# If they're called \_\_ then they're probably from \_\_ **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 11, 2015, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201 "2015-12-11T21:19:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/1 "2015-12-11T21:19:57Z")
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 🙂 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? ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/2 "2015-12-11T22:17:04Z")
If they are named Clive or Nigel then they’re probably from England. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/3 "2015-12-11T22:35:03Z")
If they’re called Bubba, or any combination of two initials, they’re probably from the south. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/4 "2015-12-11T22:40:04Z")
If they’re called Rhys, Aled or Emlyn, then they’re probably from Wales. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/5 "2015-12-11T23:36:38Z")
If they are called Walnuts or Scarface or Pussy they are from NY/NJ ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/6 "2015-12-12T01:11:03Z")
If they’re called Apple or Moon Unit or Jor-el, they are probably from California. ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/7 "2015-12-12T01:19:32Z")
No one in the United States is named Declan. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/8 "2015-12-12T01:28:06Z")
[Utah names](http://wesclark.com/ubn/article.html). 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. > [@WF\_Tomba](#): > > No one in the United States is named Declan. I think Elvis Costello lives in Canada though. ---
**Author:** ![LegendHasit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/legendhasit/32/8246_2.png) [@LegendHasit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LegendHasit)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/9 "2015-12-12T01:43:56Z")
If they’re called Benson, Joseph, Taylor, Hyrum, Brigham, Malachi, Nephi, Heber, or Dallin, they’re probably from Utah. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/10 "2015-12-12T02:49:38Z")
> [@LegendHasit](#): > > If they’re called Benson, **Joseph** , **Taylor** , Hyrum, Brigham, Malachi, Nephi, Heber, or Dallin, they’re probably from Utah. Joseph and Taylor are pretty popular all over the place. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/11 "2015-12-12T05:52:37Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > 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. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/12 "2015-12-12T11:27:36Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > If they are named Clive or Nigel then they’re probably from England. 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. > [@RobDog](#): > > If they’re called Rhys, Aled or Emlyn, then they’re probably from Wales. My nephew Rhys is also Australian. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/13 "2015-12-12T11:51:05Z")
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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waiting_for_God_%28TV_series%29)”. > [@](#): > > Waiting for God is a British sitcom that ran on BBC1 from 1990 to 1994 starring Graham Crowden as Tom and Stephanie Cole as Diana, two spirited residents of a retirement home who spend their time running rings around the home’s oppressive management and their own families. 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. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/14 "2015-12-12T11:58:00Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/15 "2015-12-12T12:09:13Z")
I think Stosh is pretty Polish. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/16 "2015-12-12T12:39:39Z")
Leone Sextus Denys Oswolf Fraudatifilius Tollemache-Tollemache de Orellana Plantagenet Tollemache-Tollemache was from England. Who knew?! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/17 "2015-12-12T13:01:43Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > So UK names are also popular in Australia. Interesting. 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](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f_p0CgPeyA) ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/18 "2015-12-12T20:56:23Z")
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. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2015, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/19 "2015-12-13T22:18:50Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > 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](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f_p0CgPeyA) When Top Gear do a UK vs Australia show, the hosts insult one another by calling them all ‘Bruce’ or ‘Nigel’. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2015, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201/20 "2015-12-13T23:22:55Z")
If they’re called liberals or progressives, then they’re probably from the northeast, the west coast, or a major metropolitan area. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theyre-called-__-then-theyre-probably-from-__/740201.md?page=2)