Ri Ver

RiVer - my name, changed legally some years ago, blows the mind of lots of computer systems cos it has no surname and no Mr/Ms/etc.

I just checked my birth certificate, and I don't have a title either, unlike (say) MrAristotle. Or is it more the case you are referring to peerage titles? Surely they aren't that common in bonnie England?

Probably nobody has a title on their birth certificate (but I haven't actually checked the Queen's to make sure). And the two kinds of titles are from the same series, Mister being the lowest male title in England since the abolition of serfdom and slavery.

Why not use Mr/Ms/Miss/Mrs? Precisely because of their place in the power structure. The early Quakers (in England, and the founders of Pennsylvania) therefore refused to use titles altogether. Incidentally, this is fully accepted in English law (and, I think, US law), but not by the people creating computer systems that apply the law.

Even wiki can cope only by splitting it into two words (and notice that it complains at the words Ri and Ver).

In any case, the better spelling is River~~ (the twiddly bits representing how the name looks in British Sign Language - at the time I chose the name I had a couple of Deaf friends and was quite into BSL. Regrettably, I've lost most of it again since...).

I am relatively new to wiki, having discovered this site in October 2001. Biggest culture shock so far on wiki was discovering the following question on 'my' page. Nothing wrong with the question, it just brought home the everything-is-editable philosophy. After a day or so, I realize I actually quite like the interaction.

LeftHanded

[Are you British?]

Yes, live in Manchester, England.

My friend III tells me that computers rarely have trouble with his name, even at the department of motor vehicles. (*) On the other hand, people always require an explanation. He is use to booking reservations by saying, "My name is capital I, capital I, capital I, and my friends call me Three."

I wonder if anyone has tested the null case by changing their name to no name at all? That would one-up Prince, no?

I doubt this would work (for long, at least); it is in the nature of humans to name the things around them, if not provided with a name. The nameless person would quickly acquire many names, none of which he would acknowledge. Consider the chaos in meetings, or interactions with demands for "name, rank, and number". Also consider the bad jokes about "HeWhoMustNotBeNamed". I tend to think it presumptuous to elevate oneself to the level of ultimate evil (or good, if you're from one of the religions where the holy divinity must not be named, too). -- AlexPopiel

Just another thought in regards to Prince. It took five minutes for his name to become The Artist Formerly Known as Prince.

(*) Interestingly, the only British Government agency whose computers can cope with my name is the Driver & Vehicle Licencing Centre.

Are you related to Simon, who used to work at the University of Exeter and had similar ideas on names that you have? BobWaller?

No, not related and as far as I know I don't think I know him.

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