# How to best americanize my name? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 21, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013 "2007-09-21T18:09:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/1 "2007-09-21T18:09:07Z")
My current last name means something like “Son of chaos” or “Son of anarchy”. _The chaos/anarchy term refers to the region **not** controlled by the government (where law and order reigns.) and was the name of a rebel clan opposing french occupation in the first half of the 20th century to which my great-grandfather belonged._ I’m planning on making my _current_ first name my middle name. This leaves my first name wide open. It would be neat if it complemented my last name nicely. I thought about Anarchson or Chaosson as a last name but I don’t like them that much. Any thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/2 "2007-09-21T18:11:31Z")
[QUOTE=Gozu] I thought about Anarchson or Chaosson as a last name but I don’t like them that much. [/QUOTE] Forget the Scandinavian constructions. Go for Celtic: McMayhem O’Chaos Fitzpandemonium \m/:mad:\m/ ---
**Author:** ![lobstermobster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobstermobster/32/10033_2.png) [@lobstermobster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobstermobster)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/3 "2007-09-21T18:39:04Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] Forget the Scandinavian constructions. Go for Celtic: McMayhem O’Chaos Fitzpandemonium \m/:mad:\m/ [/QUOTE] OH MY GOD!! Please use one of these. PLEASE!!! If you do, I will buy you personalized stationary and send it to you. lets change your first name too. DESTRUCTION O’CHAOS He’s irish! He’s mad! He’ll kick your ass until your head falls off! Onecent, lets start a death metal band and call it **BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA** ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/4 "2007-09-21T18:41:59Z")
Damn! **One** got it in one. Nothing more to add. Well played. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/5 "2007-09-21T18:48:55Z")
How about “Random”? Like the well-known “John Q. Random”, founder of the Random House publishing company. Stormborn? Madnison (=Madness’ son)? ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/6 "2007-09-21T18:54:22Z")
[QUOTE=lobstermobster] Onecent, lets start a death metal band and call it **BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA** [/QUOTE] Sure, but you gotta sing. I can’t pull off that Cookie Monster vocal shit. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/7 "2007-09-21T18:55:40Z")
First name Loki? ---
**Author:** ![Necros](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/necros/32/11086_2.png) [@Necros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necros)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/8 "2007-09-21T18:56:12Z")
[QUOTE=lobstermobster] Onecent, lets start a death metal band and call it **BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA** [/QUOTE] Dang, sorry, **lobstermobster** : [http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=80915006](http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=80915006) ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/9 "2007-09-21T19:04:30Z")
McChaos ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/10 "2007-09-21T19:05:31Z")
You could always go with something like “Our Lord of Darkness Son of Chaos Frenchmiddlename Chaosson”. You’d need a nickname, though, like “OLODSOC” or “Thor”\*. \*I actually do know a guy whose real first name is Thor. You might want to look into that. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/11 "2007-09-21T19:11:07Z")
The first name Doyle is supposed to mean “dark stranger” ([link](http://www.babynamesworld.com/meaning_of_Doyle.html)). I’ve always liked that one. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/12 "2007-09-21T19:45:16Z")
[QUOTE=Bayard] The first name Doyle is supposed to mean “dark stranger” ([link](http://www.babynamesworld.com/meaning_of_Doyle.html)). I’ve always liked that one. [/QUOTE] But if his friends stary calling him “Doyley” some of the impact will be lost. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/13 "2007-09-21T19:46:59Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] But if his friends stary calling him “Doyley” some of the impact will be lost. [/QUOTE] Yeah, because then he’s just one of those round lacy things my grandma used to slap onto every horizontal surface in her house. So, _so_ not tough. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/14 "2007-09-21T19:50:41Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] But if his friends stary calling him “Doyley” some of the impact will be lost. [/QUOTE] My guess: No one ever, ever, tried that with Doyle Lonnegan. Ya follow? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![lobstermobster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobstermobster/32/10033_2.png) [@lobstermobster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobstermobster)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/15 "2007-09-21T22:04:03Z")
he’s the Dark Overload of Not Eating his Vegetables Merciless Master of Staying up Past his Bedtime ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/16 "2007-09-21T23:46:15Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] McMayhem O’Chaos [/QUOTE] Oh dear god. **PLEASE** use one of these! 😃 And from that other thread (the Thorin Oakenshield one) , you can always go with… Raiden McMayhem. or Raiden O’Chaos. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/17 "2007-09-21T23:50:24Z")
BERSERKER 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/18 "2007-09-22T01:12:36Z")
How abut [Tom O’Bedlam](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_o'_Bedlam)? I remembered this as the title of a sci-fi novel (the Silverberg novle referenced in the Wiki page). I didn’t know until today that the name goes back 400 years! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/19 "2007-09-22T01:14:55Z")
[QUOTE=GingerOfTheNorth] BERSERKER 😃 [/QUOTE] [Guts!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berserk_(manga))😃😃 ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2007, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013/20 "2007-09-22T01:15:50Z")
Erisson. Son of Eris, goddess of chaos. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-best-americanize-my-name/420013.md?page=2)