ANYONE FOR DENIS?
ICHECKED the latest list of most popular male names for 2020: Alfie, Charlie, Milo, Max, Teddy, Buddy, Oscar, Bailey, Archie and Hugo. But no Denis.
There is never a Denis. Then I realised this was a list of popular names for dogs.
People have stopped calling their canine companions Rover or Fido but are now choosing names that reflect their status as a man or woman’s best friend.
The female dog names are Bella, Luna, Poppy Lola, Daisy, Ruby, Molly, Rosie, Lily and Coco.
All fine for humans, too. My name peaked in the human list in the 1940s and even then it wasn’t particularly high.
In 1997 it had a popularity rating of 1,952, more than a thousand places behind Dexter and Dan.
It has risen since but remains well outside the hot 100. Or 200. Or 300. Why?
Has it had a bad Press? Have I given it a bad Press?
It comes from the name of a Greek god, for goodness sake, Dyonisius, the god of wine and revelry and, according to one website, denotes someone who is amiable and very social which, in my case, is perhaps stretching a point.
St Denis managed to be both the patron saint of France and syphilis, the first patronage official and the second by popular acclaim and desperation in the Middle Ages.
But its human popularity remains so low I’m the only Denis I know.
At least I can take comfort from the fact that two people I know actually have dogs called Denis.
The beasts were not named after me specifically but both are white haired, have short hairy legs and beards.
It’s enough to change my name to Dyonisius and get stuck into the wine.