Armistice babies in Canada and England

A couple of Armistice Day baby name stories for you…

First: A baby boy was born to Mr. and Mrs. Albert Herod of Ottawa, Canada, less than one minute after the signing of the Armistice on November 11, 1918. Mr. Herod had planned to name the baby Albert after himself, but then Canada’s Governor General personally requested that Albert name his son Victor, in honor of the end of the war. Albert agreed; Victor Herod it was.

(The Governor General also happened to be a Victor, coincidentally.)

Second: A baby boy was born to Mr. and Mrs. Howe of Middleton, England, “on the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.”

My mother told me that while I was born she could hear bands playing outside as people celebrated the end of the war. People were coming up with all sorts of names but in the end they settled on Victory Haig to honour when I was born as well as General Douglas Haig.

Victory Howe went by “Victor” as an adult.

Sources:

  • Hull, Norman. “Government Gives Name.” Windsor Daily 29 May 1939: 5+.
  • Jones, Chris. “Victor was born winner as nation celebrated peace.” Manchester Evening News 11 Nov. 2010.
  • Rennie, Gary. “It’s No Longer ‘remembrance’ Day For Victor.” Windsor Star 11 Nov. 1976: 3.

P.S. The baby name Armistice has been used in the U.S. as well…

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