Unusual names really make me smile. I totally love them (toadally? toadally). When I worked in insurance I came across some really unusual names. Dare I publish them? Oh I sink jess. I had a client with the last name Vandenlangenberg. Isn't that the best? Hannah goes to school with a girl named Vandenmeerendonk. Wonderful! I had a client that was named Mohammed Mohammed. Gotta love it.
One time when I was younger, maybe 8 or 9, a lady called our house asking for mom. Of course I asked who was calling, and she had an unusual name. My sister and I made fun of it. Bad choice. When mom picked up the phone, the lady told her we must really like her name because we were laughing about it. Ouch. I really have, since then tried to love people's interesting last names instead of laughing about them (although I must admit I'm not always successful). Good baggage--a lesson learned early.
Imagine my surprise when after two dates I asked John what his last name was--I know, two dates--and when he told me, my reaction was "buhwah?" Not my greatest moment.
Living with the last name of Noser has its challenges, I always have to spell it, nobody believes it's REALLY pronounced that way, and well, it's a funny name.
I had one lady once tell me that she was going to pronounce it "Nosure". I said "Ok Mrs. ..."
and completely bootched her last name. She's said it right ever since.
13 comments:
I worked for AT & T at one point. Chickie Mae Harrison, Maboob Mahmood, Peggy Finger, Jody Golightly...just some of the names I remember. But then, did they just make those up?
As a newcomer to the "weird last name" club, I have to say that I really feel for the Vandenlangenbergs of the world. We are set apart from the Smiths (Kelli--you have no idea just how lucky you are), Jones', and Johnsons.
As if not getting asked to the prom (or homecoming, or winter formal, or a single solitary football game...) in high school wasn't enough. Now I'm ridiculed for my last name. It's time we ban together--all the weird last names in the world unite!
Erin...yes, to be sure, I've gotten a reprieve on the spelling of the last name. But the first one will have to be spelled until I die. "With an I?" "Yes, K-E-L-L-I." And even with "smith" you have the jokesters that have to make the "Uh-huh...SURE!" crack when you say your last name. Try checking into a hotel as Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Ha ha...
Cbass, don't even share that story from your mom. That is parking lot talk. I have had people struggle with my name all my life so I was sure I was not going to name my kids something no one could say. Well apparently Jace is just too hard for most. They say JACEY. I then say, "do you look at your facey when going into spacey?" SHEESH!
Try growing up with the name Tia Van Der Werf.
I remember getting mail at camp once and they annouced "Tina Vandenwolff" Ronningen is sooo much better.
I used to hate my name...but now I love it, cuz I'm usually the only Tia around.
How about Clinkingbeard, for real! Poor Caleb.
How about Vanoverbeak.
I hate the names that are totally not spelled the way they sound too like Nyugen, it's pronounced "Win" like I would ever think that.
I think we all have "name" complaints. Everyone always asks me, with an "h" or without? if I say without, they ask Why? if I was with an "h" they'd say why? can't win. Hardly anybody EVER says my last name right either. Sound it out O-L-K-E-R not Okler or Ogar GOSH!!!
somewhat related to this post...I think:
Remember it's Chip-o-t-le, not Chip-o-l-tee, or Chip-o-la-tte. I hate when someone asks me "Hey, wanna go to Chipoltee?"
Does this qualify as a name recognition problem?
Well, if we're heading in that direction, how about "magenta"? No, not mag-netta. Wait...didn't we already go around this fence in another post??
Honestly, Mrs. Smith, who said anything about a fence post?
I love it when people ask me how to spell "White."
"Um, like the color."
"W-H-I-T-E?"
"No, the other white color."
Good grief.
I always have to spell Stream. Or people usually say, "like a river?"
So I shall change my last name to Stream Like a River. sorta like Stands
With a Fist.
"Chumani-two-tonka-obwachi"
says me!
Karli, that's a camp song:
Oh I got Stream like a river,
I got Stream like a river,
I got Stream like a river
In my soul....
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