I've always been fascinated by the fact that so many of my friends have unusual/uncommon names. There's definitely something to this nomenclature racket!
Yes! Kimley is an unusual name, right? I googled your name, and it said, "102 numbers of people were named Kimley so far in last 100 years. https://www.babynology.com/name/kimley-f.html
Elspeth Cherry is truly a wonderful name. Did your proclivity for the color cherry red precede your name change or did the name change inspire your signature color? Either way, it works so well for you!
In his recent book The Secret Public, Jon Savage describes Larry Parnes' "process of transmuting suburban teenagers into pop gold" by changing their names.
Marty Wilde started off as Reginald Smith, but Parnes thought that sounded like a boxer's name so he chose Marty - from the American film - and Wild, for the adrenenaline rush, adding an 'e' because Tommy Steele had one!
Marty Wilde said, when he saw the look on his parents' faces, "Reginald Leonard Smith had melted to the ground and in his place was this freak, Marty Wilde"
Larry Parnes' Stable of Stars was quite the glamour factory!
Ziggy Stardust was a temporary cloak; the real and lifelong transition was from David Jones to David Bowie, which is exotic enough by itself, surely?
But the best of all surely, is Lydon to Rotten, and all that that name suggested…and brought with it?
I’d never thought about this subject in US versus UK terms, but you’ve definitely hit on something here, Tosh. Perhaps we need the fantasy more than those prosaic chasers of non-existent American Dreams?
I've always been fascinated by the fact that so many of my friends have unusual/uncommon names. There's definitely something to this nomenclature racket!
Yes! Kimley is an unusual name, right? I googled your name, and it said, "102 numbers of people were named Kimley so far in last 100 years. https://www.babynology.com/name/kimley-f.html
I occasionally run across another Kimley online but never once in real life. And there are no other Kimley Maretzos!
yet, on the other hand, there are other Tosh Bermans out in the world.
That other one is highly suspect. The nerve! There is only one Tosh Berman!!!
Taking the name Cherry, exactly 10 years ago, made a huge difference to me... don't know why I didn't do it sooner - 30 years sooner, sigh...
Cherry is a beautiful name. I think of the color cherry red when I visualize that word. in many ways, a perfect name!
Elspeth Cherry is truly a wonderful name. Did your proclivity for the color cherry red precede your name change or did the name change inspire your signature color? Either way, it works so well for you!
it's my armour
In his recent book The Secret Public, Jon Savage describes Larry Parnes' "process of transmuting suburban teenagers into pop gold" by changing their names.
Marty Wilde started off as Reginald Smith, but Parnes thought that sounded like a boxer's name so he chose Marty - from the American film - and Wild, for the adrenenaline rush, adding an 'e' because Tommy Steele had one!
Marty Wilde said, when he saw the look on his parents' faces, "Reginald Leonard Smith had melted to the ground and in his place was this freak, Marty Wilde"
Larry Parnes' Stable of Stars was quite the glamour factory!
Larry Parnes is the poet of names!
Ziggy Stardust was a temporary cloak; the real and lifelong transition was from David Jones to David Bowie, which is exotic enough by itself, surely?
But the best of all surely, is Lydon to Rotten, and all that that name suggested…and brought with it?
I’d never thought about this subject in US versus UK terms, but you’ve definitely hit on something here, Tosh. Perhaps we need the fantasy more than those prosaic chasers of non-existent American Dreams?
I just heard. Nice piece, Tosh. And RIP, Marianne.