Main content

07/05/2013

With a royal baby due, Michael Rosen looks at Britain's national naming culture, interviewing people with the rarest surnames and learning about the history of naming in the UK.

With a royal baby imminent, Michael Rosen investigates names. From rare surnames which have all but died out in this country, to countries which tightly control first names given to children. He meets expectant mothers at an ante-natal class and finds out about the names they're thinking of for their offspring, and talks to an historian about royal names- are we ever likely to have a Prince Kevin or a Princess Tracey? Produced in Bristol by Melvin Rickarby.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Mon 13 May 2013 23:00

Broadcasts

  • Tue 7 May 2013 16:00
  • Mon 13 May 2013 23:00

From blunk to brickfielder: our wonderful words for weather

From blunk to brickfielder: our wonderful words for weather

Exploring creative descriptions for wind, rainfall and sunny spells from around the world

Digital body language 鈥 how to communicate better online

Digital body language 鈥 how to communicate better online

We need to find new ways of talking to each other 鈥渧irtually鈥.

Coinages that changed the world 鈥 and some that tried to...

Coinages that changed the world 鈥 and some that tried to...

Exploring the hidden histories of obscure words, and common buzz phrases.

Ittibitium, borborygmus, and Ba humbugi 鈥 14 wonderful science words you鈥檝e never heard of

Ittibitium, borborygmus, and Ba humbugi 鈥 14 wonderful science words you鈥檝e never heard of

Michael Rosen puts the language of science under the microscope.

Download this programme

Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes.

Keywords for Our Time

Series of programmes examining key phrases in public debate.

Smiley face: Seven things you didn't know about emoji

Some facts about emoji - possibly the world's first truly global form of communication.

The funny words that kids invent

Have a look at some of the fantastic words that children invent and reimagine.

Podcast