Decisions, decisions

And a union jack flying from each corner of the car. You’ll be representing Global Britain out there; normal considerations of good taste do not apply.

When I turned 30 I was in New Hampshire for 'leaf peeping season'. Hotel accommodation was scarce so people would take in paying guests like a up-market guest house. We stayed in a wonderful house with amazing views down a valley.

The second evening we were there another British couple turned up and we got chatting over drinks. Turned out he was one of founders/drivers of Ecurie Ecosse; think his name was Ian Stewart.

When we were planning names for what turned out to be Boy1 and Boy2, there was a fashion for ‘fake Celtic’: lots of Finlays, Callums, Shonas and similar, born to parents whose closest connection to Scotland was dunking their shortbread.

I like a lot of those names, but balked at the pseudery of cultural appropriation. I’m now kind of wishing I’d been less squeamish and given my sons a better chance of fitting in north of the border when Scotland leaves the UK for the EU.

Both of my cars have got these on, as well as the magnetic GB roundel with the blue background and stars.  I don't care if they're "legal".

Coulda chosen a nice Welsh name, maybe?

I didn't go the full Hamish/Angus, but my lad has got a name which we use in a shortened form which is only popular in Scotland.  The short form is more commonly used as a female name in the rest of the Angloshpere, but he likes it and he doesn't get a scrap of grief.  I had been a bit worried about that, but it's turned out fine.  And if he'd not liked it, he could always revert to the full version or the other more commonly "English" short forms.  In combination with our surname, he appears the genuine article in Scotland, despite being a plastic like me.  He cheers for the Scots football and rugby teams, without any coercion from me.  His choice.  I told him he's born in England, but of course he has a lot of mixed background on from both of his parents' lines, so it's up to him who he follows.  I wasn't so generous with football clubs, it was Fulham or the local one, he was never going to get taken to any other club for a match if he decided to glory hunt.

I was interested to listen to an interview with Hamish Watson on the telly this weekend, it had not crossed my mind he was a fellow plastic, but yes, born in Manchester, private school accent, but Scots grandparents.  I'm jolly pleased he chose Scotland, he's a world class player.

I think Vić and I may have named our offspring similarly, although mine prefers the full version (he decided that when he was three) but answers to just about any combination of the nine letters. I admit we’ve not tried him on the Scottish diminutive yet. Maybe when I’m feeling braver...

Ours too. Boy2 also has a name that most Europeans will recognise, and can be readily shortened, as he chooses to in some contexts but not at home.

I’ve always hated my given name, which my parents chose partly because it couldn’t be shortened. It has no international recognition factor at all, nor does it articulate well with my surname, so it isn’t even easy to say. Never mind; plenty of people have bigger problems.