Vickers galore

The Revd Michael Vickers, who appeared on the Today Programme the other week, is vicar of two churches; that could well be why he has a plural surname. However it doesn't explain why he's not wearing a dog-collar; or two, even.

He's out-vicared by the Rt Rev Michael Edwin Vickers, who looked after many more than two congregations - he was Bishop of Colchester from 1988 to 1994.

And yet another Rev Michael Vickers is the Club Missionary for the Pot Bellied Pigs RFC, the club that puts the "Pink" back into Rugby.

As you can see, I googled for 'Rev Michael Vickers' - God knows what aptronymic glories await us under other first names.

When the name fits the job

Gloves on the BBC! A Today Programme item from a few weeks back (scroll down the page for the audio clip), with John Hoyland, the New Scientist journalist and Nominative Determinism researcher (sorry, can't find a link to the web page he mentions), along with prime examples Frances Crook and Michael Vickers. And plenty more tasty aptronyms, some of which will doubtless find their way here.

Rayment's raiments

Mother of the Bride and Groom, Occasion Wear, Millinery.

Nigel Rayment is in the rag trade. He's a raiment merchant - he sells raiments of all types and for all occasions. And for all shapes and sizes: Sizes 8-28 with a vast range of plus sizes.