Primrose as a male name

[lawrenceb]

Primrose Bell Thompson was my 3Xgreatgrandmother's(Mary Thompson) brother.  His parents were John Thompson and Margaret Bell, married 3 Feb 1812 in St Nicholas, Aberdeen. The name Primrose(applied to males) was carried on through the generations.  The last one known to me is my great grandmother's brother, Primrose Gerrie, who died in infancy.  Is there anyone else who has run into this name used for a male?

[Isabel H]

I remember seeing correspondence about the name Primrose some years ago in Family Tree Magazine. It's a surname used as a forename.

[Redroger]

Yes, confirm that Isobel, I saw it in Family History Monthly. I have also seen the name Mavis used as a male name, in these circumstances: In Boston, Lincs there was an optician John M. Enderby, the Mavis was after the Lincolnshire village Mavis Enderby. There is also a nearby village Bag Enderby, I wonder if anyone is so named?

[lawrenceb]

Interesting. I also found online a reference to a Primrose Thompson who was, if I remember correctly, an English Lord, or at least someone with great connections.  It was in the Old Bailey Records about someone robbing him of a watch.  Mavis as a male forename is also interesting, but not nearly so thought provoking as Bag Enderby as a name!   

[ev]

hi  

i can see at least 11 primrose males on the 1881 census for scotland
including primrose b thomson(b. c1825) and his son primrose b.(b. c1855)

ev

[Redroger]

I believe too that Florence is used as a male name in Ireland, and also understand that sometimes in the Catholic faith male saints are given the name Mary!

[genjen]

Our village shop, when I was a child, was owned by a man whose christian name was Peach. I've just checked on FreeBMD, because I never entirely believed it, but he is there. I wouldn't have had it down as a likely christian name for anyone in the early part of the twentieth century but certainly not a man growing up on industrial Tees-side. I wonder if he suffered.

Sorry, this is not really anything to do with your Primrose but I have always wondered about it.

Jen

[lawrenceb]

The ones you see in the census are my relatives, and there are other male relatives in that same branch also called "Primrose".  I don't think there are any in the current generation....much to my son's relief!

[Redroger]

I have a former male colleague whose forename is Beverley. Apparently his father was a keen racing fan, and he said that his child was going to be named for the racecourse where he backed his next winner. Could have been worse I suppose; Uttoxeter, Newton Abbott, Yarmouth, Doncaster, Sedgefield....etc.