Crappy English Names that are super exotic in America

Message Bookmarked
Bookmark Removed
The other day I was looking at a Roger Waters poster and I thought 'hmm.. they don't have men called Roger in America, do they?'.

Am I right? Do they have Barrys? What about Simon?

N., Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

They have Rogers in America. There's ex-first-brother Roger Clinton, and the late newscaster Roger Mudd and Mr. Asterisk Roger Maris.

We have the seductive Barry Manilow, and San Francisco Giant Barry Bonds.

Simon Wiesenthal doesn't live in America, does he?

Michael Daddino, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

barry's a jew name in america right?

unknown or illegal user, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Mr and Mrs Col. Rupert and Fanny Ramsbottom

kiwi, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Men in their 50s are allcalled Roger or Barry here, though. And men in their 30s/40s are all called Simon.

N., Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Torquil, and Jonquil, not to forget Jolyon or however you spell it, I met someone called that once, he was an arsehole.

chris, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Torquil, and Jonquil, not to forget Jolyon

Hang on a minute. You've made these names up. Except Jolyon - he's in Tintin.

N., Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Very few in the Alastair, Humphrey, or Giles categories. Godfrey, Guy, Piers and Rauf are all pretty uncommon over here as well. Not of lot go by Espruance, Ethelbert, Gerard or Oliver, either.

Stuart, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't think there's many Laurence's or Eugene's or Oliver's. And you never call any one named Anthony, Ant, it's always Tony. You don't get Stuart as often either.

And in England there aren't as many Jeffs or Aarons? Or Kelly's or Jennifers.

Marianna, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

If you were named Declan in america you would grow up abused and berated, and would change your name to Roscoe as soon as possible.

Marianna, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

And, I've only ever met 2 Innes (both in England). The first I lived with and the second I guess I didn't really meet, but he was the litle brother of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (all parts of his name are rare in America) in the "Case stories of Sherlock Holmes" program which I loved so much, it did sorta feel like I met the little Innes. What a cutie!

"Top 50 boys’ and girls’ names in England and Wales in 2000 Boys Girls

1. Jack 1. Chloe

2. Thomas 2. Emily

3. James 3. Megan

4. Joshua 4. Charlotte +2

5. Daniel 5. Jessica +3

6. Harry +8 6. Lauren +1

7. Samuel 7. Sophie -2

8. Joseph 8. Olivia -4

9. Matthew -3 9. Hannah +1

10. Callum -1 10. Lucy +2

11. Luke +1 11. Georgia +2

12. William -2 12. Rebecca -3

13. Lewis 13. Bethany -2

14. Oliver +7 14. Amy

15. Ryan -4 15. Ellie +1

16. Benjamin 16. Katie -1

17. George +1 17. Emma

18. Liam -1 18. Abigail +2

19. Jordan -4 19. Molly +3

20. Adam 20. Grace +7

21. Alexander -2 21. Courtney -3

22. Jake +1 22. Shannon -1

23. Connor -1 23. Caitlin +1

24. Cameron 24. Eleanor -5

25. Nathan +1 25. Jade -2

26. Kieran +2 26. Ella

27. Mohammed +2 27. Leah +5

28. Jamie +3 28. Alice -3

29. Jacob -2 29. Holly +1

30. Michael -5 30. Laura -2

31. Ben -1 31. Anna +9

32. Ethan +8 32. Jasmine +3

33. Charlie -1 33. Sarah -2

34. Bradley 34. Elizabeth -1

35. Brandon 35. Amelia +2

36. Aaron 36. Rachel -7

37. Max +11 37. Amber -3

38. Dylan +9 38. Phoebe

39. Kyle -2 39. Natasha -3

40. Reece +4 40. Niamh +8

41. Robert -2 41. Zoe +5

42. Christopher -4 42. Paige

43. David -2 43. Nicole -2

44. Edward +1 44. Abbie (52 in 1999)

45. Charles -2 45. Mia (54 in 1999)

46. Owen -13 46. Imogen +1

47. Louis +3 47. Lily (53 in 1999)

48. Alex -6 48. Alexandra +2

49. Joe (53 in 1999) 49. Chelsea -6

50. Rhys (54 in 1999) 50. Daisy (70 in 1999)

Alastair is only number 90. on the Scotland list.

And in America:

1 Michael 212 Hannah 161

2 Jacob 192 Emily 156

3 Matthew 185 Madison 119

4 Joseph 143 Elizabeth 115

5 Christopher 142 Alexis 107

6 Nicholas 142 Sarah 102

7 Andrew 138 Taylor 96

8 William 136 Lauren 93

9 Joshua 134 Jessica 92

10 Daniel 130 Ashley 89

11 Tyler 127 Samantha 87

12 Ryan 124 Brianna 82

13 Anthony 122 Kayla 76

14 Alexander 116 Olivia 74

15 Zachary 116 Abigail 72

16 David 110 Anna 71

17 James 109 Alyssa 70

18 John 108 Emma 68

19 Christian 107 Jennifer 65

20 Justin 107 Nicole 65

21 Benjamin 102 Grace 62

22 Austin 96 Alexandra 59

23 Brandon 92 Sydney 58

24 Samuel 92 Destiny 57

25 Nathan 90 Victoria 54

26 Dylan 89 Morgan 53

27 Noah 89 Haley 52

28 Jose 86 Katherine 51

29 Ethan 84 Amanda 50

30 Jonathan 83 Megan 49

31 Robert 83 Rachel 49

32 Hunter 82 Chloe 47

33 Cameron 81 Jasmine 47

34 Kevin 68 Natalie 45

35 Kyle 66 Stephanie 45

36 Aaron 62 Amber 44

37 Logan 62 Julia 44

38 Thomas 62 Savannah 42

39 Gabriel 59 Kaitlyn 40

40 Caleb 58 Mackenzie 40

41 Jason 58 Sophia 40

42 Jordan 58 Hailey 38

43 Devin 55 Brooke 37

44 Jack 55 Danielle 36

45 Eric 51 Katelyn 36

46 Brian 50 Maria 36

47 Jared 50 Andrea 35

48 Steven 49 Brittany 35

49 Cody 48 Isabella 35

50 Isaiah 46 Rebecca 35

Ewww. People name their daughters Mackenzie... That's a dogs name.

Speaking of which: "The most popular dog name in North America is Sam, Sammie or Samantha (which means "listener"). The second most popular is Max, Maxie, Maxwell or Maxine (which means "the greatest" in Latin). Third is Lady, followed by Bear, Maggie, Buddy, Tasha, Chelsea (or Chelsie), Holly and Shasta. Other very popular names are Brandy, Ginger and Taffy. "

Marianna, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Destiny? Tyler.

N., Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

?

N., Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Nigel is the ultimate exotic British name!

Genevieve, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Good call. Nigel is v.common here, though not with babies.

N., Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

My real name is on the England and Wales Top 50!

rosemary, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

my first name is not rare...but Edmund is very rare.

jel --, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I appear to have fallen out of favour in England and Wales but am very popular in America. What are those numbers in the middle?

N., Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Why does everyone persist in calling their sons Jack and other one syllable J names? It's so 1996. People are stupid.

N., Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

the long-forgotten TV series Dynasty seems to have had a lasting impact on what Americans call their daughters

fritz, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Je Ne Sais Quoi.

nathalie, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I appear to have fallen out of favour in England and Wales but am very popular in America.

I've always been popular with Americans and now I've finally reached the summit. Excellent. Being #1 in the US means I can buy that yacht.

What are those numbers in the middle?

England & Wales chart: positional changes from previous year. US chart: er, something to do with airplay? Why are the boys' numbers higher than the girls' numbers?

Michael Jones, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Nooooooooooooooooooo, Tarquin is the ultimate exotic English name! If I ever have kids I am going to name them all Tarquin.

Nicole, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Tarquin is in the philistines jr.

jel --, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yes, but who else actually names kids Tarquin except the English? Come on.

Nicole, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The French?

suzy, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

American kid-naming has gone completely to shit. I will never, ever, be able to accept "Madison" as a proper name for anything other than porn stars. I'm also disturbed by the notices I keep seeing around my neighborhood for a missing child named "Dakota Cousimano." Dakota -- Cousimano. If I have a child anytime in the next decade I will name him "hahaha you other kids all have seriously crap names, now don't you."

Bitsuh, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

When I first met Tarquin his name was Jamie.

Sean, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Callum is at number 10! now thats a strange name

Chupa-Cabras, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

More of a question than an answer...why do Americans insist on naming their kids after cars ? Mercedes etc ...if we did that in England there would be kids called Escort and Range Rover getting beaten up in playgrounds every day !...still we do have things like Algenon to contend with , and as for Welsh names...Blodwen...who on earth is going to date a girl with that name ?? I was born in wales so i'm allowed to make fun of us..oh hell every one is ...it's justified

morgana, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

What about Felix?

It's funny all the names I've come up with for my imaginary children are "British". Felix is NOT on the list. I'm also not gonna tell anyone my list because the names with be stolen from me and then there will be idiotic children with great names. Does that sound like a Seinfeld episode?

Lindsey B, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

People name their daughters Mackenzie
That reminds me that a friend with the last name Mackenzie dated a girl for2 years or so whose first name was Mackenzie. That would have been horrid.
I want to go make plans for this Nigel character.

Mr Noodles, Saturday, 27 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Felix is a cat's name, as is Morris. Both Morris and Maurice would be somewhat exotic in America. Most exotic, however, would be the English pronunciation of Maurice as "Morris." Do you have any other exotic pronunciations of names?

felicity, Sunday, 28 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

My two new nephews: Cole and Gannon. As if christened by the Pinefox himself.

Michael Jones, Sunday, 28 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Has anyone else noticed the obligatory use of British accents in radio advertisements lately? Today I heard an ad for a community college like 2 year TECHNICAL degree by some fake brit accent that went by the name of Nigel! It was insane!

Mandee, Sunday, 28 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Most surprising statistic: John not even in England and Wales top 50!

Ally C, Sunday, 28 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Nor is Peter - was ever such. Some disciples get a bum rap.

I find the American lists suspect when you consider the hispanic population. Where are all the little Jose's?

Pete, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

There's a fair amount of 14-to-17-year-old sons of rich parents bearing my name in the states now, but before and after that blip it's been fairly obscure.

Colin Meeder, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

four weeks pass...
Mercedes comes form 'Maria de las mercedes' Mary of the many favors.

>they don't have men called Roger in America, do they?'.

Try this 'online help for parents looking for that distinctive name that says "I'm a Utah Mormon"

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/3450/

Andrei, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Neither Mark nor Frank are in the Top 50, yet we're still allowed to review teen pop. Surely the oversight committee is lax.

Frank Kogan, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

...is in the Top 50. [Almost lost my snob cred.]

Frank Kogan, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

nine months pass...
Do you have any other exotic pronunciations of names?

-- felicity (felicityredwel...), April 28th, 2002 1:00 AM.

The 'c' is generally hard in the British pronounciation of 'felicity'. And the 'fe' is silent.

N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 10 March 2003 02:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Hooray for the Nissy Dastoor thread revival binge!

felicity (felicity), Monday, 10 March 2003 03:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I am in 7th heaven.

N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 10 March 2003 03:35 (twenty-two years ago)

As am I! It is like old friends coming home to visit.

felicity (felicity), Monday, 10 March 2003 04:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Where did this thread come from?

My brother stayed in the US and exchanged his "exotic" British name (Hamish - he never met another in his entire stay there) for a more conventional one - "Ian".

I went back to the UK and exchanged my "conventional" name (Kate) for the more "exotic" British one "Fiona".

Go figure. You'd never meet a Hamish or a Fiona in the States. OK, maybe you'd meet the occasional Fiona in Canada, but that's not the same.

kate, Monday, 10 March 2003 09:17 (twenty-two years ago)

four months pass...
http://www.nakednews.com

dont click this at work

Mike Hanle y (mike), Friday, 18 July 2003 03:29 (twenty-two years ago)

When my girlfriend was twelve in America she dated Hardy Bodenheimer. And her best friend dated Preston Schifflebein.

colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Friday, 18 July 2003 03:33 (twenty-two years ago)

i actually knew three women named fiona. they were all black, but i don't know if fiona is a "black" name in the USA or not.

Tad (llamasfur), Friday, 18 July 2003 03:36 (twenty-two years ago)

I've met several occasional Fionas.

colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Friday, 18 July 2003 03:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Somebody told me one time that it's a very common name in Glasgow. Maybe they were making colin's joke (sort of)?

Anyway:

http://www.georgwa.demon.co.uk/PercySledge.jpg

Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 18 July 2003 05:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I knew girls at school called Ophelia Balls and Valerie Cockaday

C J (C J), Friday, 18 July 2003 06:03 (twenty-two years ago)

"ophelia balls" - impossible

Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 18 July 2003 06:21 (twenty-two years ago)

people i've known (or known of) with weird (but true!) names:

Lasagna Jones
Wiwi Wang
Ben Dover

Tad (llamasfur), Friday, 18 July 2003 06:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I would have owned this thread 20 years ago, but my name's getting a bit more common in the US

Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 18 July 2003 06:26 (twenty-two years ago)

blame the late, great Robert Urich

James Blount (James Blount), Friday, 18 July 2003 06:29 (twenty-two years ago)

The earlier post for Tarquin is the winner here,for sure!And Jemima for the girls is a good one!

Eugene Speed (Eugene Speed), Friday, 18 July 2003 06:45 (twenty-two years ago)

there's no-one named "jemima." oh please ...

Tad (llamasfur), Friday, 18 July 2003 06:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Spen-sah!

Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 18 July 2003 06:50 (twenty-two years ago)

fiona is a scottish name, so there should be a few in glasgow :)
other rubbish, sorry, exotic names:
quentin (noman cooks real name, he changed it to norman.....er)
claude
algenon
farquar

joni, Friday, 18 July 2003 06:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Millions of Fiona's here and everywhere in the UK, in my age group at least.

Spencer Tracy surely renders Spencer not an odd American name for ever?

N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 18 July 2003 08:21 (twenty-two years ago)

yes

James Blount (James Blount), Friday, 18 July 2003 08:21 (twenty-two years ago)

No Fiona's, plenty of Fionas bah.

N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 18 July 2003 08:21 (twenty-two years ago)

plus Spencer Haywood

James Blount (James Blount), Friday, 18 July 2003 08:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I love the name Percy. But that could just be because of Green Knowe and Percy the Adorable Soundman.

(Fiona is a common name is the UK, it is not a common name in the US, that was the point I was trying to make. N. misunderstands, as usual, sigh. Maybe it's more common in different regional areas of the States with a higher concentration of Scots?)

kate (kate), Friday, 18 July 2003 08:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Kate, I did not misunderstand - piss off! I was confirming what Tracer, and in a wider sense you, had suggested.

ps. no one is actually called Tarquin in the UK, outside of some members of Slowdive.

N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 18 July 2003 08:27 (twenty-two years ago)

mad rampant egotism that of all the posts mentioning Fiona since yours you still assuming I am addressing you? ;-)

N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 18 July 2003 08:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I used to know a Tarquin, he went out with my friend when we were about 16. So there.

Emma, Friday, 18 July 2003 08:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Temper, temper, Dastoor.

I've never met a Tarquin. (But you are thinking of Kula Shaker, not Slowdive.)

kate (kate), Friday, 18 July 2003 08:30 (twenty-two years ago)

it's not english and i'm not american but i plan to call my first-born son helmut

Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Friday, 18 July 2003 08:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I was actually rehashing an NME circa 1991 Slowdive joke, I am proud to admit. No one has said 'temper temper' to me since my sister about 15 years ago! Please misrepresent me more often.

N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 18 July 2003 08:41 (twenty-two years ago)

And besides, no one else has commented on the Hamish issue. I understand that it is actually quite a common name in New Zealand as well as Scotland. But no one else in the world is capable of pronouncing it.

(HAY-mish. What is so hard about that? Why Hamm-ISHE or Hay-MISHE or whatnot?)

kate (kate), Friday, 18 July 2003 08:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Percy is a good name because it sounds like cat purring. Purrrrrrr-cy. I guess this is perhaps twee, but it's still a good name.

kate (kate), Friday, 18 July 2003 08:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't say I've ever heard anyone say Hamm-ISHE or Hay-MISHE. Who have you been hanging out with??

Do people in the US get top Scot drama Hamish Mabeth on BBC America or wotnot?

N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 18 July 2003 08:50 (twenty-two years ago)

not so twee if you've seen the film 'percy'

joni, Friday, 18 July 2003 08:52 (twenty-two years ago)

American people can find all kinds of crazy ways to pronounce the name Hamish. My brother heard every single one of them.

What is this film Percy of which you speak? Does it feature adorable soundmen?

kate (kate), Friday, 18 July 2003 08:53 (twenty-two years ago)

It is the arse-end of British cinema. Man has accident and gets world's first penis transplant. All manner of lo-jinx follow. Bad Kinks soundtrack.

N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 18 July 2003 09:03 (twenty-two years ago)

my favourite revolting american name pronunciation is cecil, pronounced see-sil

Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Friday, 18 July 2003 09:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Thomasina is a very english name too.

Larcole (Nicole), Friday, 18 July 2003 11:48 (twenty-two years ago)

PEOPLE KEEP CALLING ME DAVE!

Cozen (Cozen), Friday, 18 July 2003 11:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Nicole, Thomasinas would be laughed out of court.

N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 18 July 2003 12:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Cool your boots, Dave.

I dated an American Marcia. It's a pretty horrible name from a UK perspective (pronounced Marsha). But I also dated an Enlgish martha. Which wasn't a lot better.

But Brianna? Tha's just cruel.

Mark C (Mark C), Friday, 18 July 2003 12:04 (twenty-two years ago)

There's no Brianna!

N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 18 July 2003 12:11 (twenty-two years ago)

They have Daves in America.

Cozen (Cozen), Friday, 18 July 2003 12:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Brianna Corrigan?

chris (chris), Friday, 18 July 2003 12:13 (twenty-two years ago)

The only Percy's I can think of in America are black, i.e. Percy Heath.

I knew at least one Fiona in high school. Her last name was Donahue of course.

Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 18 July 2003 12:41 (twenty-two years ago)

My neighbor was named Brianna.

Larcole (Nicole), Friday, 18 July 2003 12:51 (twenty-two years ago)

"Was"? Did you kill her?

Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 18 July 2003 13:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Wait, don't answer that; THE POLICE MIGHT BE WATCHING.

Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 18 July 2003 13:07 (twenty-two years ago)

I went to prom with a little punk girl named Brianna (I didn't kill her).

Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 18 July 2003 13:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Dan, I wish! That whole family was Jehovah's Witnesses which meant that they brought all of their churchmembers into the neighborhood trying to force everyone in the neighborhood to read the Watchtower all of the time. I think they still live next door to my parents.

Larcole (Nicole), Friday, 18 July 2003 13:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, so you're saying that they can be killed now, then.

Alternately, knock on their door and tell them about the wonders and holy powers found in blood transfusions.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 18 July 2003 16:28 (twenty-two years ago)

i've decided to change my name to lasagna jones.

Lasagna J. (Chris V), Friday, 18 July 2003 16:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Too many classic posts!!!

Fiona's a very very common name in Australia.

OK some more English names that may or may not be exotic in USA:

Cedric
Septimus
Montague
Norbert (I plan to start a band called Norbert the Casaulty)
Rufus
Taubert

Helmut is a great name for an English kid. He'll need a helmet, too, to protect his head from the beatings at school.

As someone remarked upthread, N. I think? All these names put one in mind of ooh-er missus Brit cinema.

colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Friday, 18 July 2003 23:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Once again I would just like to point out that those names are extremely unusual in the UK too - I've never even heard of Taubert. I suppose there used to be a few Cedrics once. And Rufuses, maybe.

N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 18 July 2003 23:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Clive, Trevor, Angus (or is that Scottish only?). Ian used to be rare but the US got a wave of Anglophilia a few years back and now it's not uncommon.

nickn (nickn), Friday, 18 July 2003 23:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Talking of Clives, how about Derek? Do you have Dereks in the States? Though again, they're a bit of a dying breed over here.

N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 18 July 2003 23:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Cedric and Rufus are not exotic names in the US. We also have Dereks.

James Blount (James Blount), Friday, 18 July 2003 23:38 (twenty-two years ago)

osbert

anthony easton (anthony), Friday, 18 July 2003 23:44 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/hum/dra/Twit.jpg

Dada, Friday, 18 July 2003 23:52 (twenty-two years ago)


You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.