What's in a Name?

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What's in a Name?

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LightVader Hall of Fame Points: 3810 More actions · Answer 1

Jennifer Levy (10/28/2013)
I went to a women's college in the mid-'90s. In my dorm of ~60 women, we had 8 Jennifers, and that seemed to be the ratio across campus. Almost all used the common, non-"cutesy" shortened version of "Jen" so trying to get one's friend's attention in the dining hall would often lead to loads of us turning our heads. I eventually took the other half of the name to avoid the confusion.
Unique names may be a pain because of misspellings and misunderstandings, but having to come up with a nickname to differentiate yourself from the thousands of identical names out there is also a pretty big pain.
And convincing everyone you interact with that you really do want to be called either your full name or your chosen nickname rather than the most common nickname out there seems to be Sisyphean. :rolleyes:
(And don't even get me started on the proper way to pronounce my surname. I've given up on that one.)

Even though I haven't had a class with someone with the same name as me since elementary school, a couple of people have taken to calling me by either my surname or my nickname and surname together.

The opinions expressed herein are strictly personal and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of my employer.

Jim P. SSCrazy Eights Points: 8725 More actions · Answer 2

Jennifer Levy (10/28/2013)
I went to a women's college in the mid-'90s. In my dorm of ~60 women, we had 8 Jennifers, and that seemed to be the ratio across campus. Almost all used the common, non-"cutesy" shortened version of "Jen" so trying to get one's friend's attention in the dining hall would often lead to loads of us turning our heads. I eventually took the other half of the name to avoid the confusion.

I have a friend -- her name is spelled Jenifer. Over the years she has been told she didn't know how to spell her name, data dumped from marketing campaigns with wrong spelling. She hates Jenny.

As for my name -- If you call me James that means you don't know me. Same with Jimmy. My last name is unique enough that if you run into it in the states, I'm nominally related to that person in some form. An ex-GF looked me up years ago by looking in the phone book and found the same last name. She sent a letter to them. They mailed the letter onto my mother who passed it onto me.

But now my my online identity is pretty much jimpen. The people who see it, I hope, think it is a pretty reliable indicator of me making the comment. And I hope I have enough credibility on DBA or SQL topics to be trusted. I just googled "jimpen" DBA and pretty much came out on the top of the listings.

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Jim P.

A little bit of this and a little byte of that can cause bloatware.

Andrew G SSChampion Points: 12809 More actions · Answer 3

Obligatory

http://xkcd.com/327/

Oh yes, little Bobby Tables we call him

marlon.seton SSCrazy Points: 2623 More actions · Answer 4

Andrew G (10/28/2013)
http://xkcd.com/327/

Saw this quite a while ago, still causes a chuckle.

lnardozi 61862 SSCommitted Points: 1931 More actions · Answer 5

My standard reply when they mispronounce my name the third time is, "It's okay, I know stupid people can't pronounce it."

Whip THAT one out in an important meeting and see who's crushed. People mispronounce your name deliberately to assert dominance over you. Usually they're incompetents who replace understanding with aggression. I'm nice to everyone that's nice to me, but if you want to be the boss you better BE the boss.

Gary Varga SSC Guru Points: 82166 More actions · Answer 6

lnardozi 61862 (10/29/2013)
My standard reply when they mispronounce my name the third time is, "It's okay, I know stupid people can't pronounce it."
Whip THAT one out in an important meeting and see who's crushed. People mispronounce your name deliberately to assert dominance over you. Usually they're incompetents who replace understanding with aggression. I'm nice to everyone that's nice to me, but if you want to be the boss you better BE the boss.

lnardozi, go and get it done!!! 😛

Gaz

-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!

Sean Pearce SSCoach Points: 15999 More actions · Answer 7

My name can be spelt a few different ways and I am used to people getting it wrong. However I get very annoyed when people spell my name incorrectly when replying to an email from me. The correct spelling appears in 4 different places in close proximity to the cursor!

The SQL Guy @ blogspot[/url]

@SeanPearceSQL

About Me[/url]

BenWard SSCertifiable Points: 5903 More actions · Answer 8

nice one Mr Pierce

😉

Ben

^ Thats me!

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Gary Varga SSC Guru Points: 82166 More actions · Answer 9

Sean Pearce (10/29/2013)
My name can be spelt a few different ways and I am used to people getting it wrong. However I get very annoyed when people spell my name incorrectly when replying to an email from me. The correct spelling appears in 4 different places in close proximity to the cursor!

Another common, inexcusable error.

I accept that mistakes occur but sometimes it is an inconsideration that is avoidable and just rude.

Gaz

-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!

Steph Locke SSCrazy Points: 2963 More actions · Answer 10

I frequently get Step, and not just from people emailing on phones - could be worse, they could call me doormat

marlon.seton SSCrazy Points: 2623 More actions · Answer 11

Steph Locke (10/29/2013)
I frequently get Step, and not just from people emailing on phones - could be worse, they could call me doormat

Or just Door [Locke]. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Gary Varga SSC Guru Points: 82166 More actions · Answer 12

marlon.seton (10/29/2013)
Steph Locke (10/29/2013)
I frequently get Step, and not just from people emailing on phones - could be worse, they could call me doormat
Or just Door [Locke]. Sorry, couldn't resist.

You are on shaky ground if there are any DR & Quinch fans about Marlon!!! 😉

Gaz

-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!

marlon.seton SSCrazy Points: 2623 More actions · Answer 13

Gary Varga (10/29/2013)
marlon.seton (10/29/2013)
Steph Locke (10/29/2013)
I frequently get Step, and not just from people emailing on phones - could be worse, they could call me doormat
Or just Door [Locke]. Sorry, couldn't resist.
You are on shaky ground if there are any DR & Quinch fans about Marlon!!! 😉

As long as I mind the oranges.

Gary Varga SSC Guru Points: 82166 More actions · Answer 14

...and for the sake of complete transparency and openness, I get the following:

Gary Vargas (No. I am not Hispanic!!!)

Gary Lager (No...but I do enjoy a decent Czech pilsner)

Gary Barker (No. I am not the son of Ronnie - look it up internationales!!!)

Gary Barga (No. No one is called that!!!)

Gary Viagra (No...comment ;-))

Gaz

-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!

Gary Varga SSC Guru Points: 82166 More actions · Answer 15

marlon.seton (10/29/2013)
Gary Varga (10/29/2013)
marlon.seton (10/29/2013)
Steph Locke (10/29/2013)
I frequently get Step, and not just from people emailing on phones - could be worse, they could call me doormat
Or just Door [Locke]. Sorry, couldn't resist.
You are on shaky ground if there are any DR & Quinch fans about Marlon!!! 😉
As long as I mind the oranges.

Yay!!! Marlon, you rock!!!

Gaz

-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!