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Name Confusion

John53

I go leaps and bounds
Premium Member
John was a fairly common name for the era and place where I grew up. There were several in the high school I went to. Then when I began work on the railway there were a lot, it was common to have 5 or 6 of us in the sign on room at one time, the record was 9.

It has at times lead to some confusion. I answered my home phone one evening with the usual "hello" and the person said, "John"? I replied "yes". He went on to tell me a heart breaking story of how his wife had been cheating on him for years and I was making all the appropriate sympathy sounds. About 10 minutes in I began to wonder who the hell I was talking with. Another 5 minutes and he began sobbing and I tried to think of a way to say, "I'm sorry but I don't know you".

Another time I rang my brother who was an Anglican Rector and unbeknown to me had a Russian Orthodox Monk staying. So there was a Russian who didn't have the best English trying to communicate with an Aussie who mangles English.. The Monk answered the phone and I didn't recognise the voice or accent so I asked if Paul was there. He said "who's speaking"? I said "it's his brother John. He said "yes this is Brother John. Me, "yep his brother John". A period of silence... Me, "can I speak to him please". Him, "this is Brother John". The conversation went on like that for some time.
 
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Dan From Smithville

What's up Doc?
Staff member
Premium Member
Because of my last name (not From Smithville by the way), in some situations I am often referred to by the name of a famous actor with whom I share that last name and a trivially similar first name. I have even answered to it without thinking. I was waiting to get a pair of glasses one time and the lady at the desk called out the name. I got up answered and picked up my glasses, not thinking who she had called until I was walking away.
 

Sgt. Pepper

All you need is love.
I suppose I was fortunate to be given a name that no one else has, or at least no one I've ever met in my 48 years of life. However, I do know of two other women who have the shortened version of my real name, but it is spelled differently. The first woman is an actress whom I've never met in person, and the other woman I met in a convenience store about 4 years ago. She had never met another woman with our name, either. My shortened version of my name is unusual, and the full version of my name is even more unusual.
 

John53

I go leaps and bounds
Premium Member
Because of my last name (not From Smithville by the way), in some situations I am often referred to by the name of a famous actor with whom I share that last name and a trivially similar first name. I have even answered to it without thinking. I was waiting to get a pair of glasses one time and the lady at the desk called out the name. I got up answered and picked up my glasses, not thinking who she had called until I was walking away.

I used to be in a motorcycle club and we were all getting on a bit, at our AGM we were all sitting around the camp fire and some stranger walked up and asked if we knew an old fat bloke with a grey beard who rides a bike, about 40 of us stood up.
 

JustGeorge

Not As Much Fun As I Look
Staff member
Premium Member
I'm actually called George... and that's because no one remembers my name. Its not an uncommon one, but there are a lot of variants, and people almost always remember a different variant, and it drives me nuts. After some time, when people would ask me my name, I'll tell them "you won't remember, so just call me George". (A woman named George stands out.)

I remember being in a pool class, and telling one of the women this, and she insisted she'd remember my name, and to tell her, and she wouldn't need to call me George. I overheard her the next session telling another woman "she was right. I don't remember her name, but I do remember George".

I by far prefer being called George, anyways.
 

mangalavara

सो ऽहम्
Premium Member
I remember being in a pool class, and telling one of the women this, and she insisted she'd remember my name, and to tell her, and she wouldn't need to call me George. I overheard her the next session telling another woman "she was right. I don't remember her name, but I do remember George".

I by far prefer being called George, anyways.

If I remember correctly, your given name is Kristana. Sounds a bit goff. :tongueout:

He said "who's speaking"? I said "it's his brother John. He said "yes this is Brother John.

Lol! That's quite an amusing story.

in some situations I am often referred to by the name of a famous actor with whom I share that last name and a trivially similar first name. I have even answered to it without thinking. I was waiting to get a pair of glasses one time and the lady at the desk called out the name. I got up answered and picked up my glasses, not thinking who she had called until I was walking away.

So, you're the one who walked off with Don Knotts's glasses!
 
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Viker

Häxan
My first name was super macho. I hated it. I went by my middle name which was gender neutral. It wasn't the middle name, so much, that confused everyone who didn't already know. When ever I met new people they assumed I was a born girl. I didn't mind until some would freak out over it.

"You're not a girl! But! But! But!" :p
 

Gargovic Malkav

Well-Known Member
John was a fairly common name for the era and place where I grew up. There were several in the high school I went to. Then when I began work on the railway there were a lot, it was common to have 5 or 6 of us in the sign on room at one time, the record was 9.

It has at times lead to some confusion. I answered my home phone one evening with the usual "hello" and the person said, "John"? I replied "yes". He went on to tell me a heart breaking story of how his wife had been cheating on him for years and I was making all the appropriate sympathy sounds. About 10 minutes in I began to wonder who the hell I was talking with. Another 5 minutes and he began sobbing and I tried to think of a way to say, "I'm sorry but I don't know you".

Another time I rang my brother who was an Anglican Rector and unbeknown to me had a Russian Orthodox Monk staying. So there was a Russian who didn't have the best English trying to communicate with an Aussie who mangles English.. The Monk answered the phone and I didn't recognise the voice or accent so I asked if Paul was there. He said "who's speaking"? I said "it's his brother John. He said "yes this is Brother John. Me, "yep his brother John". A period of silence... Me, "can I speak to him please". Him, "this is Brother John". The conversation went on like that for some time.

So your name's not Bruce then?

 

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
John was a fairly common name for the era and place where I grew up. There were several in the high school I went to. Then when I began work on the railway there were a lot, it was common to have 5 or 6 of us in the sign on room at one time, the record was 9.

It has at times lead to some confusion. I answered my home phone one evening with the usual "hello" and the person said, "John"? I replied "yes". He went on to tell me a heart breaking story of how his wife had been cheating on him for years and I was making all the appropriate sympathy sounds. About 10 minutes in I began to wonder who the hell I was talking with. Another 5 minutes and he began sobbing and I tried to think of a way to say, "I'm sorry but I don't know you".

Another time I rang my brother who was an Anglican Rector and unbeknown to me had a Russian Orthodox Monk staying. So there was a Russian who didn't have the best English trying to communicate with an Aussie who mangles English.. The Monk answered the phone and I didn't recognise the voice or accent so I asked if Paul was there. He said "who's speaking"? I said "it's his brother John. He said "yes this is Brother John. Me, "yep his brother John". A period of silence... Me, "can I speak to him please". Him, "this is Brother John". The conversation went on like that for some time.
Could be worse:

 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
In the UK i usedy middle name, Christine or Chris, everyone is used to it. In france family and close friends still do but everyone else calls me by my first name. All paperwork, residence card, driving license, health card is first name, initial (sometimes), surname.

It causes great confusion when asked for "nom et prenom" and i answer _______ et Christine then hand over one of my cards.

It usually takes quite a lot of explanation
 
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