I ran across an Associated Press news article today with this intriguing headline:
Pa. man seeks to change name to Boomer The Dog
The odd thing is that the judge who will ultimately grant or refuse his request is taking a few days to reflect before rendering a decision. Judge Robert Folino may refuse the request if, on reflection, he thinks it might result in “’unintended consequences’ like being ‘seen as bizarre.’”
Now I ask you.
HOW could the judge think that this name might be “seen as bizarre”? Some guys have no sense of humor.
Sheesh.
But Boomer the Dog (assuming his request is granted) is not alone in the world of people who elect to choose an unusual name and to have it legally changed. There’s the major league baseball player who was born with the name John Paul Bonser, but now his signature reads “Boof Bonser”.
I also found a listing of unusual first names which parents have chosen for their children here. Some of the girls’ names are Shasmeen, Nikith, Yuna, Cranberry, and Blessita. Not to be outdone, boys’ names include Autzen, Hardock, Neem, Juton, and Taygen. Of historical interest, there was a Confederate general named States Rights Gist. And there’s also the basketball player God Shammgod. (His dad had the same first name, so perhaps it’s God Shammgod Jr.)
I don’t know quite where I’m going with this post, to be honest. But I wonder…
- Would you choose an unusual name for your child? And what would it be?
- Have you ever thought about changing your name? What would you change it to?
- Do you think a person’s name helps to shape his personality?
I suppose only God knows the answer to that last question.
The real God... not God Shammgod.
Sue, this post definitely hits home with me. At my job, I meet lots of moms and babies, and there are many times that the babies names leave me speechless! A common one is Semaj (which is James-backwards) and Nevaeh (which is Heaven backwards). I've seen babies named after soap (Camay and Caress), a boy named Justice whose sister's name was Phelony (do you think they will live up to their names? And I met a little boy named Jesus (pronounced like the Lord) and on the same day met a baby girl named Heaven.
ReplyDeleteNames are so interesting. I believe that they do define who we are. It's beyond me why anyone would change their name to something strange other than they are looking for attention.
Thanks for this-lots to think about!
I live in Pittsburgh and the judge denied his request. Stating that if they called 911 and said Boomer the Dog needed an ambulance they would think it was a prank. The judge did offer to change his first name to Boomer.
ReplyDeleteBoomer did an interview on the local TV and as I RN I would suspect that he had some psych issues.
"I have called you by name, and you are Mine"
ReplyDeleteI too shudder at the names some folk give their children. I have a great-niece called Morrigan - I do not know why my niece named her baby after after an Irish demoness.
Of course these days, people are not thinking of "Christian" names - the name given on baptism. No wise minister to deter parents from foolishness!
Of course there is the other extreme - names such as "God-is-my-judge" and even longer Bible quotes were popular at one time!
I wonder what name God calls us by?
There's nothing basically wrong with the idea of sane adults deciding to take a new name to encourage the world to experience them in a way they want to be experienced. But there's a huge difference between, on the one hand, an adult choosing a new name for himself/herself and, on the other hand, parents choosing to use their own children as billboards - "branding" them before they leave the nursery and forcing them to carry their parents' short-sighted advertising message for a lifetime. If you don't believe me, just ask brothers Winner and Loser Lane, Kitty Litter or Marie Juanna.
ReplyDeleteyou may be interested in this article from the BBC:
ReplyDeletehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6939112.stm
4Real, Marion, I enjoyed this article - it certainly fits in with the discussion at hand! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I wonder where parents come up with these names. But a fellow nurse cared for twins when they were readmitted to the hospital some time after their birth. She asked the mom about their names - Boya and Boyb - and was told that the hospital had named them. Until parents name their newborns, babies are typically identified by sex, a letter or number to indicate which was born first in the event of multiple births, and last name, i.e. Boy A Smith and Boy B Smith... thus we have Boya and Boyb.
Another name I've run across lately - apparently several folks have bequeathed this one to their children - is La-A. (Pronounced La-Dash-A).
I guess we need to give these parents high marks for creativity. (Although sometimes name choice seems to border on cruelty...)