N A M E S   I N   T H E   N E W S

                           The Internet "Name Game"   by Dorothy Nixon
                           February 25, 2001

                           We've all done it. We've all entered our name into a search engine to see
                           what comes up.

                           My name is Dorothy Nixon, not a common name. I mean, I've met only about
                           2 other Dorothy's my age in 46 years . The only really famous Dorothy is from
                           the Wizard of Oz and I try to blank that out. There was this handsome guy I
                           used to work with who couldn't seem to say anything to me but "Where's
                           Toto?" when I would have much preferred "So, where's your favorite
                           restaurant and would you like to accompany me there sometimes?"

                           And then there's Dorothy Parker, I guess.

                           Neither is Nixon a common surname, despite being attached to an infamous
                           American President. The proof. Although I'm Canadian, in the 70's, I was
                           asked if I am related to Dick about 8 million times. If Nixon had been as
                           common a surname as, say, Johnson, I would, no doubt, have been spared
                           the aggravation.

                           So, it follows that Dorothy Nixon is not a common name, or so I thought, until
                           I entered it into Google search engine (something, I am SURE you have
                           done with your name.)        read more (sorry, outdated link)


What's in a name? Mexican cardinal says culture - 7/24/98

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A Mexican Roman Catholic cardinal has decided many of the names chosen by parents for their children are un-Mexican and is unilaterally changing them at baptisms, media reports said Thursday.

Televisa's news program said that in the western Mexican city of Guadalajara Wednesday, Cardinal Juan Sandoval baptized a child Juan, whom the parents wanted to call Giovanni. Televisa also said the cardinal changed a girl's name to Maria from Samantha. "They have strange names or of people from a very different culture, like an Eric. Here we are called Juan, like I am," Sandoval told reporters.

In most Catholic christenings, one of the child's names must be that of a Catholic saint. Many parents or priests simply add a Juan, Maria or Jose to the child's existing name for church documents.

Televisa said Sandoval took the practice a step further by replacing altogether the names given by the parents.