3 Funny names in 1 week.

Day 1

I am in the midst of helping a non-profit organisation create their website. One of my tasks last week was to contact a merchant account and work out compliance issues. When I called the company, I had to wait a long while before I could speak with an officer. By that time, I was a little fed-up, tetchy and frustrated. I just wanted to get the whole thing sorted out. When I asked for the lady’s name (so that I could refer to our conversation in subsequent correspondence), she replied. “Eleven”.

I thought of asking her to repeat her name. I knew that if I laughed at her it would have been both embarrassing for her and terrible on my part. Instead, I asked her, “As in the number eleven?” She said yes.

I tell you ... the number of questions that went through my mind in the next few moments ... Did she have 10 brothers and sisters? Based in Shanghai, was this a direct translation of her Chinese name? Was 11 her lucky number? Was she named after a district or suburb? Or, was it meant to be 1 and 1 (like Mei Mei or Lai Lai,)? Was she born in the 11^th year of the Chinese calendar (i.e. in the year of the dog)? [http://chineseculture.about.com/od/chinesefestivals/a/Chinese-Zodiac-Sign-Find-Your-Chinese-Zodiac-Sign.htm]

It certainly lightened my mood and I was more ready to do business with her.

Day 2

I know people who have given their cars names like Jemimah and Hope. I’m no different for I named my dog Ladoo. All these odd names, however, are not related to humans. I would assume that most parents would choose names that are unlikely to subject their babies to ridicule. That is until I chanced upon a website that listed some of the strangest celebrity baby names: Kal-El, Pilot Inspektor, Apple, Kyd, Sage Moonblood, Ocean, River, Rocket, Audio Science, Diva Thin Muffin, Moxie Crimefighter, Tu and Jermajesty. 

All of these, however, couldn’t beat the name a woman gave her new born child: Papaya. I wonder the child’s nick name will be.  Paps? Papi? Pi? Paw-paw?

Day 5

As I read yesterday’s Life and Times section in the NST, I across Elaine Yim’s lovely article, Blooms of prosperity . One of the plants she mentioned was called Solanum Mammosum.

It is the common names for this plant that are most amusing: Nipple fruit, titty fruit, cow’s udders, Apple of Sodom.

Titty fruit?

My week’s complete.