Canadian vs. American first names

[burntcopper]

This is entirely out of curiosity for those of you over the pond. Are there any names that're more likely to make you think 'huh, must be American/Canadian'? I'm only thinking this because I work with a thousand and one different nationalities and names a day - we've got to the point where we can make a reasonable guess at the person's nationality by their name alone, and the difference between English/Scots/Welsh/Irish names and those across the pond are very easy to spot if you're from these wind and rain swept isles. (eg, if someone's called Chelsea/Lucie/Dick/Chuck/anything with a Jr. on the end, there is no way in hell they're from the British Isles.) I can spot the non-Europeans, I just can't necessarily make a distinction between American and Canadian names.

Comments

[minim_calibre]

Not first names, so much, at least if you're comparing English Speaking Canada names to US names. I did have a former co-worker who swore that the combination of French First Name/Scottish Last Name was Very Canadian Indeed, so I suppose a Celine or Helene McDonald would make me think Canada.

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

Huh. Had completely forgotten that one. Had one on Friday like that where we went '...hang on, what do you mean this one isn't from Canada? French first name, dammit!'

Scots surname with a quasi-Scots (ie, might sound Scots to a foriegner but you'd be hard pressed to find it in the actual country) first name's normally Canadian. My own name - Heather Wallace - is ridiculously popular in Canada, but finding Heathers in Scotland is like a needle in a haystack.

[minim_calibre]

I have a cousin named Heather. In Canada, of course. With a Scots surname. You're right about the ridiculously popular aspect.

I do find that I tend to assume people with my own McLastName are from Canada--it's a bit more common there than here, after all.

[jamjar.livejournal.com]

I've known a few Canadians with the combination-- Jean-Francois Bradley or something similiar.