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‘Danger’ really was his middle name…as well as Hero, Lucky and Love – 1911 Census reveals some of the wackiest forenames
A six year old boy called ‘Love Child’ tops a list of wacky first and middle names from 100 years ago researched by family history site genesreunited.co.uk.
Analysis of 36 million records in the 1911 Census revealed the unfortunate chap’s full name was Love Child Charles Wales Bull, while other madcap middle names included Danger, Hero, Lucky, Love and Secret. Did people 100 years ago believe in fated names?
Rhoda Breakell, head of genesreunited.co.uk said: “The true meaning of little Love Child Charles Wales Bull’s name will remain a mystery but perhaps his parents really did love their child. It’s interesting to find some of the more unusual forenames chosen over 100 years ago, and particularly the artistic licence used with middle names – it’s actually not so different to what we see today with quirky celebrity baby names such as ‘Blue Ivy’ and ‘Harper Seven’ and of course Myleene Klass’ daughter ‘Hero Harper’.”
Most ‘fated’ forenames in the 1911 Census
1. Love Child
2. Danger
3. Lucky
4. Hero
5. Love
6. Lovely
7. Nice
8. Pretty
9. Secret
Danger is my middle name
‘Danger is my middle name’ was most famously said by James Bond and Austin Powers, but the 1911 Census suggests men and women 100 years ago probably said it too. Alfred Stephen Danger Wood was a chauffeur from Pimlico – would people have dared ride in a vehicle with him?
Hero by name, hero by nature?
Trawling the records found Hero which is another unusual choice of name, particularly when paired with a second wacky forename such as one chap in the 1911 Census called Hero Bear Rose from Westminster. A dentist by profession, you could say Hero Bear Rose was a hero to some, but possibly a villain to others.
TV star Myleene Klass named her daughter Hero, apparently choosing the name after a character from Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Perhaps many of us will follow in Myleene’s and our ancestors’ footsteps by opting to give unusual first and middle names to our children.
Sent with love…
Also discovered in the records was Postman Walter Love Barnes from Cornwall. Hopefully Walter was as lucky in love as his middle name might suggest.
“How parents choose a middle name for their child is a fascinating journey through history and here we have some wonderful examples of real imagination being used. It will be interesting to see if the nation continues to adopt a creative flair for middle names and how these will evolve over the next 100 years,” said Breakell.
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