[ANSTHRLD] name help please

[tmcd at panix.com]

On Wed, 3 May 2006, Hedwig von Luneborg <lochherald at gmail.com> wrote:
> I have a gentle wishing to use the name "Auk" for his surname.

Does he say anything about the surname?  The questions that occur to
me:

- Does he have any data about "Awk": has he seen it as a surname (or
  other name component) anywhere?  If so, where, and what's his info?

- Why does he want it?  That is, does he like the meaning, and if so,
  what does he think it means?  (Hint #73: if a client says that they
  like "the meaning", ask what they think it means; if a client says
  that they like "the sound", ask what they think it sounds like.
  They're often incorrect.)  Or does he like the sound "AWK" or
  whatever?  Such questioning can be handy in suggesting alternatives
  if you can't find "Auk" -- we might be able to suggest similar names
  but we have to know what *he* regards as "similar".

  ("Auker", in R&W, frex., or "Aukin", if he wants sound.)

- I can't refer to your original message at the moment: did he
  indicate any culture / place / language / time-period preferences?

- Do you have a feel for how wedded he is to this name?  Maybe it's
  just a nickname he got in college and he's curious about whether he
  can have it, but he's fleximble -- or it's another
  I Want What I Want Dammit.

Danett de Linccolne
-- 
Tim McDaniel; Reply-To: tmcd at panix.com