Thursday 19 July 2007

The Name Game

Over dinner the other night I happened to mention that my doctor in Bangkok was called Dr. Porn. It has given me no end of amusement when calling up to make an appointments - who needs to make crank calls when the names are as fab as that!

Everyone in Thailand is given their formal name and a nickname when they are born and are generally known by their nickname. There are range of names: some sweet, some English, some Thai and some downright bizarre! Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow may have thought that they were original when they named their daughter Apple, but fruity names have been all the rage here for years. I have taught Orange, Watermelon and Pomelo. Colours are also popular and we have had Pink and Blue! For the lazier parents out there a single letter will suffice: M, P, L and O. Personally if I was going to be a single letter I would want to be Z.

This obviously prompted a discussion about our top nicknames:
  • Mark Hughes and his brother ManU
  • Bomb (just don't lose him)
  • Bogie (poor little girl)
  • Boom Boom and Bang Bang (as apparently that was the sound their parents were making when they were conceived!)
  • Ford, Volks, Porsche and Lambourghini (brothers!)
  • Putter and On-Green (yes their parents were golfing fanatics)

But what would we choose as a thai nickname? How about:

  • Epidural
  • Vasectomy
  • Ouch
  • Whoops

What are the best names you have heard?

1 comment:

Christina | AmiExpat.com said...

My mom had a ton of friends named Porn when I was growing up. I've got an Aunt Dang, an Aunt Jew, and my Thai nickname is Ma'am.