When I taught school in the town where Hardaway grew up, there were a number of Laquitas, a sprinkling of Taiwans, there were more than a few Lakeesha's, spelled a variety of ways, hmm, trying to remember, seriously, a lot more odd names than not odd. I doubt he stood out that much amongst his peers at the time.

I just remembered-- I had two Marquitas in my graduating class. That was odd.

It could still change, but for now we're waffling between Eleanor and Annabel, neither of which is even in the top 100.

If someone said "Annabel" to me on the phone I'd write it down "Annabelle." FWIW.

I adore Eleanor, but then it was my grandmother's name.

Eleanor was my first choice for Joanna, but her father hated it. Said it was too old-fashioned. He then blew his cred all to hell by suggesting first "Victoria", then "Caroline."

I doubt he stood out that much amongst his peers at the time.

True. And, intellectually I know that in almost all cases of parents giving a child a creative spelling, it's not because they don't know the standard version (though I really think my grandmother couldn't spell Edmund), but that they see the unusual spelling as sort of a gift of uniqueness to make their baby stand out in the world. It just baffles me, since I'm in the opposite naming subculture, namely the Pretentious Old-Fashioned Vaguely Anglophile one.

doesn't get more old-fashioned than those, Deb....not in a bad way, but..

If someone said "Annabel" to me on the phone I'd write it down "Annabelle." FWIW.

Yeah, we know. And Annabelle is currently more common. But Annabel is more historically authentic, and I like it better.

Where did the other eight letters come from - did you use a middle name, as well? And if so, were you made to do that, or did you choose to do that?

Both. The basis of my point is that Anfernee's not a long name as far as perfectly conventional names go. You having to write yours all out does seem a trial, but I'm not sure what it has to do with Anfernee.

It hadn't occurred to me that Anfernee was supposed to be an alternate spelling of Anthony, since they don't sound the same. But I don't know.

As for Susans, I don't know any that were teased because their names were Susan, but they were teased with their name, and their name was Susan. Penny might have been the most popular guy in school and not teased at all. Or he may have been called Beanpole for being so tall and skinny and awkward.

Who knows?

I doubt he stood out that much amongst his peers at the time.

I think one thing the conversation has made clear is that it really can be a huge matter of geography, so you're very likely right. I mean, if there were four other Anfernees in the schoolyard with him, it ceases to be an issue on that level, although Penny as a nickname for a boy (to this day, my brain wants it to be Fenny and tries to convince me I've heard it that way) still strikes me as way the fuck beyond mean. But I still hope, for his sake, that they let him write out either "Anfernee H" or "A. Hardaway" on his schoolwork.

edit:

The basis of my point is that Anfernee's not a long name as far as perfectly conventional names go. You having to write yours all out does seem a trial, but I'm not sure what it has to do with Anfernee.

Point taken. But I just think parents really ought to consider the day to day reality of the kid's life, and how the name is likely to affect them, conventional or otherwise (and I'm still not sure what "conventional" is, except in local cultural terms).

Another literary example: Edmund Crispin, from "Glimpses of the Moon", had a little girl named Anna May. Her brother was called John Will. The last name was Bust, and her parents had done that on purpose. Anna and John are conventional names, but the pairing made their lives hell.

It hadn't occurred to me that Anfernee was supposed to be an alternate spelling of Anthony, since they don't sound the same. But I don't know.

Huh. The first time I heard his name, I parsed it as "Anthony," though I knew the announcer's pronunciation didn't match it exactly--I just thought the announcer had accidentally flubbed it somehow. It wasn't until I heard it a second time that I realized it had to be done on purpose and actually asked someone how it was spelled.