Typically British versus typically American given names

[SantaMufasa]

...Two peoples separated by a common language.

As I contemplated this phrase that characterizes (i.e, characterises) the relationship between "British" and "American" languages, my mind formulated lists of given names that, too, seem to cling to either the Left Side or the Right Side of The Pond. I looked back in my journal while I lived in the UK, and I extracted names of acquaintences whose names are nearly exclusively "Commonwealth Names" versus names that Americans might give to their children:


Male British Names:

Alistair
Adrian
Aidan
Archibald
Cecil
Clement
Clive
Collin (or Colin)
Derek
Desmond
Geoffrey
Geraint
Giles (or Gyles)
Graeme (or Graham)
Horatio
Hugh
Humphrey
Ian (or Iain)
Julian
Liam
Malcolm
Neville
Nigel
Oliver
Owen (or Owain)
Percival
Piers (or Pierce)
Rowan
Rupert
Sebastian
Simon

Female British Names:
Dereth
Edwina
Fiona
Glynnis
Gwyneth

Now it's your turn to either add to my lists, above, or to return the favour and identify names that are nearly exclusively American. To get you started on the American list, here are some American names that came to my mind:

Male American Names:
Randy (obviously a name that no Briton would ever give her/his child!)
Dusty (or Dustin)
Butch


Female American Names:
Buffy



Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
“Beware of those that seek to protect you from harm or risk. The cost will be your freedoms and your liberty.”

 

[Thadeus]

So what is it they call them?
Where is this law?
The following wording will be my last unless someone posts something reputable rather than baseless assertions:
"Countless students from colleges and universities across the country have sought some record or factual basis in these claims. Reported findings are sketchy at best and, in most cases, absent entirely. The number of allowable women seems to vary from state to state, and no written record has ever been found of the law. Rumors of the law seem to have emerged around the 1960’s, a decade which saw a drastic increase in the number of young women seeking higher education. Although records in nearly every state have been traced as far back as the 1800’s, this brothel law simply can’t be proven."

~thadeus

 

[Maquis]

Here's a name to add to the list...."Hermione". I've heard it's a common name in the UK, but as an American, I had never seen this name at all before picking up a Harry Potter book. At first, I thought the author had made up a unique name for the character.

As i was reading the books, I had no clue how to pronounce it, but in my head it came out similiar to "Herman". It wasn't until the movies came out and I heard the name pronounced aloud that I knew the correct pronounication.



Maq
<insert witty signature here>

 

[KenCunningham]

I've only known one 'real' Hermione, and I think I first encountered the name whilst Studying The Winter's Tale. It's quite a nice name I think?

The internet - allowing those who don't know what they're talking about to have their say.

 

[DansDadUK]

Hermione Gingold: English actress (died 1987).

Hermione Norris: English actress (recent TV - Spooks; Wire in the Blood).

 

[2ffat]

I learned how to say her name by reading how Krum (I think it was) tried to pronounce her name in the Goblet of Fire.


James P. Cottingham
[sup]I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229![/sup]

 

[SantaMufasa]

I had never seen this name at all before picking up a Harry Potter book.

I remember listening to my granddaughter reading aloud to me from a Harry Potter volume (prior to the movie series)...She pronounced Hermione as Her-mee-won (similar to Obi-wan Kenobi).

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
“Beware of those that seek to protect you from harm or risk. The cost will be your freedoms and your liberty.”

 

[Welshbird]

I forgot Angharad as a welsh name earlier. Chums of mine wanted to name thier daughter Angharad, until I pointed out that as thier surname is Heal she would sound a bit like Tennis Elbow..

Fee

"The cure for anything is salt water – sweat, tears, or the sea." Isak Dinesen

 

[flapeyre]

Just finished watching Atonement.

I'd never heard of the name Briony before I watched this movie.

-- Francis
Et cognoscetis veritatem, et veritas liberabit vos.

 

[1DMF]

Santa don't forget the good old English cook Fanny Cradock!

The irony is it's a ruder UK word than USA! Yet we use it for a name, though not so much these days!



"In complete darkness we are all the same, only our knowledge and wisdom separates us, don't let your eyes deceive you."

"If a shortcut was meant to be easy, it wouldn't be a shortcut, it would be the way!"

Google Rank Extractor -> Perl beta with FusionCharts

 

[SantaMufasa]

Knowing how popular "Cooking with Nigella" is, just think of what it would do to the ratings if it became Cooking with Nigella and Fanny. I know I wouldn't miss an episode <grin>.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
“Beware of those that seek to protect you from harm or risk. The cost will be your freedoms and your liberty.”

 

[1DMF]

- They could also start another version of the program 'The F* Word' ;-)

"In complete darkness we are all the same, only our knowledge and wisdom separates us, don't let your eyes deceive you."

"If a shortcut was meant to be easy, it wouldn't be a shortcut, it would be the way!"

Google Rank Extractor -> Perl beta with FusionCharts

 

[drlex]

Johnny Craddock used to appear alongside his wife on her cooking show; one day she made heavy weather of her doughnut (or donut if you prefer) recipe. At the end of the show, lamenting these poor specimens, Johnny turned to the camera and said "Well, viewers, I hope your doughnuts don't turn out like Fanny's!"



soi là, soi carré

 

[Annihilannic]

I saw this story in the "coffee news" at my local McDonalds and thought of this thread:

Kelly Hildebrandts

Annihilannic.

 

[SantaMufasa]

Annihilannic,

Your link reminds me of my co-worker, Aaron Smith, who married Erin (who became) Smith. Their oldest son is Aaron, Jr.; their first-born daughter, of course, is Erin. (Just think of the phone calls asking, "Is 'Aaron'/'Erin' there?")

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
“Beware of those that seek to protect you from harm or risk. The cost will be your freedoms and your liberty.”

 

[BadBigBen]

The above reminds me of the time I worked at a Military base, where a Customer came in and wanted to complain about something or other (don't remember exactly what). So I asked her for her first and last name... Patricia Fatty, I had a hard time keeping a straight face, and only started laughing once she was out of earshot...


and another day, where a new coworker started, she was so proud of her last name being German, until I translated it for her... Ms. Ziegenfuss was not amused being called Ms. Goatfoot...

Ben
&quot;If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer...&quot;
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want &quot;yes&quot; or &quot;no&quot;

 

[SantaMufasa]

So I asked her for her first and last name... Patricia Fatty...

Of course she went by Patricia instead of Patty...For nearly the same reason that no one with my last name could ever name a son, Michael...(And my last name is not Mufasa <grin>)

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
“Beware of those that seek to protect you from harm or risk. The cost will be your freedoms and your liberty.”

 

[Annihilannic]

I suspect it must be the same as a certain groundsman at the Lords' cricket ground... one of the funniest moments I've seen on television.

Annihilannic.

 

[BadBigBen]

Dave,

I agree, there are just some name combination that are a no go, in the western world at least...



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[hjgoldstein]

A few years ago, the company I worked at changed the convention for setting up user login names on the network so that everyone had their surname followed by their first name initial - no spaces, no hyphen.

This didn't please Delyce Weir.

It is time for pacifists to stand up and fight for their beliefs.

 

[p5wizard]

On LinkedIn, there are 100+ people named Mike/Michael with surname Hunt. Can't all be pranksters... ;-)

p5