tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post6255770254875074213..comments2023-10-21T11:44:45.588+01:00Comments on ResidentAlien: What's In A Name?Mary Witzlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-31686892493474690762010-05-04T11:15:39.659+01:002010-05-04T11:15:39.659+01:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.日月神教-任我行https://www.blogger.com/profile/00629261950873803981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-46235035421199245572009-11-27T15:53:57.781+00:002009-11-27T15:53:57.781+00:00Marian -- I love those! I hope Dr Deadman was a p...Marian -- I love those! I hope Dr Deadman was a pathologist too; you'd hardly want a surgeon or an internist with that name, would you?<br /><br />The late Herb Caen of the San Francisco Chronicle used to collect unintentionally funny names, such as Ben Dunn and Wun Hung Lo, or names of people that were eerily close to their jobs. My personal favorite is the name of the man who perfected the flush toilet, Thomas Crapper. And I think there was a famous neurologist named Brain. <br /><br />Chocolatesa -- :)Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-33053527644776485982009-11-27T15:07:53.100+00:002009-11-27T15:07:53.100+00:00Marian: Those were just great!! :DMarian: Those were just great!! :DChocolatesahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08493321160124151967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-75447384564535930742009-11-27T01:12:50.392+00:002009-11-27T01:12:50.392+00:00Hi Mary,
"Anus" was funny enough, but y...Hi Mary,<br /><br />"Anus" was funny enough, but your mom's reaction took the cake. Let's hope the poor kid never finds out what the name means in English.<br /><br />I used to work in the call centre of a medical laboratory network, and some of the names of patients and doctors were, um, unforgettable.<br /><br />Like the time the doctor's office needed results for a patient with the last name Ho and first name Phat. Without thinking I said the names in order, aloud.<br /><br />Then there was the Chinese gentleman called Ting Ling Wang.<br /><br />Once or twice I got calls from a Dr Soon's office. Turns out his first name is Ok. On the other end of that spectrum was a Dr Deadman. I always hoped he was a pathologist.Marian Pererahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15700524210146863718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-75797355376892726812009-11-24T13:20:28.314+00:002009-11-24T13:20:28.314+00:00Charlie -- There were some pretty amazing first na...Charlie -- There were some pretty amazing first names in my own family, mainly taken from the Bible or thought up, but none of them came close to Anus (to my knowledge). I can only speak for those family members I was familiar with though. The ones I never met might have got up to Faulknerian heights. <br /><br />PN -- I feel sorry for Shayna in Mauritania! I can't help wondering what she did for a name during her stay there; surely she got tired of the whole routine after a while? And I sympathize with you for Bette. I had a friend who used to feel that her name sounded a little too close to 'hemorrhoids' in Japanese.Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-26880935761933755152009-11-21T13:48:02.086+00:002009-11-21T13:48:02.086+00:00(sorry I"m late with comments...behind on my ...(sorry I"m late with comments...behind on my reading)<br /><br />HAHA! Names are fascinating anyway, and when you cross cultures they become even more so. Like my name, Elizabeth. I used to go by Beth, until I moved to a francophone country. In French, it's pronounced Bette, which means dumb or stupid or beast! <br /><br />There was a PC volunteer in Mauritania named Shayna, which in Hassiniya means "Ugly Girl." You could just see the older women shaking their heads over the cruelty of that girl's parents! <br /><br />There were baby girls named "Mama." There was a woman named "Madame." <br /><br />I have so many more but I'll stop there. I've enjoyed reading comments.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-16193881118916078862009-11-21T01:12:37.532+00:002009-11-21T01:12:37.532+00:00This post, and the comments, remind me of the stra...This post, and the comments, remind me of the strange, and often hilarious, names Faulkner came up with. The Snopes family, a band of illiterates, had kids named Wall Street Panic Snopes and Montgomery Ward Snopes. <br /><br />And Dickens had tons of fabulous names too.Charliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00722567671925063706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-77966006156568965242009-11-19T16:05:26.708+00:002009-11-19T16:05:26.708+00:00Debra -- That is priceless! And it makes me want ...Debra -- That is priceless! And it makes me want to hug Fee-mah-lay's mother; there is something very sweet about her sort of naivete. (I'm guessing Mom must have been Hispanic... Tamale=tah-mah-lay, so Female=feh-mah-lee...?) I hope Female has the sense to spell her name a fancy way and -- someday -- tell this story herself, with charm and humor.<br /><br />Chocolatesa -- Brilliant. But I can't help but hope that Mr Rammer never sees this.Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-36348952130411801882009-11-19T15:19:52.542+00:002009-11-19T15:19:52.542+00:00Ooh! I just found a good (bad?) one! http://failbl...Ooh! I just found a good (bad?) one! http://failblog.org/2009/11/19/name-fail-9/Chocolatesahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08493321160124151967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-22055733587830647692009-11-18T03:12:17.249+00:002009-11-18T03:12:17.249+00:00Years ago, I worked with hospitalized children. On...Years ago, I worked with hospitalized children. Once there was a very very young mother who told us that she was SO grateful that the nurses had named her baby daughter for her. The child was called Fe-mah-lee. Spelled: FEMALE.debrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17676300309029588465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-27397464355332009632009-11-17T18:12:23.781+00:002009-11-17T18:12:23.781+00:00AnneS -- Poor Candy Cane! And poor Kevin Lipschit...AnneS -- Poor Candy Cane! And poor Kevin Lipschitz! <br /><br />Most of us become a little kinder when we get older, don't we? I never ribbed anyone about a name, but I had little time for people I considered stupid. Divine karma has surely given me the students I now have. Plenty of opportunity to practice my new-found compassion with them. <br /><br />Vijaya -- I read your comment this morning and was completely puzzled by it. Then reading it again this evening, the light bulb over my head suddenly clicked on and my heart went out to you!! Imagine what the kind of kids who savaged your name did with 'Whitsell' (just switch the W and S around and you'll have the idea). I was teased mercilessly as a kid, but I think that would have happened whatever my name was.<br /><br />APW -- The truly amazing thing about Anus' story was that his parents gave him his name without any malicious intent. I wonder what Annakhan's mother was thinking? 'Paniagua'? That sounds very soggy...<br /><br />Laura -- When I was seven, I knew a boy named Crane. He was a gentle, quiet kid and like your Hillary, his name did him no favors at all. Being born to out-of-touch parents is so terribly unlucky, isn't it?<br /><br />Nora -- Did you SERIOUSLY teach a Shithead? That is utterly amazing! Surely that wasn't his first name? Now I'm wondering whether Anus didn't perhaps have grandchildren and carry on the interesting family tradition of crappy names? And Uncle Sherley and Aunt Billy -- that is priceless. You guys have better stories than I do!<br /><br />Carolie -- Some of my male cousins had last names for first names, and the one thing they had in common was being from the South or having parents who were. Blaine, Warren, Woodson, Drury, and Shadrach were just a handful of the first names for boys in my family. I'll bet you and I could find cousins in common if we looked at our respective family trees. 'Sims' sounds very familiar, and I had an Uncle Erskine too.<br /><br />Chocolatesa -- You were very good to do that for your little sister! Gertrude and Bertha -- dear God! I hope your sister is grateful to you for interceding on her behalf. <br /><br />Robert -- I could understand someone wanting to name their son after a national hero, but who in the world would want to name their kid after a furniture chain? I wonder if they might have had fond memories of a couch or other piece of furniture...? And that makes my imagination go a little wild.Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-7618015777380866272009-11-17T17:49:25.683+00:002009-11-17T17:49:25.683+00:00Several of these names sound like a set-up for an ...Several of these names sound like a set-up for an update to the famous "who's on first" Abbott and Costello routine.<br /><br />We met someone who named their child Ethan Allen... no, they had never heard of the American patriot, they named him after the "restaurant" chain. My wife was too shy to tell them it is actually a furniture store chain; clearly they had never visited (nor eaten) there.Robert the Skeptichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863488312604865183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-10188127706176405502009-11-17T15:35:49.533+00:002009-11-17T15:35:49.533+00:00Oh, and I once dated a guy whose best friend was n...Oh, and I once dated a guy whose best friend was named Elvis.Chocolatesahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08493321160124151967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-16614708059994912852009-11-17T15:33:20.647+00:002009-11-17T15:33:20.647+00:00Carolie: DuBose? Wow. I can't remember having ...Carolie: DuBose? Wow. I can't remember having come across anyone with a last name as a first.<br /><br />Actually I just thought of that, the initials of my last name are B.J. but thankfully I never got teased about it.<br /><br />And I thought my mother horrible for wanting to name my sister old-fashioned names like Bertha or Gertrude! She ended up being named Emily Julianne thanks to me and my best friend brainstorming for modern names that my mom would agree to.Chocolatesahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08493321160124151967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-68682676472201966532009-11-17T07:49:28.391+00:002009-11-17T07:49:28.391+00:00Oh, and I've met lots of male Ashleys, Hillary...Oh, and I've met lots of male Ashleys, Hillarys, Evelyns, Tracys, Kellys and Kims. I suspect that again, these were last names used as first names to honor a maternal line, and then handed down the family as first names.Caroliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11637418089860927715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-16379504685564862982009-11-17T07:45:49.713+00:002009-11-17T07:45:49.713+00:00Chocolatesea -- I actually have an uncle named Car...Chocolatesea -- I actually have an uncle named Carroll and a male cousin named Carroll. In the south, quite often last names (especially the mother's maiden name) are used for first names, and I suspect this is where Carroll came from originally -- as well as all the current Morgans and Taylors and McKenzies and Jordans, ad infinitum.<br /><br />I've got a cousin named Sims and an aunt named Sims, a cousin named Erskine, a cousin named Gouverneur (!!), an uncle named King, a cousin named King, a cousin named Madden, my mother's name is DuBose, a male cousin is named DuBose...I think the family tradition has always been "either a family name or a biblical name for a first name." (Carolie was my grandmother Carol E.'s nickname...go figure!)Caroliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11637418089860927715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-56633834216626684432009-11-17T03:50:24.468+00:002009-11-17T03:50:24.468+00:00Oh, I also had and Uncle Sherley and an Aunt Billy...Oh, I also had and Uncle Sherley and an Aunt Billy.Nora MacFarlanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00575333078760106784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-30780185864932173542009-11-17T03:49:12.499+00:002009-11-17T03:49:12.499+00:00I've taught an April May June. I've also h...I've taught an April May June. I've also had a Shithead (pronounced Shi-theed). Scary what some people will name their children.Nora MacFarlanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00575333078760106784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-14227329687915828112009-11-17T02:32:43.125+00:002009-11-17T02:32:43.125+00:00Oh I forgot, I also dated a southern man with the ...Oh I forgot, I also dated a southern man with the last name of Bates and he too had 'issues' with the master thing. I also realize it sounds like I had quite the busy social life, once upon a time! Don't I wish!laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17174697892947430149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-32459469510715085212009-11-17T02:26:41.464+00:002009-11-17T02:26:41.464+00:00OMG, I can barely type this, tears are running dow...OMG, I can barely type this, tears are running down my face!! Your poor mother! I once dated a man named Hilary and he said getting beat up on the playground was a daily event for him. I have no idea why someone didn't give him a nickname, like Hank for example.laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17174697892947430149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-69153905893356837702009-11-17T01:38:11.615+00:002009-11-17T01:38:11.615+00:00Well, Mary, not much beats "Anus," but I...Well, Mary, not much beats "Anus," but I do try not to smirk when I call on poor Annakhan.<br /><br />One more fun example, I have a Costa Rican friend whose surname is Paniagua, which is just a smooshed up version of pan y agua or "bread and water."A Paperback Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10155962941590663738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-54513670870507695112009-11-17T00:43:16.406+00:002009-11-17T00:43:16.406+00:00Oh, Mary, your post made me cry. Even now, it hurt...Oh, Mary, your post made me cry. Even now, it hurts to be made fun of. You can imagine the awful variations ...Vijayahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07876606729146077830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-4894787376461454092009-11-16T23:00:02.178+00:002009-11-16T23:00:02.178+00:00My mom has a friend named Candace Ann Kane - which...My mom has a friend named Candace Ann Kane - which is, of course, Candy Kane. Not icky, but she was made fun of all the time.<br /><br />The boy who sat next to me in biology was named Kevin Lipschitz. Let's just say I've become a much kinder person as I've gotten older...Anne Spollenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12915171740680350711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-51888477643950223132009-11-16T18:39:50.347+00:002009-11-16T18:39:50.347+00:00JR -- I can imagine that a really distinctive name...JR -- I can imagine that a really distinctive name isn't much of an advantage if you're trying to elude the law. <br /><br />Carolie -- You're a good sport to put up with 'Calorie', but I can imagine the L and R confusion. A friend of mine told me that he didn't like my name, pronounced Meari (メアリー) in Japanese. Every time he heard it, he pictured 目有り as in 'has eyes'. Even a plain old name like Mary can be creepy, it seems. And my last name caused so much grief I used to wish I could change it. <br /><br />I can imagine what your friend Becca must go through! I've known two girls called Saiko, one of whom spoke English very well and got awfully tired of all the hoots and snickers. <br /><br />Chocolatesa -- Yes, 'Kim' is one of the most common names in Korea (it means 'gold'), but it is a last name. <br /><br />'Angie' must be a tough name for a guy to have, though I'm pretty sure Karol is a fairly common name for men. (Polish or Slovakian.) I wonder what foreigners think of our names?<br /><br />Falak -- I can imagine that your name might get the odd raised eyebrow when you travel, but just think how much worse it could be!Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-31197875185343613612009-11-16T17:57:02.210+00:002009-11-16T17:57:02.210+00:00And I thought it was only my name:)And I thought it was only my name:)Falakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08321524864693512771noreply@blogger.com