Bizarrely appropriate names...

[DanaC]

As an addition tothe weird names thread, I thought we should have one for people (or places) whose names are just a little too appropriate to the situation.

Here's a starter - taken from an academic paper on self-harm in the Long Eighteenth Century:

The reasons recorded certainly included the idea that self-mutilation might relieve rather than inflict pain, as Scarry suggests; nonetheless, the somatic language often employed in nineteenth-century descriptions of mental illness tended to mean this relief was expressed in physical rather than psychological terms.

[lumberjim]

Like the guy, Sum Ting Wong, that went down in that Asian plane crash?

[Carruthers]

ORANGE, Va. (AP) — A Virginia man with the last name Stoner is facing drug charges after police found more than $10,000 worth of marijuana plants at his home.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office says 42-year-old Paul Scott Stoner of Unionville is charged with growing marijuana and having a firearm while in possession of more than a pound of marijuana.

Media outlets report that the charges stem from an ongoing investigation related to the alleged sale of marijuana to children in Orange County. Further charges are pending.

Authorities say they acted on a tip that Stoner was selling to children and during the search last Thursday seized marijuana, marijuana plants, drug paraphernalia, prescription drugs, needles, spoons and guns.

Stoner is free on bond. A hearing is set for Aug. 27.

Last week I listened to 'The Why Factor' on the BBC World Service and they touched on how your name can affect the path your life takes. A lawyer whose name is Sue Yu featured about a couple of minutes in.

Just a bit of thread drift now. A contributor had made a study of how students with traditional English names such as Elizabeth or John tended to be admitted to Oxford or Cambridge, whereas those with names such as Shane, Jade or Chelsea were less likely to end up at one or other of the two universities. Twas ever thus.

I've found out that the BBC iPlayer (TV version) won't work outside the UK (thanks, Grav) but I suspect that you should be able to listen to The Why Factor.
Given that the World Service is aimed at a global audience it would be perverse if it wasn't available.

The Why Factor

Nominative determinism

[xoxoxoBruce]

police found more than $10,000 worth of marijuana plants at his home.

Must have had two plants, maybe three if they were small.

Ms Tennis was robbing sporting goods stores.

[DanaC]

Cherries Waffles Tennis.

What a name.

[lumberjim]

I knew a guy that named his daughter Raven. she WILL be a stripper.

[Gravdigr]

Lt. Les McBurney is a fireman.

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

Lt. Les McBurney is a fireman.

When I was a kid there was a mysterious outbreak of fires in a small area of SW England.

Eventually a volunteer fireman was charged with arson.

He had been setting fires and, as he was paid for each attendance, it benefitted him financially.

He lived in Chard.

[BigV]

Originally Posted by DanaC

As an addition tothe weird names thread, I thought we should have one for people (or places) whose names are just a little too appropriate to the situation.

Here's a starter - taken from an academic paper on self-harm in the Long Eighteenth Century:

Here are a few more.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by DanaC

(or places) whose names are just a little too appropriate to the situation.

There's a store about an hour or so from my house that's called The Forty-Four Market. It's called that because it's halfway to the town of Eighty-Eight.

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

There's a store about an hour or so from my house that's called The Forty-Four Market. It's called that because it's halfway to the town of Eighty-Eight.

Oh that's brilliant! I love it.

[Carruthers]

Lawyers have always had a bad name...

[DanaC]

Hahahahah. Excellent.

[Carruthers]

I am indebted to The Times of Tuesday Oct 21st.

Like a suspected ebola sufferer, our series on apt names was consigned to quarantine some time ago, but it is worth reviving to spare a thought for Elizabeth, an American doctor in California, whose office door bears the sign “Dr E Bowler”.

[footfootfoot]

Funny coincidence just now. I am at the library in the basement where they have their $4/bag book sale and I picked up a copy of a book that I used to own and has been out of print for decades. "Remarkable Names of Real People" by John Train. At random, I opened to Lavender Sidebottom, of New York.

more here:
http://f2.org/humour/language/oddnames.html