Conference oass::babynames

    	I knew a girl in college named Heidi Dowdy.
    
    	A friend of my father named his little girl Amanda Lynn.  I
    wonder if she'll be musically talented?
    
    	Some of the "best" names I've seen while working at the DP
    department for Vital Records (birth certificates).  My two favorites
    were Kunta Kinte Jones and
    
    Motorola Johnson!
    
    tlh
    

    Supposedly there were real people named Ima Hogg and Ura hogg. 
    But they were twins.  On which, more later.
    
    There is also a true story about a man named R.B. Jones, and the
    initials didn't stand for anything (like Celtics coach KC Jones).
     Well, the first time he filed his income tax return, the IRS sent
    it back, insisting he fill in his full name.  so he sent the form
    back with the explanation: R (only) B (only) Jones.  So ever after
    he was known to the government as Ronly Bonly Jones.  
                                 
    In discussing baby names with my husband, we came up with one we
    could never use without being guilty of cruelty: Peter.
    
    I also feel sorry for anyone named after an alcoholic beverage:
    Brandy, Sherry..why not Grenadine? Retsina? Beaujolais?
    

    ONE QUESTION: WHY WOULD YOU FEEL GUILTY ABOUT GIVING A CHILD THE
    NAME PETER??? I THINK THAT IT IS A VERY DISTINGUISHED NAME.

    I worked at a college for a number of years.  I found this one in
    the old files...and it was a real name:
    
    ODD BLOCH
    
    Some people get their kicks in strange ways!!
    

    I know someone who will literally never forgive her parents for
    naming her "Shellie Kelley".  Middle name Kaye.  In addition to
    being laughed at as a child and as an adult, she endured the added
    discomfort of her parents nicknaming her "Shell".  This "name" 
    has always reminded her of the definition by Webster:
    "a casing without substance". 
    She has been talking with the County recently about changing her
    name.

    re. 3
    
    Did you ever hear the story of Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and old
    mean Farmer MacGregor? The "hero" of this tale was Peter Rabbit.
    Peter Robert would probably fall victim to many jokes and cruel
    teasing.
    
    -sunny-

    	I went to school with a girl named Sandy Brooke and 
    	another names Crystal Waters - and I promise I didn't
    	make these up.  
    
    	I also used to babysit for an adorable little girl whose
    	real name was Michelle, but her parent nicknamed Mikki.
    	Not bad until you find out that the last name is Morse.
    	(no relation to Mickey or Minnie!)
    
    		Conni
    
    

    re .3 and .6
    
    Peter is a lovely name, but Sunny pointed out our little problem.
     Even taking Peter ("rock") into "Rocky" would be bad--Rocky Robert?
    It sounds like a song from the sixties.
    
    to change the subject, when I was a big fan of old New England
    gravestones and went around rubbing them (what a thrill!) I saw
    two names you wouldn't believe: Royall Paine and Fanny Forward.
    Truth, no lie.
    

    
    
    I knew of a girl in Marlboro, Mass by the name of Lorna Doane.
    

A girl in my high school graduating class was named...

April May June.

    When the twins were nearly here, and we 'knew' they would be male,
    yet we didn't know their names yet, I, an amateur psychologist,
    planned on naming the first twin Pete,
    
    and the second one Repete.
    
    I planned on one child being nurtured, the other isolated. Doing
    a longitudinal study on behavior, etc.  
    
    When I woke up, I decided to start this notefile and get serious
    in finding a name, er two names...
    
    Randy :>

    RE: .7
    
    I once met a person named Donald Duck. Grounds for a lawsuit against
    your parents!
    
    RE: ?? (alcoholic names)
    
    I recently met a young lady by the name of 
    
    		Andre' Champagne
    
    The ironic thing about her name is, her family owns a wholesale
    liquor distributorship.
    
    
    Then there is the one our unit secretary tells:
    
    Her (relative?) works at a doctor's office and one of the patients
    had a very unusual name, pronounced Fem al e'. When the nurse remarked
    how unusual the name was and inquired where her mother got the name,
    she replied, "Oh, my mother didn't pick out the name. When they
    brought me to my mother in the hospital, I already had my name,
    Female Jones, on a wrist bracelet."

    
    
    My sister went to school with a girl named Paige Turner.
    
    My father mentioned one night when we were on this subject
    that there was an English brain surgeon named Lord Brain who
    was quite famous for his work.  There is also a hand surgeon
    named Dr. Nailbuff!!
    
    At a part time job I have we have some patients with some great
    names for this note. But my favorite to date is Felix Felix.
    A typical conversation with him goes something like this:
    
    secretary:  ...and what is the last name on that appointment?
    
    Mr. Felix:	Felix.
    
    secretary:  OK. and the first name?
    
    Mr. Felix:	Felix.
    
    secretary:	No sir, the first name.
    
    Mr. Felix:  Right, Felix.
    
    secretary:  Okay then what is the first name?
    
    Mr. Felix:	Felix!
    
    .....
    
    Fortunatly we only went through this with Mr. Felix Felix twice,
    but we always have to explain it to the new hires and anyone else
    he hasn't met yet to avoid further discussions like this!
    
    
    
    Wendy

    RE. 38.10 - April May June a.k.a. Q4
    
    sorry
    

    	I've got a cousin by the name of "Sandra Foote."  Now Sandra
    is a beautiful name but Sandy Foote is a bit much.
    
    	How about a great uncle... George Wright Foote.
    
    Scott

    In college a friend had the first name "Goodluck".  No, it's not a
    nickname!  We sometimes called him "Bunky", which was derived from his
    last name.  His parents were diplomats from Thailand, though he may
    have been born in the U.S.

    When a friend painted "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GOODLUCK" on an arts quad
    building, not many people understood it was a personal message to
    someone with that name.

    My mother always swore she was going to give me my grandmother's
    maiden name for a middle name which was Hood.  It wouldn't have
    mattered since I was called Robin Hood anyway... not to mention,
    asked where Batman was, sung to about Rockin' Robin and worst of
    all, Robin Redbreast!  Kids are awful no matter what.
    
    But how about names that don't mean something silly, but are criminal
    just the same?  Like a girl I used to work with named Saylor
    Neidorworder!  What a mouthful.  She was constantly repeating
    when people said WHAT?  Saylor is an interesting name for a girl
    to say the least.. and she was from South Dakota or something.
    
    Robin
    

    Shortly after starting work at Digital, I wanted to know the name
    of the new secretary in the next area.  I asked one of the guys
    from the department and he got a big grin on his face and said,
    "Ida Noe".  Of course, he expected me to say what I did which was
    "What do you mean, you don't know, she is your secretary".  He
    repeated this a couple of time and then told me that was her name.
    That was her married name, no less!!!

    My mother had a college professor named Katzenellenbogen.  In German
    that means "cat elbows."
    

    Back to the drinks......  
    
    My nick name is Candy, any my maiden name is Alexander..... People
    would sometimes mistake my name for Brandy Alexander.
    

     I had a friend whose surname was Klau.  She found that whenever 
she went into a bank in Germany, people would take great amusement in 
her name.  Klau means thief.

    My mother loves to tell the story of the twin girlfriends she grew
    up with.  One was named Sue Nancy Dancy, and the other was Nancy
    Sue Dancy.
    
    I once had a geography teacher named Olive Pitts.  
    
    Ann

    After reading all these, I don't know what possesses parents!!
    
    In grade school I knew a girl named Candy Kiss.
    
    I grew up with neighbors whose last name is Lyons.  They have
    two sons, Dan D. Lyons, and Roary Lyons.  (poor kids).
    
    I also have an Uncle whose name is Michael Michael. strange.
       
    
    Loreen
    

        I have heard this story from two or three different sources
        so I'm sure it's true.
        
        Mr. and Mrs. Lear decided that they would use her maiden
        name of Chandra as the baby's middle name and when it turned
        out to be a girl there was only one possible first name.
        
        Needless to say the child decided at the tender age of 6
        or 7 that as soon as she was old enough she was going to
        legally change her name. She didn't care what. Anything was
        preferrable to Crystle Chandra Lear.
        
        
        My husband is doing geneological research and you find such
        interesting names in your family's past.
        
        Jim's grandfather had a twin sister named Bicco. They had
        and older brother named Burpee and a great aunt named Bathsheba.
        
        SelmaB (Look who's talking about Strange names.)
        

    
    From High School in Western Pa...
    
    	-Cleatus Agustus Spitznogle
    	-..and his brother Barney
    
    	-Peter VanMeter
    
    	-The Kuk brothers- Burtrum and Brownie
    
    	-April Shierer
    
    	-Debbie Szucs
    
    I gotta go.
    
    Phil

    I went to high school with a girl named Summer Fall.  I also saw
    a book on strange names in my college book store and the one that
    sticks in my mind is "Nancy Ann Cianceancy".  Say that ten times
    fast.
                                    

    I got a call once when I worked at Sandia Corp & the caller said,
    "Hello, Frances.  This is Francis"...It turned out that the poor
    guy's full name is Francis Francis Francis.  (His parents must not
    have been able to think of any names.
    
    My sisters nephew is named Dusten Brown, nickname Dusty of course.
    
    My father claims he went to high school with Rosie and Harry Bottoms.

    My husband went to school with a couple of girls, Rainy and Sunny
    Day.

My mother worked with a woman by the name of Mary, who met and married
a fellow whose surname was Christmas.  Worse yet, the poor woman
opted to take her new husband's name and forever after was
Mary Christmas.

Anne

    I have an aunt whose name is Lucy...not too bad until you hear her
    married name...Goozey (Sounds like goosey)... we used to kid alot
    about it....Lucy Goozey! HAHAHAHA
    
    Lois

    A very good friend of ours wants to name his first son Buck Hunter!
    Their last name is Town, but still...  
    Thank goodness they have a daughter.  (I don't think his wife would
    ever stand for it - she just laughs at him).  Can you tell what
    his hobbie is?
    
    How about using countries for names?  My mother just told me of
    someone she knows who named their third daughter Australia.  Must
    have run out of names...
    
    Robin
    

    Re 38.9  It's true.  I went to school with her sister Leslie.
    
    Also went to school with Jesse James Kalagian.  That came out
    during graduation.  There was also one girl named Taverly Sousa.
    She never had to worry about having the same name as someone else
    in class.
    
    From the Newlywed Game, Paula Walla (yes, it rhymes).
    
    From the newspaper,  Mary Christmas Tree, her brother, Douglas Fir.
    There were more, but I can't remember.
    
    From when I worked at an insurance company.  A woman from Puerto
    Rico whose first name is Lesbian.  What cruel parents.
    
    Linda
    

     It's true! Ida Noe was my secretary. And boy did i have fun with
    that one.

    
    When I worked in Parker St., I worked with a Dick Tracy, Artie Johnson,
    AND Jimmy Olsen.  My name (maiden name at that time) was Liz Taylor!!!
    
    Talk about your celebrity corners...
    
    -Liz
    

    I knew a girl in college named Heather Fearn.  She's a botany major.
    
    (Honest, guys.)
    
    helen

    I know some folks who named their daughter:  Crystal Claire Koen
    (They are in the pool business)
    
    My husband's last name is Pike.  You should have heard the groans
    when we named him Michael Pike.  (We did consider Peace Pike, but
    we refrained from using it.
    
    Karen

    My brother has a son who is four months old.  His name is Andrew,
    which can be shortened to Andy.  That's not so bad but his last
    name is Barr (Andy Barr - Candy Barr).  I also have another brother
    and when my mother was pregnant with him she decided that she was
    going to name him after my grandfather but only use his first initial
    of "H".  She pondered for several months about what to name him.
    She decided on Hershel until I stressed the point (and I was only
    8 years old at the time) that his nickname would probably end up
    being Hershey (Hershey Barr).  He ended up as Howard, boy is he
    glad!!!
    
    Not to change the subject but, I work here in Marlboro and I was
    looking through the locator report and came a couple of unusual
    names:
    
    October Frost
    Duc Quach
    
    
    Also, about ten years ago I had a friend named Cynda Berger.  We
    used to tease her and say It sounded like something McDonald's threw
    out at closing time.
    
    leb
    

    Re .34:
    At my wedding, we had guests named Tom Sawyer, Donald O'Connor and
    Patty Smith.
    
    Tracy
    

    when people see my middle name, they automatically think I was named
    after a celebrity, because BETH is a nic name for ELIZABETH.
    
    Hollie BETH Taylor
    
    

    
    
    I use to work with 'October Frost' .... She goes by the 
    nickname of 'Toby'.
    
    
    -Liz
    

    It was worth reading all 40 previous notes!
    
    I went to grammer school with a boy named Joseph Mountain.  His
    nickname was Rocky.  He had a sister named Candy, and two brothers
    named Smokey and Cliff!
    
    My husband had a great uncle named Stover Stover Detweiler.  He
    wants to name our first born son Stover, NO WAY!
    
    My grandmother's name was:
    
    Margaret Mary Magdalina MacKay Murray
    
    My grandfather's name was:  Louis Series Stigliabotti (I have no
    idea where Series came from)  Stigliabotti means "spear thrower"
    I think??!!
    
    Jeanne (NOT PRONOUNCED Jean-ie)
    

    	When my friend Sandy was pregnant, she got tired of everyone
    asking her what she was going to name the baby. So, she came up
    with one and convinced everyone that she was really going to name
    her child LINUS male or female.
    	Nothing against Linus, mind you, but put together with her last
    name...........it would have been sheer cruelty.
    
    			LINUS GELINAS ????
    
    pronounced: gel line us
    
    
                            				Kimberly Ann
    

    We're getting to the point where we are thinking of telling people
    that if it's a girl she will be Ada, and if a boy he will be Pascal.
    
    We both work with programming.  :-)
    
             Carol

    I have a friend named Genevra Hanke. We call her Nev (or Nebulous
    or Neville - anything that comes to mind.)  Anyway, her last name
    is pronounced "Haynkee".  She told me that her parents were thinking
    of naming her Juanita, but calling her 'Nita for short.  Then her
    name would be 'Nita Hanke.  ("Need a hanky?")
    
    Actually, I think Genevra is a beautiful name.  It's a form of
    Guinevere, or Jennifer.
    
    just plain ol' helen

    A friend of mine whose last name is Day just had a baby girl.  She
    named her little girl Summer Dawn.  
    
    Summer Dawn day.
    
    Hollie
    

    I KNOW A GUY AND HIS FULL NAME IS ERNEST BERT
    AND HE LOOKS LIKE ONE POOR GUY. ERNIE-BERT OOO THATS PATHETIC
    

    re .46:
    
    My son would be completely confused if he ever met that person!
    He met a cousin named Bert and kept calling him Ernie... but what
    can you expect from a not yet 2 year old?!
    
    Robin
    

    Re .42 and .43
    
    Before my daughter was born, everyone kept suggesting the name Pearl.
    (She was due on Dec. 7th).
    
    T.
    

    Along the lines of October Frost and Summer Day...  since I am
    due in April, I thought of that for a girls name.  I thought I'd
    try out my names as middle names and go a good chuckle.  
    April Robin sounds like the first sign of spring and April Gale
    sounds like a heavy spring storm!  (My mother always said it meant
    a big wind...  thanks Ma).
    
    Robin
    

    My cousin named her daughter Summer Lane.  If they had a boy, they
    were going to name him Levi. 
    
    I also have a cousin named Richard Forest DeForest, his father being
    Richard Grail DeForest.
    
    D. Marie
    (yes, my parents gave me such an awful first name, I only kept the
    initial!)

    Re: 38.32
    
    This ia a true story from someone I know that works in a hospital:
    
    After the Spanish woman gave birth to her darling daughter, the
    nurse came in to find out what name to put on the birth certificate.
    In broken English, the woman said Vagina (we all believe she meant
    Virginia) anyway, the Nurse had corrected her and the woman got
    so irate at being corrected she decided to name her Vagina after
    all -- that poor child.
    
    P.S.:  My son's name is Tyler Emerson Ashley Lent, my mother said
    it was obvious I didn't intend on having anymore children. HA, HA.
    

    My mother had a cousin whose name was HAROLD ARTHUR LEGG...all the
    kids called him H.A. but it wasn't until years later when my mother
    realized that his nickname could have been HARRY!!
    
    I also went to school with a girl whose name was KELLY GREEN...

    I couldn't resist adding two odd names I've come across:
    
       kindergarten heart throb -  Chester Schuster
    
       optometrist's file  - Rose Weed

    My mother works with the newborn infants and often comes across
    unusual names.
    
    Yes, there is a Candy Barr and a Sari But somewhere out there.
    
    
    

    My grandmother on Mom's side is Ruby.  My grandmother on my Dad's
    side was Rhoda.  When my sister was born, one of my parents wanted
    to name her Ruby Rhoda, which won't have been too bad.  But with
    the last name of Bone - Ruby Rhoda Bone.  They named her Audrey
    instead, and she is glad.  
    
    Bernice

    
     We are expecting our fourth child. Each time my beloved brother-in-law
     has suggested Ichabod Ignatius.
    
     Nickname - Ichy Iggy
    
     Heres a name some friends were seriously thinking about 
          - Cornell Custer. They changed their mind.

    As for Digital people:    Roy Clark
                              Larry Holmes
                              Jesse James
                              Michael Jackson
                              James Brown 
    
    Back in school:           Lorrett Millet
    
    I have read of someone whose first name was Endicott.  Not bad.
    A friend from school named here son Oliver Doliver.  Luckily
    they gave him the middle name of John and they call him Jake.
    You wouldn't mind but I always thought people in the 80's were
    more educated and didn't do such rotten things to their kids.
            
    I also know of a gentleman named Charles Charles Charles...sic parents.

    RE: .2
    
    I find nothing wrong with the names Brandy or Sherry. If I did I
    would not have named my girls Brandy and Sherry. Friends tried 
    to get us to name our son Jack Daniels, but we thought that was
    a bit to much. Now if you really want to talk "criminal names"
    how about a former co-worker named Dusty Rhodes. At least Dusty
    could get rid of Rhodes when she finally married, but her brother
    Rocky Rhodes was stuck with his name for ever.
    

    A teacher in high school was named Donald McDonald.  A classmate
    named her little girl Crystal Spring Day.
    
    My aunt married a guy named Broomhead - too bad in the 1950's women
    didn't reclaim their maiden names upon divorce, she's been stuck
    with it for many years.

    I had a friend in High School whose name was Candy Cain.  The Dr.
    tried to tell her mother not to do that to this child, and the mother
    refused.
    
    I also had a Dr. in Dallas who was from India.  His name was Dr.
    Shitoot.  After I had been going to him for awhile, he changed his
    name to Dr. Stewart.  When I asked him about it, he said he had
    "broad shoulders", but did not want his young children to go through
    the problems he did with his name so he Americanized it.  When I
    asked him what it meant in India, he said basically the same thing
    it means here.
    
    

    I have a most unusual last name so of course all my friends
    at work have tried to offer suggestions for my June baby's
    name!  Here they are:
    
            	Roland Hilligrass
    		Over The Hilligrass
    		Herschel Hilligrass
    		Green Hilligrass
    		Henrietta Hilligrass
            	"Mo" Hilligrass
    
    Nice friends, Huh?  And then there is the friend who also reads
    this notes file that calls my baby "Cletus the Fetus" !!
    
                                    - Sue

    My sister went to school with twins; a boy and a girl,
    whose last name was Washington.  You guessed it, George
    and Martha!  That is cruel.
    
    My sister also worked with a girl name Kitty.  She was
    getting married to a guy with the last name:  Purpur
    (Kitty Purpur)
    
    Honest!!!
    
    Denise
    

    Re: 38.10  (April May June) -- So did I!  I wonder if we went to
    the same high school (actually, she was in my elementary school
    class also).

    I dated a girl named September.  A rather pretty name I thought,
    even if she was born in April.
    
    Also, our church secretary is named Sandy Rhoades.  What's worse
    is her husband goes by Dusty, so together they are Sandy and Dusty
    Rhoades.
    
    Since we are expecting our third, I thought about naming it Want,
    Never or Any. (My wife would kill me)
    
    My mother by the way thought I was to cute to be called John, so
    she really named me Johnny.
    
    Had fun,
    Johnny Moore
    

    Another one for you!!
    
    The secretary for one of my best customers is named Penny Roller.
     That's her married name no less!!  Her husband is a minister, does
    that make him a Holy Roller?!?
    
    Let's hear some more,
    JAM

    
    My hairdresser's married name is Sherry Derry.

    
    HELLO,
    
      I RECENTLY HAD A BABY BOY IN APRIL AND MY HUSBAND AND I WERE TRYING
    TO FIND A NAME THAT WOULD GO WELL WITH OUR LAST NAME (WHICH IS COX).
    SOME PEOPLE SUGGUSTED NAMES SUCH AS:
    
    HARRY, RICHARD (DICK) OR ANITA.  I KNOW THAT THE SUGGUSTIONS WERE
    BAD, BUT NEITHER MY HUSBAND OR I COULD HAVE DONE THAT TO OUR CHILD.
    
    ALSO,  WHEN I MARRIED MY HUSBAND I WANTED TO KEEP MY MAIDEN NAME
    BUT TINA BURNS COX JUST DIDN'T SOUND RIGHT.
    
    TINA

    I can certainly sympathize with .9, "Lorna Doane".  Even without
    the "criminal" last name if I had a dollar for everytime I've been
    called Lorna Doone in my life I could go on a good shopping spree.  It gets
    so sickening after awhile when people make the same old corny joke
    about your name over and over.  I think people who make jokes of
    people's names ought to be shot, and parents who give "criminal"
    names ought to be shot too!!!  There are too many beautiful names
    to choose from when naming a baby to give into the ridiculous.
    
    Actually, I like my first name, Lorna, I just hate those damn cookies
    (which don't even taste very good).  The cookies were named after
    the Richard Blackmoor novel, "Lorna Doone" about a Scottish girl,
    and there was also a movie of the book in the 40's.  I've been told
    the name has become quite common in Scotland so maybe Lorna's don't
    get made fun of in the UK.
    
    When I first worked at Digital, about 12 years ago, I worked in
    a department where myself and two other women had to type mailing
    labels all day long.  One of the women kept a list of unusual names.
     All I can remember now is that one day, on one mailing list, we
    had a Dick Long and a Peter Short.  I can remember us all laughing
    bawdily over it.  After all it was a boring job and we had to take
    our laughs where we could.
    
    My mother went to school with a girl named Rosebud Frail.  I went
    to school with a girl named Farest Hart.  It always sounded like
    a romance novel to me, Fairest Heart.  Some other unfortunate names
    from people I've known - Cinderella Clementi, my ex-husband's aunt;
    Stella Stanke, friend of my mother; and Betty Creddy, one of my
    cousins.  I've also known a Shirley Temple and my grandfather was
    named Robert Burns (probably horrendously common but no excuse).
    
    I don't know which I hate most - names that can be made fun of,
    ugly names or overly common names!
    
    Lorna
    

    Isn't it a shame?
    
    My sister graduated from high school with a few of them too.
    
    Some that I can remember are:
    
    Mark Clark
    Jason Mason
    and (of course the audiance lauged at this one...VERY Adult thing
    to do!!!) Justin Case.
    
    I SWEAR these are real names - what can parents be thinking?
    
    Rob

    I once dated a man with the last name of Linda, which was pretty
    funny cuz that is my first name.  I'm glad things didn't work out
    can you imagine being Linda Linda.
    
    I have a cousin in Finland with the name Uran, thank god he doesn't
    live here.
    
    Linda
    

    I have a friend who name is Kris.  She married Ken Cross.  Kris
    Cross??  Her sister is named Kim.  She married Joe Jesus.  Cross
    and Jesus?  Their younger sister dated a boy with the last name
    of Bible.  Oh, please.  Funniest thing is that their father is an
    elder of our church.  How fitting.
    

                      -<  THIS IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT >-
    
    Reading 38.32 made me think of this, in High School I hung around
    with 3 girls, Sharon Bent, Mary Layhee and Sue Funkhouser...they
    weren't too bad, but with me..Karen Bangs..we had one heck of a
    foursome...I have changed my name since..thank God!  WE all had
    one heck of a time I am sure defending our last name!  It was also
    embarrasing for me!  
       
    
    
    Karen
    

    I used to work with a guy named Dick Bangs.  (any relation?)
    

    I don't think so, I come from a family of four girls...so no way
    to carry on that name, and my father was the only son!  Where was
    he from?  We are from Concord, Mass.  My Father was from Watertown,
    Mass.
    

    He lived in Winthrop Mass. and I worked with him at Raytheon in
    Bedford.  His daugher, Patti, went to Salem State with me.  He has
    a couple of sons too, I think (in their 20s or 30s probably).  Gee,
    I was hoping you were related.  I've been wondering what became
    of Patti...
    
    (sorry for going off on that tangent...)
    
    -Tracy
    

    My father use to work in Raytheon in Newton in the 50's, what a
    tiny coincidence hu?  I would call Raytheon and ask for him its
    so much fun contacting old friends... I love to research people
    I use to know..sometimes there is sad stories..but that is also
    part of life..
    
    good luck in the search if you persue!
    

    I just remembered a girl in High School named April Robins...I think
    that is pretty.  I wonder if she married another BIRD??
    
    

    What a small world!  I am originally from Winthrop and graduated
    High School with Patti Bangs.  I haven't seen her since our 10th
    reunion in '86.  I' not sure what she is up to lately.
    
    Sharon (Faysal) Silverman

    It is a small world!  My father still sees her father sometimes;
    last I heard (over a year ago), she was planning to get married.
    Well, if you should bump into her, tell her Tracy Bryant says hi.
    I'll tell her the same (from you, of course) if I should see her.
    
    -T.
    

    I went out with a girl a couple years ago named Pauline Tease and
    yes her fathers name was...... 
    
    DICK... not Richard , he like to be called Dick Tease
    
                                               Tom F

    I went to school with a girl named Rose Bush, her brother's name was 
    Harry.
    
    I grew up with Crystal Poole, Dawn Poole, and Robin Poole.
    
    My husband works with a man whose last name is Case (not Justin),
    when his wife was pregnant he swore that if he had a son his name
    would be Mental  (Mental Case)    Luckily Her name is Mary. 

    I love reading all these names.  I used to work with a Pat Kotec.
    My high school social studies teacher and his wife were Orville
    and Ione (pronounced iowna) Peters.

    When I was at school a friend introduced me to friends of his fathers.
    They were gravediggers named Pip and Pan Peck.
    
    re: 38.31
    My grandmothers aunty was named Australia May Pankhurst because
    she was born in Australia in the month of May.
    
    My father-in-law is named Doug(las) Mark Clay.
    My mother-in-law's maiden name was Lord.  Her eldest brother is named
    Earl but is called Bill, while her youngest brother is named William
    and also called Bill.
    
    My sister, who works in a bank, told me of an elderly couple who
    started an investment account with her branch. Their names were
    Peter and Anne Nuss (P.Nuss & A.Nuss).
    
    And finally, friends of mine are expecting a baby in April, 1989.
    They are going to name a boy Thomas.  Their name is Caddy, so they
    will have T(ea) Caddy.
    
    			-Jeff- 

    I had friends in Denver named GUNN, Peter, his wife Daisy B. and
    son Tommy.  They had a second son and named him BURP.
    
    Worked with a women named Bella Ou'thouse.  One day her check has
    the ' missing and she had become bella outhouse.
    
    Went to school with FAITH, HOPE & CHARITY Moore. Their parent's
    didn't think they would even have children as they married in their
    late 40's.  The girls were born 13 months apart.
    
    My sister-in-law's name is EVANGELINE MAGDALENE VAN DE CARR and
    she named her daughter BAMBI.
    
    

    Some I've come across:

	A gynecologist in Manhattan named Zoltan Ovary.
	An auto mechanic named Stanley Steamer.
	A classmate of my brother named Morris Torris.
	An acquaintance named Bambi Swartz.

    I had a professor who collected funny names.  He said that once, on	
    the first day of class, he noticed on the roster a Mrs. Overbridge Horsey
    (they're a Society family in the NY area), and remarked that he had
    always considered that a "prize" in his collection.  She dropped the
    course.

    My brother comes across some funny names in his job as a court clerk.
    Among them: Alvin Alphabet and St. Patrick something-or-other.

    I have an Aunt Jean - whose given name was Eugenia Orelia Quinn.
    She has seven children - John, Robert, David, Jim, Mary, Ann, and
    Jane! 
    
    My husband loves to hear old stories of family members - such names
    come up as Woppy (Walter) and his wife At (Athalee), Cappy,
    Hiney, Outhouse...
    
    In college I knew a girl named Sandra Wood (and she did),
    and one named Helen Bytes (no reports on that...)
    
    Another name I can't forget. Elvis Prescott.
    

    Here's some names from my family:
    
    My grandmother's maiden name was EASTER LILLY LAMB. She was born
    on Easter Sunday. We still have fun with the Easter Lilly part.
    
    My mother's name is LITTLE TEDDY. When we call her that she really
    turns into a bear.(Quite unbearable at times ;-)
                              
    My cousin's name is BAMBI(as in the deer) LEIGH KING(as in leaking).
    To turn it around a little she is a "leaking bambi". Poor thing,
    she has five more years until she can change it.

    What about Uri Erdman.  Uri comes from the University of Rhode Island.
    You're guess is as good as mine.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    33ee
    

    my sister had a friend named summer snow and I knew a boy in high
    school named Basil Tweady.

It's not the names; the parents are the criminals:

1.Our nextdoor neighbors have a son named Justin (last name Killion, nothing 
 criminal there); when he started school this past fall, in his class were
 Justin Case and Justin Tyme (sad, isn't it?) 


2. I went to high school with (at least) one William Williams, Herbert 
 Herbert, Peter Peterson, John Johnson.   Don't these people think?!


3. When we (Scratchley) lived on Slingerland Ave in Pequannock, New Jersey,
 my mother considered given my sister a family name: Alexandria.  This one
 has a happy ending, though: she relented, and my sister is Janet. 


4. In New Jersey All-State Chorus, we had a director who insisted on being 
 C. Scripps Beebee (and he called himself "c scripps").  He maintained that
 he had no first name, just an initial. 


5. I've always assumed that if you gave your kid some off-the-wall (but not 
 necessarily criminal) name, he'd end up in politics.  Don't those guys
 have some beauts? 


6. Surprizing (to me, anyway) no one has mentioned that Ima Hogg is (was) a
 real person.  A true patron of the arts in Houston.  There's a museum
 named after her.  Don't know about a sister, though. 


7. There are whores, too: a friend of mine who hated his rich aunt, 
 neverthless gave his son her name (which he also hated) as a middle name,
 hoping she'd remember the kid in her will. 


is there such a thing as "parenting malpractice" ?


gotta go

	Great note ... I thought everyody was just making these up,
	until I thought of three examples from my own family:

	o  P. Golden Gaffney

	o  Ben Farden

	o  Marion Vincent Gaffney: my mother ... Marion is the
	   Scottish form of Marian, or Marianne; Vincent was for
	   a great-uncle who died the day she was born (nobody
	   could think of a feminine form of it) ... the punchline
	   is that she got a draft notice in World War II

	I also found the following just looking through my local
	(Charlotte, NC) phonebook:

	  Lulabelle Zeek
	  Dorcas Zeeso
	  Pascal Zissel
	  Suonz Quoch
	  Curtis Quackenbush
	  Cephas P. Quattlebaum
	  Osunjii O. Yeldell
	  Laxman Jambusaria
	  Sven Jardmo
	  Danny Joe
	  Jonquil Johnson
	  Lord Jzar
	  Nuttee Udomsirirat
	  Venelda Unruh

	Why are parents so perverse and sadistic?  Or are they just 
	stupid?  My guess is that the birth experience does something
	strange to people's cognitive processes.

	BTW if you're interested in "criminal names," check out
	John Train's Most Remarkable Names (John Train, Potter, NY,
	1985).  There are some examples from his book in 285.4.  You
	can also write to this guy and get your outrageous names
	published -- all you need is some documentation.  Based on
	the replies to this note, I expet to see some of you in print.
	The address is:

	  Office of Nomenclature Stability
	  Box 157
	  RD #2
	  Bedford, NY  10506

	Cheers,

		-- Cliff (boy-am-I-glad-my-parents-didn't-name-me-
	           Walter-Cliver-John-Anderson-IV) Anderson

    How about Wayne Dwap
    
    Dr. Pinch (gave vasectomies)

    I know that you probably think I made this up but it is the honest
    truth.  There was a man who ran for governor in the state of West
    Virginia whose name was Peter D. Beater.  No lie you can check the
    records.  Also there was someone listed in the Charleston phone
    book named Hogjaw Twaddle until he had to have his number unlisted
    because of prank phone calls.  I also went to school with a boy
    named Peter Stuck, I don't think I could forgive my parents for
    that.
    
    Cindy

    I was once notified of a service call at St. Marks Church and the
    contacts name was Vanessa Angel.  It took a while for the dispatcher
    to convince me that it was a real call.  Also I have two customers
    named John Johnson, went to school with a Tommy Thomas and took
    a service call for Les Paul.
    
    Cindy

    I went to elemtary school with a boy named Grammatis Grammitis.
    
    When a teacher asked him why his parents named him Grammatis, he
    answered that he had six brothers and sisters, and his parents ran
    out of names.
    

    This notesfile is great and quite funny.  It made me think of my
    aunt.  Her maiden name was Rivera my aucle name is Rafael Rivera.
    When she had her first born she insisted on naming him 
    Rafael Rivera Rivera.  How odd!!!!  Different strokes for different
    folks.
    
    Well thank GOD she drop one Rivera.
    
    Now she has a daughter who she name Noelia Rivera.  Poor girl.
                                                         

    
    I went to high school with a Jack Smith, no middle initial and Jack
    was a nickname somehow derived from John. Anyway, we were hanging out
    at a pond in my home town one summer evening. At least once every
    evening the police would cruise through and flush our crowd out of the
    area. On this one occasion (yeah right) Jack had a beer, which was not
    allowed near the public beach, not to mention he was only 17. The officer
    started to interigate the group asking names and ages. When he got to
    Jack, Jack retorted, "John Smith." We couldn't help but smerk and
    snicker. The cop thought he was being a wiseA** and carted him off to
    the hooscow.
    
    I wonder what the cop thought when Jacks father, Jack, came down to pick 
    Jack up.
    
    T Theo

    
     How's this one? I have a cousin who is named  CHRISTIAN BLOOD.
    
    

    My mother told me of a woman whose name was Mrs. Rass.
    
    
    
    Her first name was Ophelia.
    
    I also knew a girl by the name of Candace Kane.
    
    K.C.

    I once worked with a contractor named Love Casanova.
    
    She was a lovely person.  :-)
    
    Bo

    How about Dam Phat??
    
    Hope the guy was skinny???
    
    

    This one came about by accident but its kind of funny.
    
    My sister has a two year old who was born on my mother's birthday. 
    Since the baby (a girl) was born on my mother's birthday she felt she 
    ought to name her after my mother.  The name she had picked for a girl 
    was Brandy Nicole and my mother's name was Adele so I suggested Adele
    Nicole.  So my sister named her daughter Adele Nicole, but calls her
    Nicki since she is not overly fond of the name Adele.
    
    My sister just recently got engaged and her fiance intends to adopt
    her daughter.  The unfortunate part is that his last name is Hickey
    so Nicki would become "Nicki Hickey".  They want to start using her
    first name to avoid having her being teased about the name (Hickey
    by itself will probably be the object of some teasing especially 
    in her teen years), but have decided to wait until she is older
    (but before school age) because they feel she might get confused if 
    they do it now.  

    I hired a woman into my department some years back by the name of 
      FREELOVE CROUCH (she used to say, Freelove's my name, not my game..)
      I think she is still working here at DEC but close to retirement, a
      really great lady !!
    
    I once had a gyn by the name of Dr. Pokaly (pronounced poke-a-lee)
    
    When my sister was a teenager and she was dating a guy by the name of
    Bruce Myers, she said if they got married and had a son they were going
    to name him OSCAR MYERS.... Thank goodness they didn't !!!
    
    

    I used to go to Junior school with a Julie Knickers, and Julie Chips!
    
    I have a male friend called Phil Carrol, who married a lady called
    Carol. I think that's asking for trouble.
    
    As for me, my maiden name was LING, so you can imagine the teasing
    I used to get - it seems to rhyme with everything!
    
    Janet

    I read (in an obituary) an interesting, criminal name.
    
    The woman's name was Mrs. Paula Paul.
    
    Once again, talk about asking for trouble!
    
    K.C.

    My friend went to school with a Patrick Toohey - PAT TOOHEY!!

    
    Yes its true, I have an uncle Wally Wahl who named his son Paul Wahl.
    
    We are expecting a baby in May.  My husband is a metallurgist, his last
    name (and the baby's will be) Ferris.  His department wants us to name 
    the baby NON.  [ferrous = iron]

    One of my best friends' name is Coreen Revene.  Her sisters' names
    are:
    
    Colleen
    Kathleen
    Maureen
    Eileen
    
    I know a woman whose daughter is named Mia Paine.
    
    My brother has a friend Richard Burton, I used to have a friend
    called Lloyd Bridges.

    My sister knew of a woman whose first name was Nancy and her middle
    name was Ann.  She always coupled the two names which is really stupid
    because her last name was Cianci.  "Hi.  My name is Nancyancyancy!"

    A friend of mine told me that there is a customer where he works with
    the name Richard Cranium.
    
    Think about it.
    
    K.C.

    I don't get it.  I don't see anything criminal about the name Richard
    Cranium.  Am I missing something?  
    
    Cranium means: #1: The skull of a vertebrate
                   #2: The part of the skull enclosing the brain.
    
    A rich brain??  no -  that couldn't be it. 
    
    
    ?

    I went to school with Rose Green and Rose Brown.
    
    I had a friend named Sandy Rug!  (She used to introduce her brothers as
    Persian and Oriental.)
    
    I know of a woman named Anita Brest.
    
    When my father was in Jr. High School, he had a teacher named Miss
    Balls.  He never found out for sure, but everyone said her first name
    was Ophelia!
    
    
    Susan

    re: .113
    
    do you really not get it?  
    
    maybe  Richard could be Dick and Cranium could be Head????
    
    cj/

    I used to think my name was too unique but after checking out the names
    in my mother's family, I'll stick with the one they gave me.
    Jemima and Willard for the girls.  Clarence and Harlan for the boys.
    
    (My parents also avoided Dawn Tomaro and Earl Lee Tomaro for which we
    kids are eternally grateful.)
     I do have a cousin we call Tammy.  Her name is Tamara Tomaro. 
     
    I have developed the nasty habit of answering the phone in military
    style  "Tomaro speaking."  which occationally results in stunned
    silence from the caller.  I'm thinking of getting a recording of the
    Twilight Zone theme.
     
    
    I went to high school with brothers named John and Joe Smith (who had a
    sister named Mary) There is no excuse for parents like that.
    
    Then there was the family friend, Linda Ball, who was really going to
    name her baby Krystal---Thank goodness it turned out to be a boy.
    
    
    Pasqualina Annece Tomaro ( Anglicised to Pat a long time ago.)
    

    re: .116
    
    Speaking of Joe Smith, my boyfriend's best friend's name is Joseph Smith,
    Jr. which means his father's name was Joe Smith too.  And to make
    matters worse, his mother's name is Mary.
    
    Lori B. 

sorry this is too fun to pass up...

my mother knew a woman in my hometown whose married name was BANNER. and she
named her daughter STAR.  Star Banner....I always want to stand up and face the 
flag when i hear it...and her middle name was....(no not what you would think)
it was AMBER.  But still Star Amber Banner is bad enough.

talk about sadism.

my husband and i are expecting our first child in january.  we could have some
fun with our last name (snow).  Maybe we should name a girl IVORY. ;-)  (maybe
not.)  my father decided we should name a boy Arthur Samuel Snow (check out
the initials)  jolly joker.

one more:  in high school i knew a guy named Mark Lisa and a friend of his
named Lisa Goss.  they always said they'd get married and name their daughter
Mona.  (Mark Lisa, Lisa Lisa and Mona Lisa...)  they didn't get married...

janet.

    All the guys in college showed us (girls) that there was a guy named
    Dick Hertz in the phone book. Funny enough but he lived in Holden hence
    Dick Hertz from Holden!

    There was an article in the newspaper yesterday (actually, not more
    than a "blurb") about a woman whose name is Mary Christmas, and if
    things aren't bad enough, she named her DAUGHTER Mary Christmas, too!
    
    The mother loves it; the daughter hates it.
    
    K.C.

    I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned a celebrated preacher in (I
    think) the Bahamas......
    
    .....Cardinal Sin....
    
    
    It's really true! A case of growing into your job???

    My maiden name was Audrey Hart.  I always thought it was funny
    that my parents would name a kid with a congenital heart defect:
    AUD HART :)
    
    My cousin married and became LAURA LANE -- the family thought that
    was hysterical.
    
    A friend married, hyphenated her last name, and became FISH-SPITZ.
    It would have been even funnier the other way around.
    
    
    aud...
    

    I saw this name in the newspaper Friday night and think it is THE most
    criminal name I have ever seen.  This name belongs to a 6 year old girl
    in Houston, TX and has been entered into the Guinness Book of World
    Records.:
    
Rhoshandiatellyneshiaunneveshenkescianneshaimondrischlyndasaccarnaerenquelle-
nendrasamecashaunettethalemeicoleshiwhalhinive'onchellecaundenesheaalausondr-
ilynnejeanetrimyranaekuesaundrilynnezekeriakenvaunetraevonneyavondalatarnesk-
caevontaepreonkeinesceellaviavelzadawnefriendsettajessicannelesciajoyvaelloy-
dietteyvettesparklenesceaundrieaquenttaekatilyaevea'shauwneoraliaevaekizzie-
shiyjuanewandalecciannerenayeitheliapreciousnesceverroneccaloveliatyroneveka-
carrionnehenriettaescecleonpatrarutheliacharsalynnmeokcamonaeloiesalynnecsi-
annemerciadellesciacustillaparissalondonveshadenequamonecaalexetiozetiaquania-
englaundneshiafrancethosharomeshaunnehawaineakowethauandavernellchishankcarli-
naaddoneillesciachristondrafawndrealaotrelleoctavionnemiariasarahtashabnequck-
agailenaxeteshiataharadaponsadeloriakoentescacraigneckadellanierstellavonnemy-
iatangoneshiadianacorvettinagodtawndrashirlenescekilokoneyasharrontannamyanton-
iaaquinettesequioadaurilessiaquatandamerceddiamaebellecescajamesauwnneltomeca-
polotyoajohnyaetheodoradilcyanaKoyaanisqatsiuthawyhaiashieakhauwnne Williams.
    
    They call her Jameshauwnnel, or Jamie, for short.
    
    K.C.

    I knew a girl whose parents named her Dwan (no, not Dawn).  She
    recently married and took her husband's surname - which is Dwan.
    Yes, she really is Dwan Dwan.

    A guy I know who works for AT&T is named Steve Carron.  His wife's
    name... Karen of course!  She uses her maiden name!
    
    Also, a couple in the college age Sunday School class I used to teach
    were named Billy Head and Debra Curly.  I teased them that if they were
    married then she would be Debra Curly Head.
    
    And finally, a man in my hometown had two sons.  He named one of them
    Robert and the other one Bobby.  They work in the family business, live
    next door to each other and will forever get each others mail, phone
    calls, etc.
    
    

    My wife worked with someone who swore his name was spelled
    
        Adrain
    
    but pronounced Adrian
    
    Trouble was he worked for a heating and plumbing company and he
    couldn't spell ANYTHING - so we never knew if A-drain really
    was his name!
    
    Stuart

    In a former life I worked in the Chemistry Research Division of
    the National Research Council of Canada. The was a research fellow
    who worked upstairs from me who had his name posted on his door...
    
    "H. Proton"
    
    I'm not kidding!
    
    I think he worked with Nuclear Magnetic Resonance....
    
    Pat

    My Mom's a nurse and she works with a Dr. name Kilham.  Pronounced 
    of course as... KILL EM.
    
    Imagine laying there waiting for emergency treatment and hearing the 
    dr. being paiged... 
    
                        "Dr. Kilham - in emergency - Dr. Kilham"
    
    geez! 

    I went to school with a Hazel Brown and had a doctor named
    George Royal Damn! Also know a girl whose maiden name was Kuntz...
    needless to say she couldn't wait to get married! 

    I used to have a neighbor in the Marine Corps whose last name was
    "Major" (not Majors).  At the time I knew him his rank was also Major. 
    Of course he was know as Major Major at work or sometimes M2.  He
    really only got steamed when people messed up his last name and called
    him Major Majors.  I think by now he is Lieutenant Colonel Major.
    
    Kathy Schlickenmaier
    (yes, it's German!)
    

    Re .130,
    
    Would his first name have been "Sargent" by any chance? :-)
    
    But seriously, there was a Major Minor in the Australian Army some
    years back.  The poor bloke was actually doubly afflicted, because his
    first name was Morris! 
    
    (For all you Yanks:- Morris was the name of an English car company, and 
    the Morris Minor was a very popular small car in Australia a few decades
    ago.)
    
    Bret Hirshman
    (an Austrian name - originally Hirschmann, but Dad anglicised it in WW2)

    
    I wonder if Crystal Waters from .7 is the now famous singer whose song
    I can't think of the name of.
    
    I worked with a couple of women from the phone company with these
    names, which they married into: Carol Carroll and Kathy McCatherine.
    
    My friend had a baby last year and named him Curtis.  She got married a
    few months ago to a great guy who is not the father, but plans to adopt
    him.  He alone has a famous name, but it is not gonna be fun for
    Curtis.  His new daddy's name is Jamie (Blue) Curtis.
    
    I went to school with Billy Fairweather and his sister's name is Windy.
    My old roommate's sister's name is April.  Her boyfriend of many years
    last name is also April.  They're setting the date now.
    
    -raquel
    

    Not many replies in here over the last few months! :*)
    
    There is a CPA in a nearby town whise sign I recently passed.  His
    name?  John Swindler!  Would you trust him with your tax return?
    
    jammer
    

	Well, I recently found a new Doctor and was a bit suprised by the 
name...Dr. Grim.  Funny that he isn't at all Grim...

				Tom

    I went to a graduation, and one of the graduates was named
    Henry Anderson Henderson.  (Just as bad without the middle name).
    
    I used to be in field service, and one of my customers (a dentist's
    office) had patients named Ben and Ilene Dover.  Ben Dover and Ilene
    Dover.  I saw their charts, the names were real.
    
    A man I used to work for was named Colonel Woodrow Pratt.  Most people
    called him Woody, but his wife faithfully called him Colonel.  (Yes,
    he was named after the famous......)
    
    
    Sharon 

    
    
    What a funny topic, I had more than a few good laughs.   I once worked
    with a girl named Terry Terry.  This was her married name.
    

    
    
    I just saw a special on about Jack LaLanne ...  His wife's name is
    Elaine....
    
    

While scanning the credits of last night's L.A.Law episode, I saw the name:

	Raynor Sheine

Would be a great name for a postal worker!

    And then there's Slim Pickens!
    

    This topic reminds me of a story:
    
    A man was walking down the street and saw a business sign "Ole Olsen's
    Chinese Laundry". He went in to investigate. 
    The owner was obviously of oriental descent and was asked, "who is Ole
    Olsen?"
    "I am" the man replied. "When I entered this country, the immigration 
    service gave me this name!"
    "Why?" the man asked.
    "I don't know exactly, but the man ahead of me was asked his name and
    he answered 'Ole Olsen from Norvay'"
    "When they asked my name I said 'Sam Ting'"
    

    A friend of mine had the maiden name of Frances Darling and she married
    Robert Francis and became Frances Darling Francis.
    
    

    
    My wife's mother's best friend is called Patty Pigg and her 
    brother-in-law's children are called:
    
            Gideon (Giddy) Pigg
            Annabell (A) Pigg
            Camilla Angelica (C A) Pigg (And die?)
    
    Personally I would rather die than have a criminal name!!
    
    Jim Good.
    
    

RE .142:

Well, Jim, then I guess you're lucky to have such a GOOD name... (ark ark ;-)

    I went to school with two sisters named Polly and Sukie -
    
    Ever heard the children's rhyme "Polly put the kettle on.....and Sukie
    took it off again!!"  
    
    As you can imagine they were teased mercilessly.  
    
    But worse is to come, In a month's time Polly is getting married to a 
    guy called RON HESTER......
    
    POLLY HESTER.................. OH PLEASE..   
    

My friend, Mike Bottoms has a uncle by the name of Pat - honestly!

Laura

    My Mom says she went to school with a girl named Rosie Hiney!!
    
    Lila
    

    This note has given me quite a few laughs!  I can't believe some of the
    cruelty of parents out there!
    
    Here are a few:
    
    I went to college with a football player named Peter Hurt
    (Yes, I think Peter is a cruel name to give)
    
    I know a man who's name is Dick Cole (say that real fast together and
    you get how it sounds)
    
    btw:  His middle name (a family name) is Tinkler
    
    Talk about being damned mean
    
    And yet he went and named his son the same thing!  Thankfully the son
    goes by Rich and never tells what the "T" stands for.
    
    I think it's mean to name a kid Dick anyway...only because of the
    merciless teasing of kids.
    
    My original last name (being Cornish) ended in -cock.  Thanking God for
    this, my great-grandmother forced her husband to change it when he was
    in immigration to -cott.  Can you imagine what Troublecock would have
    been like?  Thing is, there are a ton of them in the phone book as it
    is!
    
    Oh, and there was this day a secretary in our office took a call.  She
    put it on hold because she couldn't stop laughing.  She looked at me
    and said, "Honest to God, this woman's name is Donna Dix from Semens
    Corporation."
    
    Man, I'd change my name or go to another company!
    
    

    One learns not to laugh at people's names when one lives with
    many folk of different cultures. What sounds perfectly natural
    in one language maybe downright offensive in another. 
    
    I've had to be very careful and diplomatic calling up our customers
    when calls are logged (without a pronounciation guide!) and sent
    to us. 
    
    One of my co-workers a few years ago was named Phuc ("Fook"). We were all
    terribly careful to pronounce his name properly (luckily he had a 
    sense of humour and enough fluency in english to know what was going
    on).
    
    I have trouble enough with both my maiden name ("Fett" for those of 
    you who know what this german word means) and my married name which,
    thank-goodness, most people are quite diplomatic about. 
    Some however.......
    
    Monica Barney
    
    P.S. that's "Siemens", a german company.
    

    
    I knew of a girl in high school whose name was "Sandy Beach"!
    

    OK
    
    I have met a travel agent named Dee Port.
    

    My husband works with a man named Jack Goff.  He actually introduces
    himself as such (with a straight face) - I thought it was pretty good.