Babies named for Robert Falcon Scott

English explorer Robert Falcon Scott
Robert Falcon Scott

Roald Amundsen wasn’t the only person racing southward in the early 1910s. English explorer Robert Falcon Scott was also trying to be the first to reach the South Pole.

But Scott’s team arrived in January on 1912 — more than a month after Amundsen’s team. Even worse, during the 800-mile return trek, Scott and all four of his companions died.

Scott’s body was discovered in November, but the news of his death didn’t reach civilization until February of 1913. At that point, he became a national hero.

It’s hard to know how many babies worldwide were named “Robert” in his honor, given both the prevalence of the name and the sheer size of the British Empire at that time, but I have found several unmistakable tributes:

  • Robert Falcon Scott Simpson, born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, in 1913.
  • Robert Falcon Scott Hall, born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, in 1913.
  • Robert Falcon Scott Asher, born in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1914.
  • Robert Falcon Scott Grieve, born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1916.

I’ve seen other variants as well, such as Falcon Scott Allen (b. 1913, USA), Robert Falcon Scott (b. 1913, USA), Stephen Falcon Scott McCullach (b. circa 1914, Australia), and George Falcon Scott Munro (b. 1914, New Zealand).

Sources: Robert Falcon Scott – Wikipedia, FamilySearch.org

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