A good reason to change your name
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (338434)
Rockingham, Australia
October 12, 2024 11:18pm CST
The photo has nothing to do with the discussion.
We watched part of a quiz show last night and the name of Joseph-Ignace Guillotin (1738-1814) came up. He was a French physician and politician whose name became forever associated with the guillotine (used for beheading people) although he did not invent it.
What I found interesting was that the Guillotin family was so embarrassed by being associated with the guillotine that they petitioned the government to rename it. When their request was refused, they changed their own name.
Changing one’s name often occurs with film stars and singers but I guess there would be other reasons where you might want to change your name.
13 people like this
12 responses
@Dreamerby (3746)
• Calcutta, India
13 Oct
Yeah but the legal tasks would take up time and energy I guess.
3 people like this
@jstory07 (139305)
• Roseburg, Oregon
13 Oct
@Dreamerby No you just go to court and change your last name.
2 people like this
@Fleura (30099)
• United Kingdom
13 Oct
@JudyEv Maybe they focussed on his name because it was more unusual than Schmidt.
I used to find the name Jesus a bit odd as well, it's unusual here but quite common in south American countries. Our dive club once had to search for the spectacles of a visiting academic who had dropped them in the river. For a long time we kept the letter thanking us for searching for Jesus' glasses!
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@JudyEv (338434)
• Rockingham, Australia
13 Oct
Guillotin was instrumental in its introduction. He was one of a committee appointed in the late 1780s to design a better method of dispensing with criminals than what was currently in use. Two men, German engineer and harpsichord maker Tobias Schmidt, and Antione Louis constructed a prototype but Guillotin’s name became synonymous with the instrument.
When I was young, I was always a bit ambivalent about the name Jesus too.
1 person likes this
@Dreamerby (3746)
• Calcutta, India
13 Oct
Wow the story is quite interesting!! I would definitely change my name if it was associated with something this dark/skewed/unacceptable. Although, the legal things would drain me out I guess.
3 people like this
@Beestring (14458)
• Hong Kong
13 Oct
Here, some Chinese go to "Fung Shui" Master to check out their names. If necessary, they change their name to pursue good luck in life.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (179488)
• United States
13 Oct
There are definitely some names, I would want to change.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (179488)
• United States
14 Oct
@JudyEv What is your last name was stank or something? Darn, I would be in such a hurry to change it.
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@JudyEv (338434)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Oct
@snowy22315 I knew a Mr Smiley but that's not too bad. My maiden name is Candy which might be a bit quirky but that's all.
@allknowing (134992)
• India
14 Oct
Talking about changing names I wanted mine changed. It was my first day at school and I came to know of so many names. I came home to my father and told him that I wanted my name changed until he told me that I was named after his moher (lol)
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@JudyEv (338434)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Oct
@allknowing I was only quite young and I got over it. Grew out of worrying about it I guess.
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@RebeccasFarm (89736)
• Arvada, Colorado
15 Oct
I have had a good few name changes in life.
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@LindaOHio (176191)
• United States
13 Oct
I watch the Game Show Network a lot and enjoy the trivia programs. Interesting about the Guillotin family. Have a good day.
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