Does anyone read the Times birth announcements?

[deaddei]

There are some corking names there. Walter appeared yesterday- haven't seen that for a while.
Also the obituaries have some lovely old names- most people seem to be about 93 when they die.
(I obviously have far too much time on my hands)

twosofar I was about to say that Tuppence was what me and my friends called our fanjo's as children!

Still, no worse than being called Fanny I suppose

I LOVE the name Marmaduke. I wish he wasn't a cartoon dog.

I know a 15 month old Walter, Wattie for short. Am pretty sure he was announced in the Times too. Suits him actually though I was very surprised when my friend told me his name.

My father is Walter and has hated all of his life ( 75 years!), he has changed his name to William!

skybluewinking - I don't puke at the type of names in the Times - I must admit my own dcs have rather poncetastic names - but at the volume of siblings that seems to be de rigeur.

it often says "at the Portland Hospital" because a birth announcement in The Times is included in the cost of your private delivery at the Portland and they put it on for you (as is a photoshoot, according to very posh friend). My personal favourite (a few years ago, mind) was a poor mite called "Daffodil"

ah, I see. Thank you jintymcginty.

I'd rather have a Marmaduke (or sibling) than another bloody Amelie/Grace/Yawnfest.

I find the Telegraph/Times BA section so much more appropriate (for me) than so many other baby-naming resources.

Disclaimer: Delivered at home, a 5-storey town house in Kensington since you ask.

I have not heard Yawnfest in ages. It must be a Kensington thing.

I was joking about the Kensington thing - with reference to it being apparently necessary to inform the readership that the birth was at the Portland...

Yawnfest is quite common West London I believe.

I agree, I'd rather meet a little Hubert or Evangeline than another Jack or Ellie (yawn...).

Liking Yawnfest, may add it to my 'possibles' list for DC2 .

I thought it was a bad idea to put your baby announcement in the paper in case their identity got stolen?

I agree that the columns are probably a good indicator of trends to come - both the deaths and births columns. Freakanomics shows that the 'posh' names of one cohort are the 'common' names of the next.

p.s. My cat is called Marmaduke

An excellent name for a cat - perhaps that's the sign of a seriously "posh" name? Easily interchangeable betwixt child and family pet?

Ah, there's a Wilfred in today. I like it . Do you reckon that he'd be a Will, Wilf or a Fred for short?

There's also a Constance in the Death announcements, that's rather nice too

The name is nice I meant Just realised how awful that post could sound.

I grew up reading the 'hatch, match and despatch' - of any paper I could get my hands on. It's sort of soothing - continuity, I suppose. Maybe I was a strange child

The Times' is often good for a laugh as I sometimes imagine the children 15 years down the line giving their parents grief about the pretentious names they've been saddled with.

Children'll blame you for most things so don't give 'em a head start with a daft name.

BTW, you made me laugh, cakeywakey!

Still a bit

Me too.

Where else do Rollos, Ottos & Mungos gather?

Deo Gratias

If i had a boy i'd love a Walter, it was my g.grandads name but dp thinks it won't go with his surname..Walter Lilley

I love reading all birth announcements.

I am always interested to see the names other people com up with.

Can you get the times ones online?