In search of a baby called Derek

[jdaw1]

Despite the trend for pre-war baby names, some seem to resist rehabilitation. Will people ever start calling their babies Derek again?

Alfie, Ruby, Archie, Jack, Evie, Florence, and Ava are all in fashion and conjure up nostalgic thoughts of working-class Britain between the wars.

But there are some names that seem immune to rehabilitation. Will there ever be another baby Derek or baby Maude?

There have been plenty of well-known Dereks in recent decades - footballer Derek Dougan, athlete Derek Redmond and left wing politician Derek Hatton. But it's hard to envisage a baby Derek in 2012.

Yet in 1934 Derek was the 14th most popular baby name in England and Wales. In 1944 it had fallen to 27th in the list. In subsequent decades it fell from 37 to 43 before reaching 100 in 1974. It has not reappeared since.

In my whole life I have met only one Gertrude a name appearing in a Charles Dodgson acrostic. The name has, in this country, entirely fallen from use.

[jdaw1]

Readers sent in hundreds of emails in response to our piece on the decline of Derek and other unfashionable names.

Dereks got in touch with divided opinions on their names. People also shared their experience of other "unfashionable" names.

This was a whole controversy of which I was previously unaware. I admit to having thought, obviously mistakenly, that Derek was a regular male name, rarer than some, commoner than others, but not worthy of two BBC stories. Live and learn.

[mosesbotbol]

In my whole life I have met only one Gertrude a name appearing in a Charles Dodgson acrostic. The name has, in this country, entirely fallen from use.

Gertrude was my grandma's name on my mom's side. The only person I know as well with the name.

[griff]

My aunt's name as well.

[DRT]

Thanks for posting. I now feel rare and exotic.

For info, I was named after my paternal great-grandmother Derek Maude Gertrude Tait, wife of Winifred Robert Turnbull.

[jdaw1]

For info, I was named after my paternal great-grandmother Derek Maude Gertrude Tait, wife of Winifred Robert Turnbull.

That explains a lot.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Thanks for posting. I now feel rare and exotic.

For info, I was named after my paternal great-grandmother Derek Maude Gertrude Tait, wife of Winifred Robert Turnbull.

Tait - as in the port family of that name? Are you the long-lost heir to the Tait family port business? Relation of Geoffrey M Tait?

[DRT]

Thanks for posting. I now feel rare and exotic.

For info, I was named after my paternal great-grandmother Derek Maude Gertrude Tait, wife of Winifred Robert Turnbull.

Tait - as in the port family of that name? Are you the long-lost heir to the Tait family port business? Relation of Geoffrey M Tait?

I was hoping to keep that under wraps, but it seems I have been rumbled!