Spalding Notes

Name Construction in the Spalding MS

How did Solomon Spalding create the names in his story? His method becomes apparent by studying a list of the names. Efforts to decipher Spalding's handwriting have produced differing results. The table below compares the spelling of names in the 1910 and 1996 editions of the Spalding manuscript.

1910 Edition	1996 Edition	1910 Edition	1996 Edition
Bambo Banbo	Bambo	Labamack	Labamack
Baska	Baska Baske	Labanco	Labanco
Bithawan	Bilhawa Bilhawan	Labanko	Labanko
Boakim	Boakim Boakin	Labarmock	Labamack
Bombal	Bombal	Lakoon	Lakoonrod
Chianga Chiango	Chiauga	Lambon Lambdon	Lambon
Colorangus Colorongus	Cataraugus	Lamesa	Lamesa Lemesa
Como	Conco	Lamock	Lamoch Lamack
Crito	Crito	Lobasca	Lobasca
Delawan	Delewan	Lobaska	Lobaska Labaska Lobasko
Deliwah	Deliwah	Lucian	Lucian
Deliwan	Deliwan	Mammoons	Mammoons
Deliwares	Deliwan[nucks]	Mammouth	Mammouth
Drafolick	Drofalick	mamouth	mamouth
Elseon	Elseon	Moonrod	Moonrod
Elsion	Elsion	Numapon	Nimapon
Fabius	Fabius	Nunapon	Nunapon
Galanga	Galanga	Ohians	Ohians
Gamasko	Gannack Gamanko	Ohio	Ohio
Gamba Gambo	Gamba	Ohons	Ohons
Geheno	Geheno	Ohson	Ohion
Genesco	Geneseo	Owaho	Owaho
Habelon	Habolan Habelen	Owhahon	Owhahon
Haboon	Haloon	Rambock	Rambock
Hadokam	Hadokam Hadocam	Rameck	Rameck
Hadoram	Hadocam	Ramoff	Rancoff
Hakoon	Hakoon	Ramuck	Ramack
Hamack	Hamack	Rancoff	Rancoff
Hamback	Hamback	Sabamah	Sabamah
Hambock	Hambock	Sambal	Sambul Sambal
Hamboon	Hamboon	Sambol	Sanbal
Hamelick	Hamelick	Sciota	Sciota
Hamkien	Hamkon Hamkien	Sciotans	Sciotans
Hamko	Hamko	Siota	Siota
Hamkol	Hamkol	Siotans	Siotans
Hamkoo	Hamkoo	Suscowah	Suscowah
Hamul	Hamul	Taboon	Taboon
Hanock	Hanock Hanuck	Talanga	Talanga Talangos
Helicon	Helicon Helecon Hilicon	Thelford	Kelsock
Helion	Helion	Tolanga	Golanga Tolanga Talanga
Heliza	Heliza	Tom	Tom
Hemock	Lamoch	Trojanus	Trojanus
Hodaram	Hodacam	Ulipoon	Ulipoon
Holiza	Holiza
Kato	Kalo
Kelsock	Kelsock
Kentucks	Kentucks

In reading Spalding's manuscript one gets the impression that Solomon deliberately varied the spelling of names as he went along, just to see how they looked and sounded. He sometimes changed just a vowel, or just a consonant, and at other times changed both a vowel and consonant, e.g., Hamack, Hamback, Hambock; Hamko, Hamkol, Hamkoo. Spalding also created new names around a basic root or unit, e.g., Hakoon, Hamboon, Taboon, Ulipoon, mammoon; Lakoonrod, Moonrod; Hambock, Rambock; Hamack, Labamack, Ramack. Some of Spalding's names also undoubtedly came from the Bible, e.g., Hamul. Geheno probably came from Gehenna, and Hadoram must have inspired Hadokam/Hadocam. Nimrod probably suggested Lakoonrod and Moonrod.

In fact Spalding probably derived his method of generating names by observing similar patterns in biblical names, e.g., Gibeon, Gideon, Gideoni; Hachaliah, Hachilah, Hachmoni; Hagab, Hagaba, Hagabah, Hagar, Haggai, Haggedolim, Haggeri, Haggi, Haggiah, Haggith; Machi, Machir, Machnadebai, Machpelah; Mahalah, Mahalaleel, Mahalath, Mahali, Mahanaim, Maharai, Mahath, Mahazioth; Mahlah, Mahli, Mahlon, Mahol. A number of names in the Bible end in -iah, e.g., Isaiah, Jeremiah, Nehemiah, Obadiah, Zechariah, Zephaniah.

Names in the Book of Mormon show similar patterns, e.g., Ammaron, Ammon, Ammonite, Ammonihah, Ammonhihahite, Ammoron; Corianton, Coriantor, Coriantum, Coriantumr; Corihor, Korihor; Gad, Gadiandi, Gadianton, Gadiomnah; Gid, Giddonah, Giddianhi, Gideon, Gidgiddonah, Gidgiddoni; Moron, Ammoron, Moroni. Names in the Book of Mormon that end in -ihah include: Ammonihah, Cumenihah, Mathonihah, Moronihah, Nephihah, Zemnarihah.