What's in a Name?

One of the most charming and frustrating facts about Wales is that some things haven't really changed over here in a long, long time. Take language, for example. However evolutionary it is worldwide, English is still quite - descriptive - in this neck of the woods. You have the normal English variety of illustrative naming: what we might call Saran Wrap or plastic wrap is 'cling film' (because it's a film that clings); 'golden syrup' is predictably a sweet yellowy syrup and you pretty much know what you're getting if you order 'cheese on toast' in a local cafe. And you don't even need to speak Welsh to be able to see that the Welsh do it, too: 'popty-ping' is delightfully Welsh for 'microwave' ('popty' means 'oven' and 'ping' means... well, 'ping').

The true locals take it even a step further and give such descriptive monikers to people.  Clive y Gof is 'Clive Blacksmith', John Ceunant is 'John (Hopkins) who lives at Ceunant Farm', John Busses drives the local school bus and Carol Tal is Carol (Evans) who is 6'2". Back home, my surname is my father's legacy. Most of us have very little choice and some of us spend a great deal of time trying to find out where that name has come from and what, if anything, it means.

I guess it's the Welsh version of some Native American naming traditions, with a modern twist. Here, you are known by what you do, where you live, or who you are - things, unlike my surname, over which I can exert some degree of influence. And it makes me think - if I wasn't blatantly the only American in town, what would my Welsh surname be? How would I be known? What characteristic about me makes me identifiable and unique to my community? I'd hope that it's something honourable, or creative; I'd be very sad if it was 'Tim TV' or 'Tim Bullshitter'. But then, that's up to me, isn't it? I mean, it sounds pretty commonsensical, but it's also empowering. I can literally be anyone, as long as I actually AM someone.

Don't get me wrong, there is still the odd cryptic (and often intimidating) cognomen. For instance, don't be afraid  if you're offered 'spotted dick'... it's a cakey dessert, not an embarassing condition. Of course, 'pudding' itself is not what my American friends and family might be inclined to think of. It can range from sweet to savoury, from breakfast sausage to dessert and many places in between. But that's the subject of a whole 'nuther (and somebody else's) blog...