View Message

Well I'm certain that I've had friends who didn't know of people like Cary Grant and Ava Gardner. Most people I know have only seen a handful of old movies. Of course almost all my friends are men. I have a few female friends would probably would know of them. Maybe some of my male friends would hear those names and think "That sounds kind of familiar..." But I doubt many of them would actually know who they are. I'm certain they would know of Judy Garland and Marilyn Monroe. Judy Garland because most children watch The Wizard of Oz. Marilyn Monroe they would know because it is a much more common house hold name. Every Halloween you see ads for Marilyn Monroe costumes and she is a popular sexual icon.

---

You made me curious if I was right that my friends wouldn't know who Cary Grant and Ava Gardner were. I just asked my partner if he knew who they were and he told me no. He only watches a handful of old movies since his parents never watch old movies. Most of my friends have parents closer in age to his parents than to mine. My parents love to watch old movies but that's because those old movies weren't that old when they were young. I've seen so many old movies that I'm familiar with those names. I think you'd find a lot of people these days who have know idea who Cary Grant and Ava Gardner are.

---

I guess that being Marilyn Monroe or Judy Garland or named after someone very well known could be hard. Some people might not take you seriously. But I feel like you can just explain that this really is your name and it is not a joke and that your parents named you after that person on purpose. I think most people will believe you.

---

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This message was edited 5/15/2012, 3:45 PM