On the subject of names.
Mine caused me a few problems at school.
I did get picked on in primary school for it, purely because it was different to the norm.
My surname is Booth, so that got a going over too. Telephone Booth etc etc.
I still to this day get called Marcel Marceu (sp).
It used to make me cringe, but now, TBH I really couldn't give a rats nadger what I get called.
The thing is though, with Marcel, it's also a girls name (Marcelle), which most people though.
When I started high school, which is a tough time for ANY 11 yr old. I had to go through all my new classes, on my own (had been separated from my mates due to just bad luck in the allocations)...I had to go through the classes all on my own, with my name on the girls register.
Right in the middle of the girls, I'd shout "Yes Miss", and the whole class would be sniggering and I just wanted the ground to swallow me up.
In PE, and single sex classes, my name wouldn't get shouted out, I wouldn't have any class materials prepared for me, or desks set aside, and I had to explain to the teacher, much to the amusement of the rest of the classes.
Now though, I really couldn't care less. I could be called Egamemnon the third or whatever, and it wouldn't phase me. I'm mature enough to realise, to me, my name is just that, a name. It's me, it's unique. If someone else thinks its funny, then that's great, I've made someone smile today. All the better.
I don't feel down about someone else thinking my name is funny, or doing Marcel Marceu impressions (which can get very tiring, I just laugh and say "Original" with a

) OR being asked if I'm French (which happens ALL the time).
Nah, if someone else thinks my name is funny, why the hell should it upset me? I couldn't care less. My life doesn't change in any way whatsoever if someone laughs at my name. My wife still loves me. My kids love me. I have what's important.
Sounds crazy, but sticks and stones etc is very very true, once you truly look at things like that. Call me names, call me fat, call me stupid, call me ugly, and I'll probably laugh and walk away, thinking to myself "That guy has such a shallow and pathetic life of his own, that he thinks that passes as funny...sad really"
Don't let the buggers grind you down
Besides, I think Harold is an ace name. I'd like to be a Harold. And I'd join in with the Steptoe impressions too..get it down to a T and show em how it's done
