Friday 17 August 2012

Double Barrelled Names - A resurgence

One surprise from the Olympic Games is that the double barrel name is alive and well.  No longer though are double barrel names the preserve of the British Upper Classes ( not forgetting also those who aspired to be considered Upper Class) but now are seemingly enormously popular among Jamaicans.  Why this is I would be fascinated to know but every time a double barrelled name appeared on the list of athletes taking part in an event it was always born with pride by a Jamaican.

The hope must be that this resurgence of the double barrelled name will encourage those who, over the last thirty odd years, have discretely dropped one or more names from their full surname to once again take them up. Life will be infinitely richer if the likes of my old comrade in arms, Sir Ranulf Fiennes reverts back to calling himself; Sir Ranulf Twiselton - Wickham -Fiennes or Charles Clive once more rejoices in signing his name Charles Clive - Ponnsoby- Fane.        

3 comments:

  1. It may be because their parents aren't married.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I seem to remember DC asking Rees-Mogg's sister, when standing, if she'd drop her double.

    The shit.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Proper ones should be utilised but not the chavvy ones these days where a wife decides to go double-barrelled upon marriage like the Battersby-Browns featured in Coronation Street. God forbid !!

    ReplyDelete