My cousin is German and she does genealogy, I just ask questions. She tried to explain how people were and are named. I think this will simply highlight how unlikely we are to get proof of Johannes Bast/Bost's names. I think this letter will help explain why. <G> If it were a perfect world, Johannes Wilhelm would become John William, John being his given name. Maybe his name had been Johann Johannes, where at Baptism, Johann would be removed. Then there is the "rufname" or "call name". Johannes could have been the rufname, or Wilhelm could have been the rufname. The order of the "legal" name has nothing to do with what the person goes by, or is known by. Lets use your name for example.... Your mother named you Mary, in your case by choice. In Germany that would, more often than not, have not been the case. You would have been named Mary because your "sponsor" (godmother) was named Mary. The names are not often repeated because it generally is not the custom to have any child within a family to have the same godparents. Ok, then the records would show you as (most likely) Anna Mary Harkey. Forget the "middle" name because you would not have one yet. Your name in the religious world would change a few times. You were 1st documented as Anna Mary Harkey. You get baptized and now Anna falls off, you are Mary Harkey. You continue life in the church and along comes time for your confirmation. You pick a name, in your case that would account for "Alice" So... you were born, given the name of your godmother (Mary), the name Anna was your baptismal name and disappears, you then get confirmed and take the name "Alice" so, born unnamed, given your sponsors name Mary, offer your baptismal name Anna, take a confirmation name Alice. Records through the years would show you as baptism - Anna Mary after baptism - Mary post confirmation Mary Alice does this make any sense? Clear as mud to me <G> Mary