look forward to receiving your proposals!