Not that I know. Google doesn't think so either. I think the last popes who kept their own names are back in the day when we only had 2 and 3 digits in a year.

Choosing a different name also signifies the concept that "self" takes a back seat to his role as the shepherd of the entire flock. Joseph is a man; Benedict XVI is responsible for guiding over 1 billion persons' souls.

Just like: Robin is a girl.

Scrappy is a disco inferno.

the lady who made my latte today called me sweetheart and was really nice to me. It kind of made me want to cry. People are not so much with the nice, these days, in my work world.

According to the Indianapolis Star:

Choosing a new name as pontiff did not become a tradition until 996, when Bruno, the first German pope, became known as Gregory V. Named after a pagan god, the 6th-century priest Mercury changed his name to John II as pope.

Eta: Oh, Nora, people should be nice to you! What is wrong with people that they are not showering Nora with kindness?

{{{Nora}}} Everyone should always be nice to you.

{{{vw}}} Much strength~ma to you.

Just like: Robin is a girl.

Scrappy is a disco inferno.

Now THAT is a religion I could get behind!

edit: Nora, everyone should be nice to you. I so decree. If they are not, off with their heads. Or let them eat cake. On second thought, you keep the cake AND the heads. They can't have one without the other.

What is wrong with people that they are not showering Nora with kindness?

I honestly do not know.

It's less that everyone is mean, it's more that everyone is needy. And they need what they need RIGHT fucking NOW.

t shrug

Customer service type stuff. what can you do? I wish I was good at something that didn't involve talking to strangers all damn day long.

eeeh. I'm whining.

I tried to be super nice yesterday. I smiled and spoke to lots of strangers. This one couple waited to pull into the parking space next to me until after I had gotten Owen out of his car seat when I went into a store. As I walked out, I noticed they had a little girl, too. I smiled and thanked them for waiting and commenting what a pretty little girl they had. The little girl smiled at me but the woman didn't even LOOK at me. *shrug*

Customer service type stuff is exhausting. It's one of those things that I'm always surprised that I'm good at, but I can only do it for so long before it takes its toll on the rest of my life. At my worst I'd become wholly anti-social because I talked to people all day long at work and when I got home I couldn't bear talking to more people, even if they were my friends.

So, hey, if whining helps, whine away.

Joseph Ratzinger

That doesn't sound all that papal to me. Sounds more like someone who works at a meat-packing plant. Benedict goes better with the pointy hat. IJS.

Remember the car insurance trouble I was having some weeks ago, with someone else's claims showing up on my insurance?

Turns out they're all my stepmother's. She has the same name as I do, and has insurance with the same company. I'm laughing hysterically over this, and wondering how to tell her that her insurance rates are probably going to go way, way up.