Good call. When Stockwell Day first appeared on the Canadian political scene, I predicted he would be a successful politician, solely based on his powerful-sounding name. It would make a good name for a Prime Minister. I didn't take into account that he would be a huge goober, so my prediction did not pan out.

Another name for your list: Jian Ghomeshi - current host of Play on CBC, former singer from Moxy Fruvous.

Ogden Nash: mid-1900's Baltimore humorist, poet. Famous quote of constant use in our family:<blockquote class="smalltext">You're not an umpire<br>you're a bumpire.</blockquote>

hey.. burka is quite nice..

This list cannot be complete with reference to basketball star "God Shamgod".

Joaquin Phoenix is rich.

I think you're selling the name "Daniel Burka" very much short. There is nothing but success and interest involved with the sound of that name.

My name, though, is trouble: Rob MacDonald. Common, common, common. Plus, it's tricky having a 'b' followed by an 'm'. What I dislike most about it is there needs to be a distinct pause between my first and last name, in order for it to be clearly understood. So that it ends up sounding like : Rah-buh MacDonald.

Don't even get me started on names. Oh, wait, you already did.

When I have to leave a message, I always have to spell my name. Always. In fact, the typical exchange is: "Can you ask (whomever) to call me? It's Nils Ling. Nils (Rob MacDonald-length pause) Ling. My first name is Nils, N-I-L-S. No, N as in Norman. And my last name is Ling. L-I-N-G. No, that's my last name. Thank you." And then the call comes: "Is Mr. Niles there?"

So, Dan Burka, o, ye of many hard consonants and easy-to-pronounce letter arrangements ... judge not thy parents. They did you a favour. Just be glad they didn't like the name "Kirk".

(Picky little note: "eschew" means "avoid, abstain from". I'm going to guess you meant "exude".)

Nils' story reminds me of how I always have to spell my last name out, like this:

Me: Will Pate
Me: Will P-A-T-E
Them: Will Patey?
Me: Excuse me, I'm going to go tair the hair out of my scalp.

I cannot find a Nash poem on the woes of a unfortunate name, though I suspect there are many, so I will offer this:

<b>The Fly</b><p>
The Lord in His wisdom made the fly,<br>
And then forgot to tell us why.

I ~really~ love my name. Thanks Mom & Dad!
But I'm with Nils on this one too. I ALWAYS have to spell out my name. I get Amelda, Imelda, Nelda, Melba... people are all over the map on this one.

But I still wouldn't change it.

I love my name too... I was going to be Danielle, but Mandy suits me better I think.

As for the names of the big powerful rich and famous... I love WOLF BLIZTER. You almost feel the need to yell it every time you say it. Try it, it's fun.

I agree with Mandy. Wolf Blitzer is totally a power name. I can imagine people shouting it several times before doing something e<b>x</b>treme like skydiving (David Suzuki is another power name).

In <i>The Usual Suspects</i>, the strange mythical bad-guy had a great name. Keyser Soze (kai-zer soh-zay). Very musical.

And even vanilla names like "Rob" can be hard to communicate. I feel silly taking longer than a second to say "Rob" yet, a quick "Rob" gets the reply "Ralph?" followed by "Bob" then finally "Rob". Reverting to Robert would save me trouble, but then I'd have nothing to complain about.

I've come to appreciate the flexibility of my own name. Al for casual chattiness, and Alexander for formal, I'm-gonna-make-you-use-four-syllables-to-say-my-name-ness. And 'Alex' just for good measure.

Also, another vote for 'Wolf Blitzer' here.

Another classic name I've always loved, Red Adair, the guy who headed up the cleanup of the burning oil wells in Kuwait. Also good - Vicente Fox president of Mexico.

Johnny, nice call on the God Shamgod. The NBA alone could provide umpteen top-five name lists. Here's mine:

1. World B. Free: make lay-ups, not war.
2. Mookie Blaylock: a name so cool that Pearl Jam initially used it (and should have kept it) as their band name.
3. Moses Malone: it's no wonder that a dude named Moses was one of the most revered players to ever hit the hardwood.
4. Dee Brown: whether or not having the name 'Dee' was cool before the mid-court sneaker pump and no-look dunk is of no consequence.
5. Manute Bol: 91 inches of cool name.

In the cool/bad/sophmorically funny name category, we have Canada's favourite anabolic steroid policeman, Dick Pound; career .236 hitter, Rusty Kuntz and the brains behind 'Standing in the Shadows of Motown', Alan Slutsky.

My name has provided me with endless entertainment...

Me: "...Sure. It's Mike Mella"
Them: "...Miller?"
Me: "No, no...Mella...M-E-L-L-A."
Them: "Oh, Mella.............................................Any relation to Pat Mella?"

I'm reminded of a Simpsons episode where for some reason Homer had to change his name. I think one of his choices was "Handsome B. Wonderful." In the end, the judge picked his new name for him: "Max Power." Suddenly Homer was in the Springfield elite just because of that. His new best friend was Trent Steel..."He owns a company that makes computers...or...a computer that makes companies...you wouldn't understand."
Ah...There's a simpsons episode for every social commentary.

And Matt -- You forgot my personal favourite cool-named NBA alumnus: Spud Webb. ...How could I not like a guy the same height as me who could dunk.

OH DEAR GOD!! You've forgotten the most amazing name that has ever, or will ever, exist: Italian football superstar - Gianluca Pagliuca (john-loo-ka pal-ee-ooka). I could say it a million times and never get sick of hearing it! It's like a poem of a name.

Also Bob Loblaw, its like chewing on something.

I also feel compelled to mention my favourite baseball name: Butch Huskey, and hockey name: Lubos Bartecko.

The Nixon Administration has given us such gems as:
Spiro Agnew, Caspar Weinberger, G. Gordon Liddy and Zbigniew Brzenzki, not to mention that great middle name of Millhouse.

Best hockey name: Chuck Lefley (rhymes with "leftie")

Nah, the best hockey name was Zarley Zalapski. I also never tire of seeing Miro Satan's name in headlines.

For baseball name, Trot Nixon is a perfect baseball name. In the sophmoric category I love Atlanta pitcher Jung Bong's name.

Finally, FWIW, Ruben Sierra, isn't quite retired yet. He's still hanging on as a late inning bat off the bench for the Yankees.

not quite true about CBC. their top host in my opinion runs the <b>brave new waves</b> nighttime new music show. and as you surely know daniel, her name is - drumroll - patti smith.

No love for former NASCAR racer Dick Trickle?

hi, ya. im new on this website and i found out dat this website is da most CRAPEST!! this website is too BORRING!!!

Hey, don't forget former NBA player Alaa Abdelnaby

Post by Juli LaCaca

Former G-town star named Ruben boumtje boumtje

My name is Worthy Evans.

I can't imagine how a name thread got this long without someone mentioning Van Lingle Mungo.

"Van Lingle Mungo" - Gee, how silly of everyone to be so naive...

On another note, Austin Powers.

Speaking of sports names:

Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (KGB) (greenbay packers)

Napolean Kaufman (Oakland) French Arisocracy meets Jewish Lawyer, and he plays pro ball

Villami Maumau (played at Colorado) oom papa MauMau?

Tshimanga Biakabatuka (Carolina Panthers) there are some who call him Tim.

If you want to go the college basketball route: Zakee Wadood (East Tennessee State), Brett Blizzard (UNC-Wilmington), Guillaume Yango (Pacific), and Von Wafer (Florida State) all played in the NCAA tournament over the past three years. Von Wafer even made the Lakers.

God Shamgod will always be #1 on the list, though.

Me again...appropriately enough, God Shamgod played his college ball at (drum roll, please...) PROVIDENCE

Amusing discussion. Basketball is great for names, but don't forget hockey. There s Miroslav Satan, don't go into the corner with that guy, he even has a sinister looking goatee. There s also Jyrki Lumme, who the Zambonis wrote a song about. The verses describe what a hack defenceman he is then the chorus goes something like "it s a bad day for Lumme, what s wrong?" The Zambonis write all their songs about hockey though. They have some classics: Bob Marley and the Hartford Whalers, the referee's daughter, zamboni race in outer space, or the goalie is drunk.

God Shammgod is a classic. But what about Yinka Dare? First round pick in the 1994 draft went on to score 2.1 ppg, then die of a heart attack at 32 while making breakfast.

Velcrow Ripper

anyone mention Heathcliff Slocum yet?

Not that I think my name is great at all, but people tell me it is all the time. In fact, there are some people in my circles who never just call me by my first name, Johnnie, but <i>always</i> refer to me as, <i>"You know, <i><b>Johnnie Blackwell</b></i>, you may just be right about that."</i>