Names

[Roger Kettle]

Roger, I do believe our old mate, all round nice guy, and former Beano Editor, Euan Kerr had a difficult time during his school years.

Tarks, it was years before I realised the...er...possibilities of Euan's name. It was when a Beano reader complained after receiving a signed letter fom him and thought it was an insult/hoax!

[The Peepmaster]

I just saw a tree on the local news called Douglas Fir. (Tallest tree in the UK apparently.)

[Tom]

Years ago, I always thought Edward Woodward was a made up name (from the joke) - until I saw him on the telly.

[Max]

Didn't the worlds worst name belong to a guy in New Zealand called Michael Itchyanus?

As I recall he got phone calls from all over the planet...  I mean. what a name... Michael.... Jeez 


And no, not a joke.

[Rob Baker]

There's a bloke in my place of work called Paul Brain (listed in the company phone book as P.Brain).

[Malc]

This is a true story.

My mate Alistair went to North Wales to buy a fifth-hand Daimler. It was in terrible shape, and every time he waved at the former owners and tried to drive away, it gave a couple of hops, a heave, a sigh and stopped.

He looked over at the small audience and said "are you lot going to stand there and watch me jerk off?"

That's not a "name" story, but at one stage Alistair drove around in an old hearse, so he was called a few things.

[Zesty White]

I worked briefly with a woman called Peggy Ennis. Strangely enough, whenever she was putting her initials and surname on anything official, she used her proper name of Margaret.....

How does Margaret get shortened to Peggy anyway? That one passed me by...

[Diane CBPFC]

The Douglas Fir is a popular choice of Christmas tree in Canada.

[Tom]

How does Margaret get shortened to Peggy anyway? That one passed me by...

Hmmm... I've done some research into this.

Margarets can be called anything from Meg, Peg, Peggy, Margaret, Margot, Marguerita, Rita, Greta, Gretel, Gretchen, Marjorie, Maggie, Madge, May, Maisie, Daisy, Maidie, Meg and Mog.

I've not been able to find out why. Daisy. Daisy ?!?

[Vulture]

How does Margaret get shortened to Peggy anyway? That one passed me by...

Hmmm... I've done some research into this.

Margarets can be called anything from Meg, Peg, Peggy, Margaret, Margot, Marguerita, Rita, Greta, Gretel, Gretchen, Marjorie, Maggie, Madge, May, Maisie, Daisy, Maidie, Meg and Mog.

I've not been able to find out why. Daisy. Daisy ?!?

There's a flower called a Margarete (that's not the spelling but you get my drift) - it belongs to the Daisy family.

[Tom]

Thank you Vulch, that solves that one. The Peggy one's still a mystery though

[Bren]

I used to go to school with a Eunice Hignett.

[Colin]

There's a girl in my work called Mary Hale.

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

Roger, I do believe our old mate, all round nice guy, and former Beano Editor, Euan Kerr had a difficult time during his school years.

Tarks, it was years before I realised the...er...possibilities of Euan's name. It was when a Beano reader complained after receiving a signed letter fom him and thought it was an insult/hoax!

Yes, it was years for me also, Roger, which either says a lot about our innocence, or else underlines what a splendid chap Mr Kerr was/is. In fact, I was told that even his cruel classmates at school overlooked the gift horse they were presented with, and actually gave him the nickname of 'Juan'. Gilding the lily somewhat.

[The Peepmaster]

There's a girl in my work called Mary Hale.

I had an old girlfriend called Hale, now my ex, obviously. Ex-Hale.



Actually I made that up.

There's an area of Wolverhampton called Merry Hill, and also one of the largest shopping centres in the UK near Dudley, called Merry Hill. (Known as Merry Hell around Xmas time!)