Names Worn by Carole Lombard

Carole Lombard

Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1908 as Jane Alice Peters, she was the third child of Frederic and Bessie Peters. Both of her parents were wealthy, and after her mother left their father, and moved to Los Angeles, he supported them and allowed them to live with some comfort. Carole was a tomboy and enjoyed tennis, volleyball, swimming, and movies. At only twelve Carole got her first role playing the little sister to Monte Blue in "The Perfect Crime." She loved being in the film, so she continued to audition and look for work. She changed her name to Carol, inspired by a girl she played tennis with, and even had plastic surgery at seventeen to lessen the appearance of a scar on her cheek which she got in a automobile accident. Carole took a few bit parts, but was unhappy with them, citing "All I had to do was simper prettily at the hero and scream with horror when he battled the villain."

She was known for her comedies, and one critic said "Lombard proves [to be] an ace comedienne." When she was twenty-two she married William Powell, who was thirty-eight at the time, but the marriage only lasted twenty-six months. In 1939 Carole eloped with Clark Gable and bought a 20-acre ranch together. She attempted to do more serious films, but eventually came to the conclusion that she was just more suited to comedies. With the rise of WWII, Carole started selling war bonds, flying to Indiana with her mother and Gable's press agent, Otto Winkler. She raised over $2 million dollars in just a single evening.

Anxious to return home, Carole suggested flying back, though they originally planned to go by train. Carole's mother and Otto had a fear of flying and urged her to stick with the original plan; they decided to flip a coin to decide, and Carole won. The plane took off at 7:07 pm and twenty-three minutes later, crashed into Potosi Mountain in Nevada, killing all twenty-two passengers. She was thirty-three. Clark Gable married two more times, but chose to be interred next to Carole when he died in 1960.

Colly - "From Hell to Heaven" - This cute little appellation adds spice as a nickname to Colette, Colleen, or Nicola.

Roma - "Supernatural" - This name is beautiful, and is supposedly derived from Rome. Actress Roma Downey, known for playing Monica in "Touched by an Angel", is a modern bearer. Though everyone should be aware that this name is also a term for the Romani people, a fact that should be taken into serious consideration.

Abby - "Brief Moment" - This name holds a special place in my heart; it is the name of my best friend and sister. Abby is a diminutive of Abigail, which means "My Father is a Joy", and is currently holding its own at #308 in the US. Abby is lively, jovial, and an edgier choice than the original form.

Alabam - "Lady by Choice" - This unusual name seems to simply be another form of Alabama, and has a spunky sound, even if it's not the most usable.

Irene - "My Man Godfrey" - A beautiful and sadly underused name. Irene comes from the Greek Eirene and means "peace", and is the name of a Greek Goddess who is, not surprisingly, the personification of peace. She is a Horae, and is depicted as a beautiful woman carrying a cornucopia, torch, scepter, or rhyton.

Hazel - "Nothing Sacred" - This vintage nature name is finally seeing some well deserved use. The hazel is a tree and a shrub, the fruit of the tree being, of course, a hazelnut. Celtics believed hazelnuts would give one inspiration and wisdom, and in the "The Hazel Branch" by the Grimm Brothers, it is said to protect one from snakes and a few other creepy crawlies.