Is Tarquin a real name?

[littlepetit]

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?

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.

I know an adult Tarquin, definately not posh!!

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

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

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

He was a lovely bloke.

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

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?

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

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

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

@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.

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

I also know an Algernon... (Algie)

@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! 🤣

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.

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

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.

@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 😂😂

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)

@SeaKingdom

I have known one in the Biblical sense.

LOL. You win.

Never met a Tarquin. Nor a Jocasta.

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

AWFUL

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

@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?