Names are an interesting thing. You have no choice in them whatsoever and, in the majority of cases, you have to put up with them for your whole life.

Recently, in a fit of reading that is rare at the best of times, I completed a book called "Potty, Fartwell & Knob - Extraordinary But True Names Of British People" by Russell Ash [ISBN: 978-0-7553-1654-0]. And it is just that, a list of people's names. It is, however dry you may think that subject is, incredibly funny.

Some of the names make little sense until you read them out loud, or spend a bit of time thinking about them. But that is the beauty of the book - it gets you thinking. It's almost like a brain training exercise!

Barb Dwyer, incidentally, was baptized at Sacred Heart and English Martyrs, Thornley, Durham on 7th January 1877.

Two more favourites are Tom Ato (Sleaford, Lincolnshire, 1867) and Tom Ayto (Grantham, Lincolnshire, 1808)!

Well worth a look.

[some information via "Potty, Fartwell & Knob - Extraordinary But True Names Of British People" by Russell Ash.]