to ask if you know of any 'urban myths' that are actually true?

[manicinsomniac]

a colleague told me the other day that her husband had been to school with a brother and sister called Everard and Ophelia Dick. I was very dismissive, told her I'd heard that story several times before, that it was an urban myth and possibly on snopes.com.

Luckily I stopped short of saying that the story probably had racist undertones.

But I've just googled them and they're well documented in the same town that her husband is from. So the chances are he's right. I'm very and will have to tell her so in the morning.

I get so used to these name tales being false and offensive that I didn't think there was any way it was going to be true.

Does anybody know if any of the others are true?

How are those names racist?

Neo That's what I was thinking

The only Everard I know of was Larry Graysons friend he used to refer to in stand up.

My school janitor was called Willie Dick. He lived up to his name by being a complete knob. He tried to call himself "Bill" but everyone called him Willie. A Maths teacher let us know this by saying that his first name was a synonym of his surname.

Really? I don't believe it (and I've googled )

...and my ex shared a flat with a guy called Richard Head, no kidding.

I work with a Willy Cox.

Actually I lie, he goes by Bill, but he's still William Cox!

Otherwise, no. Then they wouldn't be myths! Just gossip

Our maths tutors son is called Richard Head.

I know a first name bob second schrunkle.

Oh please educate us - how on earth is any part of this 'story' (for want of a better word) racist? This I have to hear..........

Went to school with a Ben Dover. I imagine his parents thought we would all refer to him as Benjamin, that being his first name and all, alas no.

I heard of an Annette who married a Mr Curtain.

I think a lot of these name stories are racist (or nation-ist maybe) because they rely on parents not having the knowledge of English to know that the names sounded ridiculous in English or aren't really names (eg L-a, Female, Chlamydia, Testicalus Bolliakus, Fanny Chu etc). Maybe that's not racist. But it's something I've picked up on mn and I've been very cautious about mocking names because of it ever since (I laughed hysterically the first time I heard all these myths and was very ashamed when I found out the racist origins).

I'm glad I'm not the only one confused by the racist undertones !

My stepdad went to schools with Ivor Blackhead ! Still makes me smile !

The current head of City College, Norwich, is called Dick Palmer. And from all accounts he is a bit of a one.

I went to school with a jon paul mycock and his sister holly rose mycock.

no word of a lie!

I swear on my life Euphemia. Ben fucking Dover.

There's a whole family of Dicks in the town I live in. I do not get the racist element?

These are just one step up from the old knock knock jokes:

knock knock
Who's there
Theresa
Theresa who?
Theresa Green

There is nothing racist about them, they are puns on words:

I've worked with a Richard Smellie.

And as a teenager I knew two boys who were friends - Mr Wright and Mr Perfect. I used to chuckle to myself when I sat between them on the bus!

My friend went to school with someone called Ethan Wan King.

I knew a nurse who named her dd Candida.

Another one here who met a Richard Head. (Wonder if it is the same man)

My husband who is a head of an overseas school has had a pupil called lawnmower and one called gaylord. Didn't matter a jot

I used to know a girl called henrietta McKinnon. She married a guy called nick pye and became henrietta pye. She calls herself Hettie though.

And there is an estate agent called crook and blight in my parents' town, which always makes me laugh.