WHAT’S in a name? All will be revealed in this column.

The past few months have been a real endurance test for members of the public.

Politics has even crossed over to the show-biz pages of our newspapers.

Hooray, there’s only eight days left to decide on who we want to eventually pay mansion tax on 10 Downing Street.

The media has been actively revealing trivia about the main party players.

David Cameron can’t tell his “life-long” love of football club Aston Villa from West Ham.

Ukip’s Nigel Farage has cuff-links with the wartime phrase “Stay calm” embedded on them.

And Ed Miliband’s favourite drink is Diet Coke.

Nicola Sturgeon’s television role model was – Cilla Black. 

Hardly persuasive arguments for us to vote for any of them.

So the Inferno now provides our own pre-election fun trivia revelation.

Perusing the Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names by EG Wythcombe we discover the following:

David: Hebrew originally a lullaby word meaning “darling” then “friend". This explain’s Mr C’s view of a big society.

Edward: Old English compound of “ead” meaning “rich”, ”happy” and “weard” (no, not weird but ward or guardian). Bodes well.

Nicholas (Nick): Latin compound of “victory” and of “the people".

St Nicholas is also regarded as the patron saint of sailors, children and can you believe pawnbrokers.

Nigel: The history of this name is, according to the book, complicated as it is rather obscure – probably Irish – a derivative of “noadh” meaning “champion” later Latinized as “Nigellus” meaning black. So there we have it, black champion. Oh and how about Boris? It is a favourite Russian name to signify “fight".

So let the ballot box battle begin.

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MIKE McCartney is a real Wirral celebrity, he has been a big supporter of our Golden Globes (cue Scaffold’s Thank U Very Much).

Now Macca the younger is going all politically correct. This week Mike appeared in a tabloid paper saying that at the age of 71 he is going to vote for the very first time. So, curious about such a home truth, I spoke to Mike about this road to Damascus moment.

Would you ever consider standing as an MP? I asked. 

The former pop star and a well-respected photographer grew up during the Harold Wilson Sixties era.

Quick-witted as ever, he replied: “Why would I want to be a military policeman?

“Now if you asked me if I wanted to be PM...”

That’s what I call ambition.

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IT’S been a love triangle in my life – Liverpool, Everton and Tranmere.

As a kid growing up on Merseyside I supported (and still do) all three teams.

I am both apolitical and football neutral. Whether working at home, London or the Midlands I would always check the sports pages to see the soccer scores for each respective team. That won’t change but the magic of league soccer is now gone since dear Tranmere have been relegated.

Like all of their loyal followers I was devastated that this club – established in 1888 – will now be playing in the Conference. But I hope this time next year we will celebrate a runaway Rovers return to a place where they belong.
 

PORT Sunlight Sea Dogs gave a free five star performance at New Brighton’s Pavilion.

The six man band was launching their second album called Driftwood. A collection of sea shanties performed with real atmosphere – you can almost smell the sea when you hear them. 

At the launch these jovial jack tars dressed like sailors revealed that when they were having the photo shoot by the Black Pearl boat there was a surprise guest.

A dog ran up with a ball in his mouth and refused to go till he was snapped with the gang. 

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AND finally... In Beijing they are now making bikes out of bamboo.

The inventor was inspired by seeing so many rotting cycles on rubbish tips. The Green party should watch. It gives a new meaning to recycling.

Peter Grant