An aptronym is a personal name that is peculiarly appropriate to the person's profession. This one was just posted to the American Name Society list by Howard Wilk:

Dr. Dick Chopp specializes in vasectomies: http://www.urologyteam.com/?q=dr-richard-chopp
If you scroll down a little you'll see that, yes, he does go by "Dick."
There's no way he could be ( Read more... )

[from the L.A.Times]

Some Jews in France wish to revert to family names
After WWII, officials urged Jewish emigres to change their names to sound more French.
Two generations later, Jews are feeling a need to reconnect with their roots.

As Jeremie Fazel stood to pay his respects at his adored grandfather's grave, something felt profoundly wrong.

"The ( Read more... )

Posted to the American Name Society list today
Encountered on a marker in Chicago's Oakwoods Cemetery:
Little Angel
William H. Keene, Jr. IV
Oct. 11, 1993
Oct. 11, 1993
Does this construction make sense to anyone?  Is it related to the infant's short lifespan?

My reply:

Here are 11 apparently genuine hits from the first 40 of "about 67,400" raw Google ( Read more... )

From a post on a professional list:
David Krikorian, a name not found on the Mayflower compact, who is running for Congress in Ohio recently said of his primary opponent, Surya Yalamanchili--born in PA and a Rutgers grad, “Now do you really think that a guy with a name like that has a chance of ever being elected?
The Doctor adds: "Krikorian" is ( Read more... )

A Texas state lawmaker has come under fire for suggesting that voters of Asian descent should adopt surnames that are "easier for Americans to deal with".

The comments from Republican Rep Betty Brown came on Tuesday, when the state legislature heard testimony from a Chinese-American group on voting difficulties. Asian voters' names are often spelled ( Read more... )

by Victor Mair on Language Log:

Zhao C: a Man Who Lost His Name

Mark Swofford, Steve Hansen, and Anne Henochowicz have just called my attention to a wonderful post by Joel Martinsen over at Danwei which tells about a man named Zhao C who was informed by the Public Security Bureau of the People's Republic of China that he can no longer call himself "C ( Read more... )

No Snickering: That Road Sign Means Something Else

CRAPSTONE, England - When ordering things by telephone, Stewart Pearce tends to take a proactive approach to the inevitable question “What is your address?”

He lays it out straight, so there is no room for unpleasant confusion. “I say, ‘It’s spelled “crap,” as in crap,’ ” said Mr. Pearce, 61, who has ( Read more... )

Sweden Relaxes Rules on Naming Kids
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (Aug. 12) - Swedish authorities say parents can now name their newborns "Budweiser" or "Metallica" if they so wish.

[...]

Still, authorities are drawing the line at giving children swear words for names. And forget about naming your child God, Allah or Devil.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.

[ ( Read more... )

Judge Bans 'Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii'
Judge, Dismayed by Strange Children Names in New Zealand, Gets 'Talula Does The Hula' Renamed
WELLINGTON, New Zealand July 24, 2008 (AP)

A family court judge in New Zealand has had enough with parents giving their children bizarre names here, and did something about it.

Just ask Talula Does The Hula From ( Read more... )