Common Surnames (cost, letter, story, people)

[Disarming Darling]

Does it bother people who have common surnames such as Jones, Smith or Johnson?

Do you feel surnames define us? So if it is common does it make you feel common or less interesting or even treated differently?

It doesn't fair, but if you haven't haven't met someone yet and told 3 names Vencenci Gonzerelli, Trygve Jeveker and the last one Bob Jones. You have to admit Bob seems like an uninteresting boring guy even though you never met him, just by the name alone.

[elnina]

No, but it would bother me if my name would mean something silly...

[BigMike50]

Well everyone oblivious knows my first name....but my last name is Hunt
Nuff' said

[pamelaBeurman]

Originally Posted by BigMike50

Well everyone oblivious knows my first name....but my last name is Hunt
Nuff' said

You know the way to your room you naughty, naughty boy!

I really can't relate to common surnames. My maiden name is Welsh in origin, and out of three husbands one name was from Luxembourg and two were from Germany. None of them could be considered a common surname.

As for which of the three I would find interesting, well, I would have to meet them first.

[elnina]

My last name has 14 letters and no one can pronounce it. Works for me!

[pamelaBeurman]

Originally Posted by elnina

My last name has 14 letters and no one can pronounce it. Works for me!

14?

Mine, as you can see, isn't near that long but it never seems to stop people from mispronouncing it, badly.

[elnina]

Mispronouncing and misspellings are very common here, it seems that not many people pay attention and write someones name correctly.
There was a time, that Costco cashiers supposed to say: thank you for shopping, Mrs. X... and I just couldn't stand that name mutilation; or people that ask me: how you pronounce your name... and then say something not even resembling my name at all...
I don't expect anyone to say my name correctly, but don't appreciate anyone playing with it either.

[artemis agrotera]

Originally Posted by elnina

My last name has 14 letters and no one can pronounce it. Works for me!

14!

Mine is 9, and no one can pronounce it. Often get look

When asked my name, my answer.... "I'll spell it" (both first & last name )

[Sudcaro]

Originally Posted by artemis agrotera

When asked my name, my answer.... "I'll spell it" (both first & last name )

That's what I do too... French name!

[PatsCats]

My maiden name is simple enough, 5 letters, but the spelling gets butchered all the time. Everyone pronounces it properly, they just can't seem to spell it right, even when I have to spell it to them. They want to guess ahead.

My last name isn't all that common, but there are a few families in my area who have it. Which always leads to the question, "are you related to..." I always have to tell them that my father came here alone from Arkansas to work in the Gary steel mills. I'm not related to anyone in this area. Which, of course, leads to the question, "are you sure you're not related to..."

So, to answer the original question, I've always been a pretty unique character, so I don't feel as common as some people would like to make me! My main objection to my last name is that I have to constantly tell the same story over and over again. My husband goes through the same thing. And since I've hyphenated, I now get it twice!

I am easily stereotyped by my maiden name, which doesn't bother me nearly as much!

BTW, while my maiden name is only 5 letters long, I can spell it in its original language, which then makes it 11 letters long!