If they're called __ then they're probably from __

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I’ve been reflecting on names that are common in one part of the Anglosphere, and totally not anywhere else. Bonus points if non-obvious, or you can’t figure out why :slight_smile:

For instance:
Obvious: If they’re called Earl, Duke, or Leroy, they’re probably from the US.
Not so obvious: If they’re called Skylar they’re probably also from the US

Obvious (but not quite as true as it used to be): If they’re called Kylie, they’re probably from Australia.
Not so obvious: If they’re called Kerryn, they’re definitely from Australia. If they’re called Lynley or Merilyn they’re probably from Australia (or New Zealand) and over forty

If they’re called Eamon or Cathal (or probably a host of other names) they’re probably from Ireland
But: If they’re called Aiden, Callum or Liam, who can tell.

What other interesting name disparities are out there?

2

If they are named Clive or Nigel then they’re probably from England.

3

If they’re called Bubba, or any combination of two initials, they’re probably from the south.

4

If they’re called Rhys, Aled or Emlyn, then they’re probably from Wales.

5

If they are called Walnuts or Scarface or Pussy they are from NY/NJ

6

If they’re called Apple or Moon Unit or Jor-el, they are probably from California.

7

No one in the United States is named Declan.

8

Utah names.

Nitpick: Aidan is a perfectly cromulent name. But the name that every third baby boy is given is often “Aiden,” which just follows the trend of Jaden et al.

And of course Caitlin is a completely different name and pronunciation in Ireland.

I think Elvis Costello lives in Canada though.

9

If they’re called Benson, Joseph, Taylor, Hyrum, Brigham, Malachi, Nephi, Heber, or Dallin, they’re probably from Utah.

10

Joseph and Taylor are pretty popular all over the place.

11

Oh, yeah, we’re pretty fast and loose with our -an’s and -en’s in Australia … because the vowel’s a schwa in any case, so it doesn’t make a significant difference. So there are Aidans and Aidens, Julians and Juliens, Fabians and Fabiens - it’s hard to remember who’s who sometimes.

I know one Elvis here in Aus. He may be the only one ever though.

12

I know one of each, and we’re all Australian. Coincidentally enough I bumped into Clive at a train station a couple of hours ago.

My nephew Rhys is also Australian.

13

So UK names are also popular in Australia. Interesting.

I just remembered, when I was younger and public broadcasting was showing a ton of British shows I watched one called “Waiting for God”.

The manager was named Harvey Bains. In one episode he says his father was American. The two main characters remarked that his name made sense now as Harvey isn’t really a British first name.

14

Looking at the men who did that most American of things; walking on the moon…

Neil
Edwin
Charles
Alan
Alan
Edgar
David
James
John
Charles
Eugene
Harrison

I would say Neil and Alan are the ones I would expect to be UK or Antipodean. Eugene and Harrison would be probably American. The rest? Take a pick.

15

I think Stosh is pretty Polish.

16

Leone Sextus Denys Oswolf Fraudatifilius Tollemache-Tollemache de Orellana Plantagenet Tollemache-Tollemache was from England.
Who knew?! :wink:

17

Hardly surprising, though, given the numbers of British people who emigrated there over the years, and the length of time for which Australia appeared to be trying to be more British than the British.

Mind you, certain names are traditionally associated with Australia:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f_p0CgPeyA

18

Greg Proops “… you can go to Canada any day of the year. It’s an entire country named Doug.”

So I’ll say, if they’re called Doug then they’re probably from Canada. :smiley:

19

When Top Gear do a UK vs Australia show, the hosts insult one another by calling them all ‘Bruce’ or ‘Nigel’.

20

If they’re called liberals or progressives, then they’re probably from the northeast, the west coast, or a major metropolitan area.