Nothing sad about spotting and counting "Stobbies" and "Nobbies" (Norbert Dentressangle lorries, French competitors, boo hiss) on a long Motorway trip*, Jo!

I've brought this in from FoaB’s post on the “would you steak your life on it” thread as that has become rather long and this is really a diversion from it.

Dentressangle, now there’s a name to conjure with. I’ve only ever seen it on the trucks. What does it mean? It must mean something, such a grandiose name can't be simply a random collection of noises. Whenever I see one I start trying to think what an English equivalent might be. This should be my chance to solicit some views.

It could be that Dent is from tooth or does it come from D’entre which could mean “from between”, or perhaps the “sang” is blood or “angle” is, well, angle. Then again I seem to remember hearing that Angleterre meant land of angels because the people had fair hair, but angel is “ange” isn’t it? And anyway I’m not so sure we had fair hair in those days, whenever they were. That’s always puzzled me too. Can anyone shed light on my darkness? Or am I just unreasonably obsessed with this name…its probably a Belgian name anyway…(Disappears offstage muttering followed by a bear).