Fantastic Names From The Past: 1976 California Edition

1976: The war (well... one of 'em) was over, the Times were Good, and these groovy California kids were sporting fantastic names...

Betty Bevilaqua

Theresa Caffese

Mario Arroyo

 Izabel Aghazarian

Yolanda Calderon

Vollie Calloway

Karen Kalander

Bobbie Bass

Dwayne Kite

Sally Sepulveda

Armando Alonzo

Theodosia Benjamin

Randy Cantaloupi

Sienna Scaletta

Chipo Chambers

Paula Presto

Claude Chauveau

Bud Sanguinetti

Hugh Hui

Dierdre O'Farrell

Eddie Lucchesi

Antonia Noble

Beth Petzinger

Damon Pombo

Alide Ponsi

Rena Quitiquit

Blake Samples

Virgilio Solis

Shanda Strawn

Tancie Treadway

And My Choices For the Top Three Fantastic Names of 1976..

3. Pape Padeselaux

2. Adelbert Eggleston

and

1. Yola Volpi

I hope at least some of you make it to your 50th Reunion in 2026!

Fantastic Names From The Past: 1974-1976 Edition

Here are some truly exceptional names that I plucked out of two Portland, Oregon yearbooks from 1974 and 1976....

Zeno Craft

Caron Pouncil

Yvonne Yourston

Andres Angeles

Shelley Shelamer

Daisy Weatherspoon

Walton Berton

Mark Marcus

John Bondurant

Susan Boos

Denise Lafromboise

Luellen Montesdeoca

Carla Pickthorne

Sarah Sessions

Job York

Jolie Gray

Coco Campbell

Kelly Gosgriffe

Antigone Pappas

Bradley Butterfield

Donna Day

April Yazzie

Yost Edward Wikander

Pinkie Easley

Wade Moosman

Ellon Lavelle Manly

Ekatarini Kapelakis

Roger Sause

Marcus Bordcosh

Gil Flowers

Candy Wallwork

Aren't those great? But it gets better! Here are my picks for the TOP 10 Fantastic Names Of 1974-1976...

10. C. Little

9. Princess Maddox

8. Armster Crawford

7. Dansen Fritzler

6. Noel Christmas

5. Thodora Marxer

4. Caprice Duckworth

3. Jennings Gallup

2. Treondus Morman

and

1. Semler Nudelman

If Google ever brings any of you folks here, welcome. Your name is fantastic.

Lost & Found: 1970s Sketchbook Of H.Travis Wert

A few years ago, I came across this sketchbook in the GoodWill bins...

I did some Googling and tracked down the artist. His name was Hilton Travis Wert. He was born in Washington State in 1919, the son of William Corral Wert (1881-1949) and Ethel Estella Herrick (1888-1936). 

Around 1973, Mr. Wert obtained this sketchbook, and set about drawing all manner of things. Judging by his artistic skill, this was not his first sketchbook. Google searches indicate he was also a painter, and a few of his landscapes can be found online. He died in 1994.

There are roughly 50 sketches in this book. Below are about 40 of them. They include human portraits, humorous cartoons, odes to nature, and portraits of the family dog.