Just How Does Your Name Sound?

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KennyFlys

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And the Worst Bad Name Is . . .

The grand prize, a copy of “Bad Baby Names,” by Michael Sherrod and Matthew Rayback, goes to Kate, a Lab reader who nominated a fellow resident of the Cleveland area: Iona Knipl. The judges chose it because, in addition to being an embarrassing pun, it also set up an inevitable reply from people imagining they were being wittily original. I called up Miss Knipl and asked her how many times she had heard someone meet her and reply, “I own two.”
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I had a client, name was "RZ <last name>"; the R and Z did not stand for anything, his name was, simply, RZ (pronounced "Arzee"); quirky but not terrible.

When he went to register for classes at his college ( a major university in these parts), the registrar's clerk simply could not accept that someone's name was "RZ"; she swore up and down that the letters had to be standing-in for words, and that she'd get in trouble for leaving the balance of his names off.

Finally, she was persuaded. But, to be certain that she would not get in trouble, she typed it this way: "R(only) Z(only) <last name>".

And thus was born the nick name which stays with him to this day, since every mailing he got (and still gets, 30 years later) from the college reads, "Ronly Zonly"- pronounced, "Ronely Zonely."

You just cannot make this stuff up.
 
SCCutler said:
I had a client, name was "RZ <last name>"; the R and Z did not stand for anything, his name was, simply, RZ (pronounced "Arzee"); quirky but not terrible.

When he went to register for classes at his college ( a major university in these parts), the registrar's clerk simply could not accept that someone's name was "RZ"; she swore up and down that the letters had to be standing-in for words, and that she'd get in trouble for leaving the balance of his names off.

Finally, she was persuaded. But, to be certain that she would not get in trouble, she typed it this way: "R(only) Z(only) <last name>".

And thus was born the nick name which stays with him to this day, since every mailing he got (and still gets, 30 years later) from the college reads, "Ronly Zonly"- pronounced, "Ronely Zonely."

You just cannot make this stuff up.
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I ran into a similar deal with a friend of mine named "RB." It was actually based after his father's name, but his legal name was actually RB. UNM didn't like that, and refused to let him use just RB. So he conceded by saying his real name was "Rotten Bastard." Within a week, the dean personally approved having only RB on his record.
 
I grew up with an uncle I only knew as "Uncle RL." It wasn't until shortly before his death did I learn it stood for "Roy Lee."

Everyone, my aunt included, called him RL. I can't ever recall him being referred to as Roy.
 
The Navy couldn't handle a blank spot on the form where your middle name was supposed to be. Those without a middle name were instructed to insert "NMN" in that spot, for "no middle name". For a long time our company commander couldn't understand why so many people had "Norman" as their middle name!

-Skip
 
Skip Miller said:
The Navy couldn't handle a blank spot on the form where your middle name was supposed to be. Those without a middle name were instructed to insert "NMN" in that spot, for "no middle name". For a long time our company commander couldn't understand why so many people had "Norman" as their middle name!

-Skip
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:rofl:

My mom had no middle name. Sometimes, I still have to complete an application where my parent's names are required. SO, it's NMN in the appropriate spot for my mom.
 
SCCutler said:
I had a client, name was "RZ <last name>"; the R and Z did not stand for anything, his name was, simply, RZ (pronounced "Arzee"); quirky but not terrible.

When he went to register for classes at his college ( a major university in these parts), the registrar's clerk simply could not accept that someone's name was "RZ"; she swore up and down that the letters had to be standing-in for words, and that she'd get in trouble for leaving the balance of his names off.

Finally, she was persuaded. But, to be certain that she would not get in trouble, she typed it this way: "R(only) Z(only) <last name>".

And thus was born the nick name which stays with him to this day, since every mailing he got (and still gets, 30 years later) from the college reads, "Ronly Zonly"- pronounced, "Ronely Zonely."

You just cannot make this stuff up.
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Somebody has been listening to Henry Cho!:yes:
 
In my case when they ask for my mother's maiden name, it is the same as her current last name (and mine) seeing as she was never married. I suspect I'm not the only one to have this come up these days.

I've heard every mispronunciation of my last name (just don't even try to get it right unless you've taken French, and even then you'll probably screw it up). What amazes me is when someone will purposely mispronounce it today and tell it to me as if it's an original joke. Meanwhile, I heard the same mispronunciation 20 years ago.

My middle name receives even more than my last name, though, so I just keep it a secret and don't tell anybody unless absolutely necessary. ;)
 
I know of a man whose family had to work really hard to come up with a first name for him: Never Fail.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I've heard every mispronunciation of my last name (just don't even try to get it right unless you've taken French, and even then you'll probably screw it up).
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Huh? It's not that hard, is it? I'm assuming it's pronounced "Do Pwee"?
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Huh? It's not that hard, is it? I'm assuming it's pronounced "Do Pwee"?
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Kent, you have just proven yourself more educated in French linguistics than 99% of Americans. :)

You'd be surprised how few people can get that right, even after I say it for them 5 times. If they don't get it after the first time now, I just say "I go by Ted anyway, so it doesn't matter."
 
It doesn't help that some people will de-frenchify their names so the rest of us get even more confused. I went to high school with a kid with a last name of DuBois. Pronounced it "do-bwah" right? Nope. "Do-boys"
 
I new two guys in college that were roomates in my buddies dorm. One was name Joe King and the other was Mike Hunt. I kid you not!
 
mine sounds like Heinz, not Canes ... and the Germans pronounce the "z" more like "tz"
 
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smigaldi said:
good one, Isn't he within striking distance of you though? :eek:
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A good one, but one he has heard MANY times.

He's not within striking distance right now.... but that just means I don't know when it's comming. :eek:
 
smigaldi said:
Not Do Puss or is it Do Puce or Du Pus?? :D:D:D
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I'm sure Ted has NEVER been called Dupus or Dufus in his life. Never. :rolleyes:

Friend of mine was telling me how his first wife wanted to name their first daughter Ashley. He said "Absolutely not." They got into a big fight over it, until he said "Would you want to go through life being named Ashley Ashkettle?" :eek:
 
flyingcheesehead said:
I'm sure Ted has NEVER been called Dupus or Dufus in his life. Never. :rolleyes:

Friend of mine was telling me how his first wife wanted to name their first daughter Ashley. He said "Absolutely not." They got into a big fight over it, until he said "Would you want to go through life being named Ashley Ashkettle?" :eek:
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I'm positive he has... :P but that's just because I like to amuse myself. :D

I had a roommate for the summer one year... her name was Pepper... I thought it was cool till I found out her fiance's last name: Shmuckpepper. That is the best reason to NOT take your husbans last name. She was still going to take it! Pepper Shmuckpepper. :hairraise: Wonder if she ever did get married to him.
 
smigaldi said:
Remember the Dumb-Ass commercials??


I loved that one!!
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Heywood: ...by Alexandree Dumb-ass. Dumb-ass.
Andy Dufresne: Dumb-ass? "Dumas". You know what it's about? You'll like it, it's about a prison break.

How about this one.
http://www.assmannusa.com/

And just in case you were wondering - yes I have heard my name mispronounced every way possible.
 
I wanted to name our son Calvin Hobbes, in honor of my favorite kid and tiger ... My wife said Calvin Kainz is too close to Calvin Klein and vetoed me. Gary thanks her to this day.

My sister and brother in law are very musically talented folks. Their choice of names for their firstborn was:
boy - Benjamin Joseph (Ben Joe - "banjo") or
girl - Amanda Lynn (a mandolin)

she's also an art teacher - their cats are named Clawed Meownet and Picatso
 
gkainz said:
I wanted to name our son Calvin Hobbes, in honor of my favorite kid and tiger ... My wife said Calvin Kainz is too close to Calvin Klein and vetoed me. Gary thanks her to this day.[/qote] She is a wise woman!

gkainz said:
My sister and brother in law are very musically talented folks. Their choice of names for their firstborn was:
boy - Benjamin Joseph (Ben Joe - "banjo") or
girl - Amanda Lynn (a mandolin)
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Clever!

gkainz said:
she's also an art teacher - their cats are named Clawed Meownet and Picatso
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Our cats are Venus & Milo. I want to get a third one and her Dee. :D:D

My last cat was name Tess after Nikola Tesla. Our friend had a ginger cat and gray cat, their names:Fred and Ginger.

My best friend wanted to name his son Worf after LTCmdr Worf of the Star Trek. he was over ruled. he convinced his wife that Alexander was a good name. She went for it. Little did she know that Alexander is Worf's son's name. She was not too happy when she found out.
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Ted DuPuis said:
In my case when they ask for my mother's maiden name, it is the same as her current last name (and mine) seeing as she was never married. I suspect I'm not the only one to have this come up these days.

I've heard every mispronunciation of my last name (just don't even try to get it right unless you've taken French, and even then you'll probably screw it up). What amazes me is when someone will purposely mispronounce it today and tell it to me as if it's an original joke. Meanwhile, I heard the same mispronunciation 20 years ago.

My middle name receives even more than my last name, though, so I just keep it a secret and don't tell anybody unless absolutely necessary. ;)
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Everyone, even close members of my family get my name wrong. I don't even correct people anymore. I gave up.
 
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