Morris Minor Owners Club

When we bought our Minor it was our 1st moggy, despite owning a whole array of BMC cars over the years, so decided to call him Monty, the name of our 1st cat, almost 50 years ago.
(Tenuous link)
Whilst researching through the cars history I just discovered the previous owner of 14 years called the car William. This was a surprise, as it's also my name, so maybe the purchase was meant to be.
So after two and half years ownership and 4500 very happy miles, our 4 door Morris minor is back to his name of William.
Now I'm wondering how many name changes has there been in numerous owners over sixty plus years.

Mines Bill as reg is BYL

Had a Hillman Imp called, more to do with the fact it filled with water when it rained than the reg that was PDL

Ours has Veronica writ in red on the boot lid. I don't know who she is or was but maybe, because the reg is AKA she wasn't who she said she was anyway.

We kept the name Basil as used by the previous owner, how long ago that started is not known, but the reg has only been BSL since 1999.

Between 1991 and '99 he was AFE996A, before '91 his original reg was PKV708.
PKV makes him sound like an Eastern Block Secret Police vehicle.....

I think it is interesting to ponder the reasons why we give our Minors names at all. I have never felt the need to give my modern cars a name but my Minor has always had a name. What previous owners called my car I have no idea!

Stephen

My Traveller is Roger due to the ROG registration, christened by one of the previous owners.
Naming inanimate objects is rife in our household. We have a room called Dennis, a summerhouse called Dollywood and the new garage is George V (previous garage being Edward VII)
Being bonkers is optional, but it helps the days pass more easily.

svenedin wrote: ↑Wed Jul 30, 2025 2:46 pm I think it is interesting to ponder the reasons why we give our Minors names at all. I have never felt the need to give my modern cars a name but my Minor has always had a name. What previous owners called my car I have no idea!

Stephen

I don't recollect ever naming a 'modern' car of whatever era we were passing through, but when we got our first SatNav Device a few decades ago (rather than rely on Mrs Berni to navigate to new destinations with a map ), 'she' was christened Betty.

We still refer to a phone Map App as 'Betty'...

Most of the names mentioned so far in this thread are masculine, although I imagine female names are generally more common, due to the generous curves of the car!

Well I always thought it was a rather fat looking car !

les wrote: ↑Thu Jul 31, 2025 9:58 am Well I always thought it was a rather fat looking car !

Shhhh! They will all burst into tears if you say that!

"Xavier" is called that because his registration number begins with X and because I think of him as a charming but spiteful stroppy little s**t. I did have another called "Helen" but that was because the fist two letter were HL. She went to be made into washing machines long ago but Xavier lives on as many awkward people do!

Stephen

My first Traveller was Monty, but I nw have a grandson called Montgomery so can't use the same name for my current Traveller! My other grandson has named this one Toby...

My reg doesn't easily lend itself to a name, though the numeric part would appeal to a Darts champion.
I've always chuckled at the MMOC owner with "YOY", who called their car Delilah.

My traveller is Ted, named after my late Dad who warned me off Minors after his four year old traveller suffered from rotten spring hangers and general rustyness. I didn't listen

panky wrote: ↑Fri Aug 01, 2025 3:34 pm My traveller is Ted, named after my late Dad who warned me off Minors after his four year old traveller suffered from rotten spring hangers and general rustyness. I didn't listen

That’s interesting. The old hands in the Minor workshops have told me that these cars fall broadly into two categories. The ones that rotted away in less than 10 years and the ones that seem to refuse to die. I don’t know why that is.

Stephen

I used to call mine Junior, now I’ve got to call it Resident

panky wrote: ↑Fri Aug 01, 2025 3:34 pm My traveller is Ted, named after my late Dad who warned me off Minors after his four year old traveller suffered from rotten spring hangers and general rustyness. I didn't listen

It was an ex commercial travelers car (I wonder what he was carrying) and three years old when he bought it. Very proud of it he was but very disgruntled when the springs virtually came through the floor