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Weird Personal Names

At work a customer has ordered a barograph from us

- but I suppose with a name like Mr. Tempest he would be interested in the weather! 8)
 
oh dear, haven't laughed so much for ages :lol:

Here's my offering, went to school with a guy called Jonathon Shittey also at the same school were various members of the Farnell family who rejoiced in the names, Thane, Tjarda, Turenga and Tureena. there were a couple of other Farnells who attended different schools but I can't remember their names. their mum and dad were called Frank and Marjorie.
 
A few months ago I found an old file divider at work with the name Gay Moult on it. That made my day - in fact I think it was probably the most I've ever enjoyed my job. I was starting to wonder if I'd misread it or if it had been a terrible spelling mistake on the part of whoever wrote it on there (my department has serious literacy problems to the extent that some members of staff literally cannot read), when somebody mentioned her. Apparently she used to work for the department years ago.
 
NZ couple to name child Superman
By Phil Mercer
BBC News

A couple in New Zealand is planning to call their newborn son Superman after officials rejected their original choice of 4Real.

Pat and Sheena Wheaton have been frustrated by rules in New Zealand banning names that begin with a number.

Mum and Dad decided to call their son 4Real after seeing an ultrasound image of him. It was then they realised that their baby was "for real".

They are considering legal action to force officials to reverse the ruling.

Name game

The name might sound more like a comedian's catchphrase or a fruit juice, but the Wheatons were deadly serious.

Sadly for them, the authorities in New Zealand did not share their enthusiasm for the unusual - their choice was rejected by the country's registrar of births, deaths and marriages.

The rules state that first names starting with a number are not allowed.

The law also advises parents to avoid names that could cause their child to be teased or made fun of.

Undeterred, the Wheatons now plan to call their newborn son Superman, but have said they will refer to him as 4Real.

The baby's family argues that if people can be known as John Williams III, for example, then why can a number not be used at the beginning of a name?

Officials in New Zealand have been involved in similar disputes before.

In the past they have had to intervene to stop parents naming their offspring Satan and Adolf Hitler.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-p ... 937327.stm

Some people shouldn't have kids... :roll:
 
An ex colleague of mine went to work in Thailand and his boss was called Fanny Pong
 
gerardwilkie said:
Met a guy today called Stuart Little.
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Of course, what you want to do is dare him to do something mad, and if he refuses, say to him "What are you? Man or mouse?"

Actually, you probably don't want to do that. Forget I mentioned it.
 
There isn't a weird place names thread I could find, so:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6961005.stm

SA row over 'bull testicle' name

A row has erupted in the South African port of Durban about the meaning of the Zulu word eThekwini, the name of the city's greater municipality area.

The most common translation for this is a "bull's testicle" although others say its root comes from the word harbour.

It blew up because Durban Mayor Obed Mlaba has said he favours changing eThekwini's name to KwaKhangela, which is said to translate as "watch out".

The mayor denies he is acting out of embarrassment over the word's meaning.

Correspondents say eThekwini has long been the name used to refer to Durban, but it has only officially applied to the municipality for five years.

'Not proud'

Earlier in the week, South Africa's Star newspaper implied that Mr Mlaba was embarrassed about eThekwini.

"A lot of people overseas have asked: 'What does eThekwini mean?' Then you start saying, 'Well you see, ummm, please pass me the milk for my tea', because you are not proud to say what it means," the paper quotes him as saying.

But Mr Mlaba told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme that this was not the case.

"The point I made was that each time people would ask, 'What does it [eThekwini] mean?' I will have difficulty because no-one knows how exactly it came about," Mr Mlaba.

"The issue about the testicles definitely did not come from me. The reason I had difficulty was that I just did not know where it came from."

His comments have sparked a debate in the media about eThekwini's linguistic roots.

Mr Mlaba said the name is being reviewed as part of process across the country to change names of towns, streets and health institutions.

He said a committee would decide on the various proposals it had received.
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Nobody knows how it got it's name, and I can't work out if it's supposed to be flattering or not. Is it macho?
 
gncxx said:
There isn't a weird place names thread I could find, so:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6961005.stm

SA row over 'bull testicle' name

A row has erupted in the South African port of Durban about the meaning of the Zulu word eThekwini, the name of the city's greater municipality area.

The most common translation for this is a "bull's testicle" although others say its root comes from the word harbour.
Click to expand...

Nobody knows how it got it's name, and I can't work out if it's supposed to be flattering or not. Is it macho?
Click to expand...
It might merely be descriptive, like the name "Hog's Back", for a hill in Surrey, (UK).

I've just looked at Durban in the (new) Google Earth. Nothing to see that's particularly testicular, but then the harbour's obviously been well developed from its natural state.

(Although there is a rather phallic looking mudbank in the harbour..!)
 
The internet throws up some weird names, according to this email I got today:

COMPANY ONLINE ADDYS

All of these are legitimate companies that didn't spend quite enough time
considering how their online names might appear ... and be misread.

These are not made up. Check them out yourself!
1. "Who Represents" is where you can find the name of the agent that represents any celebrity. Their Web site is www.whorepresents.com
2. Experts Exchange is a knowledge base where programmers can exchange advice and views at www.expertsexchange.com
3. Looking for a pen? Look no further than Pen Island at
www.penisland.net
4. Need a therapist? Try Therapist Finder at www.therapistfinder.com
5. There's the Italian Power Generator company, www.powergenitalia.com
6. And don't forget the Mole Station Native Nursery in New South Wales,
www.molestationnursery.com
7. If you're looking for IP computer software, there's always
www.IPanywhere.com
8. The First Cumming Methodist Church Web site is www.cummingfirst.com
9. And the designers at Speed of Art await you at their wacky Web site,
www.speedofart.com

Possibly one or two might be deliberately ironic...
 
A boy called Primrose

Following our piece on real people lumbered with undertone-laden names like Lolita and Lucifer (see link, below), here is a selection of your unusual or difficult names.

Tia Maria Lancaster, Maidstone, Kent
"Good job your mum didn't like Guinness" is the usual comment I get when people see my name.

Rupert Bearne, Market Drayton
My unusual name Rupert Bear(ne) has brought me nothing but joy. Once seen never forgotten. Once caused me a bit of bother with a policeman who thought I was making it up.

Lammasfair Rossman, Manchester
At school I used to get annoyed when people made fun of my name. My parents (both sadly deceased) gave me the name because they met at the Lammas Fair in Ballycastle in Ireland. Now I think Lammasfair is a wonderful name because people always ask me about it and I can tell them the story of how my Mum and Dad met and fell in love.

Vanella Mead, Southampton
My name is Vanella and I love it. The name comes from the Latin for the wading bird Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus). I get a long way in life with this name as it opens doors and makes people remember who I am.

Lovedeep Vaid, London
I hated my name and was taunted about it when I was younger (I'm male by the way). I suppose I still have issues with it as I prefer my nickname "LV".


Jamie Starbuck, Plymouth
At various times, according to people I meet, I am the owner of a coffee shop chain, a character in Moby Dick, an ace pilot on the TV show Battlestar Galactica or a footballer for Nottingham Forest.

Zelda Lawrence-Curran, Lechlade
I'd love to have a "normal" name having become extremely bored by the standard response of "Oh, that's unusual" whenever I give my name. The other alternatives are "is it short for Grizelda" (it's not) or "Oh, that's like the game" - both of which are equally tedious. I do wish parents would think carefully before they dish out more outlandish things on their unfortunate children.

Cain Hegarty, Exeter
I don't think my fairly devout Roman Catholic Irish grandparents were best pleased to have their first grandchild called Cain. Apparently I was also a fairly unpleasant and angry baby, who screamed all the time and my parents were worried it might have been asking for trouble for a while. But my brother has survived to adulthood, and I think they have stopped worrying.

John A Fraser, Stirling, Scotland
I don't have an unusual name. However an uncle and my maternal grandfather, as well as the first-born male for several generations before, were christened Primrose. They were called Prim for short. Exactly where Primrose originated from and why it was thought to be a suitable Christian name for a boy is still a mystery. Thankfully the name ceased to be used in my generation. Talk about a boy named Sue.

Nicoli Unt, Wimborne, Dorset
My surname has caused me a never-ending world of fun. I was bullied to such an extent I contemplated suicide. However, I am now in a much better frame of mind and have fully embraced my surname.

Gay Richardson, West Anstey
I have great problems with my name - for some 20 years since it became the accepted name for a male homosexual I can't introduce myself as "Hello I'm Gay" without a smirk. I often have serious problems with sending or receiving e-mails as they are blocked by a spam filter which obviously has decided that I am writing something undesirable.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7244427.stm
 
All from this week's birth announcements:

Kona Bruyere’ — which puts me in mind of coffee and cheese...

Kaedgryonna Nashaa — The middle name there I'm pretty sure is pronounced nuh-SHAY, but I have no idea about the first...

Emearia Breeon

They are all newborn girls.
 
Lunt village tires of rude graffiti
By Natalie Paris and agencies
Last Updated: 2:10am BST 09/04/2008

The rural community of Lunt is considering changing its name because of vandals who repeatedly deface the village sign.

Residents of the historic Merseyside enclave fear it is becoming a laughing stock because of yobs who frequently deface the first letter of its name.

An alternative name has been proposed by some who are fed up of being greeted by an offensive word every time they enter their village.

Retired police officer Martyn Ball, a prospective Conservative councillor, is canvassing residents for their support for the change.

Dr Ball, now a law lecturer, said: "We are all painfully aware of the repeated times our village sign is defaced by mindless yobs who change the L to a C. Drive in every day and you see a very offensive word."

He has suggested that Launt be used as an alternative name, which he says would be pronounced the same.

But not all the inhabitants of the village next to Sefton in Merseyside are happy with the idea.

Parish councillor Steward Dobson, 84, said: "This village is very, very old and people don't want the name changed.

"The vandalism has been done for years, it's not children who are doing it. I know that because we have decent children in this village."

David Roughley, whose family has farmed in Lunt since 1851, added: "At the end of the day we live in Lunt and we don't want to change because of a few yobs. It is the vandals who should change, not the village."

Lunt is an ancient settlement whose existence was first recorded in 1251 in the Chartulary of Cockersand Abbey, according to the village website.

There it was referred to as "de Lund".

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... unt108.xml
 
"Lunt is an ancient settlement whose existence was first recorded in 1251 in the Chartulary of Cockersand Abbey, according to the village website."


Now, let me guess . . . That was formerly Cockstand Abbey, no? 8)
 
gerardwilkie said:
Today I had dealings with Derek Smelly and Tom Flucker.
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I feel a song coming on . . .

"As I was a going to Widdlecum Fair

with Derek Smelly, Tom Flucker, Peter Flapps, Daniel Foskin, Roger R. Sole, Dick A. Roma and Uncle Tom Catpee and all . . . " :oops:
 
NZ judge orders 'odd' name change

A judge in New Zealand made a young girl a ward of court so that she could change the name she hated - Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii.

Judge Rob Murfitt said that the name embarrassed the nine-year-old and could expose her to teasing.

He attacked a trend of giving children bizarre names, citing several examples.

Officials had blocked Sex Fruit, Keenan Got Lucy and Yeah Detroit, he said, but Number 16 Bus Shelter, Violence and Midnight Chardonnay had been allowed.

One mother wanted to name her child O.crnia using text language, but was later persuaded to use Oceania, he said.

'Social handicap'

The ruling, in the city of New Plymouth on the North Island, was handed down in February but only made public now.

UNUSUAL NAMES
Allowed: Violence; Number 16 Bus Shelter; Midnight Chardonnay; Benson and Hedges (twins)
Blocked: Yeah Detroit; Stallion; Twisty Poi; Keenan Got Lucy; Sex Fruit; Fat Boy; Cinderella Beauty Blossom; Fish and Chips (twins)

The name issue emerged during a custody hearing for the young girl - who had refused to tell her friends her name and went simply by "K".

"The court is profoundly concerned about the very poor judgment which this child's parents have shown in choosing this name," Judge Murfitt wrote.

"It makes a fool of the child and sets her up with a social disability and handicap, unnecessarily."

Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii's name has now been changed and the custody case resolved, court officials said.

New Zealand does not allow names that would cause offence or that are longer than 100 characters, Registrar-General Brian Clarke said.

Officials often tried to talk parents out of particularly unusual choices that could embarrass their offspring, the Associated Press news agency quoted him as saying.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-p ... 522952.stm
 
It sounds like a patronising urban myth, but I heard that new Chinese babies were getting the name "Olympic Games" this year because it's viewed as good luck. Any truth to that?
 
At work I have come across a Ms Mosquito, Mr Forskin and a guy who's first name was Obvious.
 
I hope I'm not repeating myself :p but here goes:

I once saw a telephone listing for a man named "Pink Green". A co-worker said it was for real--she knew the poor soul. 8)

There was a wealthy young socialite in Victorian (possibly Edwardian) times, in the Eastern US, "blessed" with the name "Ima Hogg". Fortunately she was slender!! (Yes, I've seen a pic of her!)

And way back in my own family, I have a female ancestor cursed with the given name "Oholobamah".

I kid you not! :shock:

Somehow I can't persuade anyone in the family to revive this name. :twisted:
 
There's a guy just started at my wife's work.... he's called Barry Beaver :rofl:
 
My parents have a neighbour who manufactures different kinds of pickled foods. I finally persuaded my mum to buy me a jar so I could take a picture of it:

 
kmossel said:
My parents have a neighbour who manufactures different kinds of pickled foods. I finally persuaded my mum to buy me a jar so I could take a picture of it:
Click to expand...

That's what you call tautology.
 
There are a number of strange names where I work, but the one that gets me most at the moment is a lad called Cona - not too bed you say, maybe a little unusual, until you realise it is just badly spelled and pronounced like the name Connor! Aaaaargh
 
I probably am repeating myself, but from my call centre days, Lily Whitelegs was a great name. I also found someone living in Liverpool who's first name was 'Shit' with a long and possibly Thai surname. For some reason the name Constance Cox always made me giggle, as did ringing up Jean Simmons. Alliterative names are always amusing, like Doris Morris and Gill Hill. There is also the odd person who finds my surname hysterically funny (Bibby) but I'm not sure why..
Other amusing names is my mother friend Ida Down (and her brother Ben) who went by her middle name of Joan as soon as she old enough to insist on it.
The village of Spittle in the Street - just down the road here in always raises a smile.
 
Daftbugger1 said:
...There is also the odd person who finds my surname hysterically funny (Bibby) but I'm not sure why....
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Back in the early 60's there used to be a factory that you passed on the train just before you arrived in the old Liverpool Exchange station with a sign that read "Bibby's, Home of Araby Toilet Soap", which I always thought hilarious, though I was about seven at the time...
 
Timble2 said:
Daftbugger1 said:
...There is also the odd person who finds my surname hysterically funny (Bibby) but I'm not sure why....
Click to expand...

Back in the early 60's there used to be a factory that you passed on the train just before you arrived in the old Liverpool Exchange station with a sign that read "Bibby's, Home of Araby Toilet Soap", which I always thought hilarious, though I was about seven at the time...
Click to expand...

Not surprising, the name is from Lancashire apart from an unrealated family in Norfolk, although current thought is that the name is from Viking origin - hence both names in Lancashire and Norfolk.
 
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