desultoryd
New Member
great discussion - I was thinking of the Enid Blyton books I grew up with and one of the groups of children (the three find-outers and dog?) named their dog Mr. Potts, after the interfering local magistrate. When they would see the policeman they would immediately call their dog "here Mr. Potts you rascal, Potty by name and Potty by nature you are!" at the top of their voices, causing the actual Mr. Potts to clear off, in embarrassment. I think there is something similar at play here with the naming of Bill the Pony. It is very English humour.