What's In A Name...

What's In A Name...

What's In A Name...  Although not as common as some, I have a fairly common name and throughout my life I have seen the evolution of my name along with the person attached to it. 

For a while, I was Mikey.  Thankfully that was a short-lived period of time...it pretty much ended once I started speaking and could say   STOP.  No more Mikey.   There are a few friends who call me Mikey but I think that says more about them than it does about me. 

I became Mike as I began school because it was easier to write although it remained common to hear "Michael" at home.  You know:  Miiiiiiiiichaaaaaael!!! That name seemed to stretch and magically became three or four syllables long. 

My first adult job required answering the phone with my name.  Mike Jacobs seemed to work just fine and that extended for many decades.  Upon receiving my state of California real estate license and hanging with a broker - my given name was to be used for business purposes so I used Michael Jacobs in advertising, correspondence and other things real-estate related.  At times there seemed to be a bit of a "name collision" taking place.  People who called me Mike and others who called me Michael.  I could even play a bit of a game - where did that person "know me from?.   Anyway....I wonder and then I digress. 

Way back before real estate there was a time when I had a job with people reporting to me. I remember an incident.  One of my employees had a young son who occasionally came in and visited.  I remember one day he asked me if I was the same Michael Jacobs he saw mentioned on a favorite television show of his.  I laughed a bit and said no, that's not me.  But it got me thinking...confusion over names is relatively easy.   Imagine if my name was John Smith or any of the more common names we encounter?    

Fast forward to real estate times.....  I was a new agent and I was hosting an open house event for another agent.  I heard a car outside come screeching to a stop.  The car door opened and then slammed.  The person exited his car and rushed in and asked me "where did you get those signs?" in reference to the directional open house signs I had placed.  I think I told him the name of the vendor.  It seemed like an odd request/statement.  "Not that" he responded - how did you get Michael's signs?  Well, that's my name.  "No, it can't be".  I assured him who I was.  This guy was obviously no "real friend" because the last name of this Michael was  spelled differently.  By the way, the screeching car guy was a real estate agent too.  Yes, I do remember him. 

Years later, I was at the pharmacy picking up a prescription.  It seems there are two Michael Jacobs at the same pharmacy and the tech almost gave me the other guy's order.  A real OMG moment.  

So you see, things can occur when you don't get that name exactly right...  The signs are all around us....Be Alert.

The image in this post is from canstockphoto.com

What's In A Name...