Every few months, about as often as I allow myself to relish a hot caramel sundae and with about the same amount of delicious anticipation, I dip into the London Telegraph birth announcements to see what the upper-crusty British baby namers are up to.
And as with that sundae, the results rarely disappoint. There are always plenty of eccentric three-name combinations, lots of charming sibsets, and a collection of names not often heard in my neighborhood of New Jersey.
One trend asserting itself in this collection: R names, with a raft of children (far beyond those mentioned here) called Rory, Rufus, Rupert, Rex, and Rowley, and on the girls' side, Ruby, Rose, Rosemary, Rosalind (and Rosalyn) and Romilly. R is a letter that's seemed dowdy for quite some time -- blame all those Baby Boom Roberts and Richards -- and is due for a resurgence.
The best of the recent British baby names are, for girls:
- Clementine Annabel Emily, sister for Rupert
- Daphne Olga Amelie, sister for Henry and Beatrice
- Eliza Miranda Rosemary, sister for William
- Ella Persephone, sister for Charlie and Evie
- Freya Audrey Barbara, sister for Hugh
- Grais Bridget, sister for Liam
- Harper Rose Bluebell, sister for Arnold and Madame Cholet
- Henrietta Daphne Mabel, sister for Harry, Digby, and Rowley
- Hermine Halcyon Margaret Isabel
- Isabella Allegra Jessica and Jemima Alice India (twins)
- Loveday Celestine Primrose Kennedy
- Luella Helen Willa
- Marie-Sixtine Alice Verity, sister for Max
- Matilda Daisy Margery, sister for Charlie
- Natsumi Emilia Kashima, sister for Jolyon
- Orla Eleanor Veronica
- Ottilie Ruby, sister for twins Lettice and Edith
- Poppy Angela, sister for Martha, Molly, and AgathAgatha
- Rosalyn Mairead, sister for Fintan
And for boys:
- Alasdair Lorne Leonardo
- Albert Thomas Harry, brother to Anna and Fred
- Algernon Frederick Hanson
- Augustus George Barden, brother for Hugo
- Ezra Martin, brother for Dolly, Albertine, and Lilac
- Hugo Rupert William, brother for Francesca
- Ignatius Mungo, brother for Atticus Monty, Octavius Kit, and Ptolemy Ned
- John Innes Archie
- Leo Michaelis Brocas
- Rex Patrick Wood
- Rory Sinclair Willasey
- Rufus Alexander, brother for Daisy
- Rupert Thor Hastings
- St John Michael Nicholas
- Tancred Thomas Granville (Ruskie), brother for Inca Skye, Inigo Somerset, and Francis Doune
- Thomas Maximilian Neame, brother for Flora
- Wilfred Rocky Otto
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In Britain, it is considered pathetic and gauche and as having middle cl-, er, bourgois, values ;)
"My name is Algernon"
"How do you do!"
"Now you're gonna die!"
This verbal class distinction, by now,
Should be antique...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAYUuspQ6BY
Couldn't they have gone with Mary Jane instead of Marijuana?
who was first called OSCAR? curiously.. the son of DESIREE' Clary (Napoleon's first love) and Jean-Baptist Bernadotte, one of N's Marshals in his Army who later became KING of SWEDEN..
Oscar was bestowed by his godfather who named him.. NAPOLEON I wholoved to make up names..as he did with Josephine. as she was name Rose-Josephe
from here.. Oscar Wilde.
Mr. Wilde is irrelevant.
as Oscar Bernadotte.. who married the grand daughter of Josephine became KING OF SWEDEN.
interesting footnote abut the Bernadotte's..
here was Napoleon who dumped his first Desiree' Clary from Marseille.. ( but his brother Joseph married her older sister Julie) for Rose-Josephe..
later on Jean Baptiste fell in love with Desiree.. one of N's more ambitious of his marshals.. who later was adopted by the dying king of Sweden.. from the House of Vasa.. Bernadotte broke ranks with N.. and became royal prince of Sweden.. with that Desiree.. became a royal Princess.. and their progeny.. Hence Oscar..Napoleon godson..
interesting footnote in history.. Napoleon wanted a dynasty to govern Europe.. but t he Bonaparte's male line kept dying off bec of their health..including N's own sons.. illigitimate & his only legal heir.. King Of Rome..
but the House of Bernadotte? it still reigns in Sweden..
so don't even say.. Oscar didn't become popular bec of Napoleon.. who the hell is that earl? if anything.. you'd come up with his whole title..
1) you'reposting on a dead article for over week,talking only TO YOURSELF.
I haven't read your posts, nor has anyone else.
2) Research isn't your cup of tea. Don't give up your day job, I'll be spending Christmas in Wiltshire, the family heap. Your concern is odd, as you're not invited. Enjoy New Jersey.
3) If you press any sanity at all, you'll stop talking to yourself.
as your pretntions & bull have been fpound out.. LOL.. nothing more.
ha.. nothing new.. pretty predictable & typical from sort like you.. you keep assuming.. people don't know anythng..
WHOA.. bloody hell..
I justyour pantaloons in a twist .. that is all..
Never did understand the second name. Must have been some serious obligation or debt to pay off there!
hell whilst I'm at it.. even had a phone chaty with a Rothchild who he went to school with.. Lionel.
St John? pronounced Sen Jen.
Allegra? that's From Byron.. the name of his illigitimate daughter from His half sister..
rex? evelyn Waugh..
same w ay with Ralph.. pronounced Ref..
Jemina is an old aristocratic name is and is found throughout the peerage for 300 years. I have a great-great-Aunt named Jemima on the Grey side.
However, it is only used by lesser sons and lower titles.
Jolyon is simply the medival spelling of Julian and was never upper class.
The aristocracy doesn't use those names.
what?? you didn't read what this very blog was/is a bout?
can't understand proper English?
I lived in england.. and the first thing I noticed about upper class names.. they just love to have christian names ending in A.. for the girls most of the time.. Arabella, Jemima, etc.. they are big on Joanna & diana (even before the Princess) Sarah.. for god knows what reason..
yeah India( as in Hicks).. for the grand daughter of Mountbatten .. why? bec Grandpa was viceroy of where else? INDIA.. that is why..
anyhow.. as all those names you listed.. most of them came fr from Literature.. and taking up Latin in school.. it's all that public education,you see.
meanwhile, I hardly think they thinking about t he bible when they are using these names either.. though most names do come from the bible.
Jemima? until the daughter of Lady Annabelle's & Jimmy goldsmisht? daughter.. hardly used in London. and Jemima married Imran Khan.. now divorced.
Awful story, and tragically true.