Milk & Honey

Compiled by Jason Morningstar and Meguey Baker

These lists include all the unusual names suggested in Dogs in the Vineyard; most include the general meaning of the name in case you are into allegory. The surname lists are common mid-nineteenth-century surnames with some specific ones culled from a single county in Utah. Meg put together the personalized town stuff.

Male Names 1

  1. Boaz “swift”
  2. Cain “craftsman”
  3. August
  4. Cleophus
  5. Abel “son”
  6. Cyrus
  7. Daniel “God is my judge”
  8. David “beloved”
  9. Edwin
  10. Samuel “God has listened”
  11. Zedekiah “justice of God”
  12. Thaddeus “heart”
  13. Cornelius
  14. Eleazar “God has helped”
  15. Theophilus
  16. Cuthbert
  17. Zephaniah “hidden by God”
  18. Eli “high”
  19. Solomon “peaceful”
  20. Josiah “God heals”

Male Names 2

  1. Stephen “crown”
  2. Tabor “misfortune”
  3. Simeon “obedient”
  4. Elias “God is mighty’
  5. Abiah “God is my father”
  6. Barnabas “son of exhortation”
  7. Bartholomew “son of Talmai”
  8. Jonathan “God has given”
  9. Seth “appointed”
  10. Joseph “God shall add”
  11. Elijah “Jehovah is God”
  12. Emmanuel “God is with us”
  13. Artemis “butcher”
  14. Wiley
  15. Aaron “exalted one”
  16. Uziel “strength of God”
  17. Virgil
  18. Zachary “God remembers”
  19. Enoch “dedicated”
  20. Abijah

Male Names 3

  1. Ephraim “very fruitful”
  2. Abraham “father of many”
  3. Benjamin “son of the south”
  4. Asher “blessed”
  5. Ebenezer “stone of help’
  6. Gershom “bell”
  7. Hamilton
  8. Jaspar “treasure-master”
  9. Jedidiah “beloved of God”
  10. Hanan “grace”
  11. Hezekiah
  12. Hiram “exalted brother”
  13. Ezri Habakkuk “embrace”
  14. Gabriel “God is my strength”
  15. Ishmael “God hears”
  16. Derrick
  17. Newton
  18. Zebedee “God has bestowed”
  19. Job “afflicted”
  20. Joel “Jehovah is God”

Male Names 4

  1. Zechariah “remembrance of God”
  2. Nicodemus “victory people”
  3. Noah “long-lived”
  4. Obadiah “servant of God”
  5. Paul “small”
  6. Ezekiel “God strengthens”
  7. Ezra “help”
  8. Philip “lover of horses”
  9. Reuben “renewer”
  10. Hosea “salvation”
  11. Isaac “he will laugh”
  12. James “supplanted”
  13. Isaiah “God is salvation”
  14. Jeremiah “God will uplift”
  15. Jethro “excellence”
  16. Israel “may God prevail”
  17. Jabez “born in pain”
  18. Jacob “seizing by the heel”
  19. Jonah “dove”
  20. Jairus “God enlightens”

Male Names 5

  1. Adam “red earth”
  2. Jackson
  3. Luke “light”
  4. Malachi “my messenger”
  5. Amos “to carry”
  6. Jamin “favored”
  7. Elisha “God is salvation”
  8. Caleb “dog”
  9. Carmine “vineyard”
  10. Elkanah “God created”
  11. Jeduthan
  12. Andrew “manly”
  13. Archibald
  14. Joachim “God will establish”
  15. Judah “God leads”
  16. Azariah
  17. John “God is gracious”
  18. Balthazar “Baal protect the king”
  19. Timothy “honored by God”
  20. Tobias “God is good”

Female Names 1

  1. Prudence
  2. Rachel “ewe”
  3. Delilah “delicate”
  4. Mehetabel
  5. Mindwell
  6. Susanna “lily”
  7. Talitha “dew”
  8. Peninnah “ruby”
  9. Electa
  10. Fidelia
  11. Greta
  12. Alexanderina
  13. Hannah “gracious”
  14. Emeline
  15. Adelia
  16. Elizabeth “God is my oath”
  17. Jemima “dove”
  18. Leah “gazelle”
  19. Jezebel “wicked”
  20. Ruth “companion”

Female Names 2

  1. Abigail “father is rejoicing”
  2. Samantha “listener”
  3. Abiah “God is my father”
  4. Kezia “cassia tree”
  5. Lavina
  6. Elisheva “God is my satisfaction”
  7. Livinia
  8. Judith “he will be praised”
  9. Kesiah
  10. Submit
  11. Content
  12. Deborah “a bee”
  13. Maria “beloved”
  14. Asenath
  15. Augusta
  16. Bedelia
  17. Tamara “date palm”
  18. Mahalia “marrow”
  19. Hope
  20. Jael “mountain goat”

Female Names 3

  1. Louvina
  2. Madeleine “of Magdala”
  3. Esther “star”
  4. Tryphosia
  5. Dee “black/dark”
  6. Eliphal
  7. Malvina
  8. Marah “bitter”
  9. Waitstill
  10. Zillah “shade”
  11. Eve “life”
  12. Faith
  13. Bethia
  14. Mary “longed-for child”
  15. Susan “lily”
  16. Tamar “date palm”
  17. Permelia
  18. Azubah
  19. Hester
  20. Honora

Female Names 4

  1. Bathsheba “an oath”
  2. Candace “white”
  3. Dinah “judged”
  4. Edwina
  5. Sybrina
  6. Tabitha “doe”
  7. Cornelia
  8. Daris
  9. Althea
  10. Charity
  11. Marilla
  12. Philomena
  13. Sarah “princess”
  14. Martha “lady”
  15. Phielia
  16. Seraphina “seraphim”
  17. Clementine
  18. Anne “favored”
  19. Adah “adornment”
  20. Tirzah “acceptance”

Female Names 5

  1. Miriam “beloved”
  2. Naomi “my joy/delight”
  3. Obedience
  4. Alice
  5. Rebecca “snare”
  6. Relief
  7. Adeliza
  8. Patience
  9. Adelaide
  10. Almena
  11. Carmen “song”
  12. Aphra “fawn”
  13. Bethany “house of figs”
  14. Theodosia
  15. Carmel “vineyard”
  16. Tryphena
  17. Marianne “rejoice”
  18. Temperance
  19. Sharon “a plain”
  20. Constance

More Male Names 1

  1. Uriah “God is light”
  2. Jude “praised”
  3. Lazarus “God is my helper”
  4. Levi “joined/pledged”
  5. Napthali “wrestling”
  6. Manassah “he who causes to forget”
  7. Marcus “mars”
  8. Zebulon “exaltation”
  9. Nathan “gift”
  10. Mark “mars”
  11. Esau “blind”
  12. Ethan “strength”
  13. Zadok “righteous”
  14. Melchior “king of light”
  15. Micah “who is like God”
  16. Japheth “abundance”
  17. Matthew “gift of God”
  18. Jesse “gift”
  19. Matthias “gift of God”
  20. Zebediah “God has bestowed”

More Male Names 2

  1. Thomas “twin”
  2. Jared “descendant”
  3. Mitchell “Godly”
  4. Moses “drawn out of the water”
  5. Nahum “comforter”
  6. Micajah
  7. Nathaniel “gift of God”
  8. Jeremy “God has uplifted”
  9. Peter “rock”
  10. Nehemiah “consolation of the Lord”
  11. Samson “child of Shamash”
  12. Shadrach “godlike”
  13. Abram “father is exalted”
  14. Phineas “snake’s mouth”
  15. Pleasant
  16. Raphael “God has healed”
  17. Absalom “father of peace”
  18. Silas “asked for”
  19. Joshua “God is salvation”
  20. Simon “obedient”

Male Outsiders and Converts

  1. John
  2. William
  3. James
  4. George
  5. Joseph
  6. Charles
  7. Robert
  8. Frank
  9. Edward
  10. Henry
  11. Walter
  12. Thomas
  13. Harry
  14. Arthur
  15. Harold
  16. Albert
  17. Paul
  18. Clarence
  19. Fred
  20. Carl

Female Outsiders and Converts

  1. Mary
  2. Helen
  3. Margaret
  4. Anna
  5. Ruth
  6. Elizabeth
  7. Dorothy
  8. Marie
  9. Mildred
  10. Alice
  11. Florence
  12. Ethel
  13. Lillian
  14. Rose
  15. Gladys
  16. Frances
  17. Edna
  18. Grace
  19. Catherine
  20. Hazel

Surnames 1

  1. Winthrop
  2. Turner
  3. White
  4. Howard
  5. Johnson
  6. Hall
  7. Law
  8. Lutz
  9. Cox
  10. Wise
  11. Wolfe
  12. Croswell
  13. Harwood
  14. Crozier
  15. Culver
  16. Green
  17. Griffiths
  18. Bennett
  19. Hall
  20. Hodgkiss

Surnames 2

  1. Blake
  2. Holmes
  3. Cook
  4. McFarland
  5. Boswell
  6. Woodley
  7. McKissick
  8. Bradshaw
  9. McMullan
  10. Bowery
  11. McPherson
  12. Crosby
  13. Brackett
  14. Boyce
  15. Williams
  16. Burns
  17. Combs
  18. Peterson
  19. Bagley
  20. Cooper

Surnames 3

  1. Bell
  2. Miller
  3. Brown
  4. Milton
  5. Brownfield
  6. Morgan
  7. Smalley
  8. Morrell
  9. Perry
  10. Thompson
  11. Phillips
  12. Stanchfield
  13. Price
  14. Richardson
  15. Sisson
  16. Smith
  17. Sprague
  18. Burkey
  19. Stephens
  20. Martin

Surnames 4

  1. McAlmond
  2. Lawrence
  3. Howell
  4. Hughes
  5. James
  6. Hamilton
  7. Colby
  8. Atkinson
  9. Collins
  10. Davies
  11. Burster
  12. Adams
  13. Campbell
  14. Allen
  15. Baker
  16. Cape
  17. Barry
  18. Chambers
  19. Cobley
  20. Doughty

Surnames 5

  1. Ryder
  2. Sampson
  3. Tucker
  4. Windsor
  5. Van Valzak
  6. Walker
  7. Wallace
  8. Sweeney
  9. Taylor
  10. Sands
  11. Carter
  12. Riley
  13. Roberts
  14. Morris
  15. Mason
  16. Huntoon
  17. Hilderband
  18. Frazier
  19. Garnett
  20. Dunn

Surnames 6

  1. Clark
  2. Bailey
  3. Clifford
  4. Anderson
  5. Davidson
  6. Evans
  7. Fisher
  8. Gibson
  9. Hill
  10. Jackson
  11. King
  12. Lane
  13. O’brien
  14. Offitt
  15. Parker
  16. Robinson
  17. Scott
  18. Thomas
  19. Ward
  20. Young

Town Name Bits: Biblical

  1. Enoch
  2. Ephraim
  3. Goshen
  4. Jordan
  5. Carmel
  6. Israel
  7. Joseph
  8. Judah
  9. Providence
  10. Salem
  11. Levan
  12. Levi
  13. Moab
  14. Manasseh
  15. Zion
  16. Benjamin
  17. Reuben
  18. Galilee
  19. Palestine
  20. Lebanon

Town Name Bits: Habitation

  1. Fort
  2. Station
  3. Outpost
  4. Mine
  5. Claim
  6. Camp
  7. Ranch
  8. Farm
  9. Homestead
  10. Township
  11. Church
  12. Courthouse
  13. Junction
  14. Crossroads
  15. Cut-off
  16. Center
  17. Patch
  18. Well
  19. Corner
  20. Village

Town Name Bits: Animal

  1. Eagle
  2. Crow
  3. Woodpecker
  4. Pigeon
  5. Wolf
  6. Bear
  7. Fox
  8. Antelope
  9. Mule deer
  10. Buffalo
  11. Sheep
  12. Mule
  13. Chicken
  14. Rabbit
  15. Porcupine
  16. Rattlesnake
  17. Trout
  18. Mosquito
  19. Elephant
  20. Alligator

Town Name Bits: Vegetable

  1. Box elder
  2. Greasewood
  3. Pickleweed
  4. Saltbush
  5. Spruce
  6. Pine
  7. Lodgepole
  8. Juniper
  9. Pinyon
  10. Blackbrush
  11. Chokecherry
  12. Saltgrass
  13. Cactus
  14. Buttercup
  15. Sedge
  16. Bristlecone
  17. Hay
  18. Sorghum
  19. Barley
  20. Honey

Town Name Bits: Topography

  1. Canyon
  2. Gulch
  3. Wash
  4. Valley
  5. Mountain
  6. Summit
  7. Pass
  8. Ridge
  9. Gorge
  10. Rock
  11. Point
  12. Arch
  13. Basin
  14. River
  15. Creek
  16. Fork
  17. Bend
  18. Crossing
  19. Lake
  20. Spring

Town Name Bits: Stuff

  1. Arrowhead
  2. Whiskey
  3. Horseshoe
  4. Rifle
  5. Shovel
  6. Pistol
  7. Wagon wheel
  8. Drumhead
  9. Hammer
  10. Barrel-head
  11. Thresher
  12. Ladder
  13. Forge
  14. Gunpowder
  15. Steamboat
  16. Bonnet
  17. Anvil
  18. Prayer book
  19. King-of-life
  20. Corn crib

Town Name Bits: Description

  1. Roaring
  2. Windy
  3. North
  4. Icy
  5. Flat
  6. West
  7. Soda
  8. Alkali
  9. Salt
  10. Briny
  11. Rocky
  12. Snowy
  13. East
  14. Muddy
  15. Mossy
  16. Gold
  17. Silver
  18. Big
  19. Little
  20. South

Shops

Mid-to-low tech cities and towns. This list would work for a Dogs in the Vineyard town of reasonable size. Occupational stereotyping is intentional; change it if you want.

  1. Hall’s General Store
  2. Olsen’s Dry Goods
  3. Jerico’s Blacksmithing
  4. Miss Pringle’s Millinery for Ladies
  5. Baker and Sons Livery - Saddles, Bridles, Tack, Horses Boarded
  6. McTavish Blades and Cutlery - any blade made sharp
  7. Rasmussen’s Feed and Seed
  8. Inkleman’s Clocks, Watches, and Fine Jewelry - gold bought and sold
  9. Knabler’s Chemist and Drug
  10. Miss Larkin’s Sundry Shop
  11. Quality Shoes
  12. Jonas’ Bookshop
  13. Schoenhaur and Co. Printers
  14. Wilson’s Gunsmithing
  15. Nelson’s - All Wagons, Barrels and Fine Furniture
  16. Foster’s Barber Shop - Teeth Puller, Bone-setter, Small Wounds Mender.
  17. Gambini’s Butchery - Fresh cuts and farm visits
  18. Mattley’s Mill and Bakery
  19. Oscar’s Pottery
  20. Lashway Lumber

Places Around Town

Not a shop, tavern, or personal home, but still important parts of town.

  1. Schoolyard - trees, some big stones, maybe a few tree-swings
  2. Empty lot behind the feed store - sometimes there are horses here
  3. Berry field north of town
  4. Church/School/Town Hall - all the same building, perhaps
  5. Pine Ridge Cemetery
  6. Water Tower/Well
  7. Mill River swimming hole
  8. Jameson’s Mile - straight road out to the Jameson place, good for racing
  9. Willow Lane - a path by the river, favored for clandestine meetings
  10. Town Common - green pasture in the center of town, used for small livestock of in-town dwellers
  11. Sugar House - a long barn used seasonally to boil maple sap into syrup
  12. Prisoners Row - stocks, jail, and gallows
  13. Old Man Henderson’s orchard - the sweetest fruit, if you can get it
  14. Checker boards and benches outside the feed store - here’s where the news really is
  15. Mrs. Davis’ backyard laundry business - always has clothes on the line
  16. Hobb’s Corner - place where that fellow got shot last year
  17. Stagger’s Mine - abandoned for years
  18. The room over the millinery shop - smoking and gambling for men
  19. Hermit’s lean-to - three-sided cabin used by hunters etc., left provisioned for whoever comes next
  20. Saunder’s rock quarry