As a total aside , many romanies also have a "secret" name usually wispered to the baby soon after birth by the eldest member of the family


@ Romanyman that is a charming tradition. How lovely the oldest passing something special and secret to the youngest member of the family. Does the child ever get told the secret name when old enough to understand it? Or does it remain secret to all except the giver of the name?

@ Frogprince the employment of double names when we were in trouble was used by my Mother (and my aunts and so I suppose by my grandmother).

Scott = Maynard Scott
Kevin = Kevin Bruce
Cindy = Cynthia Diane
Timmy = Timothy Wayne

But I, though my given name was Tamara Linn, was always called Tammy Linn, no matter the reason for calling me.

When angry with my children, they heard the business end of their names.

As my mom got older (with her offspring's, nieces, nephews and next generations names to remember) she got tired of running through all the names until she landed on the correct one. It got to the point in her fumbling through the list, that one or the other of us would chime in with the name "Fred" the gag being there were no Freds in the family. So now by the time she gets to 3rd or 4th name, she gives up and says "Hey Fred!" We all know who she means.