Speaking of irritating affectations: can we smack people who run around typing "i" for "I"?

By the way, really like your elegant new digs.

I like leaving off the period that should rightly follow the one-letter abbreviation I use for my last name. It looks kinda European without the period, I think. Europeans are cool. Cool

Bono, at least early on, had a last name: Vox.

And what about bandmate The Edge? Do his friends call him "The"?

Actually, "Sade" is the name of the group. Sade Adu is the lead singer of the group, but "Sade" also consists of Paul S Denman, Andrew Hale, and Stuart Matthewman.

I forget where I saw it (one of their album's liner notes, possibly), uses the phrase "Sade are:" and then lists all four of them, so this is more than just pedantry on my part.

Bono's real name is Paul Hewson. His name comes from a childhood nickname -- apparently there was a hearing-aid shop in the neighborhood called Bono Vox. (Gosh I wonder if his pals were telling him something.) The Edge's real name is David Evans; apparently his bandmates just call him "Edge."

Sting's real name is Gordon Sumner. (Or was that Adam Ant's real name? I always get them mixed up.) I have a story I read in an old Creem magazine. Bono staggered over to Sting (they were doing some charity thing or big mega concert somewhere). He was drunk and so was Sting. Sting looked at Bono and slurred, "Oh, it's Bozo." Bono replied, "It's String, isn't it?"

Livin' in the Eighties, people.

Uh-oh, bustin' me, Tony. I often sign off with a lower-case s in print, because I like the symmetry of my name - susanna - all straight, no ups and downs. Not an ego thing, an asthetic issue, but probably no less a conceit, yes?

However, my signature is all about flourished capitals, including my middle initial, so does that redeem me from the sin of lower-case?

Can there be a dispensation for Japanese guys who hit over .350?

Sting is indeed Gordon Sumner, which imputes a vaguely-bad pun to the album Ten Summoner's Tales. I often imagine Trudie Styler - Mrs Sting - giving the guy a dope slap for something or other and saying "Geez, Gordo, get a grip."

Stuart Goddard is The Artist Currently Known As Adam Ant.

It seems the world is full of the AOL chatroom typers: "How R U? A/S/L? KWIM?" In truth, if anybody dares to contact me using those cursed forms of expression, I do not reply.
But I, like Susanna, use lower case on my name, but only on the web. In my handwriting, my "A" is huge.

Amen, brother!

I dunno. I've always figured that people have the right to be called what they want to be called. This is America, land of the self-made-man (or woman).

And what about Moon Unit Zappa? Is "Moon Unit" her first name? Or her first name "Moon", middle name "Unit"?

What's really confusing, though, are the Englishmen (and women) who have two last names. Now that's confusing.

The only handy reference for Ms Zappa is my copy of the "Valley Girl" single (Barking Pumpkin WS9-02972), which is credited to "Frank & Moon Zappa" on the picture sleeve. This would seem to suggest that Unit is her middle name, and that's about as far as I want to go with this, especially since only Frank is credited on the label. (Moon gets a co-composer credit.)

At least it isn't Dweezil.

Annessa, I've never heard of handwriting making somebody's A look huge. Usually it's a bad camera angle. ;)

Why is it every time I see/hear Bono now, all my brain will process is the sound-clip of Butthead saying, "Yes sir. That's my Boner."

In printers lingo, one of those weird symbols is called a "dingbat". Which is how I've always thought His Purpleness' name/symbol should be pronouced.

And what's this about Bono is Africa? I thought Cherilyn's ex had skiied himself into a tree.

You know Tony, after I posted that comment, I re-read it and KNEW that I'd worded it incorrectly. I was hoping that no one would catch it. Thanks for noticing. And my A's on camera look just fine, thankyouverymuch. ;)

What's even more confusing than Englishmen with two last names, are Englishmen with two last names that aren't pronounced anything like they're spelled.

Case in point: Cholomondeley Featherstone-Haugh, pronounced Chumley Fanshaw.

But better that than no last name at all.

Don't forget Raymond Luxury-Yacht (pronounced "Throatwobbler Mangrove.")

To balance annessa and susanna, I use caps in my name except in my signature.
I decided, half my life ago, that the caps just looked out of place.

In regards to Moon... I believe her first/given name is "Moon" , an Americanized version of Luna... Unit symbolizes that she is the first familial unit..aka oldest sibling.... and Zappa... well. But that is only second hand from the master's mouth. peace.

I see that this argument has been ignored for quite a while but I feel the need to respond. bell hooks does not ignore the rules of grammar just to be cute or because she's too lazy to push the shift key while typing. Instead, hooks is challenging the entire system currently in place, a system based on egoistic patriarchy. Therefore, she uses a name to honor her mother and grandmother and she leaves off the capital letters to show that her work is about the work and the goal rather than the individual behind it. So, I'm sorry to single-named "Woodlief" to rain on your parade but I think -- though you're more than welcome to share your opinion -- you're just wrong.