western australia

A name with a difference

@JudyEv (381747)

Rockingham, Australia

December 13, 2021 4:46pm CST

Some years ago, we attended a jazz festival in Perth, capital city of Western Australia. As well as local musicians, there were some international groups as well. The announcer was a well-known identity and mostly did a great job. However, he nearly made a huge gaffe when introducing the Swedish trumpet-player and cornetist, Bent Persson. In those days, ‘bent’ was another name given to homosexuals and the announcer spluttered a bit, as he couldn’t quite believe that his next guest really was called Bent Persson Persson was born in 1947, and is internationally renowned as having a sound and style remarkably close to that of Louis Armstrong, particularly from his 1925-28 period. He has recorded a number of albums. Have you ever found yourself disbelieving someone’s name? The photo was taken by my husband

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19 responses

@wolfgirl569 (135583)

• Marion, Ohio

14 Dec 21

There are many crazy names here,

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@wolfgirl569 (135583)

• Marion, Ohio

14 Dec 21

@JudyEv A few years ago people were even naming their kids facebook.

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Dec 21

@wolfgirl569 Honestly? I hadn't heard of that.

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Dec 21

I've noticed that. Many US names I've never heard of before.

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@rebelann (117196)

• El Paso, Texas

14 Dec 21

I like that photo of the leaves. Not yet. I know next to nothing about 'bent', I've never heard it used here. But I suppose I probably have heard names that made me giggle at the time, just can't think of one off hand.

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@rebelann (117196)

• El Paso, Texas

14 Dec 21

Thankfully I did not. But who knows about today.

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@averygirl72 (38847)

• Philippines

14 Dec 21

What gaffe means?

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@averygirl72 (38847)

• Philippines

14 Dec 21

@JudyEv I'm not a native English speaker so many words I'm not really familiar. Thanks

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Dec 21

@averygirl72 You're welcome. And the only way to learn more words is to ask. I'm always happy to explain.

@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Dec 21

Here, it means he nearly insulted the man by laughing at his name. To make a gaffe is to do something silly, to make a blunder.

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@Juliaacv (56195)

• Canada

13 Dec 21

Oh that is funny. Its a good picture. My Dad's name was John Gleeson. After 1 of my mother's brothers passed away, his widow married someone named John Gleason. No relation. But they looked so much alike and each had 4 children, my Dad had me and 3 sons, and the other had 3 daughters and 1 son. We used to get alot of phone calls for his kids, and my Dad would have fun with some of the young guys calling probably looking for a date. He probably broke a few hearts doing that, but it was all in fun.

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Dec 21

I booked a lady in for a course once and she was very loath to give me her first name. I needed it to go on her certificate and in the end she told me - Taylor Mayde. lol I can just see those poor boys trying to get past your Dad.

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@RasmaSandra (97912)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

14 Dec 21

Love the photo. Sometimes people. have very unusual names I have had to explain to people that I have a Latvian name which in Latvia is very common but not elsewhere

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Dec 21

That's true. Some names are very common in their own countries. There are a lot of Irish names that are unusual to us in Australia.

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@CarolDM (203396)

• Nashville, Tennessee

13 Dec 21

Beautiful photo. And yes many people name their children crazy names!

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Dec 21

Some don't think of the consequences. And they need to consider if the initials might make an undesirable word too

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@CarolDM (203396)

• Nashville, Tennessee

13 Dec 21

@JudyEv I totally agree.

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@Shavkat (141906)

• Philippines

14 Dec 21

I always have a disbelief feeling when saying strange English names of Chinese students online.

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@Shavkat (141906)

• Philippines

15 Dec 21

@JudyEv I hope so but they appeared weird.

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Dec 21

Perhaps some change their names to try to fit in more.

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@RebeccasFarm (91299)

• United States

15 Dec 21

That photo is beautiful Judy. I remember the term bent..first heard it in England. Interesting there now about Bent Persson.

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Dec 21

The names are probably both quite common in Sweden but put them together in an English context and it's quite amusing. There used to be a Catholic cardinal, Archbishop of Manila, and his professional title was Cardinal Sin.

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@RebeccasFarm (91299)

• United States

16 Dec 21

Now now haha

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

16 Dec 21

That's true!! He's in Wikipedia so it must be true. lol

@DaddyEvil (174208)

• United States

14 Dec 21

There is an Asian man whose name is Hoo Lee Sheet. It is pronounced "holy sh*t".

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@DaddyEvil (174208)

• United States

14 Dec 21

I feel sorry for the people who got... uhm... odd... names as children. But businesses are just hilarious.

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Dec 21

And we saw a tool shop in Hong Kong called 'F*k Tools. And a Karen man in the Thai village we stayed in was called 'Sumsuk'.

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@JESSY3236 (22199)

• United States

14 Dec 21

pretty picture. Yeah I was going my post this morning about the Pacific Rim Uprising and one of the actors' names is named Burn. I have seen the actor in other movies, but he didn't know his name is Burn.

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Dec 21

That's very different too, isn't it?

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@Ronrybs (21504)

• London, England

14 Dec 21

Luckily I think we are all a bit more traveled and knowledgeable these days

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Dec 21

That's true. Some cultures have, to us, some unusual names. I know when we were in Ireland we heard many names that are common there but we'd never heard before.

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@RubyHawk (99367)

• Atlanta, Georgia

14 Dec 21

I hear names I can’t believe, Briar or Rain for a female, River or Kane for a male and the list goes on. Love Vince’s autumn leaves.

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Dec 21

I've heard of Eclipse, Orion, Skye, even Sunshine.

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@RubyHawk (99367)

• Atlanta, Georgia

14 Dec 21

@JudyEv I’ve heard Sunshine, Summer, Winter, Skye and Autumn as girls names, but never Eclipse.

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@DocAndersen (54399)

• United States

14 Dec 21

great picture!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i have at times, been taken aback by a person's name!

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Dec 21

Even white Americans can have very unusual names.

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@DocAndersen (54399)

• United States

14 Dec 21

@JudyEv oh yes, it is global!

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@Chakimmm (1011)

• Indonesia

15 Dec 21

Honestly, I've never experienced that, my music references are not wide enough so I don't know much about legendary singers

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

15 Dec 21

Sometimes 'ordinary' people are given some strange names too.

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

15 Dec 21

@Chakimmm A nickname is a familiar or humorous name given to a person. Some nicknames can be very funny. In Australia, many people, especially men, if they have red hair, they will be called 'Blue'.

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@Chakimmm (1011)

• Indonesia

15 Dec 21

@JudyEv what do you mean by nickname? here the nickname is very strange and sometimes makes us laugh.

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@snowy22315 (208746)

• United States

14 Dec 21

Probably yes, but none spring to mind

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Dec 21

They'll come to you in the middle of the night when the search engine of your own little computer suddenly comes up with one.

@Dena91 (17029)

• United States

14 Dec 21

I'm old school and prefer "normal" sounding names. Some today are outrageous. Never heard of Bent Persson before. Will have to look him up on you tube. A lovely photo by Vince.

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Dec 21

He is sufficiently well-known to appear in Wikipedia.

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@LindaOHio (222222)

• United States

14 Dec 21

Yes, there are some last names that I would have had changed for sure. Great photo.

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Dec 21

There are even some very strange first names. I'm glad you like the photo.

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@Icydoll (36713)

• India

14 Dec 21

Yeah I do some have very unusual names . I loved the picture

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Dec 21

Thanks. Some of the autumn colours are very pretty.

@Babino (5756)

• Morocco

14 Dec 21

I heard that here in Morocco you don't have a total freedom to name your kids. They refuse to register some names. So uncool.

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@JudyEv (381747)

• Rockingham, Australia

14 Dec 21

I have an idea some other countries do this too but only with very outlandish names.

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