Thursday, August 02, 2007

I'm jealous

of people whose last name is "Godfrey".

It just occurred to me today that that's a common name and that it's perfectly ordinary to be named "God-free." Why them and not me???

;^)

15 comments:

Paul Sunstone said...

I'm told a common enough Hindu name, Krishnamurti, means "death of god".

C. L. Hanson said...

Hey Paul!!!

Okay, I'm jealous of those guys too, then. But since I see violent solutions and revenge as a character flaw, I'm not quite as jealous of them as I am of those who are merely God-free... :D

Anonymous said...

If you change your name, make it Deityfree, as you might be god free, but some people worship the goddess. You might want to hedge your bets.

Mavis

woundedhart said...

Would it burst your bubble to tell you that it comes from Gottfried, which means "peace of God," rather than absent of God? And actually, free comes from the same root as friend, and it means love. When you're free, you're with those you love, not in slavery to those you don't love.

C. L. Hanson said...

Hey Mavis!!!

That's a good point!!! Yet somehow it doesn't roll off the tongue in quite the same way...

Hey Woundedhart!!!

Nah, that doesn't burst my bubble -- I assumed that the etymology was something positive about God. I still think it's a cool name... ;^)

Just One of Many said...

Why does everyone here in Texas ask "Do you have a church home?" when they first meet you! GAG! I say, I worship Saint Seely Posturpedic every Sunday and follow with a quick dunk in the pool!
I guess I am the local atheist, witch, bitch of the community!!

Paul Sunstone said...

That's something I don't understand about Texas, Just One. Why would anyone think it was any of their business whether you had "church home" or not? Why are they asking?

woundedhart said...

Hey Godfrey, I mean c. l.

Thanks for the link. I don't know how you feel about being accused of thoughtfulness, but surely you noticed I don't have much up yet that's worthy of remark.

So the only problem with Godfrey is that it is just a little too butlerish. Which is not necessarily good, unless you look up the etymology of butler, which is "cup-bearer," or "chief server in charge of wine." You know, like bottle-er.

C. L. Hanson said...

Hey JOOM!!!

I'm with Paul -- what is with these nosy people?? Your response is more polite than they deserve, but hopefully they'll learn something from it...

Hey Woundedhart!!!

It looks like you're off to a good start. I have been terrible lately about keeping my sidebar up-to-date (here and at MSP), but I'm a bit quicker at noticing new LDS-interest blogs if they comment here. My goal for the month of August is to get my blogroll back on track.

True, Godfrey does sound a bit like a butler name. I still think it's cool anyway. Of course I'm not really going to change my name. I'm just kidding... ;^)

Unknown said...

The name Godfrey shows up throughout my ancestor's names on my father's side. He was Frederick Godfrey Tozer, and his middle name was from his grandparent's line on his mother's side. They were from London, England.

I'm glad it means "peace of God." The absence version wasn't quite as nice.

C. L. Hanson said...

Hey Anne!!!

Well, I find the absence version fairly pleasant myself ;^) but since it's a family name for you, it's good that you like the real etymology. :D

Anonymous said...

If I were in Texas and someone asked me if I had a 'church home,' I wouldn't even know what that meant...? I assume the question is aimed at finding out whether you attend a church or not? Is it short/slang for a church [at] home?

Texas is weird.

Hey, know what's funny? The old man who did my patriarchal blessing (oxymoron) was named Godfrey. *Snicker*

C. L. Hanson said...

Hey Wry!!!

I was actually kind of wondering about that too since I don't speak Texan....

The Exterminator said...

Well, you could always change the name of your blog to "Letters from a Godfrey" or "Godfreys from a Broad" or even "God-freeze from a God-free Godfrey."

My favorite use of the name Godfrey is in W.C. Field's euphemism for goddamn: Godfrey Daniel!

C. L. Hanson said...

Hey Exterminator!!!

Now that you put it in those terms, I think I'll just stick with "Letters from a Broad..." ;^) Though I like the W.C. Fields line... :D