Name change?

[gilmore]

It would go from English "Long" back to the Irish "Ó Longaigh".

It would be a big change. I was wondering if I could get your opinions or thoughts on the subject? Thanks.

It depends on how invested you are in spending the rest of your life explaining to reservations clerks, maitre d's, bored semi-literate form-filling government clerical workers, etc. the difference between an accent grave and an accent acute, exactly which letter in your name it should go over and why, why there is no apostrophe in it, and which letters are not pronounced. It will be something that you will encounter almost daily, often several times a day.

My surname is unusual but similar to one that is common. Those of us who were born with it have gotten used to having to exert some effort in getting it spelled correctly, in judging almost immediately whether it is worth the effort, and we all have our various methods.

Interesting, the women who marry into our family and take the name are initially quite irked at having to go through all of this, but most adjust. Some don't, even after using it for 60+ years.

Another thing to remember is that the correct spelling of any words is a rather recent development, dating back only to the coming of dictionaries in the early 19th century. Before then everyone spelled words they way they sounded to them with few rules.

(I have a document---a deed of land of one of my ancestors---from the 1750's with the signature spelled the way we do now, spelled differently by the clerk who wrote, and spelled a 3rd way by the person who indexed it. Who was correct? All of them, and none of them. It wasn't an issue.)

Look on the bright side. Things could be worse. You could be of English descent and named Chumly.

[McClef]

If you had a real welsh name it would consist of 38 letters only 3 of which vowels.

How droll!

But it is not only real, it's the original version - "Trefor" is Welsh for "homestead" and there is a village in North Wales near Caernarfon named after me!

Trevor is simply the bastardised English spelling!

Look on the bright side. Things could be worse. You could be of English descent and named Chumly.

Which is of course spelt Cholmondleigh just as Fanshaw is spelt Featherstonehaugh.

And people think that Welsh spelling is strange!

[GMan]

Do what you feel most comfortable with, just remember that it will be a life long commitment, and that your own family (present and future) may not be as understanding.

[slohairt]

Dia Dhuit, A Ghréagóra!

As someone with a very Irish name (my great-grandfather reverted it back in the '20s upon joining Conradh na Gaeilge) who emigrated to North America, I can tell you firsthand that you will encounter innumerable difficulties with people pronouncing and spelling your "new" name. America (and Canada partly) is an English-speaking nation, and the Irish weren't the only immigrants to alter the spelling of their names. Most were already Anglicised long before they reached this continent.

In Ireland, of course, you won't have a problem with pronunciation but many will still spell it incorrectly. With many Irish people, the reversion to the original Gaeilge spelling is a politically-motivated gesture and is especially viewed so in Northern Ireland.

Sadly, most people worldwide are unaware that the Irish even have a native language besides "top o' the mornin' to ye!" When they see an Irish name and/or Irish word spelled in the Irish language they can't understand why it looks so "foreign" Most people don't often realise my name is Irish when they look at it!

[Riverkilt]

A tough one for sure. Pretty much your call after all the input.

My life changed radically when the clown on the flying hamburger was invented by the golden arches people. Often thought of changing my name to avoid the teasing and repeat stupid jokes.

But, bottom line, my blood is Macdonald so I keep the name. Guess using that logic you should revert to your ancestral spelling. But, I'm not sure I would were I in your situation. A personal call.

The Welsh comments reminded me of a joke I first heard as a Hopi joke, but it would fit equally well for the Welsh...hope its within bounds...

What does a Welshman have that is long and hard that he gives to his bride on their wedding day?

His last name....

Ron

[David in Maryland]

My life changed radically when the clown on the flying hamburger was invented by the golden arches people. Often thought of changing my name to avoid the teasing and repeat stupid jokes.

I am the MacLeod Clan commissioner for Maryland. I have people asking us all the time, "Are you really immortal?", i.e. the Highlander movies. I usually respond, "In a way, yes."