Where did the baby name Thayle come from in 1936?

The characters Thayle and Malvern from the short story "Company for the Milkman" (1936)
Thayle and Malvern

The name Thayle appeared in the U.S. baby name data for one year only, in the middle of the 1930s:

  • 1938: unlisted
  • 1937: unlisted
  • 1936: 6 baby girls named Thayle [debut]
  • 1935: unlisted
  • 1934: unlisted

Where did it come from?

The source is the long-forgotten short story “Company for the Milkman” by Florence Leighton Pfalzgraf. It was published in various newspapers in 1936.

The protagonist is 24-year-old working girl Thayle. She wants to settle down, but first has to choose between two suitors: Nigel “Nig” Duffield (who’s poor, but perfect for her) and Malvern “Mal” Kay (who’s wealthy, but a bad match).

“I don’t mean to offend you, Nig. But — but I’m tired of my tuppenny job. I hate the real estate office, that cold iron typewriter. I don’t want to work after I’m married.”

She nearly marries Mal, but of course there’s a twist (involving a milkman) and she ends up with Nig.

The only thought-provoking thing about this story? The nickname “Nig.” I suspect the author wanted it pronounced “Nige” (long I, soft G — as in Nigel). So why did she leave off the E so that it rhymes with “pig” (or Twig)? Weird omission.

What do you think of the name Thayle?

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