In real life, I share the name of someone famous (actually, someone imfamous).
She is well enough known that in most situations, upon learning my name, most people make some sort of comment. As a college student, I get to look forward to at least one of these comments in each of my class the first time role is called. That is especially fun in large lecture classes. Even worse, occasionally people comment ‘thats a pretty name’ and I never know if they are making fun of me or not!
The worst things is, I can’t do the right thing and hyphonate my maiden name should I get married, because I want to be rid of the damn thing!
So does anyone else have this problem? How do you handle it?
I share a name with a sci-fi author. Well, her real name is Alis A. Rasmussen, but her pen name is the same as mine. She wrote the Jaran series, and Crown of Swords.
Haven’t read any of her stuff… I should check it out. In another odd parallel, her husband is an archaeologist. That’s what I got my degree in.
Well, my real name isn’t shared by anyone, but for a brief while my step-father considered adopting me. If he had, my name would be Sarah Ferguson.
I occasionally get mail addressed to the Duchess of York. I think it’s pretty funny these days, but I can imagine how annoying it would be if I had taken that name.
My last name is extremely unique. However, quietgirl shares her name with the principal violinist of some symphony or another. Considering she’s a musician, I think it neat.
I know a woman named Monica Letwinsky. She has suffered greatly.
I have an uncle (by marriage) named Gary Cooper. Which is doubly weird becuase he is the most non-Gary-Cooperish person I’ve ever met.
I’m always reminded of the song “Putting on the Ritz” … Tryin’ real hard to look like Gary Cooper - Super-duper
So, you want to look like Gary Cooper? Ok, first loose a few of those teeth, pull out most of your hair, gain about 150 pounds, put this mechanics cover-all on, and make sure you got a bottle of Gennesee Cream Ale in your hand and you’ll be a dead ringer.
I used to know a kid named James Bond. I remember one time, our gym teacher gave him a detention on the first day of school because when he said his name, he thought he was just being a smartass.
Seems like every company I’ve ever worked for has had a Steve Miller on staff. I have yet to break down and ask him where his band is… ::rimshot::
I had a roommate in college for 2 1/2 years named Courtney Cox, and she was bitter about it. And quick to point out that the actress spelled her name COURTENEY, dammit.
My first name is Tonya. Wonder who pops into the minds of most people when they see that?
<siiiiiigh> And it was such a GOOD name for a long time, too…
Not me, but I thought I’d share to help out those who are less than happy with your celebesque names. For a couple years I shared an office with an older coworker. Man was somewhere in his mid to late fifties, so his name was a complete coincidence. This poor, unfortunate soul’s name was… Ed McMahon.
His life was a living hell. The business we were in meant huge amounts of phone contact with our clients. Being on the phone constantly meant most people were called back. Imagine, if you will, what it was like calling in to a receptionist for him. Every fifteen to twenty minutes it was the same thing….
Ha ha ha (forced laughter) no, not that Ed McMahon, yeah, I wish he’d call me too. Now, can I speak to…
On and on and on it went. I don’t know how he kept from going postal. Nice guy though.
Both my first name and last name are very common names and so the combination is also pretty common. I always get other peoples’ mail, e-mail, telephone calls, etc. And obviously I don’t know how much correspondence intended for me has gone astray. The worst part is that I’ve gotten into trouble more than once for someone else’s misbehavior. And there was the time I was interviewed for a (non-paying) job and another guy with the same name was hired.
The only plus side was the time I got a call asking me if I wanted them to mail me the check or was I going to come in and pick it up. Seemed like a golden opportunity to take advantage of their confusion – but good sense prevailed and I told them they had the wrong guy. And it was a BIG check too – someone was closing an IRA.
I used to go to a vocal coach whose last name was Caruso. Her husband’s first name was Enrico. He was also a singer … an operatic tenor who had studied bel canto extensively. When they were living and working professionally in NYC he got so much crap from people thinking he was putting on airs by going with the name Enrico Caruso that he actually started using a different name professionally!
When I was growing up the grocery store owner’s name was Charlie Brown. He would occasionally call a supplier on the phone and get crack comments when he introduced himself – often they didn’t believe that was his real name.
Teachers I have worked with:
Danny Thomas
Robert Frost (an English teacher!)
Chuck Norris (a Chorus teacher, bwah-ha-ha)
Dennis Miller
