what's in a name 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 11:44AM I have one of the most common Names in UK and America. Donna Jackson is the English equivalent of John Smith, which is all good and well, but I don't live in USA or UK, I live in that loose association of countries and languages called Europe. Specifically in the Italian speaking part of Europe. High up the boot on the kneecap.
My name is, almost every day, the subject of great debate and annoyance. I have to spell it out 100 times a day. I used to take Michael Jackson's name in vain and say "like Michael Jackson you know". Which didn't help at all because it just upped the wierdness factor. They couldn't write his name either, because J doesn't exsist in the Italian language. Yes really. If forced, the Italians will refer to it as "I lungo" meaning the long I.
Then lets get to the real joke, my perfectly normal and common Christian name ( outside of Europe), Donna. What hilarity and confusion this causes. What kind of parents would call their child "woman" Don't you have a name? they say. "I can see you are a woman" when I repeat DONNA. This has been going on for a decade.
Wisequeen my handle in the online and blogging world, may be slighter better, but Germans have been known, in presentations I give, to hear "Widescreen" instead, and go banging on about TVs.
Once Italians know me as Donna, they do everything in their power to change the pronounciation of it because they just can't believe anyone could have such a name. So I get Doner ( far to close to Donut) Dana, and so on. It's DONNA I repeat," just like woman in Italian". No use.
This week I was on a Swiss train as usual going to Zurich. A German man was checking my ticket I had forgotten my half price card, so asked him to check on the system. I handed him my passport which has my name written correctly on it, which he held in his hand while typing.
No he said, "Not on the system". Really, I said, Are you sure?. "Yes, nothing!" he insisted and he filled out a fine for me to sign. And as I looked at the name (which he copied from my passport), he had spelled it Danna. "You have spelled my name wrong" I said. "Then the passport must be wrong" he said. No I said, its right, so please check again. He did, and my card came up.
On Christmas day 2009 another Muslim planned to murder Americans travelling on a plane. Due to the courage of the passengers alone, his mission failed.
He was on every watch list. What is more, his own father had warned the CIA that he was a risk.
Why was he not on the no visa, no fly list? Why did intel not pick him up as he boarded?
As the president of USA had to announce to the nation, "the human error was not complicated".
They spelled his name wrong..... and therefore the computers could not pick him up.
Really Yes.
Computers will only give us what we ask for...
Please my American and English speaking peeps. I ask you stand with me and declare that the name Donna Jackson is perfectly common and popular!. I need your help! leave me a comment with your name on it, thats all.
Donna Jackson
Wisequeen of all she surveys.
Reader Comments (20)
Donna Jackson. Can't get more American than your highness. I've know tons of Donna's in my life and ton's of Jacksons. A simple search in the White Pages turns up over 100 Donna Jackson's. Enough said.
J in italian is I lunga ( that means long i - not il lungo). It might help if you say J come Junior, then Italians will understand. ciao ciao
My Italian husband has the same problem when he goes to the states.
His name is Andrea- EVERYONE says- " that is a girl's name"
he doesn't come with me anymore- got sick of it.
and my own name has a J, Y and W which don't exist in the Italian alphabet- I am sick or spelling!!!
Donna Jackson is not only an awesome person, but a fabulous name! This was so well written, so witty, so WISEQUEEN!!!! Twitter loves Donna Jackson!
thanks for all of you who signed yr names, keep it up! when I have a thousand signatures I will take it to Berlusconi and tell him to announce it on TV and then the name Donna will be officially recognised in Italy. Keep sending this to your friends and RT it on twitter thanks. Donna.
Donna: When I am in America and I say my name (Barry Frangipane), people say, "Fran juh what?" It seems too difficult. But when I am in Italy and say "Barry Frangipane", the response is, "Bari?" "Is that your name? What kind of a name is Barry?" So In Italy I use my middle name, Joseph. Everyone in Italy knows me as Giuseppe (or Beppe) Frangipane.
My last name is one of the simplest last names. Maps. No one gets it right. They think it has to be spelled complicated. Extra P's, no S, and so on. Donna Jackson? Too easy, you were doomed from the start. Keep correcting though or they will screw up your tombstone too!
Hi Donna,
What about my name? Erno Eno Enno and Hannick
Erno is a Hungarian name and Hannink is a Dutch name.
Love the name Donna.
Regards,
Erno
Donna, I sympathize!! I have a K and a Y in my last name, not to mention Alexandra with an x and not a double S like the Italian usage. Enel Energia got my codice fiscale wrong; they inserted I instead of Y; the girl on the phone had never heard of of the letter Y apparently. My post box name is spelled Korej, as if J were a more common letter (as you have clearly proven, it is NOT)!
well, I agree Donna and Jackson are both not only common but easy to spell and pronounce names.
My last name, Tallent, with TWO L's is often corrected by others since they insist it can only have one :L!
Jan :-)
I can fully relate as my name is difficult for Italians to pronounce as well and I have a funny middle name and a g in my surname, so it's painfull every time I have an official stuff, like the doctors office etc etc. Most people thin it;s Maria, so I just go with that even though it's not my favorite name. Oh well. I can just imagine the time you have with Donna, Bella Donna, poverina...che casino
I totally don't have a common name; my parents are Caribbean descent, but my father and I were named after Edward. G. Robinson (while my last name is Norwegian).
Know as much as you can about where you are and what your name means, it will help you learn about yourself.
I am indeed a guardian of wealth.
I hear you and totally understand where you are coming from. Your name is totally normal and a common one here in the UK i'm sure. Like you I get mis spelt etc how many ways can you spell Sarah.... Well I've had Sahara, Shara, Sara, Serrah.... you name it I've seen it all... And people always ask for my surname twice but I'm never surprised at that... :P
Bear with it... or change your name by depoll seems to be the only other alternative these days! One day we won't really have names except for friends & family... We'll all just be a number... Oh wait we're already at that point. Why don't they just ask for our passport no and be done with it hey!
Your name is fine Donna!
Do you have any idea of what I go through every time I visit Germany? ;)
Trying again. My name is Bradley Cooper. Her name is Donna Jackson. Not Dona or Deanna or Diana. (Just like my Mom's name, Donna)
Cheers
wow... I wouldn't have thought you could have so many problems with quite a normal name...
funny enough... the place where people pronounce my name the best is the states... no idea why but even my last name which is madjderey and in germany... I tell you... you get the strangest things thrown your way...
and I like donna to... you and your name.
all teh best,
teymur.
My surname has only three letters but, when written, people find many ways to pronounce it, and when spoken, many ways to spell it. It confuses people even more if I say 'Roger Alpha Echo' because then they think my name is Roger.
Hi Donna,
I identify with the problem. I get it on the spelling of my surname occasionally, but I see your phenomenon in many places. My daughter gets it when she goes to the USA. She is Imogen (a name which actually comes from a printing error in the first print run of the Shakespeare play Cymbeline, which is why I love it). However, in America they only have Imogene (last syllable pronounced like Jean). No matter how many times you say the it's gen not gene/jean, they still mis-pronoiunce it. Very frustrating.
Plenty of Donna's over here in the UK. Singers, swimmers, actresses, you name it - give Silvio hell!
David
I have sooo many friends in the UK with the name Donna Jackson. It's crazy. Chat Roulette
I have just found your blog and its hilarious. Honestly in Italy I don't have a problem with my name its pronounced Tuh-nee-shah.. however in the States I get people spelling my name all sorts of ways. Its spelled Tanisha, but I get Tanesha, Tenisha, Tencia, Taneesha, girl I can go on.,I can't wait til I move to Italy and settle to see how they will pronounce my surname.. fun times, great blog,...