Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site pegasus.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!eagle!hou5h!hou5a!hou5d!hogpc!pegasus!avi From: avi@pegasus.UUCP Newsgroups: net.social Subject: Re: Naming - letting the kids choose their own names Message-ID: <929@pegasus.UUCP> Date: Mon, 13-Feb-84 18:19:57 EST Article-I.D.: pegasus.929 Posted: Mon Feb 13 18:19:57 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 17-Feb-84 02:35:05 EST References: <3883@gatech.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Information Systems, Lincroft NJ Lines: 44 I changed my name (to Avi) when I was seven. I have kept it ever since, and even had it legally changed by a JUDGE when I went through the formality of becoming a citizen. My parents had originally given me the nice Romanian name of "Emeric", but never got around to telling me! Maybe they were ashamed. They were forced to give "Romanian" names (isn't communism wonderful!!!!!!) but always used a variant of my Hebrew name (for religious purposes) which is Avraham. (No, I did not spell Abraham wrong! This is the correct Hebrew spelling/pronounciation). When I first found out (from my "green card") I complained strenuously. I just did not feel any identification to this alien name. This did cause me problems when I crossed out "Emeric" each year on my report card -- and replaced it with "Avi". Each new year, a new report card showed Emeric again. In sixth grade, the school caved in without comment and began to use my new name. Needless to say, I kept Emeric as a middle initial. I have been tempted to get rid of the name "Gross" (originally Grosz, but my parents changed that when we arrived) because of the terrible meaning in English. I prefer definitions like "12 dozen", to the unpleasant definitions. However, I doubt that my parents would understand a change to "Grossman" or "Grossberg" or even "Grossinger", let alone "Tiffany-Smythe". I gave my wife-to-be the choice of keeping her maiden name, but she actually is willing to trade in "Diamond" for "Gross"! Needless to say, my kids will all be Gross. :-) Once we choose a name for them, it may be difficult to let them change it. My parents still call me "Abi", at times, even though they know I hate being called that (too childish). Maybe a good solution is to just give kids initials (like T.S. Garp) and let them fill in the details when they feel like it. One final comment. I know my parents will try to get me to name kids after any one of dozens of relatives who died during world war two. Since they were all European, I shudder at even trying to give an American kid some of those names. We will probably compromise and give them whatever Hebrew name my parents want, and a normal American name (or MODERN Hebrew name) that starts with the same letter. How have other people responded to parental demands for naming? P.S. In retrospect, I probably picked a terrible name from an American perspective. Some people think I am female, and few can pronounce it (something like "Ah-vee") properly. Maybe I should have picked a name like my brother dAVId -- who has my name embedded in his. -- -=> Avi E. Gross @ AT&T Information Systems Laboratories (201) 576-6241 suggested paths: [ihnp4, allegra, cbosg, hogpc, ...]!pegasus!avi