'Real' names
Posted by Loupie on Jul 22, 2009
This post has been in the pipeline for a while due to comments made by several people.
People say the stupidest things on their first date
Like “What’s your real name?” – Voltaire – Future Ex-girlfriend
Why do people have this obsession with knowing peoples ‘Real’ names. Surely if a person gives you a nickname that is what they would prefer that you called them, what does it matter if its not the one on their birth certificate. In fact the only time I have ever asked anyone what their real name is was when meeting people off an internet forum for the first time who may not want to be know by their aliases in real life.
Ok, I will admit there are times when it is appropriate to use your legal name, for instance I would not introduce myself as Loupie at a job interview. But in everyday life does it really matter what we are called, names are just a useful way of distinguishing us from the masses around us. If we find our nickname suits our personality better then why shouldn’t we use it. To use an example from Voltaire, as quoted above, what self respecting goth would want to be known as Bernie Weinstien?
Finally where do you draw the line as to what constitutes a ‘real’ name. Is it what you are born, what you change it to via deed-poll, or should it be what you are most commonly known as? Two quick examples; what about the girl christened Tallulah does the hula from Hawaii, or my friend who changed his name to Thunder. Those are both their legal names, but are they their real names?
All my life I’ve been known as Penny, except internet aliases. People who had known me for years were sometimes surprised to learn that wasn’t what my birth certificate said. Then when I started at CERN I hit a problem – trying to tell any admin people your name isn’t letter for letter what your passport says is like getting blood from a stone. It would have been no harder to use my common internet alias of metalgirl2045. So instead they use my “real” name of Penelope…and nobody can pronounce it (usually comes out Pennylop).
Strangely you require a name in order to post comments on this page.
OK, point of fact…
Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii was taken into care at the age of 9 because she was being teased and was embarrassed by her name. She was made a ward of court so she could change her name without the permission of her parents. There is a growing movement by the courts worldwide to not allow parents to give their kids dumb names. Courts have previously blocked the following names: Cinderella Beauty Blossom, Fat Boy, Fish and Chips (twins), Keenan Got Lucy, Sex Fruit, Stallion, Twisty Poi and Yeah Detroit.
You referred to a name as a ‘legal name’ which is kinda the point really. Think of your name as like your car registration number, the thing that helps the authorities differentiate you from others. Nicknames are normally given by friends to their friends while their ‘legal name’ as you put it is reserved for formal use.
The other point of nicknames is that they are normally given to other people; people don’t make up their own nickname. Nicknames are a term of endearment between friends and normally have no place outside of in informal friendly relationship. I have a nickname, well I have several, but they are for my friends to call me and not for strangers, colleagues, policemen or telephone salesmen.
My point was why do people insist on having to know peples legal names outside of formal situations. Surely it doesn’t make a difference what your friends know you as.
As to needing a name to post. I don’t really care what you type in that box it’s just a useful way to identify individual posters.
A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but I’d be less inclined to take a big whiff of a flower named “steaming pile of shit”
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by Loupie: Blog: ‘Real’ names: http://loupie.co.uk/real-names/...