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Talk of the Town: What’s in a name?

By Regina Ford
Published: Saturday, March 1, 2008 9:00 PM MST
“Now, I don’t blame him cause he run and hid,

But the meanest thing that he ever did,

Was before he left, he went and named me “Sue.”

While the singer laments his name in the Johnny Cash song, “A Boy Named Sue,” he’s not alone. There are plenty of unusual names out there. While Johnny’s boy named Sue vowed, “If I ever have a son, I think I’m gonna’ name him Bill or George, anything but Sue,” be glad everyone didn’t agree. Unusual names make life so much more interesting.

Here are just a few, both last names and given names that I came across while researching the subject:

Colorful names, indeed! It’s not all that uncommon to have a colorful last name, but a first name, too?


  • Violet Gray

  • Pink Oliphant

    Going places? Some families, like Henry and Sarah Maria Milligan Bennett of Mercer County, Ohio, turned to the states to name their children: daughters, Nevada and Minnesota, and sons: Dakota Goldsby Alaska, Arizona Landon, Delaware and Vermont.

    Encore, encore! Sometimes a name is so nice that it has to be used twice—as a given name and a surname:

  • William William

  • John John

  • Robert Roberts

    Food freaks. All tasty, these surnames were discovered residing in the same county:

  • Wine Fudge

  • Coffee Parsley

  • Rice Curry

  • Sugar Lamb

  • Berry Mackeral

  • Pudding

    Rehearsal required. Intentional? Or did Mom fail to say the name aloud before committing?

  • Young Love

  • Thorney Berry (I went to junior high with a Holly Berry.)

  • Easter Hatter

  • Idsa March Swarts

  • Lettice Curl

  • Starr Bright

  • Voluntine Love

  • Ida Heard

    Now, what celebrity doesn’t crave attention, even when they say they want privacy. Here is a handful of attention-getter names that celebs have blessed their offspring with:

  • “Apple” Chris Martin and actress Gwyneth Paltrow

  • “Blue Angel” U2’s The Edge and Aislinn O’Sullivan

  • “Brooklyn” English soccer player David and Victoria Beckham (also parents to Romeo and Cruz)

  • “Camera” the late tennis player Arthur Ashe and Jeanne Moutoussamy

  • “Destry” filmmaker Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw

  • “Fifi Trixibell” British Rock singer Bob Geldof and Paula Yates (also parents to Peaches and Pixie)

  • “Hopper” actor Sean Penn and Robin Wright

  • “Ireland” actor Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger

  • “Jaz” tennis greats Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi

  • “Kyd” actor David Duchovny and Tea Leoni

  • “Lark Song” actress Mia Farrow and Andr/ Previn

  • “Moon Unit” Rock singer Frank Zappa, also father to “Dweezil” and “Diva Muffin”

  • “Sage Moonblood” actor Sylvester Stallone and Sasha Czack., also parents to “Seargeoh”

    And now for one of the more interesting names, which also became an urban legend: “Ima Hogg” (1882-1975) was one of the most respected Texas women of the 20th century. Born in the small town of Mineola, Texas, the daughter of a onetime Texas governor, James Stephen Hogg (Big Jim Hogg), her roots were deeply embedded in the state’s welfare. Contrary to popular belief, Ima did not have a sister named “Ura.”



  • Well done, to the Greater Green Valley Community Foundation who recently granted $80,000 to 12 local non-profit organizations. Several groups received funding for the first time this year.

    The GGVCF is dedicated to improving the quality of life in communities in the Green Valley area. The group focuses on older adults, healthcare, children, housing education, the environment and rural living.

    The GGVCF has an endowment which includes both unrestricted and field of interest funds. Its local board and staff have an in-depth understanding of the concerns and resources that shape our community, and are dedicated to continue building this permanent endowment or savings account to serve the Green Valley areas long-term needs.

    Through local grant making, the GGVCF provides financial support to our community’s nonprofit organizations. We also provide technical assistance and training to encourage these local community organizations to grow and extend their reach.

    Michelle Phillips, GGVCF executive director, stopped in to see me at the Green Valley News office and let me in on the latest exciting news.

    Both The Animal League of Green Valley and Paws Patrol will use their first ever awards to help offset adoption and veterinarian fees for folks 55 and older wishing to adopt a companion animal.

    Carivaca Estates in Arivaca, another recipient, will purchase an emergency generator with its $5,000 award.

    Jean Davis, president of the The Animal League, was thrilled with the donation, as was Patti Hogan of PAWS Patrol.

    The Animal League of Green Valley is a private, non-profit, all volunteer organization serving the greater Green Valley area. Its primary purpose is to find new homes for companion animals whose owners are unable to care for them because of illness or other necessary lifestyle changes that cannot include their pet. Visit www.talgv.org for more information.

    Paws Patrol promotes the spay and neuter of animals in need as a nonprofit organization in Green Valley and Sahuarita. Its mission as a community-oriented program is to reduce feral cat overpopulation through Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), educate the public on the importance of spay/neuter for companion animals and rescue, foster, and re-home adoptable pets. For more information visit: pawspatrol.petfinder.org.

    Other awards included: Green Valley Assistance Services: $25,700; Casa de Espaeranza $21,000; Green Valley Community Food Bank $8,200; Amado Community Food Bank $8,200; United Community Health Centers $5,000; Carivaca Estates Inc. $5,000; L.I.N.K. Sahuarita School District $2,800; Arivaca Human Resources $1,200; Arivaca Area Health services $1,200; Arivaca Community Gardens $1,000; The Animal League of Green Valley $500 and PAWS Patrol $200.

    Phillips is also working with the Foundation’s marketing team to highlight some of the area non-profit organizations to help promote their services.

    The GGVCF has also started what’s called a “Foundation Minute” along with help from KGVY Radio 1080 AM.

    KGVY manager David Schmidt and local Bob Kellogg of Yakaya Recording, have developed the Foundation Minute which airs several times each day.

    These public service announcements publicize information about upcoming fund raising events sponsored by local non-profit agencies that receive grants form the foundation.

    Phillips also said that some of the funds collected during the Foundation’s fall campaign would go towards the group’s endowment, that is made up of donated funds which are invested at the Arizonaa Community Foundation or other income producing securities.

    For more information about the Greater Green Valley Community Foundation, visit GGVCF.org.

    rford@gvnews.com



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