NEQUAM: Not from the L. nequam, bad, worthless, good for nothing, nor, as Ferguson suggests, from Old Norse náquamr, careful, exact, but from some local name (probably Scottish) compounded of ham, a habitation. Neckham would easily corrupt to Nequam.

NEQUAM: (Latin.) Dishonest, lazy. Alexander Nequam, of St. Albans, wishing to devote himself to a monastic life, in the abbey of his native town, applied to the ruler of that establishment for admission. The abbot's reply was thus laconically expressed:

"Si bonus sis, venias, si Nequam, nequaquam."If good, you may come; if wicked, by no means.

It is said he changed his name to Neckham, and was admitted into the fraternity.