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.The BBC, in a story entitled [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19247787]In search of a baby called Derek[/url], wrote: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 search of a baby called Derek
In search of a baby called Derek
Re: In search of a baby called Derek
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.The BBC, in a story entitled [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19275450]Proud Dereks: Readers lumbered with unfashionable names[/url], wrote: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.
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Re: In search of a baby called Derek
Gertrude was my grandma's name on my mom's side. The only person I know as well with the name.jdaw1 wrote: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.
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Re: In search of a baby called Derek
My aunt's name as well.
Re: In search of a baby called Derek
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.
For info, I was named after my paternal great-grandmother Derek Maude Gertrude Tait, wife of Winifred Robert Turnbull.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
Re: In search of a baby called Derek
That explains a lot.DRT wrote:For info, I was named after my paternal great-grandmother Derek Maude Gertrude Tait, wife of Winifred Robert Turnbull.
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Re: In search of a baby called Derek
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 wrote: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.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
Re: In search of a baby called Derek
I was hoping to keep that under wraps, but it seems I have been rumbled!AHB wrote: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 wrote: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.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn