Friday, November 16, 2007

The Name Game

Something I read today reminded me of a question I’ve never had answered. In Quebec, women who marry (and there ain’t many of them around these parts) legally keep their names. And whether their parents are married or not, more and more kids have hyphenated last names. But where does the hyphenation end?

Let’s say:

Joe Apple and Mary Pie have a son: Johnny Apple-Pie. Their friends Jack Banana and Brenda Split have a little girl Boopsie Banana-Split. When Johnny and Boopsie grow up and get married, will their kid be named Miles Apple-Pie-Banana-Split. And will his daughter on her wedding day become Angelina Applie-Pie-Banana-Split-Carrot-Cake-Spanish-Inquisition?

I mean, how does this work? When does it end, and who decides which of the names get ditched for brevity’s sake? I’ve never understood it.

4 comments:

cityofmushrooms said...

I think in Mexico they have double last names, whereby the girl gets the mom's maiden name last (and the dad's as second last?)and the boy gets the dad's last, mom's second last- something like that -someone out there help me out

cityofmushrooms said...

I just googled "mexican monikers"- where it is all explained

complicated? mais oui

Anonymous said...

Johnny Apple-Pie has Harveyporn written all over it. I have already pegged him as a detective in a trenchcoat with nothing on underneath.

JAW fam

cityofmushrooms said...

I'd buy that for a dolla