What’s in a name? The fun tags given to folk in Valleys...
EVANS The Coal, John The Milk and Tommy Fruit and Veg – just a few of the colourful nicknames given to locals living in the South Wales Valleys.
It is a proud Welsh tradition which began, it is thought, as a means to distinguish between the thousands of Joneses, Williamses, Evanses and Robertses.
And while nicknames are given to people all over the world, the most original, imaginative and spontaneous are probably found in the Valleys.
A post published on the Rhondda – Our Valley Facebook group challenged users to share some of the funny and quirky nicknames given to people living in their local areas.
And the results are wonderfully hilarious.
From Dick the Barber in Gelli to Siony the Onionman and Willie the Oil in Treherbert, people have been reacting to the post.
Commenting on the post, user Colin Harvey wrote: “Dai Central Eating. He only had one tooth in the middle of his mouth!”
Another user Annette Toni Lynch listed: “Tommy Fruit and Veg, Doug the Oil Man had a van with clothes and bits and bobs, Ken the Butcher.”
Meanwhile, Belinda Saye, wrote: “In Ferndale, we had Dai the Parkie. An absolute legend.”
Another user, Chris Williams, wrote: “Dai ‘Ty Top’ (Top House) because he lived in the top house – except he didn’t! Nor did his dad, John Ty Top, but his granddad Jack Ty Top did.”
Pam Collins said: “Jack Last Order. Went in the pub at 10.50pm.”
And Mandy Howells wrote: “Harry Hatchet in Treherbert – he was a barber.”
Ivor Buckley commented: “Dai Quiet Wedding. Married in his slippers – bad feet.”
While Geraint Morgan wrote: “Ifan ‘lan a lawr’ (up and down). Worked in a cinema in Treorci. He had a torch and kept an eye on the behaviour of teenagers in the back row. He walked up and down the centre.”
And Haydn Wilkins said: “Willie the Oil, Davies Tyntyla (clothes), Tom the Barber, Evans the Shop, Evans Top House, John Up And Down (he had one leg shorter than the other), Johnny Ice Cream and the best I have ever heard, Dai Rusty Nail!”