Wednesday, November 12, 2008

What's in a Name?

I like my name. I think I have pretty much decided to keep it, or perhaps hyphenate. I have been doing some reading (OK... for the past 2 minutes) about views on this, and they all came from people who "put the K in Klassy". I have an aversion to the use of the letter "K" where it does not belong, so I will not be taking the advice of these people.

If my last name was "Turner-Nasca", then people could still call me "Turner" or "Nasca" and not be wrong. If we had children (b's), the b's would not have to have a hyphenated name, they could just be Nasca, and I would have the same name as they have, as well as my own. Although I have had some students with hyphenated last names, and it is not as cumbersome as you would think. BUT- what do they do when they get married? Add another name? Do the names continue to grow with each new generation until it is more convenient to read someone's DNA sequence than their last name? (This has already occurred in Hollywood)

It is not too important to me that the b's have the last name Turner... I just want it for me. I will be getting married in the middle of the school year, so what would I do upon returning, make all the students call me by a new name? Also, as the future Turner family historian I feel like my name should actually be "Turner". Not like its Kennedy or anything. I just like it.
Also, I have gone through the whole name change thing, and it definitely is more than just a change in name, its a change in identity.

Fifteen percent of surnames originated as occupations, so perhaps my last name should just be "Teacher". A "turner" refers to someone who works with a lathe, turning wood. I have also read that it has a Latin origin, but nothing specific. Chaz took Latin, and so did Cutes, so maybe I will ask. If you google Turner, the first thing you get it Turner Broadcasting.

Nasca apparently comes from a Sicilian word for nose, specifically a "turned-up" or a "snub" nose! If you google Nasca, the first thing that comes up is an "Association of Clubs, Events, Services and others related to the Swinger / Lifestyle Community"! On the other hand, "Nazca" is the name of an oceanic tectonic plate, which would be a very cool thing to share a name with. It is a convergent boundary/subduction zone, though, which would not be my first choice...

I have a while to make this decision, but I am leaning toward becoming Erica Marie Turner-Nasca. I will have the same last name as Kip!

2 comments:

Becky said...

I couldn't wait to drop Jones. NOt that I'm not proud of my family, I just got sick of all the jones jokes... people who knew me then still call me Becky Jones (or just jones) and thats fine with me.. but I feel more dignified as Rebecca Berry..

I say do what feels right'

Brandon said...

I loved my old last name and took my new last name due to I guess tradition more than anything. Changing my name was a personally sad thing because I felt like I was giving up who I was and who I had been known as. I felt like it was a mini death. I am fine with it now but sometimes I still feel that I am still who I was and not yet who I am with my new last name, if that even makes sense. I say keep your name!-Elaine