Cathy wrote: P.S. In a KJV search using the keyword of "Abijah," it appears that in both Chronicles & Kings, the name Abijah was used for BOTH genders. What do you think? Hmm.. <scurrying off to find some sources> In the KJV, Abiah was 3 times a male and once a female. In the KJV, Abijah has 20 references, most of which refer to King David's son Abijah. King Hezekiah's mom's name was Abijah. (2 Chronicles 29:1). She was the only female listed as Abijah. As to naming practices, I found this.... In Never Before in History, the authors devote a whole chapter to New England nomenclature. On page 103, we read:" Of the first generation settlers in Plymouth, the majority of whom were born prior to 1600, 41 percent had traditional Norman or Anglo-Saxon names like William and Katherine? In contrast, in the second generation only 10 percent had such names...."In the first generation, only three individuals, or about 4 percent, had descriptive names: Humility, Desire, and Faith. Of the children, fifteen had such names, or about 17 percent of the second generation." The author attributes such a shift to the following; "Two factor's lead to an increase in biblical naming: a readily available translation of the Bible into English and the rise of Puritanism with its emphasis on the Bible. IN 1650 the Geneva Bible was printed. This was the first English Bible widely available to the common people. At the same time, Puritanism became a significant force in England." I believe another lister has already alluded to the importance of the Geneva Bible, but <hiding face in shame> I can't remember who it was who said it. The authors also mention that the English Puritan leader Thomas Cartwright, in 1565, gave guidelines for how Puritans should name their children. "They which present unto baptism ought to be persuaded not to give those that are baptized the names of God or Christ.nor such as savour of paganism..but chiefly such whereof there are examples in the Holy Scriptures, in the names of those who are reported in them to have been godly and virtuous." The author's source is Thomas Cartwright, Perkins and Cartwright, Keith Sprunger, ed. (Wichita, Kansas, Bethel Press, 1982), 20. IHG, Cathy B.