# Do You Like Your Name?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 14, 2000, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017 "2000-04-14T04:28:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/21 "2000-04-14T12:47:00Z")
I alternately like and hate my name. Its Ruth Claire (I was named after both my Grandmother’s) I’ve been called Claire my whole life because we lived near Grandma Ruth so it was easier to remember… but whenever we visit Nana Claire it gets confusing. Now though I go alternately by Claire, Ruth or RC. I kind of like RC the best though and actually I am thinking of changing my last name to the Gaelic spelling of my Mom’s maiden name. * * * Life is an exotic and sonorous nightmare, in which reason does not always play a role… - Exerpted from V:tM ```auto Dreams die hard and we hold them in our hands long after they have turned to dust. - Bowen in Dragonheart ``` Human beings can always be relied upon to assert, with vigor, their god-given right to be stupid. - Seize the Night by Dean Koontz ```auto You know why people call something impossible? Because it hasn't happened yet. - Robin Williams in What Dreams May Come ``` ---
**Author:** ![aschrott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aca169/32.png) [@aschrott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aschrott)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/22 "2000-04-14T13:03:00Z")
I’ve always liked mine–Allen. It isn’t very common, and it means “handsome” or “like a rock” in Gaelic. Since I am not built like a rock, I guess I’ll have to go with handsome 🙂 I’m not so fond of my last name, though. People have trouble pronouncing it, and it means “junk” or “scrap metal” in German. Oh well. One out of two isn’t bad. * * * Ignorant since 1972 ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/23 "2000-04-14T13:10:00Z")
Cessandra says: I love my name. Michelle. It’s so pretty and feminine without being slutty or dull. And it’s right there in between too rare and too popular I agree. Except it looks better with one ‘l’. My husband is Dany with one ‘n’. We always joke that our parents couldn’t afford to give us that extra letter. Before I was married I was Michele Smith. How boring. My married name is Cunningham. Even if I get divorced, I’m keeping the last name. And another thing. My husband is the opposite of Irish. He tells people he’s Black Irish. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/24 "2000-04-14T13:18:00Z")
I like my name: Claudia. I think it fits me and it’s unusual enough that I’ve only met 2 or 3 people in my life with the same name. It means “lame”, though…oh well. If I had been a boy, I would have been Tony. All you people named Paul - I love that name. My favorite uncle is named Paul. He’s a real man’s man (farmer, learned how to ski when he was 60 and is now a ski instructor), but he’s a very caring guy, too. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/25 "2000-04-14T13:23:00Z")
Pluto wrote > [@](#): > > I like my name well enough, but it is a fairly common first name and I have a very common last name. All my life I’ve been confused with other people with the same name. > > There are about 20 people in the Boeing company (admittedly a large firm) with the same first and last name as me, 3 or 4 with the same middle initial. Why am I getting the vision of the opening monologe from " The Englishman Who Went Up A Hill And Came Down A Mountian " For those of you who haven’t seen it: It’s in a small town in Wales and every one there has the last name like Smith (I think, it could be Brown, but you get the idea) and to differentiate between the names, they have nick names based on their jobs or hobby " Plumber Jones " or “Cabbage Head Jones - because he raises large cabbages and it matches his personality” It’s a quaint folksy movie that you could watch with your Grandma. So, Pluto, because of your name being so common at work, are you known as " Accounting Bob" or “BroomPusher Bob” or “CEO Bob” ? ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/26 "2000-04-14T13:24:00Z")
I’ll log in here as the third Paul. I have mixed feelings about it. Mostly the reason I don’t like it is because of what it means. It means small or little. Whan you think about it, that’s kind of insulting for a guy. Most of the time I like it OK. Pluto, I’ll have to look up that story. Thanks. * * * “My mind reels with sarcastic replies!” - Snoopy ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/27 "2000-04-14T13:30:00Z")
FTR, IRL I am called Joan. Hate it venomously. When asked after I give my litany of how much I hate my name, “_What would you like to be called?_” I just went blank. I mean, I never thought of _changing_ my name. _That_ would be too easy. Naturally, I shot back a rejoinder, " Hell, I don’t care. Just call me Shirley." Hence, a legend was made. (but I’m still called Joan.) ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/28 "2000-04-14T13:31:00Z")
Wow, that was a big simulpost. Thanks C3. On the plus side my full name is Paul Langlois. There is a band out there called the Tragically Hip and a member of the band has the exact same name as me. Not that’s cool. * * * “My mind reels with sarcastic replies!” - Snoopy ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/29 "2000-04-14T13:32:00Z")
I meant to say “Now that’s cool.” Gotta go wake up. ---
**Author:** ![meek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@meek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meek)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/30 "2000-04-14T13:40:00Z")
My first name is ok… Neil But…everybody puts the “i” before the “e” when they write it. And my middle name… UGH! John Not only is it boring and dull, but it’s also slang for a toilet or a prostitute customer. What were my parents thinking? * * * Take care. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/31 "2000-04-14T13:49:00Z")
No! I’ve always hatedmy name, Rose. It is so old-fashioned. I was named after one of my aunts. I asked my mum what my other aunts were named: Agnes and Bertha. Okay… But still, there isn’t any famous Rose who is what you might cal attractive. Of course, rock and roll helped; AC/DC’s song WHole Lotta Rosie made me feel better, also that I can be Rosie Ramone! ---
**Author:** ![h\_thur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@h\_thur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h_thur)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/32 "2000-04-14T14:29:00Z")
I HATE my first name, Heather. The name conjures pictures of ditzy, bikini-clad blondes in the minds of men. I am so unlike that IRL. In college, I had people call me Thur, which was close enough to Thor that I was happy. My last name rhymes with “devil”, but people still pronounce it wrong and spell it wrong, even though it is a simple name. I used to hate my last name too, but I found that I could make a great name for myself by combining my first and last name and dropping 2 letters: Heathen Evil. I still sometimes spell my last name this way: (n)Evil(l). (My mother is horrified.) Satan and I should be friends. **Heathen Evil** ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/33 "2000-04-14T14:34:00Z")
\ ***Lexicon:** Not only that, but my last name is McDonald, so I have a very weird name combo, Santiago McDonald. \* I’ve heard of two restaurants that have names that are Irish/Hispanic: Jose O’Shea’s and Carlos O’Kelly’s. I’d suggest you do the same, but Mickey D’s would probably sue you big time for using “McDonald’s”. 🙂 * * * Wrong thinking is punished, right thinking is just as swiftly rewarded. You’ll find it an effective combination. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/34 "2000-04-14T14:39:00Z")
Well, right now, my first and last names are ok. But, if my SO and I end up getting married, my name is going to sound like a really bad Petticoat Junction character. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/35 "2000-04-14T14:40:00Z")
My name’s Tony. I like it, cuz it was unique when I was growing up. Also, one of my favorite TV characters was Tony Nelson of “I Dream Of Jeanie”. (What was even cooler was that his full name was Anthony William Nelson, so we had the same middle name too.) What I don’t like about it is that some clueless people write my name as “Toni” or “Toney”. I betcha they have trouble with Tim, Bill, Don, and other obvious names. :rolleyes: * * * Wrong thinking is punished, right thinking is just as swiftly rewarded. You’ll find it an effective combination. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/36 "2000-04-14T14:43:00Z")
I’m a Bill. Ho hum. Back in the '70s, someone published a book on names that applied a personality to given names. The joke was that you could predetermine your kid’s life by assigning him/her the proper name. So I looked up “Bill.” The definition was “Nothing much could possibly be wrong with anyone called ‘Bill.’” I looked up “Bob.” The definition was “See ‘Bill.’” That said, I find it to be an appellation sunk in relentless tedium. At the Chicago Doperfest last November, all the male attendees were Bills and Bobs and Chrises and Joes, and after calling each other by the wrong and totally interchangable names for a coupla hours I think we all went back to “Uke” and “UncleBeer” and “Omniscient” and “Jophiel.” Little Pianola and little Banjo are “Rose” and “Quinn” in RL. Quirky without being goofy, or so I like to think. * * * Uke ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/37 "2000-04-14T14:44:00Z")
AWB - I feel your pain. My name is three letters (in the common spelling.) I’ve seen it stretched out to no less than six. ---
**Author:** ![Jeannie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@Jeannie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeannie)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/38 "2000-04-14T14:52:00Z")
When I was younger, I hated my name. My given name is Jeanne (pronounced “gene”). My family called me Jeannie. So, I got all of the same lame jokes from everyone. When I got older (college), I decided that “Jeannie” was kind of cute. So, I started going by that. Now when people make the same old jokes, I just say, “Oh, that’s a good one. I’ve never heard that one before.” It shuts them up. Also, my middle name is Marie. When I was little, I had a book called “Jeanne Marie Counts Her Sheep.” I thought that was so cools, having a book named after me. * * * I never hate myself in the morning. I sleep till noon. –Sig line courtesy of Wally 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SkySlash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@SkySlash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkySlash)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/39 "2000-04-14T14:54:00Z")
I have always adored my name. My parents named me after an English friend of theirs who is conveniently a Billionaire: **Ashton Brooke** That’s me…the only drawback is that it doesn’t help when I tell people emphatically, “No I am not gay, and no I did not have my name changed to that!” I “hope” to live up to my namesake and surpass his wealth 😃 -SS ---
**Author:** ![aschrott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aca169/32.png) [@aschrott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aschrott)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017/40 "2000-04-14T15:04:00Z")
Peaches88: > [@](#): > > No! I’ve always hatedmy name, Rose. It is so old-fashioned Actually, I think Rose is a sexy name. It doesn’t sound old-fashioned or Grandmatronly to me all. There’s a song by the composer Ned Rorem (don’t know who wrote the text) that goes: I am Rose, my eyes are blue, I am Rose, and who are you? I am Rose, and when I sing… I am Rose like anything! Silly, but I happened to think of it just now. 🙂 * * * Ignorant since 1972 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-your-name/16017.md?page=3)