Names

[P. G. Tipps]

Apologies if some of the following have been included in vinteuil's links to lengthy lists ...

There was, of course, the famous Mr Crapper (d.) formerly in the toilets and bathrooms business. Also a pop-guitarist named Adam Nutter and, not only are Swindells found in accountancy, I couldn't help smiling when a gentleman by the same name (ex-Metropolitan Police & Scotland Yard, no less) appeared as an advisory guest on a recent TV crime programme. There have also been some Crooks in the Police.

I do also remember being somewhat nervous when seen by a foreign doctor called Quack many years ago. His remedy did appear to work, tbf.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Go back a thousand years or more and there were some names which sound very odd today.

Oh yes - those wonderful Anglo-Saxon names; no wonder so many were made saints! Like Walburga, born in Devon, who spread the word to the heathen Germans, and who is the "source" of "Walpurgisnacht" - she had two brothers, Willibald and Winnibald, her mother was Wuna, and her father was called ... err ... Richard (which must have sounded very silly at the time).

Two of my favourite people from history: Bede, and Eadfrith (the Bishop who, in his spare time, "scripted" and illustrated the Lindisfarne Gospels - it is generally accepted, completely on his own).

[Pulcinella]

Apologies if some of the following have been included in vinteuil's links to lengthy lists ...

There was, of course, the famous Mr Crapper (d.) formerly in the toilets and bathrooms business. Also a pop-guitarist named Adam Nutter and, not only are Swindells found in accountancy, I couldn't help smiling when a gentleman by the same name (ex-Metropolitan Police & Scotland Yard, no less) appeared as an advisory guest on a recent TV crime programme. There have also been some Crooks in the Police.

I do also remember being somewhat nervous when seen by a foreign doctor called Quack many years ago. His remedy did appear to work, tbf.

Indeed Swindells and Crook would make a good team: I happen to have one of those surnames, and for a while had a colleague with the other.

[johncorrigan]

A good number of years back and guaranteed to tie the commentator in knots in a bunch sprint at 'Le Tour', the Tashkent Terror, Djamolidine Abdoujaparov.

In literature JK Rowling is up there with her character names...Bellatrix Lestrange, Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and Cornelius Fudge spring to mind.

[Dave2002]

re msg 61, I worked for a while many years ago within a department which had a Nutter, Basher and Hayter.

[french frank]

Fo, Po, Mo and Ma are a bit of a mouthful too.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Fo, Po, Mo and Ma

Isn't that what giants are supposed to say?

[oddoneout]

Indeed Swindells and Crook would make a good team: I happen to have one of those surnames, and for a while had a colleague with the other.

That's just reminded me that many years ago we had some work done on our house by Messrs Jeckell and Hyde. The fact that they had the same christian name added to the amusement.
I was at school with a Smillie, whose younger brother was in the same class as an unfortunate Smellie. Calling the class register must have become wearisome for teachers and pupils alike. I think both surnames are scottish, certainly my schoolfriend's family were.

[P. G. Tipps]

I was at school with a Smillie, whose younger brother was in the same class as an unfortunate Smellie. Calling the class register must have become wearisome for teachers and pupils alike. I think both surnames are scottish, certainly my schoolfriend's family were.

Indeed both names are Scottish and, fortunately for the latter, both are pronounced exactly the same, ie .

[Ferretfancy]

Nominative determinism, I once had a Chinese dentist called fang!

[Dave2002]

Following up the same line as msg 5 I tried the following Pie, Pye, Tart, Crumble. I could only find Pyes in several cities, so Cherry Pye is possible, and other fruit if you can think of ones which are suitable. There are also Rumbles, so names such as Peach C. Rumble might work. Seems also that there has been a surge in naming kids (poor things) after fruit and veg., so Apple Pye is possible, as is also Damson C.Rumble.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Indeed both names are Scottish and, fortunately for the latter, both are pronounced exactly the same, ie .

Not in school playgrounds I'd bet!

[Nick Armstrong]

.

... conductors, too - don't forget Louis George Maurice Adolphe Roche Albert Abel Antonio Alexandre Noë Jean Lucien Daniel Eugène Joseph-le-brun Joseph-Barême Thomas Thomas Thomas-Thomas Pierre Arbon Pierre-Maurel Barthélemi Artus Alphonse Bertrand Dieudonné Emanuel Josué Vincent Luc Michel Jules-de-la-plane Jules-Bazin Julio César Jullien

.... who leads us inexorably to:

[Stanfordian]

A friend of the family registered one of their children’s names as 'Jet'. Not surprisingly the child doesn’t use it and neither does any family member anymore. The playground of the old secondary moderns could be cruel places.

Another person I know called Desmond when he was aged 60 decided to call himself Joe. Some people still call him Desmond much to his chagrin.

[Lat-Literal]

A friend of the family registered one of their children’s names as 'Jet'. Not surprisingly the child doesn’t use it and neither does any family member anymore.

Another person I know called Desmond when he was aged 60 decided to call himself Joe. Some people still call him Desmond much his chagrin.

Desmond reminds me of the comedy series "Desmonds" which was written by the splendidly named Trix Worrell and featured Ram John Holder as "Porkpie", albeit born plain John.

I always used to claim that there were no traditional male English names beginning with a "Y" but then a number of decades ago I stayed at a B and B and spoke at breakfast to a Yeoman Kiteley. Not quite sure about the spelling of his surname but what I have written will suffice. Please feel free to provide a long list of such Ys should I be completely wrong.

A few BBC types - Petroc Trelawny, Marmaduke Hussey, William Hardcastle, Zeb Soanes and Tomasz Schafernaker. There must be many more. It is a part of what the BBC does.

And lest we not forget with Wimbledon coming up, the phenomenon that was Vitus Gerulaitis. His name somehow managed to combine an aura of super-healthy vitality with illness.

I very much like all the posts over the last two pages which I have read in full and for which thanks very much!