View Message

[Facts] Xpoforus and Vmfidi Dutch names circa 1550
Xpoforus, it has been suggested that this maybe Christopher?? can anyone confirm this?
vote up1vote down

Replies

Thanks!!! Anneza and Lucille
vote up1vote down
Definitely! The thingy at the beginning that looks like Xp is the good old Chi-Rho, which gives you Chr(ist) and then the rest makes Christopher quite comfortably. (Rather like the X for Merry Xmas, except that chi-rho also provides the r.) And the -us doesn't necessarily mean that he used that form of the name - people would often use the Latin forms of their names in writing, on formal occasions, but just be Christo in everyday life.Vmfidi is making me think of Humphrey! Drop the H, use V for U like the ancient Romans, and you're still faced with explaining the total absence of an r ... but perhaps it might give you something to go on?
vote up1vote down
Yes, it definitely is Christophorus. Names with Chris- often get written with an X in those days. I've experienced a few of such cases myself - Xtianus, for example - which is Christianus.
vote up1vote down