From a ninth century monk to a 21st century television show, with pit stops in Hollywood and the White House, this name has history aplenty.
Thanks to Paul for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day: Humphrey.
Back in the 800s, in a little German town called Prüm, there lived a monk called Hunfrid. Hunfrid eventually became a bishop, and is remembered as a saint.
In his lifetime, Hunfrid’s Latin name would’ve been Hunfridus. But today, look him up in official church records, and he’s St. Humphrey.
Hun comes from a Germanic element meaning something along the lines of bear, or possibly strength. You’ll recognize -frid from Frederick; the element means peace. The Normans brought him to England, but found him waiting there, too, as Hunfrith.
The n-to-m switch wasn’t unusual. Humbert took a similar path. And many a name appears with both ph and f spellings.
In various forms, Humphrey had a good run in Medieval England. King Henry IV of England gave the name to his youngest son, the 1st Duke of Gloucester. He wasn’t the first well-born Humphrey; the royal Humphrey was named after his maternal grandfather. The 2nd Earl of Buckingham answered to the name, too.
By the late nineteenth century, Humphrey was only in sparing use. His last appearance in the US Top 1000 was in 1894. Hollywood legend Humphrey Bogart – yup, that’s his given name – was born on Christmas Day, 1899.
Despite Bogart’s privileged Upper West Side upbringing, he fell in love with acting. First came Broadway, then Hollywood. He graduated from tough guy to romantic lead. He’s remembered best as Rick in Casablanca, heroically giving up the woman he loves. His career flourished from the 1940s into the 50s, when he won a Best Actor Oscar.
Today Humphrey might strike most as a surname. Possibly that’s thanks to Hubert Horatio Humphrey, Jr., vice president under Lyndon Johnson in the 1960s. His son, Hubert Horatio Humphrey III, has also had a career in Minnesota politics.
If not a surname, then Humphrey might give you more of a zoological vibe. Animals aplenty have answered to Humphrey, including:
- A cat in residence at 10 Downing Street, jokingly referred to as the Chief Mouser. He was named after Yes, Minister character Sir Humphrey Appleby;
- A pair of bears. The first is a staple on Australian kids’ television, the star of Here’s Humphrey. The second is a minor Disney character who starred in shorts in the 1950s and 60s;
- In last year’s animated wolf movie Alpha and Omega, Humphrey is the underdog. He’s thrown together with alpha wolf Kate, and through a series of unlikely events, they fall in love.
Humphrey’s hopes for a renaissance come not from the animal kingdom, but from the small screen. TV’s Gossip Girl features the Humphrey family – aspiring writer Dan, his former rock star dad Rufus, rebellious little sister Jenny, socialite stepmama Lily. Dan is often referred to by his last name, and somehow it starts to sound just right.
With playgrounds filled with screen legends like Natalie, Ava, and Audrey, a little Humphrey might fit right in.
I’d never use it but I appreciate the impulse. Maybe for a pet.
Humphrey is what happened when Geoffrey fell into the Tree of Ugly. Yes, really.
Sorry, but…HA!
Yeah, I was going to say, Geoffrey is much better.
I don’t say the “p” either.
As a Minnesota Democrat I want to like Humphrey, but the lack of tease-proof nicknames make it hard to use. Humpy, Humpty, Harry? I suppose you could go the route of H.H.Humphrey III and go by Skip (IV goes by Buck.).
The Minnesota Viking play at the beleaguered Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Since the Vikings have been trying to push a new stadium bill through the Legislature for years and the Dome’s roof collapsed this winter… I don’t think they’ll play there for long.
I don’t say the ‘p’ either: hum-free is what He hears when I say it. Interesting! 😀
This is one of those names just doesn’t do anything for me. I say “hrumph” a lot when frustrated/pouting, and that’s all I can see when I see/hear Humphrey.
Also, do more people say “Hump-phrey” or “Hum-phrey” I wonder… where does the P slide for most accents? (irregardless of the “correct” prn)
Not sure which is more correct, but I say Hum-phrey, though if I’m consciously pronouncing the name, yeah it comes out Hump-phrey. I hadn’t thought about that, but emphasizing that P would seem to make it less wearable.
There’s a definite ‘p’ in the middle when I say it, whether I try to pronounce it or not. I just had my mom say it for me, and she doesn’t pronounce a ‘p’ at all.
I love Humphrey, but I would worry about schoolyard teasing because of the “hump” sound much more than names like Walter or Howard. I could see kids saying “Humps are Free”. 🙁
I do love it though! Perhaps as a middle? 😉
All I hear is “hump” — not a fan of this one.
Humphrey reminds me of Walter and Howard, lovely names!
Oooh, Walter and Howard are two of my faves! Wally and Howie sound so adorably old-fashioned yet current 🙂 And I agree, Humphrey reminds me of them as well.
My assocation with Humphrey is Gossip Girl and Bogart equally; I do think Humphrey could work on a little boy these days.
Bogie aside, Humphrey’s pretty heavy a sound. Wasn’t Humphrey a form of his Mom’s maiden name? I think she was Maud Humphrey (or Humphries, I forget).
I like Humphrey, really I do. His elaborately swishy feel, his neat sound… reminds me of my beloved Aloysius.
Right you are! I never noticed … but Humphrey is his mom’s maiden name!
Sorry, this California girl immediately thinks “Humphrey the Whale” aka “Humphrey the Humpback Whale” that twice lost his way while migrating from Mexico to Alaska, entering San Francisco Bay and having to be rescued by humans after his extended stay in fresh water.
Could Hugh or Huey be used as a nickname?