# Does the name make the person or vice versa? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 18, 1999, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868 "1999-10-18T21:16:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MissTangerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@MissTangerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTangerine)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/41 "1999-10-19T15:01:00Z")
My name’s Kristen, another extremely popular name, and sometime around sixth or seventh grade, I got obsessed with The Pretenders and made everybody call me Chrissie. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/42 "1999-10-19T15:47:00Z")
I’m reminded of an ex-boyfriend’s cousin, who named his firstborn son Talon Force. That kid had better grow up to be an American Gladiator or a pro wrestler. Can you imagine a 90-pound weakling named Talon Force? To top it all off, the last name was something God-awful, like Ely (pronounced eely). Something that would actually fit the 90-pound weakling that karma will turn this child into. ---
**Author:** ![Ayesha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@Ayesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ayesha)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/43 "1999-10-19T15:53:00Z")
My name is Debra,you wouldn’t think thats too bad now would you ? Think again, I went into the 6th grade wearing a c cup bra. People started calling me “De-great-bra”, and other such b.s. names. I have a friend who was born with the last name of Lamb, of all the people on God’s green earth she married a man with the last name Wolf. She does have a sense of humor about it, her favorite line about the names is “Well, at least I make history as the Lamb who regularly eats the Wolf”. * * * Ayesha - Lioness * * * I’m out of my mind, but, feel free to leave a message ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 1999, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/44 "1999-10-20T05:59:00Z")
My name’s Anthony, but I go by Tony. It was an uncommon name in western Colorado growing up, so I didn’t experience any prejudicial treatment, pro or con. I did notice that most of the "Tony"s on TV were stereotypical Italian New Yorkers. My hero, though, was Tony Nelson on I Dream of Jeanie. Besides being non-stereotypical, he was an astronaut and had a cute blonde who only wished to please him. After moving to DC, I noticed that “Anthony” was becoming a popular name for African-American boys. I can’t count the number of times a large, black mother started yelling at her misbehaving sons at the mall and scaring the bejesus out of me; e.g., “Ant’ny, get yo ass over here 'fore I wup it!” ---
**Author:** ![Stevie\_Rave\_On](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Stevie\_Rave\_On](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stevie_Rave_On)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/45 "1999-10-19T19:19:00Z")
My real name is Bob. I never had a problem with it until I was in high school and Bill Murray’s _What About Bob?_ came out. I liked the movie, but I hate when everyone thinks they’re being original when they mention it. BTW, to all you idiots who mention this to Bobs, we already know we can spell our names backwards. Did you really think that you were the first genius to figure it out. * * * Ty Webb: I like you Betty. Danny Noonan: That’s Danny, sir. ---
**Author:** ![Gr8Kat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gr8kat/32/18668_2.png) [@Gr8Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gr8Kat)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/46 "1999-10-19T19:43:00Z")
My name is Katheryn, though my family calls me Kathey, and neither name seems appropriate to me. Katheryn sounds classy, high falootin’, etc., while Kathey sounds like the head cheerleader. Meanwhile, here I sit in denim and plaid, a secretary by trade, but a farm girl at heart (and wardrobe). Maybe my folks should have shortened Katheryn to Kate. It sounds weird because no one has ever called me that, but it almost seems to fit better. But not Katy, cuz then we’re venturing back into pom-pom squad territory. * * * “I hope life isn’t a big joke, because I don’t get it,” Jack Handy ---
**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:** [October 19, 1999, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/47 "1999-10-19T19:51:00Z")
Bill, here. I had a very funny book waaaay back in the '70s that gave amusing stereotypes for each name. The definition of “Bill” was “Nothing much could be wrong with anyone called Bill.” The definition for “Bob” was “See ‘Bill.’” * * * Uke ---
**Author:** ![eden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f9b8f/32.png) [@eden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eden)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/48 "1999-10-19T22:06:00Z")
Kids’ ability to make fun of almost any given name is truly amazing! I have to say, if I had even a nickel for every “Like the garden of?” or Adam/Eve/Apple/Snake joke I have been subjected to over the last thirty-something years, I could buy New York, or at least Vermont. I have to admit I like my name now…I have met only a handful of other Edens (male and female), and I enjoy NOT being the Carrie I so desperately wanted to be in the 70s-80s. ---
**Author:** ![heatherlee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d6d6ee/32.png) [@heatherlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heatherlee)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 1999, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/49 "1999-10-19T22:46:00Z")
well as for my name I like it. I used to when I was younger get so upset at my mom for naming me Heather and I hated my middle name Lee. Well as you can see I have adjusted to it. I like the name Heather Lee and I feel it not only fits me but it plays a big roll with my personality. Heather is a flower lol and although I am far from being a little flower people have told me I fit my name well, for whatever reason. kost say it is cause I am pretty (ick they need glasses) but anyhow thats my story lol ---
**Author:** ![Akatsukami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea666f/32.png) [@Akatsukami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akatsukami)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 1999, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/50 "1999-10-20T01:27:00Z")
Joan, yclept Shirley Ujest, writes: > [@](#): > > Someone wrote that a woman named her son Cosmo Orion. Me, me! Over here! > [@](#): > > Isn’t this name a bit redundant? Like naming your kid John Ian, George Jorge? I don’t think that “Cosmo” is related to “cosmos”; I think it’s a slightly abbrievated form of “Cosimo” (as in “Cosimo il Magnifico”). I don’t believe that constellation Orion has ever been referred as “Cosmo”, or anything like it, either. Indeed, ultimately, the kid wasn’t named “Cosmo Orion” after all; he was named “Graham Cosmo”. It wasn’t our discouragement of the idea (which was often indistinguishable from verbal abuse); it turned out that her husband wanted some say in the matter… > [@](#): > > I could never ever ever name my daughter anything like Katherine/leen because of the Kate/Katie/Kathy overpopulation that was prevalent in my catholic high school. Yeah, she’ll name _her_ daughter that 🙂 “Hey, about a really unusual name like…Katherine!” “Yeah, nobody’s named _that_; wonder why not?” * * * “Kings die, and leave their crowns to their sons. Shmuel HaKatan took all the treasures in the world, and went away.” ---
**Author:** ![Louie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Louie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Louie)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/51 "1999-10-21T02:45:00Z")
I used to hate my whole name, but I don’t mind anymore, since it’s such a unique and fun name to say For me, the name made me. The name Louie is such a fun name. Nothing bad can be made about it. Everyone liked Louie …although my last name practically ruined the fun out of the first name. My last name is Toste. You can’t really say it without thinking of toast. For who knows how long, I was known as “Toasty” or anything else that was related to toast. I had to force myself to enjoy that nickname. ☹ ## It’s pronounced Taws\*tee by the way. Smile, it makes people wonder what you are thinking. [Fun with HTML (tutoral)](http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000194.html) [Give someone an F.U.](http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum5/HTML/000255.html) ---
**Author:** ![Cessandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cessandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cessandra)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/52 "1999-10-21T03:10:00Z")
My dad wanted to name me Jennifer. Ever since my mom told me that, I have been so glad that she didn’t let him. No offense to anybody named Jennifer, I just don’t think the name suits me. I was named after the Beatles song “Michelle”, and I am a huge Beatles fan. I don’t know any of the songs except for the ones on my four tapes (it’s too expensive to buy any of the albums I don’t have, and the ones they play on the radio are songs that I do have), but I adore every Beatles song that I know. Except the White Album version of Revolution – that sucked! Anyway, to get to the point, I think I have been very influenced by my name, and glad of it. 🙂 PS Louie, love your sig! Very useful! * * * Cessandra [My Homepage](http://www.shsu.edu/~stdmed17/Home.html) [The RHPS: Website For Virgins](http://www.shsu.edu/~stdmed17/RockyHome.html) **Both Updated More Often Than This Sig** ---
**Author:** ![Zulu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a9adbd/32.png) [@Zulu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulu)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/53 "1999-10-21T03:20:00Z")
I’m a Jennifer. I hate it. It’s a great name and everything, but there are just too damn many of us. My mother decided that I should be a Jenny, too (after my grandparents’ neighbour’s daughter). That changed when I went to high school. Now I’m Jenn, but most teachers and adults call me Jennifer. In my grade 9 history class, there were 4 Jennifers. It was awful. There were about 8 Jennifers in my grad class, I think. In my high school of 1000 students, there were 21 Jennifers. I am not gonna give my kids popular names. It just creates so much confusion. ---
**Author:** ![SterlingNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@SterlingNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SterlingNorth)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/54 "1999-10-21T10:59:00Z")
> [@](#): > > **CatinHat** said way back on page 1: > A drawback to having a short name is that just about everyone assumes that it’s short for something. Many people, on meeting me for the first time, assume that my name’s really Allison or Alicia or something. Not a big deal, just an annoyance. Does this happen to anyone else? That was a habit I had as a kid, constantly lengthening names that were short. Though, I wouldn’t have thought Allison for Alice. Of course I don’t do that now. Why? How was I supposed to know that “Phil” was really short for Fillmore (really, that’s his first name, and no, I never seen him spell it.). \ “Wesley Stuart McGee” Two English Names, followed by an Irish last name. Sounds white doesn’t it. I’m black. I’m not sure if this had anything to do with my name, or how my parents raising me, but as a kid, people said I acted and talked white. Doesn’t bother me though. * * * Please allow me to lengthen this post by two additional lines with a content-free sig. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/55 "1999-10-21T13:38:00Z")
I always hated my name. I still do,but if I changed it,I wouldn’t be ME anymore. It’s Rose,and its So old-fashioned. Reminds me of Gertrude!At least then I could’ve been Trudy. I was named after my dad’s sister. My mum told me his other sisters were Bertha and Agnes,so I felt a little better. AC/DC’s song Whole Lotta Rosie made me feel better,but name a beautiful famous woman named Rose? There were 4 Debbies on my street.I hate that name. I’ve never known a brunette Heather,hmmm. Chrisctp-I know a girl who calls herself Stina. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/56 "1999-10-21T13:46:00Z")
Oh,and most people named Heather make lots of typos! 😃 * * * If you can read this,youre too close. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/57 "1999-10-21T14:00:00Z")
I named my son Sterling.When I was young,my friends older sister had a boyfriend named Stirling,and I thought it was just too cool. So I went and had a son and named him that. I haven’t met any others,but nowadays,lots of names are unusual.He sits next to an Autumn in school! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/58 "1999-10-22T05:50:00Z")
Kelli,you thought You had it bad?How about Rose blows?I got that a lot.(no,i didn’t,either!) ---
**Author:** ![PurpleCrackwhore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc348/32.png) [@PurpleCrackwhore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleCrackwhore)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/59 "1999-10-21T18:13:00Z")
Wow!! does the name make the person or vice versa… Having an unusual name like Marva that no one could pronounce much less remember, I was called everything from Myra, to Mavis, to Maria…so I guess you could say if that were the case, I would have split personalities! Any question to why I chose PurpleCrackwhore for here =) * * * “Only when he no longer knows what he is doing, does the painter do good things.” --Edgar Degas ---
**Author:** ![PurpleCrackwhore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc348/32.png) [@PurpleCrackwhore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleCrackwhore)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 1999, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868/60 "1999-10-21T18:13:00Z")
Wow!! does the name make the person or vice versa… Having an unusual name like Marva that no one could pronounce much less remember, I was called everything from Myra, to Mavis, to Maria…so I guess you could say if that were the case, I would have split personalities! Any question to why I chose PurpleCrackwhore for here =) * * * “Only when he no longer knows what he is doing, does the painter do good things.” --Edgar Degas [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-name-make-the-person-or-vice-versa/10868.md?page=4)