h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

At my school we had a Mrs Bates who did indeed have a son, but not at our school.

And our history teacher for the 5th yr (and she also taught the 6th form, poor sole) was a rather attractive (heck, we were teenage boys...) named Mrs Grocock.

Afternoon all

I dont actually know what my names mean, one side are Dobbies from just north of glasgow (at least two generations back, anyway... There's a mine up there with me grandad's leg down it, apparently!), and the other side is Italian and I believe has some christian/religious connections. Probably invented to impress girls. I have heard it was anglicised when a great or great, great grandad came over to the UK from Italy between the wars I think.

What I do know is that I have scotish feet... Mum always called em 'bogtrotters' they are short and wide with short toes... Apparently perfect for getting across the swampy and marshy areas without slowing down unlike the non-natives with their skinny feet and tendency to sink

akshully, Grocock seems to be an interesting one.
Derived from a medieval nickname for a tall thin person it comes from the old french for 'crane' (as in the bird) which was apparently 'grue'.

This is interesting because I'm sure legions of geeks and nerds who've played Zork will be surprised to learn that it was a Crane that was going to eat them!







(yeah, yeah, I know the authors give a different origin )

I had a flatmate who went to school with a Jennifer Taylor. People actually shortened it to Jenna, and yet it was only after he's left that school that he thought "Hold on..."

Ictoan, did you know you are Quote of the Day? (post 110 in the backlog)

GB

darn, missed it! Ah well

Keep an eye on A52415318

(Oh, right - meanings of names. People often assume I'm giving myself airs because I insist on the "de" that's part of my two-word surname. However, it's quite common with Dutch names - unlike French, it has nothing to do with aristocracy in Dutch. "De" simply means "the"; my name means "the peddler". Very posh...)

Malabarista,Robyne
Thankyou for returning us to the first idea of the question. I have found the other comments for the most very amusing. I have also learned a little more about how the community communicates. This is most enjoyable to me and I wish to hear more of name meanings. I apologise for mention of poor Rusty and his aunt.
JR

I think you'll find that the community likes things like that.

Just remembered - University somewhere in UK. Two 'Senior Common Room' members married... had twins. Would you believe Caractacus and Boadicea? I didn't, at first...

When we were having twins, my sister-in-law said it would be nice if it was two girls and we called them Melody and Harmony.

She was genuinely miffed when we fell about laughing.

Rod,
I am with some knowledge of Boadicea as I have enjoyed stories of warriors from everywhere since I was a very young person, but who is the Latin person you have brought out?
JR

I will risk the offence of those tender toward animals and also going even further from the original path that has been made by telling of my youngest children.
My youngest son and daughter each had pigs to grow my son named his boar Willie, and my daughter named her sow Betty, I asked them why they were so amused at this and they said full names are Willie B. Good and Betty Will.
I was amused, I hope no one is offended.
JR

I'm not! That's fab!!!

johnredbear: Boadicea (or, rather, Boudicca) was queen of the Iceni as you'll recollect...? Caractacus (or Caratacus) was the leader of the Catevellauni tribe. Both had contretemps with the Romans.
They get a mention in A3383868. Otherwise, Google will find you enough to while away your years...

johnredbear:

Don't worry - it really is difficult to offend people here.

how rude Ed!

I must admit I am fascinated with peoples' names, especially here in Britain where, due to the many Nationalities that have resided here names have changed quite drastically.

My surname's etymology is uncertain. The family tree shows our ancestors living in the Holloway area of London up to the second World war, when they move out, or were evacuated, and has been traced back to the Fifteenth Century. With this in mind, the belief is that there is a Jewish connection. However, the surname, being Rollason, is hard to identify as their have been many corruptions and misspellings in the past, possibly due to illiteracy and some minor official mishearing the name or writing it quickly. The possible derivation is 'Son of Roland' so a French link, maybe? Or 'Son of Rolaf' of possible Scandinavian extraction. It is hard to tell physiologically, as our respective Mother's genes do add a slant.

My Maternal surname is Johnstone (with an 'e' please!) a notorious family of Border Reivers from Annandale on the Scottish borders. Their Motto is "Nunquam non paratus" which translates into "Never unprepared". Being lowlanders, they didn't have Clans initially. That monicker came later, but I understand they were a Sept of the Armstrongs. I also understand that they had the longest continuously running family feud in Britain, 450 years (allegedly! but unlikely!) against the Maxwells, bought to an end by king James VI of Scotland (and later King James I of Great Britain) in 1623. The legacy of the Reivers can be found in the English language today, with blackmail and kidnap both being used, and thus named, by these Reiver types...

Hope that helps?

My Mother's Mother's maiden name was Hubbard, from the Fenlands (Norfolk I think), but I don't know my Father's Mothe's maiden name.



MMF