lemonbella | Name Thingy instead of doing something productive (Reply)

1) Do you like your birth-name? Why?

Nope, I hate it, although less so now than when I was younger. When I was growing up Isabelle was an incredibly unusual name (now, it's stupidly common – and always spelt incorrectly), and while that in itself didn’t bother me so much, people's reactions did. Everyone was always at pains to point out how I'm not an Isabelle. Which I'm not, but that's not the point. – Thus I became lumbered with the shortened form Izzy, which I prefer but which makes people assume you're gregarious and zany, and possibly the presenter of a children's TV show. …

Okay, I'm way over thinking this aren't I? I generally answer to "Hey, you!"…

Also when I was nine, I decided to spell Izzy with an -ie, instead of a –y (in the tradition of all small girls) and have been stuck with that ever since as well. I always feel like I should sign my name with a smiley face.

More to the point, it's not even like my name is a family tradition. I was named after a character in a French children's book about a pink teddy bear. A Pink Teddy Bear.

Still, If I had been a boy I was going to be called Barnaby, so thank heavens for small mercies.

2) If you could change your name to anything else, what would it be?

I've changed my surname once already, so it would get complicated changing my first name as well. I would have to take two deed poll certificates everywhere with my birth certificate.

I'd happily change my surname if I ever got married, maybe because my surname means less to me already because it's been changed. It always seems a bit odd to me, people who want to hold on to their independence by keeping their name – really, there's far more to it than that.

3) What names would you consider giving your children?

I have thought about this and I come up against a big problem: My favourite boys' names are Jack and Daniel – but I can never, ever, call my children that because everyone will assume they're fandom names. I may call my pets fandom names, but I would never do that to my children.

I find it hard to find girls' names I like because they always remind me of some bitch or idiot who has crossed my path. For instance, I love Natasha as a name but my childhood arch nemesis was called Natasha.

One girl's name I do like is Isyld (It's Cornish) but I would never, ever, do that to my child.

4) If you had a band, what would you name it, and why?

Fumbles McStupid. I think it would sum up our musical style.

5) Is there a name that you completely hate? Why?

Unusual names for children are a really bad idea. I'm all for not calling your child Anne, because they'll be seven in the class, but you really shouldn't call them anything which defies the rules of spelling.

Brand names and place names are a really bad idea. Hyphenating things because you like two and can't make up your mind is stupid. Anything spelt with a Y instead of an I, or obviously spelt phonetically because Mum or Dad can't spell any other way.