Did I mention that my middle name is Kevin? For years I've tried not to think about it but these days I think I make an excellent Kevin and I'm warming to the name. Now don't be offended if your name is Kevin (Kweeva if you are of the female persuasion), I've known lots of Kevins and they've all been very nice chaps indeed.
The name's background is Irish (Caoimhin) and there's even a Saint Kevin. The name was rarely used until the 1950s when it surged in popularity in the US and the UK, peaking in the 60s. Since then it's become, well frankly, a bit of a joke name and 'a bit of a Kevin' has often used as a gently mocking insult. Popular names are often driven by celebrity (right Beyonce? Correct Kanu? You all right over there Brooklyn (a bridge)? In Germany, Kevin is used sometimes to describe a short-lived fad (like those spinner things or Cabbage Patch Dolls).
It's a great name for a weird spree killer as Lionel Shriver decided in her 2004 novel 'We Need To Talk About Kevin' (I can relate to that Kevin a little - pass my crossbow - was it his name I wonder)? Then there's Keegan (Splash it all over perm boy), Costner (dooby-dooby-doo, I do it for you), Bacon (Footloose, footloose kick off the EE shoes), and that awful Spacey chap (a big Rapp fan it seems). In the poptastic world of pop pop-pickers, we have Kevin Gates, Kevin Rudolph, Kevin Woo (who isn't a window cleaner apparently) and the magnificent Kevin Parrot of Brian and Michael fame (Kevin is Brian in case you didn't know).
So where did the mockery begin? Harry Enfield's Kevin in 'Harry Enfield and Chums' has done about as much good for us Kevins as 'Tim, nice but dim' has done for the name Timothy (he's such a bastard that Enfield, a real name kisser of death). Then there's Kevin the Carrot (every child's Germanic plush toy favourite karotte mein liebchen - a meisterstroke by Aldi that) and of course Kevin the one-eyed Minion (as if having the name Kevin wasn't disadvantage enough).
Names are like that, always popping in and out of popularity. Cyril used to be a very popular name (nice one) as did Clarence and Arnie (it'll be back!). But you never quite know when your name is going to go from a much-loved moniker to a burden. So what name is next? Roger already has it's problems (as the Bishop said to the actress) Adolph is long gone (obviously), Dennis is menaced, Malcolm is mocked (thanks to that TV ad for Sinex), Wayne is down the John - and Herbert? Well, it's just not right. Names that would have been viewed as silly just a few years ago are back in demand. My grandsons are Milo and Archie (who inspired this blog - he calls me Kevin), but who knows when their tide will turn - is there anybody out there called Canute?
So, my middle name is Kevin, I'm a Kev through and through - kind, gentle, noble and handsome (oh, and a serial killer).
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