So what is in a name?

Question

The Name Game

The game of names, fame or shame?

Labeled for life from parent’s whim?

A cursing or a blessing, courts decide?

“Talula does the Hula?”

Shame in heritage, birthrights with accents

Brightness or blandness, novelty or norm?

Maybe a saint, maybe two or even three!

“Theodoscious Alphonso Michael?”

Mixing cultures, heritage carries bags

Pecking orders, invisible castes emerge

Not racial? Guess from a name though?

“Deepak, Carlos, Ole, Malika…Barak”

Be proud of your name and the roots from

But judge those not by name or heritage

But by who they are, once you meet

However do not name your boy…Sue

Answer 1

or d**k....... lol (that's the joke answer)

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(here`s the serious answer)

In your poem there are lesson's; I love poems that speak with a purpose.

1)Good name`s are a BIRTH RIGHT

2)Names tell enough about a person.

3)Don`t be ashamed of who you are, and where you came from.

4)Do not judge individual`s because of their names rather judge them by their mannerism's and such

Good Job!

Answer 2

Wonderfully funny and well done. Names are important. For example, you can get into a lot of trouble if your Mom decided to name you Theodocious Dagmartin.

Answer 3

I know what you mean?  You forgot these kids names, Apple, Knox, Shiloh and so on...how do you give nicknames to these kids?  I mean seriously their friends might say," Hey App, what's up?" they might say, hey app get with the program or maybe  it might turn into Ape.  Kids are so cruel over every little detail.  I can see kids saying to Knox,"Knox knocks on wood."  Maybe I am wrong maybe the next generation won't be as mean and heartless as the kids of the past.  I mean at least Shiloh won't be so bad..."Hey s**+ is so shy she couldn't get a date."  All I can say is more power to them and I hope that their kids aren't traumatized when they get older.  I also hope that they never get teased because even though I gave examples...kids might come up with worst ideas.  It's a shame because they are all beutiful children.

Answer 4

Wonderful names in my background!  Patience, Welcome, Alonzo, Johann, Katrin, Mildred, and a couple of Georges, actually 3 now that I think of it.  And a very wonderful, drop dead gorgeous sister, named Jon.  For real!  A grandson and a niece named Tyler and a granddaughter named Emery.  We like names in my family, yessiree!

Answer 5

Loved the poem, loved the Johnny Cash reference more.

Answer 6

Very true and well penned, not to judge a book by it's cover, but to look within!  Cheers!!

Answer 7

That was well done Neon....it's a game of names, that brings fame to some and shame to some....and the last stanza is a proper conclusion...the right climax!

Answer 8

From Me (Koye) to you, THANKS!

Answer 9

I knew a guy named Richard Head... parents need to really think about names... nice perspective but in the end people will find a way to twist names because their wit is not sufficient to do battle with verbal skills. I agree with your thoughts and "I KNOW" exactly what you mean. Men should be known for their deeds not their heritage.

Answer 10

Someone on YA dubbed me Jellz - I used to be a simple Jelly (got Jam sometimes) but because I was hangin wit da homies in RHH for a while, a few had z on the end of their name and so I was given a z too, from a friend. I love it.

(Jelly was way too sweet for me - "nobody knows the wobbles I seen" "She's so set in her ways" ) I see TS Elliott almost got me right in his poem.

I'm from a WASP family with lots of Julie, Robert, Kevin, James.......even the next generation - nieces and nephews etc - are pretty regulation named. Great poem by the way - did you pinch my "ame" rhyme....? lol

Answer 11

"Hi!",

I nearly missed this poem.

Exactly what mum of 2 said!LOL : )

'Here, 'Here'!'.

Great moral poem, once again.

WELL DONE!

Cheers : )

Answer 12

I do think you have poet prowness... , and it was good reading.

The problem is not in the name, it's in the quanity of names.

If I may quote T.S.Elliot:

The Naming of Cats

The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,

It isn't just one of your holiday games;

You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter

When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.

First of all, there's the name that the family use daily,

Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,

Such as Victor or Jonathan, or George or Bill Bailey -

All of them sensible everyday names.

There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,

Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:

Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter -

But all of them sensible everyday names.

But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular,

A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,

Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,

Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?

Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,

Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,

Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum -

Names that never belong to more than one cat.

But above and beyond there's still one name left over,

And that is the name that you never will guess;

The name that no human research can discover -

But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.

When you notice a cat in profound meditation,

The reason, I tell you, is always the same:

His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation

Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:

His ineffable effable

Effanineffable

Deep and inscrutable singular Name.

~ T.S. Eliot ~

Answer 13

My friend's last name is Brain.She called her sons Peter and Philip, not realizing that when they went to school, they would be known as P. Brain.Because they all had problems with their last name their whole lives everyone called them Brian and they had to correct them and say they last name was Brain not Brian,Philip named his son Brian.Peter named his son Duncan.A sense of humour goes a long ways.

Answer 14

The last stanza sums up this interesting and smile provoking poem. As a Genealogist for some 30 years, I have not as yet come across either a Theodoscious nor Alphonzo in my line.

Plenty of Harry's and George's though.

Robert

Answer 15

Wonderful!

Johnny Cash is smiling wherever in eternity he is right now.

Answer 16

I still can remember my son, Dylan, at age 3, insisting that we call him Leroy...