Unusual Cajun names

My father's mother was a Doucet. You can't get much more Cajun than that name. You won't find a Guidroz living in Canada before Le Grande Derangement but the Doucet clan was there.

Her parents were Armesia and Joachim Doucet, my great grandparents.

Hearing Armesia pronounced with a Cajun accent and that rolling R is a treat. And my grandmother rolled every R with pride.

The pronunciation of my great grandfather's name is nearly impossible for me to even attempt to describe. Zhwa-Sa would be close.

I don't know where the name Armesia came from. No one else in the clan was named that until another great grandchild inherited the name.

Joachim is interesting. Although not named in the Bible, Mary the mother of Jesus has been traditionally known as the daughter of St. Ann and St. Joachim. This tradition dates back to at least the 2nd century.

It's interesting to me that this tradition would have carried down to some poor Cajuns in Louisiana.

Today, Catholics celebrate the memorial of St. Ann and St. Joachim.