Is Elizabeth Disco Britains funniest name ever?
Brooklyn may be considered by some people to be an unusual choice of name for the son of England soccer star David Beckham and his wife Victoria. And singer Britney Spears raised a few eyebrows with her plan to call her baby London. But archivists have discovered that the fashion for eye-catching names is centuries old. Staff and researchers at the Cornwall Record Office have compiled a list of more than 1,000 unusual names found in censuses, and births, deaths and marriage records – going back as far as the 16th century. The records revealed gems including Boadicea Basher, Philadelphia Bunnyface, Faithful Cock and Elizabeth Disco. What’s the most unusual name you have ever heard? Tell us on reader comments at the foot of the page. Fans of TV’s Emmerdale might be interested to know that a real Charity Dingle – as opposed to the soap character – was baptised in South Petherwin, Cornwall, in 1702. And one Levi Jeans was married in Padstow, Cornwall, in 1797. The marriage records turned u
