Where did the baby name Wavell come from in 1942?

British military officer Archibald Wavell (1883-1950)
Archibald Wavell

In 1942, the baby name Wavell popped up in the U.S. baby name for the first and (so far) only time:

  • 1944: unlisted
  • 1943: unlisted
  • 1942: 7 baby boys named Wavell [debut]
  • 1941: unlisted
  • 1940: unlisted

Where did it come from?

A British Army officer with a very British name: Archibald Percival Wavell (pronounced way-vell).

Wavell served in various wars from the Second Boer War onward, but he would have come to the attention of Americans during the early part of WWII while serving as Commander-in-Chief Middle East. In Northern Africa, his British forces defeated the Italians, but were unable to defeat the Germans (led by Erwin Rommel).

What are your thoughts on the baby name Wavell?

Source: Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell – Britannica.com

P.S. Want to see another surname-starting-with-W that turned into a WWII-inspired one-hit wonder? Check out Wainwright

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