Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Is Tarquin a real name?

109 replies

littlepetit · 18/01/2022 16:25

I always hear ‘tarquin’ as a bit of a joke ‘posh’ name but thinking about it I have NEVER met or encountered a single tarquin or even heard of any friends-of-friends-of-friends called tarquin.

Is it actually a real given name or a myth?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 18/01/2022 22:54

not very popular at all

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 18/01/2022 22:49

I read a book that featured a St John when I was Very Young

Jane Eyre?

Farrandau · 18/01/2022 22:44

@FrecklesMalone

You would have to not like your child very much to call them Tarquin.
Honestly, I’d call my child Tarquin before I’d call him George. Tastes differ!
cafedesreves · 18/01/2022 22:41

I've also taught a Crispin. And was at school with a Jocasta. So odd.

JollyAndBright · 18/01/2022 22:31

I know two.

DS (14) goes to school with one
And I grew up with one, he is still a close friend of my sister, he’s lovely and he’s in a rock band…. His parents do own a castle though.

FrecklesMalone · 18/01/2022 22:27

You would have to not like your child very much to call them Tarquin.

Fivebeanchilli · 18/01/2022 22:27

I knew a Phineas at uni - I do quite like that.

Fivebeanchilli · 18/01/2022 22:26

I've never met a Tarquin either. It reminds me of Tarka the otter
I love the name St John though - I don't like the way it looks as much but I really like the way it sounds.
I've met a Crispin but I'm not keen on that.

ShadowPuppets · 18/01/2022 22:18

I knew an adult Tarquin through work about 10 years ago. Really nice guy, he was known as Tarkie or Tarks in the office.

I’ve also worked with a Crispin, he was very much a Crispin (no nickname) though Grin

I think so much of whether you like a name is about whether you’ve known anyone with it. I was bullied by a Sarah so I’ve always had a bit of a visceral reaction about it, even though I’ve met some lovely Sarah’s since!

spotcheck · 18/01/2022 22:17

@ghislaine

It is an ancient name, going back to the Kings of Rome. I've never met one although I do know a Peregrine, a Jolyon, a Crispin and a St John.
Omg.... I read a book that featured a St John when I was Very Young. Since then, I've wanted to meet a real St John. Was he dreamy?
cafedesreves · 18/01/2022 22:14

Yup I taught one known as Tarka. My friend also had a boyfriend called Tarquin. Ludicrous!!

UserBot999 · 18/01/2022 22:13

AWFUL

Wrongaddress · 18/01/2022 22:13

I've known vaguely an adult Tarquin. He was anything but posh and is now in prison for murder

StrychnineInTheSandwiches · 18/01/2022 22:11

Never met a Tarquin. Nor a Jocasta.

hivemindneeded · 18/01/2022 22:10

@SeaKingdom

I have known one in the Biblical sense.
LOL. You win.
RedToothBrush · 18/01/2022 22:05

I went to school with a Tristram. Became a postie I think. He really wasn't posh.

I know of a baby Phineas.

Tarquin has gone the same way as Nigel and Ian imo. The media representations are so bad and so widespread no one goes near it.

I did think at one point the joke about baby Ians might backfire, but it never happened.

I suspect Tarquin will be one of those names that doesn't get a revival in a century too and is consigned to history (its utterly fascinating how this happens and what names get lost)

TwoBigNoisyBoys · 18/01/2022 18:57

@PlanetNormal yes that’s right!! I remember laughing for ages at one of the cartoons…it had the dad (Malcolm??) engaging in role play, on on all fours, shouting ‘Come on Tarquin, hug the elephant!’ with Tarquin looking aghast in the background 😂😂

HappydaysArehere · 18/01/2022 18:39

Laurence Olivier named his son Tarquin who was mentioned in Shakespeare. I remember my English teacher telling us this back in the late fifties and remarking that Tarquin was such a terrible character she wondered why, I looked it up and one suggestion is that he thought it would look good in the theatre lights.

stayingaliveisawayoflife · 18/01/2022 18:36

I taught a Tarquin. He is now at secondary school.

JeshusHChr · 18/01/2022 18:27

I knew a Tarquin as a child, kid of my dad's friend. Lived in working class neighbourhood and family not even remotely posh or wealthy.

I like the name.

PlanetNormal · 18/01/2022 18:26

@TwoBigNoisyBoys

It reminds me of the ‘Modern Parents’ in Viz…wasn’t their son called Tarquin?Other than that, I’ve never heard it used 😊 but yeah definitely a real name.
The Modern Parents was genius, although some MNers might find it a little too close to home… The older child was called Tarquinius and his little brother was called Guinevere! 🤣
BathTangle · 18/01/2022 18:24

I also know an Algernon... (Algie)

BathTangle · 18/01/2022 18:23

I knew a Tarquinia years ago - nickname Tilly.... (yes they were vair posh)

Farrandau · 18/01/2022 18:22

@Bluebluemoon39

Yes, a very posh name. I think it should be brought back along with Fenton, Phineas and Algernon!

I love a daft posh name.

I know a cool teenage Phineas. Parents are Trollope fans.
Anotherhill · 18/01/2022 18:18

I really like Tarquin as a name, would never use it though.