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This morning, some random wikipedia searches led me to google my first name (a variant spelling/pronunciation of Rachel). Before, all hits have pretty much pointed at stuff pertaining to me, or to a couple of fanfiction type stories.
Today, I get a german domain name that sells bracelets, some Myspace and Twitter names using my spelling that belong to people named Rachel, and a couple hits on Facebook of American people who have my spelling. Two baby namer pages also popped up, claiming my spelling is Scandinavian/mostly used in Scandinavia.
Oh really?
My parents came up with my spelling (by further altering the actual Scandinavian version of Rachel). I am the only person in Norway with my first name, and a search in Swedish and Danish phonebooks leads me to believe there aren't any with my spelling there, either. And as the US is the motherland of alternate spellings, I suspect the (very few) people there who share my name were given it the same way I was: their parents 'made it up'.
Scandinavian name, my ass.
Today, I get a german domain name that sells bracelets, some Myspace and Twitter names using my spelling that belong to people named Rachel, and a couple hits on Facebook of American people who have my spelling. Two baby namer pages also popped up, claiming my spelling is Scandinavian/mostly used in Scandinavia.
Oh really?
My parents came up with my spelling (by further altering the actual Scandinavian version of Rachel). I am the only person in Norway with my first name, and a search in Swedish and Danish phonebooks leads me to believe there aren't any with my spelling there, either. And as the US is the motherland of alternate spellings, I suspect the (very few) people there who share my name were given it the same way I was: their parents 'made it up'.
Scandinavian name, my ass.