There are also names that make us laugh, as they have silly/embarrassing connotations due to differences in languages, cultures and vernacular. Therefore public figures like footballers Nicky Butt and Dean Windass or British politician Virginia Bottomley always cause a juvenile grin whenever their names are heard. I'd always thought that the most unfortunate name of all-time was that of champion Russian figure skater, Irina Slutskaya (poor girl).
That is until I returned to India last June and heard about an actress called Asin. Seriously? She claims her name means "without blemish and pure", but that is not what comes to my mind whenever I come across that name. I think it's even more inappropriate than those who spell their name Sindy.
On the bright side, her name reminds me of one of my favourite songs, the Pet Shop Boys' "It's a Sin".
Here's a site with more funny names, some of which are actually real.
5 Comments:
Way to look at the bright side Shankar, er... Mr. Carr! My mother's maiden name is Bourgeois and she said people were always butchering it. I guess that explains why she gave it to Aimee as one of her middle names, to pass on the the fun times. Oh well, at least it was not me!
Seriously though, I have seen the name Asin before and while for a moment it seems pretty, the english language is not kind with it. Children can be mean people, be nice to your children!!
Although, Peggy Brown, Chris Brown's mother, 2 years ago in her school classroom had Shittheade. SHA-Theade was how it was pronounced. Sure looks like something else to me!!
My mom always tells the story of a guy in Texas who named his daughters Ima and Ura. Their last name was Hogg.
My dad tells the story of a coworker he met named Orangejello. Pronounced Or-an-jello.
I'll never forget one of my previous bosses telling me of his childhood growing up in the New Braunfels area, where there were alot of European settlers. He said he had childhood friends with funny sounding last names such as Fuchs (pronounced "Fox") and Schitz (well, obvious). Too funny!
I really wish that when I started teaching I kept a record of all the ways the kids have spelt/said my name. It's not that hard is it? My faves will always be Kindergarten calling me Mr Caw (You just have to imagine a child trying to get attention, "Mr Caw! Mr Caw!") and one of the preschool kids this year who dubbed me Mrs McClaus. As for the kids names, their personalities eclipse whatever you thought when you initially read their name.
I had a friend in high school whose name was Joseph Patrick Hiney. He went by Joe, not Pat. But his sister's name (I kid you not) was Caressa. His family pronounced it "ka-rees-a" but what are the chances teachers used that pronunciation when calling her name out the first day of classes? Makes the bludgeoning of my last name mild in comparison. The worst I've gotten is Goiter.
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