On Names

This post is mainly going to be a set of observations about my first and last name. I may write about my middle another time. (The anticipation is mounting, I can tell).

Michaels I Have Known

There’s basically three versions of my first name I’ve run across. Michael I’ve been using more in college, law school, and in the work place; it sounds more formal. When you think of famous Michaels you’ve got Michael the Archangel, Michael Crichton, Michael Jordan, and let’s not forget everyone’s favorite mobster Michael Corleone. Then of course there’s Mike, which is a little less formal, a little more friendly-like. I notice in my own life my close friends and family call me Mike; Michael is more workplace associates and whatnot.

I’m fine with either, really, but there’s one variation I draw the line at: Mikey. You think of Mikey, you think of the kid in the Life cereal commercial.

Ironically, I actually do like Life cereal, particularly the cinnamon variation. I just don’t like the name. Anyhow.

Always at the Beginning

Then of course there’s the last name. Atkinson’s a great family name, but you’ve no idea how often people have trouble spelling it. I’ve seen the final on left off more times than I can count, or they spell it Adkinson, Adkisson, Adkins…

The trouble is really with line placement. I ran into this a lot in school. Whenever your name starts with A, unless you have the good fortune to be in the company of an Adams or an Abramowitz, you’re doomed to be right up front, cursed to cross the platform or sit on the front row in an alphabetical seating chart or various other social difficulties. This posed problems for my usual strategy of watching the person in front of me and following what they do. If you are the first person, well, lots of luck.

Anyhow, it could be worse. There are other Michael Atkinsons in the world. One of them is an Australian politician, of all things. If Wikipedia is to be believed, he goes by Mick. I’ve never considered that one. Too late to change, do you think?

Closing Time

The name Michael, as it happens, comes from the Hebrew and means, “Who is like God?”

The answer, I can reasonably tell you, is not me.