When did people start naming their male children after professions?

I realize these names have been around for a long time, but it seems like tons of boys are named "Hunter", "Fisher", "Digger", "Gunner", and such. What's the purpose?

When did people start naming their male children after professions?
Seems if you were going to name a child after a profession, it should be "Doc" or "Lawyer" or "President". Give 'em something to aspire to.
Reply:ditto w/ everyone else!
Reply:so the parents wish they have traits and skills like the name... like a hunter or patients like a fisher. Or they just think its cool ^^


Every name Different Meaning
Reply:I think everyone is trying to go for the more unique names. I like Hunter but none of the others.
Reply:i don't know but i am very concerned now about the last name "Johnson" .......
Reply:At least they're better than the original name that my cousin came up for her son: Xzaybeon.
Reply:Thats a very interesting question....how about Thorn, Ridge, they are strange too!
Reply:It's just a trend. Personally, I thinks it's past its prime and I think some folks have confused naming a child with a pet.





To be fair though, some of those names are traditional surnames and that was common that a person was known for what he does (also for who he belonged to...John's Son became Johnson). John the Fisherman was shortened to John Fisher over the years. Miller. Hunter. Gunner. If a family needs a way to honor both sides of the family, they may use the mother's maiden name as their child's first name.
Reply:cause they have nothing else to name em..
Reply:i know of some of those names, but never even thought about it as hunter(hunting wildlife) etc..
Reply:Hunter and Fisher were popular names 100 years ago, so they are just coming into popularity again. Gunnar is actually a Scandinavian name.





I personally like the name Hunter and don't actually relate it to the profession.





Haven't heard of Digger.
Reply:hmmm anyone know anyone named Butcher ? HAHAHA.
Reply:Well, Hunter isn't so bad, really... but I didn't know people were naming them other 'professions' or 'hobbies' such as the others you put. People are strange, honestly, what do you expect?
Reply:I heard someone on here with a teenage son called Sailor. I kid you not! It's cute for a baby but a teenager?
Reply:they sound worth the while
Reply:People think it sounds cool.





Jason Lee from My Name is Earl named his son Pilot Inspektor. As if the name wasn't stupid enough, he had to make it "funky" by replacing the c with a k.





Hunter, Fisher, and Gunner sound like Henry, Frank, and George compared to that s**t.
Reply:Think that's bad. My mom's friend from work named her daughter Salt Ann and their last name is Pepper. Salt Ann Pepper!! No this is not a joke either. I would hate to have that name.
Reply:When they invented alcohol. =D
Reply:Its better than naming them after bathroom appliances like toilet, sink, mirror, bathtub, shower.
Reply:To sound unique I suppose. Let's hope it doesn't get down to Septic Tank Sucker.........Septi for short...........
Reply:...I believe it's Gunnar. See:


http://www.blurtit.com/q430270.html





Not so new.





I don't know anyone with the other 3 names.





Oh. And I know a guy named Wyatt Erb.
Reply:never met anyone named as a job, lots of moods and states of mind though, joy,hope,serenity...danm what happened to the john smiths of this world!?
Reply:Who the he** names a kid "Digger"?
Reply:Hey, my son is named Hunter. I definitely did not name him after the profession and I'm totally against hunting! My husband and I just thought it was a nice name, has nothing to do with actual hunting. besides, people name their children MUCH weirder names than that! People name their children after seasons, fruit, make up their own names, give boys girl's names and girls boy's names!
Reply:I'm sure that when long ago, these names were utilized because these professions were good to be in and they wanted their sons to be good at these trades.
Reply:maybe they like tht name or profession w/e.
Reply:lol. and better yet. when did people start making up names. and on top of that. making up the spelling of said names!
Reply:Well, originally back in Medevial ages, people didn't actually have last names in many countries so their professions were used to qualify them.





ie


I'm going to see John.


John the Butcher or John the Hunter (John was a very common name)


the same applies to place names and quality names.


John O'Glenn (from the Glenn) or John Little.





Anyhow, these profession names became last names.





As you probably know there is a big trend to use last names as first names nowadays.





I suspect that that's why Cooper and Tucker are so popular, in addition to Spencer, Preston etc... because they are last names which nowadays sound "fresh" as first names, simply because until very recently they never were used as first names.
Reply:wow what losers





http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...
Reply:I've never met or heard of anyone who's first name was any of those except Hunter. You're nuts.
Reply:;l