So Why Get All Excited about Hairdressing ?

All my friends generally acknowledge that I have some quirky interests. Hairdressing peculiarities figure high amongst my obsessions.

The Male Hairdresser Name Phenomenon

My dad tells me that in earlier times hairdressers (barbers then) were almost always called Vic or Vince and you could only get two types of haircut. These days a visit to the hairdresser is a total experience and they're never called Reg's Head Emporium or Kevin's Head-o-Rama for some inexplicable reason.

In fact has anyone else noticed that male hairdressers nearly always have two first names ?

Let me explain - if you have a casual glance through the Perth 2001 telephone directory for instance, you'll find Andrew Mitchell, Dale James, Guy Anthony, Mike Anthony, Paul Anthony, (is there a hairdresser gene running in the Anthony family I wonder), Peter Edwards, Robert George and Ron Reid (OK this last one stretches it but you're getting the point by now).

Having become obsessed with this over the years I've found it's something that happens worldwide.

To help me check this out please go grab your yellow pages now and check out the Male Hairdresser 2 x first name phenomenon out wherever you are.

Confirmation of the Phenomena

To date I have confirmed sightings from Researchers in :-

• Australian Capital Territory or Canberra to the rest of the world. The mysteries of Canberra's hairdressing population is in the hands of my mystery friend who is due to report back any day now.
• Birmingham, England - Anthony John, Anthony Stuart, Aubrey Bernard, David Justin, Davis George, Elizabeth Ann, Gaynor Leslie, Peter Andrew, Isobel George, Jan Peter, Lee David, Robert Stephen, Russell John, Sara Louise, Simon Paul, Wallace Richard.
• Bradford - Wayne Anthony (what is this about the Anthony family and hairdressing). Thanks to SallyM
• Brighton - it may be a popular resort but sadly Brighton is a black hole for Hairdressers with 2 first names .... only having the ubiquitous David John. Thanks to Baggyfish
• Dublin - amongst others, Peter Mark and John Adams. Thanks to Gnomon
• Fort Lauderdale, Florida - Jean Michael, Drew James, Marc Patric, Micheal Scott, Mikel Jorge, Robert Allen, Sam Michael, John Peter. Thanks to Mother of God
• Houston, Texas - Murphy Allen, Joe Lee, Tommy Lee, Jason Mathew, David Michael.
• Leicester - examples include Mark Anthony and David Ashley. Thanks to Fluorescent
• London, Ontario - George Murray Hair shop and the Michelvincent Hair Studio. Thanks to Big Bad Werewolf
• Manchester - the North exudes hairdressing talent in the form of womens stylists Alan Spencer, Amanda Richard, Andrew Edward, Anthony Francis, Beverly Alexandra, Bryn Daniel, Darren Michael, Gill Lionel, Gillian Dawn, Graham Austin, Gregory Sheila, Jamilla Paul, Jonathan Barrie, Marie Christine, Michael William, Neil Gerrard, Pierre Alexandre, Robin John, Roger James, Simon Gerard, Susan Roberts and Willam Jon. Even in that bastion of traditional barbering - the mens stylist - we find Alexander Nicholas and Brian Stevens. In the Hairdressing and Beauty Supplies trade we have Alan Howard and Howard Alan (spooky) and lastly at the Manchester hairdresser academy we have Nicky Oliver. Thanks to Captain Kebab
• Melbourne - Michael Chandler, Terrence Stevens, Graham Mitchell, Aaron Joseph and Alan James to name just a few
• Nottingham and Derby - Brian Christian, Edward Stuart, George Christian, Harold Stephen, Stephen Harold (I kid you not), John Lawrence, Michael Allen, Mark Taylor, Nicholas Robert, Lesley Clarke. Thanks to Stupidgirl
• New York State - Jordan James, George Anthony and Anthony Guiseppe. Thanks to Imaldris
• New Zealand (a sample) - Rodney Wayne, Kim Michelle, Mark Anthony, Lesley James, Lorraine Ross and James Ramsey prove that to the Kiwi's the principle applies equally to women.
• Perth - see above
• St Louis, Missouri - Allen Mark, Mario Anthony (yet another Anthony), Michael Nelson, Stanley Robert, Dominic Michael, Jean Phillipe, Mitchell James, Jon Thomas, John Carl and (possibly batting for the other team) Miranda Maggie and Jackie Karen. Thanks to Broelan
• Sydney - Phillip Wayne, Andre Stephan, and many others
• Scunthorpe, England - Jon Barrie, Leigh Henry, Mark Jeffs, John Michael.
• Todmorden, UK (known locally as "Tod") - location of arguably one of the best - the gloriously titled "Sweeney's of Tod". Thanks to Tomcroft
• Tulsa, Oklahoma - Beth Ann, Jerry Ann, Anna Christy, Ross Edward, Jon Michael, Bill Reed, Edward Sandy.
• Washington DC, USA - Keith Patrick.
• Wolverhampton, UK - Pastor Andrew, Peter Richard, Riochard Harvey, Royston Blythe, Steve Edwards, Steven Frederick, James Martin, Jon Kevan. Thanks to Researcher 242030

Possible Explanations

Anyone with any explanation for this - do they get their names assigned at hairdresser academy, is there a worldwide conspiracy or do I just have too much time on my hands and am worrying for nothing ?

Hairdressing Salons

I am also endebted to GreyDesk for putting me onto a whole sub-genre .... that of naming Hairdressing salons. Apart from the seemingly ubiquitous "Curl Up and Dye" here's what we've found so far ....

• Perth, Australia - A Cut Above, Beyond the Fringe, Cutting Loose, Cutting Edge, Hair Apparent, Hairs looking at you, Head Turners, Headmaster Hair, Just Teasing, Mane Event, Shear Class, Shear Perfection, Shearing Shed (very Australian).
• London, Ontario - has Custom Cuts, The Cut Above, Fresh Hair Design, Hair Fare Unlimited, Hair Force One, Headlines Hairgrooming Inc, Heads Up Family Hair Care, Hot Heads Haircutters, L'Hairport, Shear Experience Unisex Hair. Thanks to Big Bad Werewolf
• Fort Lauderdale, Florida - The Hair Port, Keltic Man Hair Salon, Killer Cuts, Shortcuts, About Face, Wild Hare Salon, Scissorium, Goldilocks Hair Salon, Grow it or Sew It, Hair France, Hairbrainz, Hair's To-U, INVU Hair Salon, Hot Heads, Tangles. Thanks to Mother of God
• At an undisclosed location awaiting Uncle Heavy's brain cells to recover Kreme of the Krop and Hairway to Heaven - Thanks to Uncle Heavy
• New Zealand During my 2001 vacation to see Aeoteroa, the Land of The Long White Cloud, I ran across the very epicentre of this phenomenon. Ten days of random travelling found: Beyond the Fringe, Clip Joint, A Cut Above the Rest, Shear Luck, Cuts Both Ways, Hair Raiser, Hair Dinkum (strong contender for my all time favourite), Flair Hair, Mane Event, Ruffells Hair, Shearing Shed, Upper Cut, Turning Heads, A Head of Time, Beach Comber, Beyond the Fringe, Curl Up and Dye, Cutting Corner, Hair Affair, Cutting Edge and Shear Luck.
• Whichita Falls, Texas Hair Port, the Silk Purse, Rapunzel's, Tangle's Salon and the Mane Concern - Thanks to Rambling
• Dundee, Scotland Salons range from Boys 2 Men to the very original Barber shop, also featured are Head First, Cutting Edge, The Cutting Rooms, Hair Beyond 2000, Nu Look, Scissors, Sizzors, Set'n'Style, Sizzers, Shear Success, Short Cuts, Streaks Ahead, Talking Heads, Uppercuts, and Wave Length - thanks to Doggymad
• London, England in amongst the ubiquitous "fringe benefits" and "just a snip" lies the jewel in the crown - a Bayswater salon called "Crops and Bobbers" which instantly goes to pole position in the Barber grand prix - my eternal thanks to urchin a fellow spirit.
• St Louis, Missouri Unique Beauty Salon No. 3 (if it's so unique, why do they have to be numbered? although admittedly listings for Salon's 1 and 2 weren't found), Shear Magic, If Looks Could Kill, Hair Fettish, The Beauty Spot, Head West Hair Co, Squrl's Nest (any suggestionjs as to what this one is trying to be are welcome), Hair Razors Studio, Total-E-Clips, Hair-Em, The Mane Event, Hair I Am
  and Shear Perfection (Broelan's personal recommendation). Thanks of course to my old friend Broelan a generous spirit if ever there was one.
• Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Hair Hut, Shear Perfection, Shear Excitement, A Cut Above, Alter Image, Always a Head, Corner Cut Hair Design, Cost Cutters, Great Lengths, Hair-Em, Head Games, Headquarters, Heads Up Hair and Nail Salon, Little Snips, Looking Sharp, Mane Magic, Mane Street Hair Designs, One Sharp Image, Shear Artistry, Shear Excitement, Shear Shack, Shear Shoppe, Silver Shear, Snipper's, Tangles Salon, Wave Makers, Family Hairloom and Wavelength. Thanks to Lady Scott.
• Boston, Mass Always Hair For You, Au Doigts D'Or (translation: To the fingers of gold), Awesome Ten (probably another finger reference), Blow-Out Hair Design, Charley's Angels (They must do a lot more than cut hair), Copa Cabana Salon (Is Carmen Miranda cutting hair now?), Croppers, Curl Up and Dye, Cut Ups, Cuttin' Loose, The Cutting Edge, Fresh Hair Ltd, Hair Again, Golden Comb, Hair After, Hair it Is, Hair and Now Hair Design, Hair and There, Hair We Are and Hair-Port. Thanks to Paul H.
• Houston, Texas - Buzz Cuts, Cut and Dried, File 'n' Style, Follicle Fixers, Hair Affair, Hair-B-Dashery, Hair by Holy Hands, Hair Clip, Hair Loft, Hair and Now, Hats Off to Hair, Kutting Edge, Kutt it Up, Mane Attraction, Prime Cuts, Scissorhands, Sophisti-Kuts, Tressalon.
• Tulsa, Oklahoma - A Cut Above, A Mane Event, The Clipper Crew, Hair Affair, Hair on the Square, Snip 'n' Clip.
• Bartlesville, Oklahoma - Hats Off, Mane Tamer, Sassy Lassy, Shear Delight, Shear Expressions, Style-a-Rama, Tangles.
• Birmingham, England - Curl Up and Dye, Cut 'n' Dyde, Hair Room, Hair Izona, Hair We Are Barbers, Hairkutz, Hairs and Graces, Nailorder, Shear Success.
• Scunthorpe, England - Hair Flair, Hairaid Shelter, Hair'Say, airport, Hairs 'n' Graces, Head-Masters, Headquarters, Heads A-Head, Making Waves, Uppercuts.
• Washington DC, USA - Capitol View, Head Quarters, Sheer Excellence, Right Cut, Last Tangle in Washington, Barber of Seville.
• Wolverhampton, UK - Goldie Locks, Hair Affairs, Hair inthe Square, Hairbenders, Hairdoo's, Hairline, Mad Caps, Crowning Glory. Thanks to Researcher 242030

Need an H2G2 Haircut ?

If you are in need of a coiffure, your mane restyled or simply sizzered then pop along to the H2G2 Hairdressers (courtesy of Doggymad) who will be pleased to assist and may even possibly enquire if you "require anything for the weekend sir ?".