In once knew an Icelandic chap who however you tried to pronounce his name it came out sounding like 'Hitler', watching the faces of people he was introduced to for the first time was a source of continual amusement, which was aided by the fact that he was 6.5" and appeared like he could have arrived via a longboat...
I worked at a security company with A Lock, A Fox, A Pyle and A Plank.
One of my friends took his wife’s name as he didn’t like Pratt, so now it’s Wayne Conner. I suggested they used both names, but apparently Wayne Conner Pratt sounds rude?
Dad worked with a lady called Hazel Nutts.
Had a pal called Steve Kerr known globally at Jaun.
I worked at a security company with A Lock, A Fox, A Pyle and A Plank.
I bumped into an old friend I hadn't seen for a few years. Said friend is a little below average height and somewhat above average girth. I asked where he was working these days, he replied "Chubb, and don't you ****ing start .."
There was an American congressman called Randy Bumgardener (I believe it was spelled Baumgartner but most Americans (including himself) couldn't pronounce that. The best ones that I have personally seen was Iona Mott and Mr C. Hickens.
Yep, we had a Claire Hicken at work too. chicken@#####.co.uk at that time
We used this text book in school. The authors name always raised a smile
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Living-Things-V-Slaughter/dp/0713104163
Had a mate in high school called Robert Fish. He absolutely hated his surname, took his mothers maiden name as soon as he could legally change.
Had another mate called Tony Blair, which was funny for a completely different reason
Not mates with them but in my area growing up there was a lad with the second name Brownsword and also a girl whose name was Tracey Toplass.
A UK-based person in the organisation I work for has the surname which, in the phonetic alphabet, would be kilo uniform november tango.
Michael Hunt was in our Sixth Form. Never shortened. He was the brother of one of my friends. What were his parents thinking. And it’s not an uncommon name either.
I knew both a Heather Gardner and a Tom Dick
I knew both a Heather Gardner and a Tom Dick
I hope you manage to get Tom Dick to meet your friend Harry
I once worked with a guy called Dick, he had an older brother Tom, and a younger brother called Harry.
Apparently it was quite common in the 50s.
I absolutely thought i was being wound up, but I asked him and he told me himself.
I was at uni with a girl named Ivanka Majic
Also
My wife used to work with a guy who's last name was (we'll still is) Batman.
Wife's mum was doing the family tree and found old relatives, a couple, called Dick and Fanny!
We had an M. A. ****er at my last employer, I was disappointed when she got married.
My dad grew up with a Richard Dick, and my dad's uncle was a Richard Head. A big man in the Texas oil fields. Only time I met him he was wearing white cowboy boots, white suit and a white Stetson. He bought me a train set.
He was brought up in the east end of London...
I've recently started working with some one whose name is pronounced Sad Facker.
My wife used to work with a guy who's last name was (we'll still is) Batman.
Now that would be cool in a meeting when doing the round table introduction....
Worked with an Icelandic engineer called Frank Frankson, and a QS call A Cockburn....
Ive worked with 2 guys with the surname Love. Mr Love.
What a wasted opportunity. If i had that surname it would be my dying mission to get a PhD.
I met a Doctor Love once, IIRC at the time he worked for Sheffield Hallam University.
My wife used to work with a guy who's last name was (we'll still is) Batman.
Now that would be cool in a meeting when doing the round table introduction....
Worked with an Icelandic engineer called Frank Frankson, and a QS call A Cockburn....
Cockburn is coburn though innit.
Where as in my name... Cock is cock 🤣
I belonged to a sailing club, the Commodore was a chap called Peter Ennis. I also worked briefly in a company selling electronic components. I had to deal with Siemans who were headquartered in Staines. They still are AFAIK
I had to give advice about where to go to university, to a chap called Ragina Sexwhale. I got through the call but all I wanted to recommend was "study in a non english speaking country"
He went to Aberdeen in the end, so, not so far off.
There was a garage where I grew up owned by a G. Eric Hunt.
Was discussing amusing names recently, friends know someone called Dick Burns
he’s in the forces and has risen to the rank of Major
Three sister at my school, daughters of a rather evangelical American RE teacher.
Faith, Hope and......Heather.
I belonged to a sailing club, the Commodore was a chap called Peter Ennis. I also worked briefly in a company selling electronic components. I had to deal with Siemans who were headquartered in Staines. They still are AFAIK
I cycle with a Peter Ennis. He's a secondary school teacher.
Only remembered this last night. Spoke with a mate of mine (who's a lawyer in NYC) who does pro bono work for homeless and folks who can't afford a lawyer, and he helped a guy who was up on pimping charges who introduced himself to my mate as Barrons Nasdaq, as he thought it sounded classy, and was more likely to go down better with the judge.
Reader; it did not go down better with the judge.
I was sat in a full meeting room a few years ago. "Who are we still waiting for?" someone asked "Sean McAnerney" someone else replied.
Then someone got up to go get 3 more chairs.
Not mine, but a mate's best friend at school was called Steven Smell, and he changed his name to his mother's maiden name after being sick of being called Smelly.
For the rest of his school days he was Smelly Bennett
Worked with an Icelandic engineer called Frank Frankson,I have Ulf Ulfsson, Magnus Magnusson, Kjell Kjellson (and a Kjell Kjellander). Probably more that i've forgotten about...
And one pair Ulf Magnusson and Magnus Ulfsson, who sat opposite each other, doing the same job for the same department on two different programs. And i worked with both of them. Many times i spoke to one of them about the wrong program...
Mate’s dad was Michael Hunt, he nearly called his son Isaac until someone pointed out the obvious. Called him Warwick instead!
Worked with an Icelandic engineer called Frank Frankson,
I have Ulf Ulfsson, Magnus Magnusson, Kjell Kjellson (and a Kjell Kjellander). Probably more that i've forgotten about...
Isn't "son of" wildly common, as first names were handed down as surnames? Like the Scottish Mac, the Irish O' etc. Dave Sonofdave sounds weird to English ears but not all territories have the same structure.
I wonder, is there an equivalent "daughter of"? Margret Margretslass?
I wonder, is there an equivalent "daughter of"? Margret Margretslass?
Not sure if it follows the maternal line, but Magnusdottir (sp?) is the female version iirc.
BBC News - What life is like when you have an unfortunate surname
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cql7eennngvo
I was christened ‘Murray Scott’.
try saying that after a double shandy, down at the student disco…
Thankfully, I changed my surname to something less befitting of a pronstar.
He sounds like a dick Cougar.
You have to lean into it, in his cas ei would go for
SPEAKING IN CAPITALS.
TBH we used to have someone who only had a first name and that although normal was spelt a bit tricksy.
He also used to get a bit arsy when asked what his second name was, we had to change our software to cater for it.
I always thought once you’ve realised that your name was a bit off the norm you’d sort of be used to people asking perfectly valid questions and sort of pre-empt with a witty remark 🙂
Used to work at a place where there was an office with Mr Kok and Mr Dangler. If a new recruit called Penis showed up you can be sure what office they’d be assigned to!
I was christened ‘Murray Scott’.
try saying that after a double shandy, down at the student disco…
Thankfully, I changed my surname to something less befitting of a pronstar.
TBH when I were a younger DoD if the conversation at the pub/party was getting boring I’d just drop out with a smile that I used to be a stuntcock 🙂
(Not sure how the filters going to cope with that.) It wasn’t true but it always used to get the party rolling.
Oddly I nearly bought a house in Cock road but I didn’t think I could handle the address, it actually did have a well known pronstar living there.
Maybe we need a sister thread for unfortunate place names. I drove down Cuckstool Lane the other day, there's a road that must have a story. Please, please god have a story.
He also used to get a bit arsy when asked what his second name was, we had to change our software to cater for it.
A mate of mine wrote a massive article on this subject. The TL;DR was that if your name fields were anything other than a free-form [NAME] then it's going to cause a problem for someone somewhere.
I always thought once you’ve realised that your name was a bit off the norm you’d sort of be used to people asking perfectly valid questions and sort of pre-empt with a witty remark
I have.*
"Where does your name come from?"
"My dad."
(* - for some value of "witty.")
I saw an article today on the BBC website about an Australian teenage sprinter called Gout Gout. Made me smile. Although I do have gout.
I met a Doctor Love once, IIRC at the time he worked for Sheffield Hallam University.
One of my colleagues in the early noughties was (a different) Dr Love. He’s now Professor Love.
