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Separately, I love the word “bloke”. I wish it would take off here in the US.

Bloke is definitely not as common in the UK as it is in NZ and Australia.

Just like togs, which I've never heard anybody say here though I've read that parts of Ireland still use it.

Swimming togs? That's what they were commonly called at my primary school in Belfast. Never heard it used since!

Same goes for "gutties" - rubber-soled shoes to wear in the gym (presumably from gutta-percha).

I think "bloke" was more common in the 90s over here. It picked up an association with boorishness, especially when used as an adjective - "blokey" was almost the middle-aged equivalent of "laddish".

When I hear the word bloke I think of Andy Capp. Not sure if he ever used it in the comic strip though.

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