What's In A Name?

I have eight relatives named Billy.

Worse, they're all on the same side.

Other popular family names: David (5); Michael (5); Steven (3); Matthew (3); James (3); Pat (3); Jason (2); Angelo (2); Andrew (2); Ella Mae (2).

Having traced my paternal lineage nine generations back to Famine Ireland, I was not particularly surprised to find that every single one of them was a John, each of whom had invariably married either a Mary, Anne or Catherine.

All of us are not so common, however. A smattering of singular exotics are counted among our ranks: Letizia, Iris, Malverina, Elvira, Felix, Ambrose, Giovanni.

Still think your family's stranger than mine? Leave a comment, fearless reader.