Lilllabettt Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 (edited) I'm seriously considering changing my last name. Without benefit of marriage (gasp!) The plan would be to move my current last name over to be a second middle name and add a last name of my own choosing at the end. So I would be called by my own name. Not my (admittedly non existent) husband's name. Not my father's name. My Name. Some possibilities: Ponswinnecke (pronounced pons-WIN-i-key ... short i like igloo) - after comet pons-winnecke, a comet that comes around every 61/2 years or so and is responsible for the fantastic but finicky June Bootids meteor shower. Ponsgambart - after comet pons-gambart. this one is cool, because it was spotted and than lost for a hundred years. many people thought it was broken up, lost forever. big mystery. Then in 2012 it was accidentally discovered again passing by planet earth! It won't come around again for another 183 years . Barringer - after Daniel Moreau Barringer, geologist and engineer. There was this giant crater in Arizona. Once people found it there was heated debate about what it was caused by. Barringer said it was from a meteorite striking the earth. Most scientists thought he was nuts. He went bankrupt trying to prove he was right and died impoverished. He was vindicated -long after his death- in 1960, when scientists proved it was indeed a meteor strike, the first one proving that they were capable of impacting earth. The crater in Arizona is named after him and he has a crater on the moon named after him as well. Please make your choice and explain your rationale below. I will also entertain original submissions. My only requirements are that it not be cheesy or seem blatantly made-up (e.g., "Phoenix" ) and of course that it would not be offensive to God or men. p.s. if it helps you decide: My first name is Elizabeth and I often go by "Betsy" Edited February 10, 2015 by Lilllabettt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veritasluxmea Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I just go with something easy to spell and pronounce, so the last one. My name is unusual and I'm sick and tired of people misspelling and mispronouncing it. But that's just my personal preference. I do like that it's unique and fits me so don't shy away from "tough" names if they're a good fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luigi Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Barringer is pronounceable, spellable, won't be easily confused with similar-sounding names.and is classy. Plus you get a little alliteration in the deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luigi Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 But I could also support Lilllabettt as a last name - perhaps with a couple of minor orthographic simplifications. Then it would really be your last name, no one else's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norseman82 Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Why not go Polish and try Przybszczyslizewskiewicz? Or just roll your hand across the keyboard and see what comes up? Or, choose "Conehead"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisa Marie Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Barringer for practicality (spelling, easier to pronounce, I'm a fan of alliteration). Ponswinnecke for style (because that sounds excellent). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernadette d Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 (edited) Definitely Barringer, sounds good with Elizabeth, classy! Edited February 10, 2015 by bernadette d Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oratefratres Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I go with Barringer - the others are very weird May I ask, what made you decide this? are you serious? How do you explain your choice to others? What do your family think - do they think it is a rejection of their family name?What will you do when you get married? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catlick Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 In The Netherlands we have a Senator called 'Tiny Kox'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little2add Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 are you not your fathers daughter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archaeology cat Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I really like Barringer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I agree on Barringer. I did a name change once for a woman who had been abused by her dad and didn't want his name anymore. Sometimes famous people's kids do that too like Douglas MacArthur's son. Too much to live up to. Or like Nicolas Cage dropping his name from Coppola so people didn't think he wanted to get ahead in Hollywood because he had famous relatives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amppax Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Barringer sounds best to me. Although I'm not exactly a fan of the alliteration with Betsy. :idontknow: But yeah, of the choices, I'd support Barringer most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HopefulHeart Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I voted for Barringer. The name Elizabeth Barringer sounds nice and sophisticated to me. :like: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilllabettt Posted February 10, 2015 Author Share Posted February 10, 2015 (edited) There's Barringer with the early lead. That was the one I initially came up with. Here's what gave me pause: 1. There are quite a few Elizabeth Barringers in the world, and that irritates me. The other 2 are totally original. 2. It is named after a real person who was not a saint. I love his story but I don't now everything about the guy I'd be honoring. That's one thing I like about comets - comets don't sin or have skeletons in the closet. 3. I'm not sure I'm a fan of "Betsy Barringer." It could be too cute. 4. I like Ponswinnecke because It sounds like a superhero name. And the June Bootids are amesome. But its hard to pronounce. 5. Actually maybe I like Betsy Barringer. it could be a superhero name. But is it too phone-book-ey??? 5. I think Ponsgambart has the coolest story of all of them, but I'm not enthusiastic about the sound of it. I go with Barringer - the others are very weird May I ask, what made you decide this? are you serious? How do you explain your choice to others? What do your family think - do they think it is a rejection of their family name?What will you do when you get married? IDK if they are weird enough for me to discount them. Pons and Winnecke are real last names, the people who discovered the comet named for them. Same with Gambart. 2 real names just mashed together I don't really feel a need to explain my choice to others. "I want to" is reason enough. For phatmass I will make an exception and explain that I like the idea of choosing what I am called. Names are powerful things. When you name something you hold power over it. I want to hold that power in my own hands and decide what I am called myself. Naming myself is also an assertion that I have the authority and the power to do so. I floated the idea when I started teaching - just dropping a letter in my original last name to make it easier for the kids to say. The reaction among family was apocalyptic and ridiculous. My sister changed her name when she got married and didn't keep her maiden name at all, at all. Whereas I'm going to keep mine forever as a second middle name. So my feeling is any of them who have an issue can go take a shower. Extra points because my first middle name is my mother's first name. So if I add a different last name, my Ma and my Dad will both be in my middle names and get equal time that way. I don't want to change my name if I get married. Edited February 10, 2015 by Lilllabettt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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