STEVE POLLARD

Short form of Stephen and Steven, also used as an independent given name. It is associated with the American film stars Steve McQueen (1930–80), noted for his ‘tough guy’ roles, and Steve Martin (b. 1945).

English: 1. nickname for a person with a large or unusually shaped head, from Middle English poll ‘head’ (Middle Low German polle ‘(top of the) head’) + the pejorative suffix -ard. The term pollard in the sense denoting an animal that has had its horns lopped is not recorded before the 16th century, and as applied to a tree the word is not recorded until the 17th century; so both these senses are almost certainly too late to have contributed to the surname. 2. pejorative derivative of the personal name Paul. The surname has been established in Ireland since the 14th century.