> > > >Has anyone encountered the names Isaac and John being used interchangeably? I think it is not do much any direct co-relation between the two names as personal preference. Isaac, like Hezekiah, Moses, Jedediah, Simeon, etc was a name associated with chapel going, or excessive bible reading, and was an embarrsing name if you were a modern young man trying to make your way in a nominally CofE society, actually verging on secular, where any whiff of revivalist meetings and 'enthoosiam' was not thought acceptable. I knew a man baptised Isaac c 1895 who thought this way and changed his name to Frank, giving that as the reason - and he was a farmer turned cattle haulier. Same principle, Simeon became Simon, Moses , Maurice, Abraham (Stoker), Bram. Other names changed as fashions changed - , a woman christened Mildred c 1925 became Bunty, Nellie Alice (1927) became Elaine Alys ; Joan became Jo-anne, Dinah, Diane, Ada, Dady and then Deedie, Clarence, Charlie or even Jack in one case. Recently, some of the 'old fashiopned' names have come right back, and Emily., Joshua, Millie, Nathan are great again. EVE Author of The McLaughlin Guides for Family Historians Secretary, Bucks Genealogical Society