# Choose my new last name! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 8, 2009, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-my-new-last-name/499078 "2009-06-08T08:27:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-my-new-last-name/499078/41 "2009-06-08T20:45:14Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > Nicole Bolas? Depends on her Planeswalking skills. Don’t want to set people up with expectations she can’t meet _dies of Geekery_ ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-my-new-last-name/499078/42 "2009-06-08T23:24:36Z")
Danger. It’s not your middle name, it’s your surname. What is your middle name? You could use it a a last name if you like it enough. A friend needed a name for a character in her book recently and I gave her the surname Douglas, because it was my Grandfather’s given name. If I ever needed a new name, I’d probably take that for myself (not that I’m expecting to need a new name - I went back to my maiden name after my divorce). Anyway, have you got any relatives/friends/heros/inspirational sources that you’d consider naming yourself after? Otherwise, some random suggestions: \*\*Nicole Gaudere \*\*(if you’re prone to inopportune spelling errors) \*\*Nicole Bytheway \*\*(a genuine surname in my family tree - I think it’s pronounced “Bythe-way”, not “By-the-way”. Hi! I’m Nicole By-The-Way.) **Nicole Vedder** (everyone’s as big a Pearl Jam fan as me, right?) ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-my-new-last-name/499078/43 "2009-06-09T03:22:15Z")
Odean (If you like kid’s shows) Hitler (conversation starter) Yesthatnicole (if you’ve made a name for yourself) ---
**Author:** ![NRichards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@NRichards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NRichards)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-my-new-last-name/499078/44 "2009-06-09T03:24:38Z")
> [@Cazzle](#): > > Danger. It’s not your middle name, it’s your surname. > > What is your middle name? You could use it a a last name if you like it enough. Or how about I make **Danger** my middle name! I never thought about that! Oh wow, I seriously think I will do that! My middle name is Marie. so… Nicole Danger Marie? Just doesn’t have that ring. Ok dopers, so what do you think about the middle name of Danger, and what last names would go with that? Realistically, I need a last name I can use in a profesional setting, I work in a rehab. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-my-new-last-name/499078/45 "2009-06-09T03:30:45Z")
Nicole Danger Oakminster has a ring to it. N. D. Obama? ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-my-new-last-name/499078/46 "2009-06-09T05:35:19Z")
Nicole Optimus Mechalady Destructicon III ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-my-new-last-name/499078/47 "2009-06-09T05:47:31Z")
I dunno. We have had threads like this in the past and one poster mentioned how much she liked simple Amish last names. \*\* Book Dance House\*\* On the other hand, in the first Star Wars movie, there is an orphan line mentioning an unseen character: **Vail Darklighter** ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-my-new-last-name/499078/48 "2009-06-09T05:49:47Z")
I suppose **Nicole Cadmium** is right out. ---
**Author:** ![NRichards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@NRichards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NRichards)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-my-new-last-name/499078/49 "2009-06-09T06:01:59Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > I dunno. We have had threads like this in the past and one poster mentioned how much she liked simple Amish last names. > \*\* Book > Dance > House\*\* In all seriousness, as I mentioned in an earlier post in this thread, I am very partial to the last name of Book. Nicole Marie Book. Sounds nice, dont’cha think? ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-my-new-last-name/499078/50 "2009-06-09T06:06:15Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I suppose **Nicole Cadmium** is right out. As is Nicole Winehouse. I think Nicole Erdosain has a nice ring to it. Just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-my-new-last-name/499078/51 "2009-06-09T06:14:39Z")
The word “von” in German simply means “from”, but adding it to a location gives you a somewhat regal/royal sounding family name. For instance: Nicole Von Bismark Nicole Von Yonkers Nicole Von Peoria Or do something that will get you lots of invites to parties, with people wondering if you really are related: Nicole Rockefeller Nicole Obama Nicole Jolie-Pitt Princess Nicole von Windsor Nicole Onassis-Kennedy Nicole Jagger ---
**Author:** ![NRichards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@NRichards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NRichards)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-my-new-last-name/499078/52 "2009-06-09T06:20:59Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > Nicole Optimus Mechalady Destructicon III > [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I suppose **Nicole Cadmium** is right out. > [@DMark](#): > > Nicole Von Peoria You Dopers crack me up! ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-my-new-last-name/499078/53 "2009-06-09T08:51:02Z")
If you change your name to **Nicole Cadmium** you’re only setting yourself up to have some sort of freak accident which will leave you with electricity-based superpowers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-my-new-last-name/499078.md?page=2)