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Scientists Name Beetle After Colbert

Researchers honor comedian on his birthday

(Newser) - Scientists who bestowed names of Bush administration officials on a trio of bugs have named a new Venezuelan beetle after Stephen Colbert, the Washington Times reports. "Last year, Stephen shamelessly asked the science community to name something cooler than a spider to honor him," said one of the...

German Court Says Nein to Long Last Names

Ruling upholds ban on "chain names" with more than one hyphen

(Newser) - Germany's highest court has upheld the country's ban on triple-barreled surnames, the BBC reports. The court ruled that limiting surnames to two did not violate freedom of expression laws. Frieda Thalheim and Hans-Peter Kunz-Hallstein—who have been married for 12 years but legally couldn't take their preferred last name, Thalheim-Kunz-Hallstein—...

NASA to Reveal Module's Name on Colbert Tomorrow

(Newser) - The name of the new life-support node for the International Space Station will be announced tomorrow night on The Colbert Report by a NASA astronaut, InformationWeek reports. At the host’s urging, Colbert fans stuffed online ballot boxes to name the unit, though NASA doesn’t have to comply. “...

Facebook Identity Cops Diss Real Yodas, Batmans

(Newser) - Facebook has a thing against funny names, particularly if they’re actually yours, the Washington Post reports. Caitlin Shaw, who wanted to add her maiden name, Batman, to her profile, endured weeks of back-and-forth emails, while Starkiller Unleashed sails through. Facebook says it scrutinizes the real applicants because they are...

'Rockefeller' Fights False Name Charges

Con man just gave cops name he'd used for 15 years: defense

(Newser) - The con man who went by “Clark Rockefeller” attempted today to dismiss charges he gave police a fake name when arrested last year, the Boston Globe reports. Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter told police arresting him for absconding with his 7-year-old daughter that he was Clark Rockefeller—as he had told...

Sticks, Stones Break Bones, But Odd Names May Jail You

Boys with uncommon monikers act out more

(Newser) - The more unusual a teenage boy’s name is, the more likely he is to run afoul of the law, a study finds. Irrespective of race, uncommon names like Ivan, Malcolm, and Alec—as opposed to Michael or David—more often belong to kids who act up, researchers say. It’...

Aging Boomers Want Hipper Label Than 'Grandpa'

Forever Young generation outgrows stereotypical grandparent tags

(Newser) - As baby boomers become grandparents, the generation that never wanted to get old is grappling with maturity. Many new grandparents are dodging the bullets of age by avoiding typical “Grandma,” “Grandpa,” and “Bubbe” labels, the Wall Street Journal reports. Preferring to retain her glamour, one...

Name This Species&mdash;for a Fee
 Name This Species—for a Fee 

Name This Species—for a Fee

Purdue auctions rights on newly discovered bats, turtles to raise research cash

(Newser) - Purdue University has some recently discovered bats and turtles to name, and you can be the one to do it—if you’re willing to pony up some cash, the Chicago Tribune reports. The university is auctioning off naming rights to a number of species, planning to use the money...

When Did Bombay Become Mumbai?

Locals have always called it that, but city made it official in 1995

(Newser) - The terrorist attacks last week saw Mumbai dominate headlines across the world. But when did Bombay become Mumbai? For locals it’s always been Mumbai, in honor of Mumbadevi, the city’s deity, writes Christopher Beam for Slate. But the city’s official name change happened in 1995, when the...

Unrelated Obamas Relish Connection

(Newser) - Ordinary citizens who share the last name Obama with the president-elect are seeing goodwill and unexpected perks lately, the Washington Post reports. They might not be able to score Inauguration tickets, but entrance to a swanky nightclub? No problem. Speeding ticket? Fixed. And it’s an exclusive club: The country...

Lisa Marie, Hubby Name Their Twins
Lisa Marie, Hubby Name Their Twins

Lisa Marie, Hubby Name Their Twins

Elvis' week-old grandkids get hip monikers

(Newser) - Lisa Marie Presley and husband Michael Lockwood revealed their twins' hip names today: Elvis' grandkids will be called Harper and Finley. Presley popped out the pair through a C-section last week—but in an age when celebs are hot for fertility treatments, Presley's double feature was all natural, Ok! ...

Kiwi Judge Chucks Kid's Crazy Name
Kiwi Judge Chucks Kid's Crazy Name

Kiwi Judge Chucks Kid's Crazy Name

'Tallulah Does The Hula From Hawaii' latest of many

(Newser) - A New Zealand judge has allowed 9-year-old Tallulah Does The Hula From Hawaii to change her name, the BBC reports. The judge said the bizarre name makes a fool of the girl—who prefers to be called "K"—and would pose a likely handicap later in life. He...

The Best Celeb Name Changes
 The Best Celeb Name Changes 

The Best Celeb Name Changes

Ones that don't roll off the tongue often get a makeover

(Newser) - What’s in a name? Apparently everything worth changing, reports Radar. Inspired by the list-heavy Cityfile, a wiki-style Facebook of sorts for notable New Yorkers (wondering which celebs are Bentley owners?), Radar created its own gossipy inventory: famous folks with changed names:
  • Natalie Portman, actor: Natalie Hershlag
  • Moby, musician: Richard
...

Monday's Child Is ... Sunday?
 Monday's Child Is ... Sunday? 

Monday's Child Is ... Sunday?

Celebrity baby name weirdness arms race escalates

(Newser) - Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's newborn daughter’s name, Sunday Rose, may be part cross-promotion, part payback, reports MSNBC. The couple decided on the name after Urban wrote a song, "Sunday," about his daughter-to-be—but a source says the name could also be a shot at Tom Cruise's...

In Aussie Outback, It's All in 'Skin' Name

Secondary tag tells others where you fit in a complicated kinship system

(Newser) - When she moved to the central Australian outback, Penny Bergen was ready for a drastically different life, but she didn’t know it would take a new name to stake her place in a tiny Aboriginal community. Reporting for Radio Free Netherlands, the journalist writes about her experience getting a...

100 Surnames for 1.3B People Causes Chinese Confusion

Surname shortage causes identity mixups, bureaucratic chaos

(Newser) - The Chinese call them liaobaixing, or "old 100 names," and they are so partial to those 100 traditional surnames, Radio Free Netherlands tells us, that over 90% of the country's population of 1.3 billion share them. The profusion of Wangs, Chen, Lis and Wus creates powerful feelings...

Angelina: Woman, Uninterrupted
 Angelina:
 Woman,
 Uninterrupted 
GLOSSIES

Angelina: Woman, Uninterrupted

Vanity Fair gets in touch with Jolie's feminine sides: actress, daughter, mom

(Newser) - The every mood and move of "Brangelina" results in frantic flashbulbs and screaming headlines, but when Rich Cohen sat down with Angelina Jolie for Vanity Fair, he found a complete woman whose life perhaps imitates her art. The "ultimate avatar of fantasies," her onscreen roles have reflected...

Emily, Jacob Top Baby Names—Again

Rankings barely change

(Newser) - New parents’ tastes haven’t changed much. Emily was the most popular girl’s name last year for the 12th year in a row, while Jacob topped the boys’ list for the ninth consecutive year, AP reports. Among the top 10 girls’ names, only one was new: Elizabeth, which knocked...

Run, Spot, Run: Max and Bella Now Top Dog Names

Pooches get kids' names now

(Newser) - Traditional dog names like Spot and Buster have been abandoned for human names such as Max and Lucy, according to a survey of most popular pet names. The list was compiled by a pet health insurance company from the names of dogs in its database, reports USA Today. Max, Buddy,...

New Real Name for Hannah Montana

Teen superstar changes her Destiny

(Newser) - Two names is enough for Miley Ray Cyrus, also known as Hannah Montana, E! Online reports. The teen superstar has filed to have her name legally changed from Destiny Hope Cyrus to Miley Ray Cyrus—the name her legions of fans know her by and the name her family has...

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