A Bonny Post

In crafting the identity of my blog pertaining to "All Things Bonny," I decided to do a little digging into the origin of my name--Bonney.  While I know a little of my namesake, thanks to my sadistic orthodontist singing "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" while wielding pliars on my teeth, there were still many questions. For instance, "bonney" vs. "bonny" vs. "bonnie." Which spelling is correct? Are they all correct? To answer my questions, I took a little venture into cyperspace.  Sigh.

I often find conducting research on the internet is like acting as mouse munching through a block of cheese.

 Yes, like this wee little mouse, I had to munch through the muenstery, muckedy internet, making little tunnels (and consuming too much in the process) leading seemingly nowhere in my quest to get the root of one. simple. word. Chomp, chomp. 

An hour and many stomach grumbles later, I finally figured something out. Those medieval crazies didn't even know what was up. The word "bonny" (the original spelling) is a Gaelic word meaning handsome or pretty. But from there, we have all these other reports of Latin and French getting all in there, and voilá, confusion on the actual origin of the word. From the Latin and later French words, "bon," meaning "good" and "jolie," meaning "jolly," we have another interpretation of how my bonny little name arose. 

As for the spellings, the Gaelic adjective, "bonny" is the correct usage in everyday conversation.  "Bonnie" is a girls name only.  And as for "Bonney," well, thats the spelling you use when you refer to my ancestor, that scoundrel William Bonney who killed 21 men before being shot by Sheriff Patt Garrett.  But before you get too sad for Billy the Kid, take heed! The story has a happy ending.  His great great great  whatever (me) is best friends with Sheriff Patt's great great great granddaughter, Susan. Susan and I discovered this fact in 5th grade during history class and promised each other that the past would not repeat itself.  So far, so good. 

So in the end all the associations with the word "bonny" are positive (save one), and I believe we are well on our way to making a nice little blog here!  From here on out, you will receive only the goodest, jolliest, handsomest of posts. 

And now I'm off to annihilate a slice of provolone.