# Anyone here familiar with the nickname 'Push'? (Brits esp.) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 10, 2008, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-familiar-with-the-nickname-push-brits-esp/476551 "2008-12-10T14:01:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-familiar-with-the-nickname-push-brits-esp/476551/1 "2008-12-10T14:01:09Z")
I’m reading a series set in London in the 1800. The detective is named Cyrus Barker, but many of the characters call him Push or Ol’ Push. I’m 4 books in and if they ever told us the origin I missed it. Is it slang for something? It seems to be used particularly by the less-educated or more seedy characters. ---
**Author:** ![WThomas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@WThomas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WThomas)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-familiar-with-the-nickname-push-brits-esp/476551/2 "2008-12-11T02:01:07Z")
Hey, I write the Barker and Llewelyn books and was emailed through my website about this question. “Push” is part of a Cockney rhyming slang/nickname for Cyrus Barker, “Push-Comes-to-Shove,” which means “Guv” or “Guv’nor.” Hope you’re enjoying the books. Best, Will ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-familiar-with-the-nickname-push-brits-esp/476551/3 "2008-12-11T02:08:41Z")
12 hours to the minute! I kept looking at that time stamp trying to figure out how the author was emailed, came to the site, read the question and answered in under a minute and then I finally noticed the AM/PM :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-familiar-with-the-nickname-push-brits-esp/476551/4 "2008-12-11T03:06:25Z")
> [@WThomas](#): > > Hey, I write the Barker and Llewelyn books and was emailed through my website about this question. “Push” is part of a Cockney rhyming slang/nickname for Cyrus Barker, “Push-Comes-to-Shove,” which means “Guv” or “Guv’nor.” > > Hope you’re enjoying the books. > > Best, > Will Thank you for the reply - I am indeed enjoying the series and have the next one in my queue (which I received for my birthday on the first.) ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-familiar-with-the-nickname-push-brits-esp/476551/5 "2008-12-11T03:51:24Z")
> [@WThomas](#): > > Hey, I write the Barker and Llewelyn books and was emailed through my website about this question. “Push” is part of a Cockney rhyming slang/nickname for Cyrus Barker, “Push-Comes-to-Shove,” which means “Guv” or “Guv’nor.” > > Hope you’re enjoying the books. > > Best, > Will Thank you so much! Feel free to stop by again. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-familiar-with-the-nickname-push-brits-esp/476551/6 "2008-12-11T13:15:38Z")
> [@Cazzle](#): > > 12 hours to the minute! I kept looking at that time stamp trying to figure out how the author was emailed, came to the site, read the question and answered in under a minute and then I finally noticed the AM/PM :smack: :😊: