Actually, Zoe, there is a TON of Celtic pride in the US, some ersatz and some not. All up and down the east coast, especially, from Boston to the Appalachians. America is not lacking in acknowledgement of Celtic cultural heritage, even if some of that acknowledgement would probably scare the modern Irish and Scots.

What medieval sources are you thinking of here?

Sources, who needs sources when you can't drive in this country for medieval castles!

Sure, but if they think that the name being common in America, and part of America's history and culture, is in any way a negation of that then they're tilting at windmills. I suspect a better reaction would be to celebrate the part people of Scottish descent played in the history of the US, rather than disowning them for being American first.

Wrod, my UnAmerican friend.

There are a large number of people of Scottish descent on this side of the pond who both celebrate and research their heritage. I'd be as much a foreigner visiting my cousins over there (which I haven't done) as they would be visiting us over here (which they have done), but they're still blood relatives.

But people have been prosecuted here for using their own name and that isn't right.

Here as in where? The board? Scotland?

Actually, Zoe, there is a TON of Celtic pride in the US, some ersatz and some not. All up and down the east coast, especially, from Boston to the Appalachians. America is not lacking in acknowledgement of Celtic cultural heritage, even if some of that acknowledgement would probably scare the modern Irish and Scots.

That's good to know.

Have to leave this very interesting conversation because mr flea has homework! Burrell, I will email you when I get a chance - I have something else I want to talk to you about too.

But people have been prosecuted here for using their own name and that isn't right.

Here as in where? The board? Scotland?

Here in Scotland.

I guess I'd like to hear some American people acknowledgeing the Scottish contribution too and the Irish.

It's almost not possible to overstate the impact of the Scotch-Irish on the development of the U.S., culturally and territorially. But in the current discussion, I'm not sure it's that relevant.

Over half the U.S. population claim Irish heritage (and even more "celebrate" St. Patrick's Day), and quite a bit claim Scottish heritage. I'm one of those. I tend to think it's been an attractive heritage to claim since WWII--it's got all that romantic mythology and persecution and yet can't really be blamed for the evils of colonialism or warmaking.

Are we talking about the chain "McDonald's" suing them? Because corporations are just sue happy. It is really annoying. But American's with the actual name "McDonald" opening up a restaurant would get sued too. I live in a little tiny city. We used to have a restaurant named Oscars. They were sued by The Oscars and changed their name to Ozzie's.