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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?

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ghislaine · 18/01/2022 18:16

It is a second name but the first name is in a similar vein...

Concestor · 18/01/2022 18:14

[quote bibbidybobbidyboo]@ghislaine Omg a St John? As their first name??[/quote]
It's pronounced Sinjun. I've no idea why

Blubells · 18/01/2022 18:12

I wonder why some consider it 'posh'? Going by this thread it seems to be a name used just as much by non posh people...,

It is that different to, say, Taliesin, Tristan or Tareeq?

blyn · 18/01/2022 18:05

Tristram is nice.

I daresay 'Tarquin' will come back in fashion at some stage. It makes me think of the Monty Python sketch:

getyarn.io/yarn-clip/e6f50526-19d9-428f-933d-b7d6cb0171e6

Last king of Rome:
www.britannica.com/biography/Tarquin-king-of-Rome-534-509-BC

Comefromaway · 18/01/2022 17:52

I used to know a Tarquin. He ran a company that we had dealings with.

He was a lovely bloke.

flippertyop · 18/01/2022 17:52

I've met a Tarquin - he is the opposite of posh

Loveand · 18/01/2022 17:51

I know a real life middle-named Tarquin! Grin He is late 30s and very self conscious about the name!!!

Ahhhhhbisto · 18/01/2022 17:51

I know an adult Tarquin, definately not posh!!

Cindie943811A · 18/01/2022 17:51

Sir Laurence Olivier has/had a son called Tarquin from his first marriage.
One of those names I rather like but wouldn’t be confident enough to use.

Laila747 · 18/01/2022 17:48

I knew a Tarquin….about 25/30 years ago.

He was possibly the least ‘posh’ person I have ever met. Very, very funny and amazingly kind though. So I’d be happy to meet another one!

Original poster
littlepetit · 18/01/2022 17:47

@Sockpile

According to this article no babies have been named Tarquin in the UK in the last 10 years.
Interesting! Explains why I’ve never come across one. I just assumed the way people spoke about ‘tarquins’ that it was a very popular name in upper class circles and that posh schools would have numerous little tarquins running about.
OP posts:
Tal45 · 18/01/2022 17:45

I suppose you could be Quin for short which is quite nice. Tarquin is hideous though and reserved for the super posh.

purplepaintedpineapple · 18/01/2022 17:39

My son had a school friend (now early 20's)called Tarquinn

PattyPan · 18/01/2022 17:25

I've never met one but I think I had the impression it was slightly more popular in Scotland? (I'm in England)

Bluebluemoon39 · 18/01/2022 17:21

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

I love a daft posh name.

Cuwins · 18/01/2022 17:19

I know an adult Tarquin and he is most definitely not posh!

TwoBigNoisyBoys · 18/01/2022 17:18

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.

toastofthetown · 18/01/2022 17:15

Tarquin is used but very rarely in England and Wales. The ONS only releases data if there have been three or more births in a single year, but the last time Tarquin register was ten years ago.
names.darkgreener.com/#tarquin

EdgeOfACoin · 18/01/2022 17:15

I actually really like the name!

Blubells · 18/01/2022 17:07

Yes it's a real name.

It's unusual these days because it's rarely used but it's no different to Tristan for example. I'm not keen personally but I don't find it 'awful' at all.

Figgyboa · 18/01/2022 16:56

Yes, it my grandmother's name.

bibbidybobbidyboo · 18/01/2022 16:53

@ghislaine Omg a St John? As their first name??

scottishnames · 18/01/2022 16:50

It's not ridiculous, no more than any other name. Almost all names have their good points and bad points and go in and out of fashion.
Tarquinus Superbus here: Tarquin the Proud. Got a bad press because he was a king of Rome replaced by the Roman Republic.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucius_Tarquinius_Superbus

SeaKingdom · 18/01/2022 16:42

I have known one in the Biblical sense.

ghislaine · 18/01/2022 16:42

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.

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