The Most Popular Skips in the World
For many people, skips are mundane items barely worth a second glance. For others, known as skip divers, they’re a source of hidden treasures of all kinds that can even be used to fill a home. Then there are those of us for whom skips form a large part of our lives because we work with them every day and even make our living from them.
But there are also a group of people who, when you say ‘Skip’, will look up and answer you, because you may well have called their name!
The origins and popularity of the name ‘Skip’
Skip is short for ‘Skipper’, which is often used as a term for the captain of a boat or ship. Skipper itself is derived from the Dutch word ‘schipper’, which literally means ‘shipper’.
It really only proved to be really popular as an actual name between the late 1940s and the early 1960s, reaching its peak of popularity in 1960 when 105 boys in the US were named Skip. It is estimated that currently there are approximately 1700 Skips in the United States.
As a name, Skip has never caught on at all in the UK. A search on FreeBMD (a mostly complete transcription of all birth, marriage and death records in England and Wales from 1837 to 1992) reveals only three children named ‘Skip’ (one in 1980, two in 1988), along with a handful of Skippers, Skipseys, Skipworths, Skipwiths and other variants (all of whom would undoubtedly have been known as ‘Skip’ by their nearest and dearest).
Are there any famous Skips?
If we discount Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, there are not very many famous Skips likely to come to mind to those of us that are in the UK. One name that might be familiar to fans of Jamaican music is Skip Marley, who is following in the footsteps of his grandfather Bob and uncles Ziggy and Damian by carving out a career in the music business, receiving two Grammy nominations in the process.
In the United States, however, there are a number of Skips who have achieved national prominence, although not all of these were formally named Skip, many having gained it as a nickname at some point in their lives and then taken it into their professional lives.
One example is blues musician Skip James, who was actually named Nehemiah Curtis James. One of his songs, ‘I’m So Glad’, was recorded in 1966 by the supergroup Cream (which included Eric Clapton) on their debut album Fresh Cream.
American sports fans are more likely than most to be able to name famous Skips, including sports columnist, commentator, and television personality Skip Bayless, college football player and coach Skip Holtz, sportscaster Skip Caray and football player Skip Minisi. Spotters of real Skips, however, will be disappointed to discover that none of the above were given the name at birth by their parents. After Skip Marley, it appears that the next most famous genuine Skip may well be Skip Sempé, an American harpsichordist and conductor of the ensemble Capriccio Stravagante.
If you know of any famous Skips we’ve overlooked, we’d be delighted to hear your suggestions!
Here at CSH Environmental, we employ a number of skips, but these tend to be of the metal container variety and are well known only to us – although our customers may well hold them in high regard for the brief time they hold them in their care, thanks to the incredibly useful function that they perform. For the best skip hire around Colchester and Ipswich, or for other waste management services, simply contact our friendly team today!
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