A guide for living with a unique name

1. Be prepared to repeat your name. Apple. Yes, apple — like the fruit. Yes, spelled exactly the same. Yes, that is my real first name. Apple. 2. You may be described as 'exotic'. If you are not white and thus have a non-Anglo name, you might have to prepare for your name to be called "exotic" by boring white people who don't understand that your name is the Chinese equivalent of John and two of your cousins share your name and it isn't that exotic at all. One man's exotic parrot is another man's bloody flaming cockatoo who has eaten my damn verandah again. A fun reply is to respond with awe when they share their name. "Wow — 'Daniel' … how do you spell that? That is so unusual … very ethnic." 3. Master the polite 'smile and nod'. You will hear the same jokes, puns and spoonerisms time and time again. And no, that guy isn't the first person in the world to sing Delilah at a Delilah. 4. Learn the international phonetic alphabet. You will have to spell out your name frequently, particularly over the phone, so you may as well feel like a cool spy when you do it. Bravo Uniform Tango Tango! 5. Embrace it. Be as weird as your name. Develop a persona that corresponds exactly with how eccentric your name is. Wear polka dot pants and an oversized wig and perhaps begin smoking a pipe. People will remember you. 6. Change your name. If it really does get too much, our friends at the Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages can easily help you. But that wouldn't be so fun, would it?

Source: playbuzz.com