What Do These Names Make You Think Of

What do you think about your name?

My first name is fine here in the United States, but it was awkward introducing myself to people when I visited the UK. There was more than one person who did not believe Randy was actually my real first name. One person in Scotland didn’t believe me, so I got out my California driver’s license. We were sitting around, nothing better to do, and it seemed like a good idea at the time. My passport was inaccessible, and I thought maybe he’d enjoy seeing a random government document from a distant land.Do you know how people can sometimes talk in a manner that is emotionally equivalent to throwing one’s hands up in the air in frustration and resignation? Just the prosody of their voice, not actually making the gesture?In that tone, he shouted “Your name isn’t really Randy! It’s Randall!” And that was the end of all discussion of the matter.My last name is a different story. My father was about 3 years old when he and my grandparents came to the US. It was very important to my grandparents to learn English right away and become full 100% complete US citizens, both of which they did. To this day, my 97 year old Papa and 96 year old Maye remember a man from what was then Yugoslavia in their English immersion class.But this is about the name. I wish I did not have to use my real name on Quora, but we all do. I definitely don’t feel comfortable writing my father’s name here. But, suffice to say, as part of their total English language immersion as US citizens, they Anglicized his name, first name and last. Today, he still uses the first letter of his original name as a middle initial (though it is not his middle name).And, there is no tilde (~) in English. (I can’t even put one in place with my phone’s type screen: n~ ~n nope, didn’t work.) So our family name became Nino, no diacritics, because we’re American and they don’t use them here.Oddly, had they not changed it way back 70 years ago, I would be furious not being able to type my own name with this mobile device!

What name from the past do you think should make a comeback, or what name (current or past) should be put to rest forever?

I make my suggestion based on one of the best historic names ever, what a brilliant name was cooked up by the parents ofISAMBARD KINGDOM BRUNELHe of Structural Engineering fame!Isambard is a great name, I don't think it was ever that common, but it's old-fashioned and we should have a revival! And if you were to be called Isambard and found it too long or fancy for everyday use - well, it's easy enough to shorten it to Sam.Name I would lose for ever - sorry to anyone called this, but Martha. It always seems to be a servant’s name in literature, and I don't suppose The Handmaid’s Tale helps with that image. And being reminded of The Handmaid’s Tale every time you hear the name gives it a somewhat depressing air of repression. Blame Margaret Atwood for ruining that name! I know a guy at work who recently named his daughter Martha - each to their own, but I bet he's never read that book!Finally, no kid should ever have the indignity ever again of being called Fanny. It was a popular name in my Grandma’s day, but Fanny in England means vagina/external lady bits, and in the USA means arse. One of the worst names I've ever heard is Fanny Cradock. Fanny (vagina) followed by a word halfway between Crack and Haddock, that being the last surname you'd want to put with Fanny. Just - pity the poor kid. An elderly person might still get away with being called Fanny, but please, don't inflict it on a child. That would just be mean.