Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Nicked names

Today I am pseudonymous and in search of a new nom de plume.

Names excite me in a way that most people would find hard to understand. I take huge delight in mailing a close friend as Ethel Plank or Ursula Plughole (she reciprocates with Betty Bagpipe or Norma Doom). Childish fun, but it feeds my constant craving for made-up names.

Aliases, and why people choose them, are a fascination. Many actors and writers choose a soubriquet because their own name is already taken, or not exciting enough for the potential audience.
Would Archibald Leach have been as successful as Cary Grant or would Judy Garland have trotted down the yellow brick road as Frances Gumm? Would the name William Pratt have rung through the house of horror as much as Boris Karloff and would Ginger Rogers have danced as well as plain old Virginia McMath? I doubt it.

Interesting names imprint themselves on the brain. We remember our heroes, heroines, villains and thieves because their moniker rolls off the brain tongue...

Mata Hari (Margaretha Zelle)
Joseph Stalin (Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili)
Marlene Dietrich (Maria Magdalene von Losch)
Harry Houdini (Erik Weisz)
Muddy Waters (McKinley Morganfield)
Billie Holiday (Eleanora Fagan)


So, I am throwing 'Minx' away for 24 hours and becoming.....becoming who?

Ummm, well, today I shall be.....


Nellie von Cloppe

Has a ring, doncha think?

Anyway, there are rules today - if you are loitering about and thinking of commenting please humour me a little and use a juicy gnome de plum. I will make a vague attempt to guess who you are.


Thank you.
Nellie xxxxx
.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello Nellie,
I think George Sand's real name was Amadine Dupin which sounds much better.

I am going to email people as Cupid tomorrow - good fun.

Anonymous said...

Hahahahaha. Good post Minxy (oops, Nellie).
Real names are just as funny as made up ones sometimes. I knew a Steve Sprungler once.
Maybe you should publish you next book as Ethel?

Anonymous said...

Whoa, Nellie,
Is that the Clydesdale von Cloppes?

What is in a name that more defines one than their own experience?

Marking twain was Samuel Clemens',
Jonathan was quite swift of wit,
Bierce's cynicism was ambrosia,
e.e. had uncapitalized climaxes,

The Moon Topples said...

Using false names is abhorrent. Please stop encouraging such behavior. Thank of the children!

Sincerely,

Buford Throckmorton

Anonymous said...

made up names...hey I already have one!!

Lord Narcissius Cocky.

Damn, I m good!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Cupid, sweet choice but be careful who you mail - I wouldn't want you to get in trouble so far away from Vday.

I think you are fibbing, Mr Lunk, Steve Sprungler lives in Greater Pigswill, no where near you and never has been!

Certainly not, Mr Klastor, my von Cloppes are Cornish!

You are a poopypants, MT, but I am thanking my Feckers very much!

Narcissus, would like to come over for a cup of tea?

Anonymous said...

And this 'vague attempt' wouldn't have anything to do with you checking your site meter, would it, Ms Von Cloppe?

Newmania said...

Those donating to the Labour Party seem to have at least two names on average. Cliff Richard was Harry Webb and John Wayne was Marian . Elvis did not have black hair but jewish Danny Kay did
I hate names that invite obvious merriment . Geoff Memory was always provoking amnesia and a Colin Brain consistently showed below avergae intellect. I kmow a Prat that changed his name by deed poll for his son`s sake

I like names to be clear descriptive and accurate .I should have been the much loved spawn of the Herts branch of the Pert Buttocks in union with a sprig on the plumpcocks


Mr. Plumpcock-Pertbuttock


Does what it says on the tin

Anonymous said...

John Wayne was born Tracey Smith - not a lot of people know that...

Anonymous said...

Some choices are rather obvious, Ms Boogleflump. The chosen moniker says a little something about its owner!

Oh, I don't know, Mr Pee-Pee, some real names are highly entertaining. Miss Boogleflump knows a real live Titus Arsehole (don't we all).

Was this before he was Marion Morrison, Michael - nice of you to drop in btw, but should I call you Maurice?

Anonymous said...

That's Titus Arsell, to be accurate. I also know a Yankel Frankel as well as a Nellie von Cloppe.

Anonymous said...

Hetty Snurgewallop, thou art more lovely than any arsell, marry me!

Anonymous said...

I'm yours, Arturo. From now on I shall be known as Hetty bin Weasel.

The Quoibler said...

Hmmm...

Bitchy la Hineydimples? (definitely me some days)

Freda the Forlorn? (alliteration is nice...)

Misty Kitten? (my best friend and I use this regularly)

Chuckles the Clown? (disturbing, as all clowns are)

Smelly L'Armpit (too obvious?)

Prissy Missy (eh, so-so)

ME

Unknown said...

My friend maintains he knows a "Hugh Jarsoll". I do not wish to meet him !!

Mr. Deadwood.

Anonymous said...

Hiya Bitchy, some nice sudonims there - hope you are going to use one or two!

Hi Deadwood, Hugh must know Titus, if not then we must arrange a meeting.

Anonymous said...

as usual i'm a day late and bleary eyed to boot ....

kisses anyway, nellie-liscious!

Anonymous said...

when purchasing merchandise of a certain pointy nature, it is always wise to check in with mission control.....we keep standards .... it's what we do ....

saluting and pointing on demand!!

Anonymous said...

Hello there Nellie,

I've laughed out loud at some of these names.

Jan said...

I have just had a blogging break and have returned to Chaos....
I think there's a wonderful Wendy Cope poem re "names"....
1st line: " She was Eliza for a few weeks"..

Anonymous said...

I remember spending a considerable amount of time from high school on, trying to come up with a nice writing name for myself (Classic Brown. Whisper Hill). Sadly time has shown that I should have spent more time actually writing, or even more sadly coming up with a different future fantasy career.

Now if I ever did manage to publish anything, I ccouldn't imagine putting anything but my own real name on it. (unless of course it was smutt)

Anonymous said...

Minx said...

I hope your 'to boot' was suitably heeled pointywise, Betty! See you brought Sgt Houston with you.

Hello Pen, good to see you, and your, umm, neck.

Jan, 'chaos'? I hope you are not referring to my blog. This is an oasis of calm tranquility, a docile pond of genteel folk and their surprisingly raunchy alter egos. Welcome back, please call again!

Smutt is good in its place, Fanny. Oh dear, I don't think that came out right - oh well.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Leslie Hawes said...

How about some authors and titles...

'Tragedy on the Bridge' by Eileen Dover

'Brown Spots on the Wall' by Hoo Flung Poo

'Tired Lately?' by Erasmus B. Dragon

Anonymous said...

You should move to my bit of the States. Hilarious names abound. I spend more hours than is normal skimming through the school and neighborhood directory. It's much better entertainment than US tv (though that isn't saying much). Just to whet your appetite, there is a mom at school called Krystal Ware. The Nuckolls family chose the name Nikky for their daughter (why?). I could go on...

Anonymous said...

Droopy Drawers by Lucy Lastic? I could manage a few more, Leslie, but you might die of nostalgia.

You are ahead of me, Anonymous, I spend my time at the other end of the scale trawling through obituaries!

Yodood said...

A one time Texas governor, Hogg, named his daughters Ima and Ura — true story.

Unknown said...

Don't be silly, G&G - this is a serious post!