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Unusual or Interesting Names in your Family ?

(108 Posts)
FannyCornforth Mon 07-Jun-21 10:44:28

Hello Everyone! ?

Vaguely topical, but very non-controversial.
I'm fascinated by names - I know that a lot of us are.

It's oft mentioned that names' popularity is cyclical; and I recall that recently someone in the public eye has named his new born daughter after her grand mother and great grandmother...?

My Grandparents' names have never really come back into fashion:
Kenneth Gilbert and Doreen Clara on one side, and on the other, Frederick and Margaret.

I think that Freddie is currently quite popular, and Margaret, I'm sure, must be due due for a revival.
Gilbert is an an absolute cracker!

So, what were your Grandparents' names?
Or do you have any unusual or interesting names in you family?

Thank you! x

Callistemon Mon 07-Jun-21 13:47:00

I meant to say - just as well as Primrose would not have suited her at all.

Parsley3 Mon 07-Jun-21 13:49:53

Not much imagination went into naming my family members back in the day. The men were either William, James or John and the women were either Margaret or Jane. It is a nightmare to keep track of who is who on the family tree.

LauraNorder Mon 07-Jun-21 13:53:24

EV no Hyacinth then?

NannyJan53 Mon 07-Jun-21 14:00:56

Apparently my Dad wanted to call me Sophonisba! Luckily my Mum vetoed that smile

My Mum has the middle name of Ruth, which I think is due a comeback soon?

LauraNorder Mon 07-Jun-21 14:03:35

That’ll teach me not to read through first. Bucket family already mentioned twice.
On the male side we have Jack, George, Thomas, Henry and William repeated through at least five generations.
Female side we have Alice, Sarah and Lily over and over again.
Nothing fancy or remotely intriguing.

Nannyflo Mon 07-Jun-21 14:12:54

My mother’s name was Betty Tryphena!!! She was very proud of the name Tryphena and never let us forget it! Apparently it’s of Greek origin meaning delicacy.

dragonfly46 Mon 07-Jun-21 14:28:17

My mum's name was Oriel. I love it but she hated it as she was called 'Ear'ole' at school!
She did give me a lovely name though.

25Avalon Mon 07-Jun-21 14:29:40

FC my grandmother was Clara and she pronounced it the same way as yours did. She was from Hertfordshire so I wondered it it was just how they pronounced it there? Her daughter Evelyn was Eve Lyn but in the West Country it’s pronounced Everlyn.

My great great Somerset grandfather was Bally, pronounced Bailey. I always thought it was a nickname till someone did family tree research.

Wenny9 Mon 07-Jun-21 14:37:38

First post, long time GN reader.
My Grandmother was Dorothy Violet (born 1913 in London and sent to Montreal at 10 years old to work as a house maid). There’s also Olive, Beatrice, Mildred, Harold, Emerson (becoming popular again) and Beulah. Lots of relatives named George.
I secretly wanted one of my 3 granddaughters to be called Violet. I am happy that I had not said anything and they have all been given beautiful names by my daughter.

MissMarpleknows Mon 07-Jun-21 14:37:58

Tanith, it’s possible your aunt’s name is a translation of ‘moth’
Had it been spelled Gwlithyn, it would be a translation of ‘dewdrop’
I’ve come across Gwlithyn when discussing teachers’ reactions to unfamiliar names on the class register.

Nannagarra Mon 07-Jun-21 15:13:03

For years I’ve admired the name Trephyna which I find rather elegant. I first encountered it when reading about Trephyna Sparks who was Thomas Hardy’s cousin and possible lover.

Yiayia4 Mon 07-Jun-21 15:14:06

My maternal grandparents names were Rosetta and Walter, paternal were Beatrice and Thomas. My parents were Derek and Dorothy not used much these days.

kittylester Mon 07-Jun-21 15:32:30

DH had an uncle Horace who drove a Morris Traveller - known ever after as A Horace Morris!

Juno56 Mon 07-Jun-21 15:57:20

My maternal grandparents were Florence and William and my paternal grandparents Eliza and Gwilym. My paternal great grandmother was called Ceinwen which I think is unusual and pretty.

Ladyleftfieldlover Mon 07-Jun-21 16:09:30

Dad’s parents were Philip Anthony and Florence May. Mum’s parents were Maria and Matthew. Philip, Anthony and May have all been used up to the present day.

Grandma70s Mon 07-Jun-21 16:32:56

My grandparents were Emily and Laurence, and Gilbert and Rose-Anne. There were several Gilberts, including my father, He hated the name and used George instead. No middle names.

I have two names, my brother only one - not Gilbert, fortunately for him.

My grandchildren, on the other hand, have three names each. Granddaughter has my name as one of her middle names. Luckily her other grandmother has the same name as me, so we’re both happy. It’s not a particularly common name.

Further back, there was a Selina and a Leonora, both rather nice, I think.

tanith Mon 07-Jun-21 16:38:34

MissMarpleknows thanks for that info I’ve never been able to find any reference to it, one of my nieces gave it as a middle name to her daughter so it lives on.

Janiepops Mon 07-Jun-21 16:54:51

My latest grandchildren are called;
Olive
Mabel
Arthur
The others are called
William
Catherine
Henry
Mary
Harriet
Ralph
Next one due in two weeks, already named Freddie.
All very very old fashioned ( I’m not keen on some, but hey, we don’t utter a word do we?! only“ oh lovely darling!!!)
Two more now due in Dec and Jan! Unnamed yet!!!
My parents were Georgiana and Rowland
All a bit average Fannycorn, no Pebbles, moonshine, bananas or Birmingham to be had from my bunch !!????

AGAA4 Mon 07-Jun-21 17:03:31

We have some flowery names, Daisy, Lily and Iris. There was Annie and Olive. On the male side we had William, Wilfred, John, Michael and Alexander.

MaggsMcG Mon 07-Jun-21 17:11:16

My grandparents names were Frederick and Margaret (which I am named after) and Elizabeth and Adam.

None of m three daughters have middle names.
My third daughter's name is Jozefeen. I always wanted a son and was going to call him Jozef. When I had my third girl my husband said we should use the name.

DillytheGardener Mon 07-Jun-21 17:22:46

We have had a Lettice (known as Leti) and a Reginald (known as Reg)

Sar53 Mon 07-Jun-21 19:57:00

My maternal grandparents were Elsie Jane and James Baxter. Baxter runs through the family, my mum was Molly Baxter and one of my brothers is Ian Baxter.
My paternal grandparents were Henry and Lilian. My dad was Kenneth Norman.
Three of my granddaughters have beautiful Welsh names with very traditional English middle names. My other two granddaughters have very traditional English names.

Hellogirl1 Mon 07-Jun-21 20:53:38

My grandparents were Rebecca and John, May and Lewis.

Shinamae Mon 07-Jun-21 21:01:16

My paternal grandmother was called Thirza, have never heard of it before….

Deedaa Mon 07-Jun-21 21:15:47

Shinamae There is a character called Thirza in Agatha Christie's The Pale Horse.

I used to have an uncle whose name (I thought) was Rars. I thought it was odd and I was never sure how to spell it when writing thankyou letters. It was years before I found out that his name was actually Brian but the family had always called him Raspberry, or Rars for short!