The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

As you probably know, Dionne Warwick was born Marie Dionne Warrick. I've often wondered: Was she named after Marie Dionne of the Dionne quintuplets, who were born in 1934 and still very much in the news when Dionne came into the world in 1940?

It almost seems like she would have had to have been--to name a kid Marie Dionne in 1940 without it being a quints reference would have been odd. Anybody know for sure?

The other great Dionne-name factoid is how many different iterations of her name she's gone under:

--Marie Dionne Warrick (was she ever known as "Marie," or was she Dionne right away?)
--Dionne Warrick
--Dionne Warwick
--Dionne Warwicke
--Dionne Warwick again

--Harry

Another thing I find interesting is that when Dionne's sister, Dee Dee, started making records, she adopted the same mistakenly misspelled last name that was accidentally given to Dionne. She obviously wanted to associate her own career with that of her sister's. While I can't blame her, I still think it's a bit odd that she didn't go with her own real name.

I also thought it a bit strange when Dionne added the "e" to Warwick, as if that would have anything to do with making her any more successful. Then, many years later, when she became the celebrity spokeswoman for "Psychic Friends Network", I realized that, indeed, she took that stuff very seriously because it was a famous psychic who suggested that she add the "e" to the end of her last name.

I wish a psychic had told Burt, "Never leave Hal" -- and he had listened.

I'm certain that Dionne's parents at some point shared with her their thoughts behind the name they chose for their first daughter. Once the decision was made to stick with the misspelled Warrick - "Warwick" - it made sense for Dee Dee to follow suit to avoid further confusion. Dee Dee appeared as a regular on Dionne's syndicated 1990 television series "Dionne and Friends" and her given name (Delia Warrick) was used in the credits at her request. I understand the "e" was added to Warwicke at the suggestion of a numerologist (source of the "e" - first letter of her late husband's surname Elliott - Bill Elliott - actor and father of David & Damon) It had nothing to do with the infomercials and the "e" was dropped way back in the late 70's. Perhaps Dionne will give consideration to titlling a future album (ok - CD - showing my age again!) "Marie DIONNE Warrick"

I just noticed this question regarding Dionne's name. Of course Marie is Dionne's first name is it the given name of Dionne's aunt Rebbie, who is the younger sister of Lee Drinkard Warrick Dionne's mother.

I think in Dionne's book her mother Lee also said that the name Dionne was taken from her husbands' side of the family a favorite cousin or aunt.

Just as an aside: I just read that Dionne's longtime fragrance of choice has been SHALIMAR by Guerlain.

What a great fragrance... it's my favorite, too.