# Name pairs with reverse compounds (e.g., Dorothy and Theodore)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-pairs-with-reverse-compounds-e-g-dorothy-and-theodore/968572>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 26, 2022, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-pairs-with-reverse-compounds-e-g-dorothy-and-theodore/968572 "2022-07-26T08:43:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-pairs-with-reverse-compounds-e-g-dorothy-and-theodore/968572/21 "2022-07-28T19:36:15Z")

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Germanic _bert-/-bert_ might be a fairly productive source for these. Time and sound changes have modified the spellings, but [Berthold/Bertholt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berthold#:~:text=Berthold%20or%20Berchtold%20is%20a,%22(to)%20rule%22.) and the uncommon [Walbert](https://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?surname=walbert) combine the roots _bert_ and _wald/walt_ in different orders.

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**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-pairs-with-reverse-compounds-e-g-dorothy-and-theodore/968572/22 "2022-07-28T20:43:46Z")

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> [@Daithi\_Lacha](#):
>
> Gerald Fitzpatrick and Patrick Fitzgerald.

Which is also the punchline to a certain dirty joke…

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**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-pairs-with-reverse-compounds-e-g-dorothy-and-theodore/968572/23 "2022-07-28T21:38:40Z")

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😜

BTW perfect user name for this thread!

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