Chapter 10.2 Summary

While non-Anglo Saxon Americans show willingness to change their names, Mencken says, they show even more willingness to baptize their children with American names. Favorite given names of the "old country" almost disappear. In addition, he notes, immigrants do not hesitate to change their own given names. New Americans continue to use Puritan influences, naming their children and taking on new given names for themselves that were in accordance with the "Praise God" attitude; they use names influenced by the "religious obsession" of New England; and they use surnames as given names, following what the author indicates is also a national habit. None of these tendencies, Mencken points out, are as frequent in England...or, are practiced at all.

Chapter 10.2 Analysis

The writer studies the practice of assigning given names by reminding readers that these same practices are non-existent or nearly non-existent in...