Genealogy Chat

Does anyone know if Polly is an abreviation or alternative for another name? Many thanks

Mary, I believe. I have a Mary Ann and a Mary Elizabeth in my tree and they were both known as "Polly".

I've always wondered where the name originated - Polly never seemed an obvious development from Mary, in language terms.

Solved it!

from http://www.babynames.com/name/POLLY

"The meaning of the name Polly is Great Sorrow

The origin of the name Polly is English

Info on this name: Variation of the name Molly, which comes from Mary. Often used as a nickname for Paula and is considered a name on its own. "

Thanks Kate, not sure if having a name meaning great sorrow is that nice!!

I know what you mean, Sue. When writing a story once, I happened to look up the meaning of the name Cassandra.

It means "prophet of doom".

There's a lot of quite pretty girls names out there that have depressing meanings.

Kate,

Cassandra doesn't actually mean "prophet of doom"; it is just that the Cassandra who was the daughter of the King Priam of Troy was a prophet of doom.

If Polly is a formation on the model of Mary<Molly then it is unlikely to have a meaning in its own right. So it may not be depressing at all.

Peter

Its usually Mary or Mary Ann - in fact familysearch (mormons) will bring up Polly as a variation of the name if you search the 1881 on there for a Mary!

Oh, that's a point, Peter. I find sometimes that looking at different baby name guides/books/websites will give different sources and meanings for the same name.

It is very confusing. Could be that the source I found for "Cassandra" assumed that it meant that because of who the mythological Cassandra was.