Royal baby's name

[Phil Carter]

Err Scott, ] believe he will be Prince x y z of Cambridge.


His title - but the family surname is Mountbatten-Windsor.

The royal house (i.e. dynasty) is called Windsor.

Phil

Indeed.. I was referring to his title


Phil

[lynn cates]

blow

Hello David. Thanks.

It would be a blow to EVERYONE.

Cheers.
LC

[The Good Michael]

I always liked the title of Toom Tabard. It fits the royal function to a T.

Mike

[Ginger]

George Alexander Louis!

[RivkahChaya]

Let's face it, most Americans couldn't find America on a map.

Now now, it's the one with Florida sticking out like a *giggle* dong. I can't tell you how many jr. high schoolers I know who are quite successful at finding Africa as well, because of its similarity to a flaccid penis.

Why would an American be able to place Wales or Scotland, anyway?

Because geography is important? Honestly, most Americans don't even know their state capitals, or the capitals of Canada and Mexico. I don't expect Americans to be able to draw a contiguous map of Europe, but I do expect people to 1) be able to find Europe on a world map; 2) know that Scotland is part of the UK; and 3) know that the UK is an island on the far west of Europe. If you know those things, and you can spell "Scotland," then you can find it on a map.

See, I don't expect Americans to correctly label a blank map of Europe, but I think knowing Italy=south, Sweden=north, Germany=central, Hungary= east central is important, and if you know those things, then you can find those countries on a correctly labeled map.

In terms of names, I'm with Rivkah. Whatever happened to good old English names such as: Johnny, Jack, Jimmy, Bobby, Alf, Stan, Billy, Tommy? They seem a nice enough couple but I'm not really interested in their lives or the monarchy, but for the sake of sanity and a restoration of Englishness, let's have: John.

My son's name is John. People ask us how to spell it, and no, they are not asking whether it is "Jon," short for Jonathan. They want to know if it might possibly be "Gianne," or "Ghawn."

These days people are named Sky - that's not a name, it's part of our environment!

Count your blessings. We have skies over here, but they're "Czckiss," or something.

I thought this one kindergarten teacher I knew would start crying when she told me about her class one year (about 15 years ago). She had a Britanny, Britony, Britni, Bretagne (those parents were my favorite), and also a Brianna, just in the morning class. In the afternoon, she had another Brianna, but pronounced differently from the one in the morning, a Breyona, a Britney, another Brittany, and just for fun, a Bretta. Also, in one of the classes, there was a boy named Bryon. Not a typo for Byron. (Yes, I am sure I got all those right, because I asked her to email them to me, and I saved the file). She had to remember all the spellings and pronunciations, and here is the hard part: remember which one went with which child. If she spelled a kid's name wrong, or called one by the wrong named, the parents got extremely irate, in spite of the fact that anyone who names a kid "Breyona," really shouldn't have high expectations for other people.

When I complain about this, there's always someone who points out that fixed spelling of words is a new phenomenon, and Shakespeare didn't have a fixed spelling for his name. I say, fine, then I can spell Brianna anyway that strikes my ear as correct, and the parents can shut up about it. Her birth certificate may say "Bhreeyonuh," but hey, Shakespeare didn't have a fixed spelling. Maybe tomorrow, I'll spell her name with four Ns and a silent Q.

[Beowulf]

Oh, wow. It's a boy! Congratulations, England!

I'm going on record to say I think his name will be George. Just have a feeling.

I was thinking earlier that they ought to name him George

We were rightalways trust esp...http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...96L05320130724

[RivkahChaya]

Advice on baby names from the website Baby's Named a Bad, Bad Thing. It's the "Cake Wrecks" of 21st century children's names.

Q: What should I name my kids?
A: I can’t give you the perfect name. I’m much better at cursing the darkness, anyway. But here are a few tips I’ve gleaned from digging around bulletin boards, books, and the tons of e-mails I get from readers:

1) Generally avoid nouns. You’re asking for trouble.
2) Do a Google search for your name ideas. If all you get are porn sites, white supremacist groups and pictures of My Little Ponies – it’s a bad name.
3) Look at lists of the most popular baby names for the last three years. Steer clear of the top 10, and definitely steer clear of any names that suddenly jump from #150 to #25.
4) No celebrity names. Your kids will immediately hate this celebrity, and be horribly embarrassed forever.
5) If you like a common name, but don’t like how it’s spelled, tough. Either use the usual spelling, or find a new name. Andrywe is NOT a name. If people can’t get it right on the second try, it’s not worth the hassle.
6) Most Americans are assimilated cultural mutts, without much connection to their ancestry. If you want to reconnect with your heritage, go to the library. Do not name your kid Bronwyn and think you are now in touch with your 1/16 Welsh side.
7) A stupid sounding name is still a stupid sounding name even if its meaning is “beloved queen” or something else nice.
8) Do not name your kid with elementary school bullies in mind. If it isn’t incredibly obvious (Gaylord, Fartoff), they’re going to get that little bit teased like the rest of us were, and there’s nothing you can do about it.
9) Try these on for size: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d like to introduce you to the new CEO of MultiGlobal Corp., [blank blank]” or “Also on the presidential panel is MIT’s chief biochemical researcher, Dr. [blank blank].
10) Assuming your child will live to age 70, s/he will spend 16% of their life as a child, 10% of their life as teenagers and 14% as senior citizens. The remaining 60% of their lives they will be adults. Plan accordingly.

2) & 10) especially important. During the 1990s, I knew of a corporate attorney, born in the early 1960s, with the unfortunate name of Buffy Cohen. Obviously, her parents didn't think past tying ribbons in her curls, to what "Buffy Cohen, esq.," or "The Honorable Buffy Cohen," or "Governor Buffy Cohen," would look like. Since she wasn't "B. <dignified name> Cohen," they probably stuck with an equally cute middle name.

Worse, the character Anissa Jones played had a backstory: "Buffy" was a nickname-- her real name was Elizabeth.

Worser: Anissa Jones went on to die of an infamous drug overdose at age 18. The ME said it was the most drugs he'd ever seen anyone manage to get into their body without passing out first.

[Abby Normal]

Congrats England!
On your new Prince George!

[Abby Normal]

Let's face it, most Americans couldn't find America on a map.

G

Of course we can. It's just south of Fukyoudooshbag!

[Graham]

Of course we can. It's just south of Fukyoudooshbag!

That's no way to speak of Canada.

G

[RivkahChaya]

Of course we can. It's just south of Fukyoudooshbag!

Abby meant southeast, albeit, southeast is simply the shortest route, and it would be from our perspective. You would travel southwest. I can give you the exact coordinates, if you so desire. Also, the next flight from Heathrow to JFK.

[Magpie]

My sister got to meet the happy grandparents, Chuck and Milla, yesterday.

She said they were both very charming

[C. F. Leon]

I know, old thread, but reading this I had to ask-

When did the term "GREAT Britain" come into usage? Is the adjective in reference to the British Isles in general, or was there a "Lesser Britain" at some point that has "sunk beneath the waves"? (I'm being metaphorical here.) Maybe Ireland in a more chilly political climate (17th Century?)?

- CFL

[GUT]

I know, old thread, but reading this I had to ask-

When did the term "GREAT Britain" come into usage? Is the adjective in reference to the British Isles in general, or was there a "Lesser Britain" at some point that has "sunk beneath the waves"? (I'm being metaphorical here.) Maybe Ireland in a more chilly political climate (17th Century?)?

- CFL

Reaching back to my history days it went something like this.

England.
England and Scotland = Britain
Britain and Wales = Great Britain
Great Britain and Northern Ireland = United Kingdom.

(I may and Wales and Scotland the wrong way around)

[Sam Flynn]

The term "Great Britain" dates back to mediaeval times, to distinguish the island of Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) from the Kingdom of Brittany in France: "Grande Bretagne" vs "Bretagne".