Why do cities and countries have such vastly different names in different languages? [more inside]
posted by yellowbinder on Nov 23, 2008 - 11 answers

How is the name Pritha pronounced? [more inside]
posted by peep on Nov 19, 2008 - 5 answers

Unusual name filter: My first name is Irish and hard to spell and understand for most people. I have never had a nickname except for a juvenile one and various people making up a pronunciation of my name. But now I'm grown up and I constantly have to spell my name to people on the phone. [more inside]
posted by sio42 on Nov 14, 2008 - 55 answers

Who are some famous LIVING people, in America, who are named Joe, who are not fictional and, very important, who are NOT plumbers? [more inside]
posted by rileyray3000 on Nov 12, 2008 - 29 answers

I now own an untitled cat. Inspire me with ridiculous pet names you've encountered. [more inside]
posted by spamguy on Nov 10, 2008 - 172 answers

I was engaged, but never married to, a guy 11 years ago - somehow our names and my mother's address are linked together in several combinations out in cyberspace and on direct-mailing lists. How can I unlink them? [more inside]
posted by amysk on Nov 9, 2008 - 6 answers

SEO filter: What's this about getting descriptive domain names for forwarding? [more inside]
posted by letahl on Oct 21, 2008 - 12 answers

Help me name a newsletter!!!! Details inside. [more inside]
posted by boyinmiami on Oct 15, 2008 - 7 answers

Conference-room-naming filter (since yall are so damn good at it). [more inside]
posted by allkindsoftime on Oct 10, 2008 - 25 answers

After many weeks of consideration, my wife has decided to start a Spanish translating/tutoring business. Everything looks good, we've done our research, we're moving into an area where Spanish is taught k-12, we...just can't figure out a name for the biz. Help [more inside] [more inside]
posted by Hands of Manos on Sep 24, 2008 - 20 answers

What are the meanings of the surnames Seliukova and Bessadna? [more inside]
posted by mooreeasyvibe on Sep 8, 2008 - 5 answers

I'm looking for suggestions for monosyllabic girl names that are more unique/interesting than things like "Ann" or "Jane" or "Sue" but still familiar enough that my as-yet-unnamed fetus won't have to go through life spelling out BOTH her first and last names for people. (She'll have my husband's last name to deal with--something like Dziewolrgjeoaezkxyzski.) [more inside]
posted by mere on Sep 6, 2008 - 81 answers

Babynamefilter: I need help finding the English translation of a Hebrew name [more inside]
posted by suasponte on Aug 22, 2008 - 13 answers

My recently married friend is having some doubts about her name change. If you or your spouse did a name change after you got married, could you offer some insights about her situation? [more inside]
posted by donnagirl on Aug 19, 2008 - 14 answers

I'm working on a list of movies that have spawned notable band names and song titles. Dead on is great, esoteric is just fine. No Weird Al or other humorists, please. Can you help?
posted by BE ADEQUITE on Aug 7, 2008 - 58 answers

Personal Branding in Academia: Jon vs. Jonathan? [more inside]
posted by Spurious on Aug 2, 2008 - 29 answers

I want to do something (maybe embroidery, maybe a tattoo, maybe plant a garden) with plants that symbolize my three children. My youngest is named Rosemary, so that's quite easy, but I am having a harder time coming up with plants that would symbolize the names Evan and Nathaniel. I've googled and had no luck. I'm looking for something that contains the names, or something recognizably similar to them in the common or botanical name, or maybe a plant that is somehow associated with those names, or... anything you can think of. And the plants probably shouldn't look odd with a Rosemary plant next to it.
posted by Shoeburyness on Aug 1, 2008 - 9 answers

A few years back, an older Israeli man told me that my daughter's name, Kameya, meant "good luck charm" in ancient Hebrew. Was he just pulling my leg? [more inside]
posted by Gucky on Jun 19, 2008 - 6 answers

Asking for a friend: If you were the captain of a golf team full of lawyers, what would you name your team?
posted by estherbester on Jun 1, 2008 - 52 answers

Help me with a name for a six week old black pug. We're stumped. [more inside]
posted by Hands of Manos on May 28, 2008 - 100 answers

NameVoyager lists popular baby names dating back to the 1800's. Where could I find something similar for foreign names? Specifically, I'm interested in finding names that were used before the 1970's (as opposed to current baby name lists that show what's popular now).
posted by ellighi on May 17, 2008 - 5 answers

Should I legally change my often mispronounced name? [more inside]
posted by Bunglegirl on May 13, 2008 - 51 answers

How may one obtain access to a web site, or ownership of the domain, of someone who had recently died? [more inside]
posted by brandnew on Apr 27, 2008 - 4 answers

I'm really, really bad at remembering the names of new people that I meet. How can I get better at remembering new names? [more inside]
posted by Effigy2000 on Apr 21, 2008 - 23 answers

Help me come up with a name for a spring fundraiser dinner for a farm alliance [more inside]
posted by special-k on Mar 23, 2008 - 11 answers

Why do the French capitalize each letter of their last names? [more inside]
posted by December on Mar 19, 2008 - 11 answers

I want to start using a new last name, but it's likely going to be several months before I can officially change it. What problems could come up if I start using my new name now? [more inside]
posted by hazelshade on Mar 4, 2008 - 8 answers

Name a pet supply store in Baltimore! [more inside]
posted by mygothlaundry on Mar 1, 2008 - 16 answers

I need a good name! I'm putting together a travel website focusing mainly on indie rock/nightlife/offbeat stuff to do in different cities, aimed mainly at 20-something travellers or anyone looking for live music or more alternative venues while they're travelling. What should I call it? [more inside]
posted by octavia on Feb 24, 2008 - 10 answers

What makes a good name? [more inside]
posted by sephira on Feb 18, 2008 - 31 answers

Iraqi first names Zainab, Aysha and Nour: how should I pronounce them? (For each name: how do the vowels sound [in comparison with an English word], how many syllables does the name have, and which syllable is accented?)
posted by allterrainbrain on Feb 7, 2008 - 8 answers

What is the correct way to pronounce the name of the feminist/psychoanalytic critic Mary Jacobus? Which syllable is stressed?
posted by redfoxtail on Feb 3, 2008 - 9 answers

Why do some actors use their own names in TV shows? [more inside]
posted by ranglin on Jan 26, 2008 - 30 answers

Changing my name for marriage: Does FirstName HisLastName MyLast Name make things too complicated? [more inside]
posted by otherwordlyglow on Jan 4, 2008 - 38 answers

My friend is having a Bond-themed 25th and requires an appropriate and original Bond-girl double entendre for a name. Any good suggestions? [more inside]
posted by Silentgoldfish on Nov 30, 2007 - 36 answers

Name my new (home) server! Witty is better, obviously. [more inside]
posted by TheNewWazoo on Nov 27, 2007 - 33 answers

What do you call someone who hails from Hollywood. [more inside]
posted by Astro Zombie on Nov 14, 2007 - 28 answers

Need female russian authors with two syllable names. To name a dog. [more inside]
posted by mrzarquon on Nov 11, 2007 - 13 answers

I need 9 quotes (I need 9 names Part II) [more inside]
posted by Smarson on Nov 7, 2007 - 32 answers

I need 9 names. [more inside]
posted by Smarson on Oct 31, 2007 - 157 answers

I have a list of a few hundred people involved with the school I am at this year, and I need to break the names into First, Middle, and Last Name. Is there a way to make excel go through a list of names and at any point where there is a character break (a space like this---> ) put the rest of the cell one over to the right?
posted by daviss on Oct 22, 2007 - 13 answers

I'm sitting in North Clairemont, San Diego, watching the fires pass by on the north, east and south. Why are all the street names in my neighborhood named after mountain peaks? [more inside]
posted by billtron on Oct 22, 2007 - 18 answers

What surnames would work well with a first name of "Dresden"? [more inside]
posted by Glitter Ninja on Oct 17, 2007 - 68 answers

My odd to pronounce/gender-unusual name gives me lots of problems. How can I diplomatically solve all of them? [more inside]
posted by olinerd on Oct 15, 2007 - 46 answers

Is there such a thing as a common Italian surname? [more inside]
posted by yalestar on Oct 11, 2007 - 29 answers

I'm posting this on behalf of a teacher friend of mine who wants your ideas: A university is developing an initiative in which pairs of professors, across disciplines, will meet up with small groups of first year students during their second semester to discuss themes of interest and promote intellectual engagement. These informal meetings will occur at least four times over a couple of months and can take place anywhere: in seminar rooms, in a dorm lounge, at a restaurant, at a professor's home, at an art gallery. So, what do we call these? [more inside]
posted by brownpau on Oct 3, 2007 - 23 answers

Help us name our new Adult (porn) website!!!! Question inside due to graphic nature/language. Not for the easily offended. Thanks :) [more inside]
posted by boyinmiami on Sep 26, 2007 - 45 answers

I'm about to launch a new business as a wedding photographer but I need your opinion on a name. You see, I like "Walljm Photography", but walljm isn't really a word. :) So the question is, if you were looking for a photographer, would the name "Walljm Photography" put you off? Or would it not matter? [more inside]
posted by walljm on Sep 13, 2007 - 31 answers

How can my boyfriend and I combine our names in a way that works for both of us? [more inside]
posted by crinklebat on Aug 14, 2007 - 92 answers

Really random question: My best friend is getting married to a man who happens to have the same last name... (no they are not related) Anyway, discussions turned to having kids and I came up with the (in my opinion) brilliant realization that she could have both a boy Jr. named after the dad and a girl Jr. named after her. So is this possible?? [more inside]
posted by CAnneDC on Aug 8, 2007 - 49 answers