Newcomers may find this list of unusual names from the Knobs in McMinn, Monroe, and Polk Counties helpful. Kinfolks researching local families sometimes have difficulty pronouncing and spelling these strange names and nicknames. Our East Tennessee dialect through generations is a contributory factor, no doubt. Youngsters do not know origins for curious names. Neophytes do not even understand that quotation marks indicate a nickname and that nicknames are not legal names but merely "pet" names used commonly by family and friends. Over decades of research, I found such nicknames, naming patterns, learned local pronunciations, and sought origins. The following chart may help researchers, but better still, bring a smile to the rest of us senior citizens. Thanks to Cousins Mildred Maupin and Denise Keltch for their help and additions to this list! I appreciate their encouragement and the laughter we share.

NICKNAME	TRANSLATION	DERIVATION	MEANING
Arkie	Arthena / also Arkadelphia	see Athena	inventive spelling of Athena
Artie	Artemisia	Latin	aromatic shrub like wormwood
Deelie / Deal	Cordelia	?	?
Creasie	Luretia	Roman	a noble woman who committed suicide
Eckie / Eck	Echinacea	herb derived from coneflower and used to improve immune system	from Latin meaning prickly
Feenie / Josie	Josephine	Biblical	feminine version of Joseph
Fronie	Sophronia	Greek	"of sound mind / heart"
Leevie	Olevia	Knobs version of feminine for Oliver	Latin "man of peace"*
Lice	Elias	Biblical	Hebrew for "prominence"*
Iggy	Ignatius	St. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch	saint martyred at Rome
Mealie	Amelia / Permelia	Latin	"industrious or golden-tongued flatterer"*
Merky	America	geographical	bestowed for patriotism
Nervie	Minerva	Roman myth	goddess of wisdom
Neal / Neely	Cornelius / Cornelia / Cornel	from Greek, "cornel tree"	"Cornel-cherry" is the dogwood tree bearing cherry-red seeds in fall.
Nicie	Eunice	Biblical	woman of assured faith
Parkie	Parthena	variant spelling of Athena	version of mythology
Sinee	Sinai	Biblical geography	Mountain of Moses
Thenie / Thener	Athena	Greek myth	goddess of wisdom
Thursie	Thursa	Norse mythology	Norse god Thor's day is Thursday.
Unie	Eunice	Greek "happy victory"*	in Bible, the woman of assured faith
Zeddie / Zettie	Arzada	unknown to me	Who knows?

*Some meanings above come from What's in a Name? by Favius Friedman, Scholastic Book Services, Scholastice Magazines, Inc., New York, NY, Jan 1975.

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This site is dedicated to the memory of my mother,
Beulah Cline Nipper, a beautiful product of the Knobs.