German Court Says Nein to Long Last Names

Experts say yes in new study

(NEWSER) - Ever noticed how perfect the name Wordsworth is for a poet, or wondered whether Usain Bolt's last name prompted his running career? Researchers are currently investigating whether one's name can influence one's choice of job, with one study already suggesting it can. Indeed, it's become a big enough field to earn its own name: nominative determinism, the Telegraph reports. The term first appeared in New Scientist, whose editor has been mulling the issue. More»

Group is challenging requirement to take husband's name

(USER SUBMITTED) - Reminiscent of the Shogun TV miniseries set in 17th-century Japan, women there still must change their last names to that of their husbands when they marry. So a number of happily married women are suing the government over the requirement, seeking to use their maiden names instead, reports the Guardian . Said one woman, "I thought that I would get used to my husband's name, but I could not, and a sense of loss grew inside me." Click for more. More»

German wanted to tie the knot before animal's death

(NEWSER) - Most spouses consider their pets better listeners than their partners , but a German man is taking animal companionship to a whole new level: Uwe Mitzscherlich, 39, has unofficially married his dying cat, Cecilia, reports the BBC . Animal marriage is illegal in Germany, so Mitzscherlich paid an actress $395 to perform the ceremony. Cecilia is asthmatic and over 10 years old. Mitzscherlich said he just wanted to show her how he feels before she dies. More»

(NEWSER) - Facebook has a thing against funny names, particularly if they’re actually yours, the Washington Post reports. Caitlin Shaw, who wanted to add her maiden name, Batman, to her profile, endured weeks of back-and-forth emails, while Starkiller Unleashed sails through. Facebook says it scrutinizes the real applicants because they are “fewer than the number of people who could potentially misuse the name on the site.” More»

(NEWSER) - Ordinary citizens who share the last name Obama with the president-elect are seeing goodwill and unexpected perks lately, the Washington Post reports. They might not be able to score Inauguration tickets, but entrance to a swanky nightclub? No problem. Speeding ticket? Fixed. And it’s an exclusive club: The country may have fewer than 20 Obama families, compared to 60,000 people whose last name is Bush. More»