What's in a name.

My son David and I had lunch together at a Persian restaurant yesterday. His wife Amy is expecting a boy in April and we were talking about names. They have pretty much decided on Alexander Wolfgang. That name will get him beat up in the school yard until he learns to keep his left up. I have been campaigning half-heartedly for little Donald. I have been advised to cool it on the little Donald as I'm sure that the kids are getting enough pressure as it is and told Dave so.

That got us talking about family names. I was explaining that all of the women in my family had the same middle name. My Mother's mother was Ella Marie. My Mother was Louella Marie. Her father was Louis and, if you have been paying attention you know her name was Ella. My sister is Marlene Marie and my dog is Sadie Marie. Marie, a good solid family name.

He asked about his big brother's name. When Ed was born in 1967, my father's name was Arthur. My wife's father was Arther. We had a boy child so I expected that we would name the little swab Art. We could honor both grand pops in one shot. But was I ever wrong. The Maternal Art's name was actually Edward Arthur so mums wanted to name the little house ape Edward. After her father. But, I explained, he hates the name. He doesn't even use it. He goes by Arthur. Hardly anyone outside of the family knows that Art is actually his middle name. As usual, I was outvoted by a landslide of one to one and Edward it was. Edward Grant wasn't so bad. Not my first choice, but we all have to, as Rodney King said, learn to get along.

But wait, there's more. Since then, Ed has changed his name to Edward Arthur. So guess what, the family middle name is Arthur. I'm Donald Arthur. Dave is Davis Arthur and we have Edward Arthur.

Maybe I should cool it on the little Donald campaign and turn up the Alexander Arthur pressure another notch.