Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Naming Rights


At the heart of much speculative fiction (and fiction in general) is a question. What if? On Tuesdays I like to throw one out there and see what you make of it. Do with it as you please. If a for-instance is not specified, feel free to interpret that instance as you wish. And if you find this becomes a novel-length answer, I'd appreciate a thank you in the acknowledgements ;)

I just had this dream, and I woke up with this question. Don't ask about the dream. Like most of my dreams, it was disjointed, weird, and defied description. But I don't mind, because the what if I was going to use this week was pretty pitiful.

What if the name your partner picked for your child was the name of a nemesis of yours? But, you have to use it, because that name is linked to something big--like it's a family name and/or it's tied to a very large inheritance.

(In my dream, it was a full name--first, middle, and last. Or something like that. The details have gone a bit murky.)

Also, this week it's my turn at Unicorn Bell. I'm discussing weekly bloghops you may be unfamiliar with. I'd love it if you'd stop by and say hi.

17 comments:

  1. If it was a huge problem, I might ask that the name be used as a middle name rather than a first name.

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  2. I did think about this a couple of times before, I'd have a problem only if it is some very stupid name or offensive one, not if it was shared by a nemesis

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  3. I guess I'd be grateful I have no kids!

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  4. It happened to me already!! I just made a different story for the name and we moved on down the road! A name is just a name!

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    1. Really? Wow. That's one way to make lemonade out of lemons.

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  5. I liked what Paula said; I'll go with her answer with a name is just a name, though it hasn't happened to me like it did to her.

    betty

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    1. Yeah, I think Paula wins the comments for today.

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  6. I'm not sure I'd allow the child to be named that. I wouldn't care if it was tied to an inheritance or a family name. It's my child and I wouldn't want that association hanging over them. If it's not something my spouse would agree to, I wouldn't have married them in the first place.

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  7. I definitely have strong associations with names. I never met a Sean I liked until I met and married mine. So I think my own kid would definitely become the bigger association with the name and it would turn it around for me.

    In order to make sure you never have to contend with this, though, I suggest that everyone adopt a cat and give their cat their nemesis's name. You'll feel good every time you can say "Bad, Nemesis!" and your spouse will never name your kid after your cat.

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  8. Depends if I like the kid:) I would have that name for the kid but I would be calling it by a nickname of some sort so it always is associated with the nickname

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  9. Aussies are lucky cos there is no name we can't abbreviate or modify just cos. So name away, grab the cash and play the nick-name card.

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  10. No. Wouldn't do it. I'm very particular and superstitious about names. I certainly wouldn't name my child or even dog after someone I didn't like.

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  11. Aaaaand that's where a totally random nickname would come into play that had nothing to do with the legal name. There was this guy a long time ago and his name was Matt but eh I called him Travis just because ;)

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I appreciate your comments.

I respond to comments* via email, unless your profile email is not enabled. Then, I'll reply in the comment thread. Eventually. Probably.

*Exception: I do not respond to "what if?" comments, but I do read them all. Those questions are open to your interpretation, and I don't wish to limit your imagination by what I thought the question was supposed to be.