June 2, 2004
Ways to Combat a Common Name
So I'm looking at this NY Times article and the byline catches my eye - Jennifer 8. Lee. For at least one minute, I could swear I was blind or seeing things, but nope, that seems to be her name. Now according to a brief discussion on Gothamist, her name was given to her because "8" is lucky in Cantonese and her parents wanted to differentiate her from all those Jennifer Lees in the world. I hope I'm not the only person who thinks this is insane.
If you're Chinese it's going to be hard to distinguish your name from anyone in the world period. There are billions of us. Get with the program. And if your surname is Lee? Combined with Jennifer? Come on, come up with another first name! And no, 8 is not acceptable.
I think there might be too many Tien Mao's in the world, so I think I want to distinguish myself some as well. How about Tien GOD Mao (I know, I know, blaspheme)? Tien CHAIRMAN Mao? Those caps will be required in my bylines from now on. Gotta stand out, can't blend in with all those other "Tien Mao" people.
The one thing I take comfort in is that she couldn't mark "8" as her middle initial in standardized tests and all those other forms that don't take numbers as middle names. Didn't think of that one, did you Mr. and Mrs. Lee?
Posted by tien mao in Rants at 3:21 PM
i can't stop thinking that jennifer was so hungrey she ate Lee and now she's dead.
Posted by: jocelyn at June 2, 2004 3:38 PM
Maybe the parents were fans of Uma Thurman?
Jennifer Eight
Posted by: matt at June 2, 2004 4:15 PM
that reminds of an article in the times last year (i think gothamist covered it) about the sociology professor at nyu who named one of his kids something like ? and the other one yo.
Posted by: corie at June 3, 2004 10:15 AM
hmm, i don't think i'll ever have that problem - i'm the only one that comes up when you google me and i'm pretty sure it will stay like that for a while.
Posted by: dahl at June 3, 2004 10:15 AM
now, now jocelyn - that's just not nice.
matt, was that movie any good? because if it was, i might have to put it on my queue.
corie, i totally remember that story. i thought that was retarded too.
dahl, i know how you feel. both your names are very unique. do you have a middle name too? while my names themself are not that unique, i think the combination is. who knows.
Posted by: tien at June 3, 2004 11:38 AM
This is my very favorite thing today. So far. Admittedly, it's been a slow day.
Reminds me of the old Tom Lehrer line where he says that his friend Henry is such a non-conformist that he spells his name Hen3ry - the 3 is silent.
Posted by: Linus at June 3, 2004 3:43 PM
I really don't remember that movie, Tien. I think I only caught the middle part. :(
Posted by: matt at June 3, 2004 11:23 PM
hehehe..tien CHAIRMAN mao sounds pretty good.. :)
Posted by: tiff at June 4, 2004 5:25 AM
Wasn't there an old custom of using Latin numeric names. The seventh child would be named Septimus or Septima. (I think Septimus Hodge was the tutor in the play Arcadia). This custom sure saved brain units that could then be applied to memorizing declensions.
I remember back in the 60s there was a big stink in Germany over a child named 73 or something like that, but this is the United States of America. You can have any name you want if you don't get hit with an RIAA suit.
Posted by: A Kaleberg at June 5, 2004 11:38 PM
the whole jennifer 8 lee stuff is a joke. she gave herself the name in college or high school, she used to go by jenny lee. she's definitely gotten a lot of mileage out of it, since everyone pays attention to her otherwise ridiculously inane articles (professionally mobile people use blackberries to set up dates in dc! wow!)
Posted by: anon at June 7, 2004 10:40 AM
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anon: the whole jennifer 8 lee stuff is a joke. she gave herself the name in college o... {read on}
A Kaleberg: Wasn't there an old custom of using Latin numeric names. The seventh child would... {read on}
tiff: hehehe..tien CHAIRMAN mao sounds pretty good.. :)... {read on}
matt: I really don't remember that movie, Tien. I think I only caught the middle part... {read on}
Linus: This is my very favorite thing today. So far. Admittedly, it's been a slow day... {read on}
tien: now, now jocelyn - that's just not nice. matt, was that movie any good? becaus... {read on}
dahl: hmm, i don't think i'll ever have that problem - i'm the only one that comes up ... {read on}
corie: that reminds of an article in the times last year (i think gothamist covered it)... {read on}
matt: Maybe the parents were fans of Uma Thurman? Jennifer Eight... {read on}
jocelyn: i can't stop thinking that jennifer was so hungrey she ate Lee and now she's dea... {read on}