# Your Given Name **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 22, 2002, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366 "2002-05-22T20:43:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/121 "2002-05-24T17:24:29Z")
Alan A. Minne “Minne” is pronounced the same as Mini-Me, Minnie Mouse. I have no middle name, only the letter “A.” That is how it appears on my birth certificate. ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2002, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/122 "2002-05-24T23:10:24Z")
I hate my given name. So much so, that if you get an e-mail from me, it’ll be from a fake name I’ve chosen: Eugene Edgar Weems. Now if that’s the name I’ve chosen, how bad can my given name be? It boggles the mind. ---
**Author:** ![Latte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@Latte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latte)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/123 "2002-05-25T04:55:15Z")
Katherine Mary. I always enjoyed the religious and ethnic connections of my name – combined with my surname, it’s very Irish-Catholic. I also take a strange sort of satisfaction in that my most often-used nickname is Kate. I’ve met scads of K/Catherines and Katies, but only two or three other Kates, ever. That is rather neat. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/124 "2002-05-25T07:34:46Z")
Clifford Lannie Murphy First name was an old family friend of my fathers. I never use it except on legal forms, and I refuse to answer to it. Growing up as a fat kid (when I was a foot shorter than I am now, I weighed the same) whose mom thought red was the best color of clothes to buy me, you can imagine the hell I went through in elementary. By the time I was in junior high/HS, Mr. Claven was all over the place; so I refuse to answer to that either, except to family members who I just can’t get to drop it. Middle name was my maternal grandfather. I loved that man dearly, but hated his name, even though I am proud to be his namesake. It doesn’t fit me at all; so I don’t go by that either. Most of the time I use the initials. That started when I was a college reporter and had to come up with a byline. No way was the actual name getting used in print. To the rest of the world, it’s just Murphy. One name. One word. I introduce myself as Murphy and go by that alone. A few times I’ve been asked, “Murphy what?” To which I respond, "Just Murphy. One name only, like Sting or Jesus (depending on the audience, of course.) The sad part is I was supposed to be Michael Duane. Actually, my older sister was supposed to be Michael Duane, but she came out a girl (obviously); so Mom named her Melody. When she found out she was pregnant with me, Mom decided on the same name. Well, while she was asleep after giving birth, the nurse asked Dad what my name was to be. He pulled a switch (I believe because he thought it might land me an inheritance from Clifford - It did: A whopping $500 oooo aaaaah). My old man sold me out. He was and is the best Dad in the world, but I’d still like to smack him for that. I loathe the fact that I come from 500 years of pirates and rebels and ended up with an English first name. No offense to any Brits on the board, but it certainly clashes with my heritage. I’ve thought thousands of times about changing my name, but I’ve not come up with something I like for more than a year. My rule is to call myself (in my head only) by a different name for a year and then I’ll change it to that name if I still like it. So far Cian (Pronounced KEY-in) lasted the longest, but only about 10 months or so. I’m open to any and all suggestions… ---
**Author:** ![anya\_marie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@anya\_marie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anya_marie)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/125 "2002-05-25T10:57:39Z")
Hi, I am Shannon Renee, by all means call me Anya, i like it a LOT better than my given name. I’d change my name too, but not much seems to work with my last name. ---
**Author:** ![Pucette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/278dde/32.png) [@Pucette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pucette)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/126 "2002-05-25T15:53:24Z")
Stephanie Claire LastNameIHate. I have to say I’m pretty happy with my first and middle names, though. Oh, and I’m also a big fan of the name Colin. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/127 "2002-05-25T17:27:05Z")
Jeez, and here I am working for a company that called me out on my two year anniversary as “Colon”. Makes you feel really valued when after two years with a reasonably small company, some people still haven’t figured out how to pronounce your name. Colin ---
**Author:** ![truthbot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@truthbot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthbot)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/128 "2002-05-25T17:50:23Z")
Marcelle Dalee Sissel is my maiden name. I thank the gods that I’m going to marry a Portuguese, and my surname will change to “Nunn”.😉 Marcelle Dalee Nunn just rolls off the tongue… ---
**Author:** ![Tattva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@Tattva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tattva)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/129 "2002-05-25T18:16:09Z")
Emily Susannah Lastname Emily for a paternal grandmother, and Susannah, yes, for the song. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/130 "2002-05-25T18:27:48Z")
Kinsey Elizabeth \ (think soup) \<12-letter ItalianMarriedName\> That’s all you’re getting. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/131 "2002-05-25T18:32:34Z")
Robert Paul “Oswald” Baran Jr., 1LT, USAF Tripler I do go by “Oswald” IRL. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/132 "2002-05-25T18:54:10Z")
William J. [LastName] Yes, I only have a middle initial. No, it doesn’t stand for anything. Why did my parents do such a thing? Ask my father, Norman R. [LastName]. ---
**Author:** ![SUPERKARLENE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@SUPERKARLENE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SUPERKARLENE)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/133 "2002-05-25T19:40:04Z")
Karlene Kae Cupp (It’s weird, but I like my name all the same. 🆒 ) ---
**Author:** ![iconoplast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3d9bf3/32.png) [@iconoplast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iconoplast)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/134 "2002-05-25T19:58:57Z")
Stacey Lynne Kaminski. I was supposed to be Anastasia Lacey, after my mother’s great aunt, but my father rebelled against that, as did much of the rest of the family. As a compromise, when I get around to it I’ll become Anastasia Lynne. I still like Stacey, and I’ll likely still go by it, but I’ve wanted to be Anastasia since I was 6 (well before I even knew that it was supposed to have been my name). Lynne is after my mother. Stacey was to settle an argument. See, my parents had a (male) friend named Stacey. They used to tease him/argue that Stacey was a girl’s name. (As it so happens, they’re both right. In the US, usage for that spelling is split almost 50/50 between genders.) To help settle the disagreement, here I am, with my first name. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/135 "2002-05-25T22:37:46Z")
My first name is fairly unusual, but my other two names are very nearly unique. OK, about four family members share my last name, but I’ve heard of few people outside my immediate family with either of my last two names, and no one anywhere with any combination of two of the three (uh, aside from myself, of course). And so I prefer to remain just jackelope for now. If anyone is really, REALLY curious, send e-mail and I’ll tell you, but I’d rather not be googled either, as a google search for my first and last names turns up exactly five hits, three of them related to me (one of which, interestingly, tells me that I am in a gozillion-way tie for the 32877th-top reviewer on [amazon.com](http://amazon.com)). Mysteriously yours, jackelope P.S. I should clarify that I really, really like all my names, and if an opening comes up in conversation I will tell people at length why they’re so cool. ---
**Author:** ![RedDevil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ec8ea/32.png) [@RedDevil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedDevil)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2002, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/136 "2002-05-25T22:54:02Z")
Slavica Owen And Google spits it back in my face. ---
**Author:** ![Kwyjibo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/59ef9b/32.png) [@Kwyjibo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kwyjibo)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2002, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/137 "2002-05-26T00:21:57Z")
Ryan John [Last Name] “Ryan” - Because no one else in the town at that time had that name. “John” - After my uncle who landed with the Canadians at Normandy. (One of his tasks was clearing the body’s (and body parts) from the beach. A great man.) (Wasn’t going to be given a middle name, but the church wouldn’t Christen children who didn’t have a saint’s name…) > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ResIpsaLoquitor \* > **I envy the man with the comic book name.** I know a guy named Steve Rogers. (We just call him Captain America.) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Minor\_Irritant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Minor\_Irritant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minor_Irritant)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2002, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/138 "2002-05-26T00:49:30Z")
Robert Alexander Walter London. No relation to Jack, but I am related to Julie. Not the _famous_ Julie London, perhaps, but it did give me a bit of a start when the singer’s obituaries appeared in the papers a few years back. ---
**Author:** ![Kloudes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/edb3f5/32.png) [@Kloudes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kloudes)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2002, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/139 "2002-05-26T00:52:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by scout1222 \* > \*\*Stephanie Noelle > > Last name withheld to protect the (not so) innocent. \*\* Yes! Power to the people with the middle name Noelle! (I am , btw, Jessica Noelle Random-Ugly-Italian-Name. I must say, names hold a sort of intrigue for me. And I much prefer it when someone calls me by my full first name. ---
**Author:** ![MrO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@MrO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrO)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2002, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366/140 "2002-05-26T00:54:46Z")
My name is boring, but since my username has a connection to my middle name, I’ll throw that out: Orrin. I didn’t like it much as a child; now I don’t really care. But the names I’ve always liked are the longer given names (3 syllables or more) with a short family name. Thelonious Monk. Indiana Jones. Condoleezza Rice. (I’ve seen different spellings of her name.) Now those are cool names. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-given-name/110366.md?page=8)