Sunday, December 12, 2010

Would you name your child Lenin?

I was reading a similarly titled thread on one of the baby forums, and stumbled on this reply:

"No, I wouldn't. It immediately  makes me think of bed sheets and then I move to thinking about the Beatles. That said, it's not the WORST name I've ever come across and there are far worse associations than bed sheets. :)."

I wasn't sure whether to cry or laugh. I laughed. But it made me a little bit sad too. Even horrific things are easily forgotten, especially in the far away lands.

Now Lenin makes me think of bed bugs, not linens. Word associations can bring up funny ideas.

Other than the bloody dictatorship, what does the name Lenin makes you think of?

4 comments:

  1. It makes me think about my new novel "Mister Lenin."

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  2. It makes me think that if you are going to be a bloody dictator it helps your legacy if you are followed by an even bloodier dictator, because then people will look back and say "it really wasn't so bad under good old Vladimir."

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  3. The whole topic makes me think of the trivialization of history. In a restaurant a waiter whispered to us "Mr Trudeau the former PM is in the next booth". I said, I don't think so. Went to look. It was Jean Chretien!

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  4. Thank you for reading and commenting!

    Mark: let's hope many will have the same association soon ;-)

    Len: :-)

    Katherine: Oh my goodness, was it in Canada? Pierre Trudeau is The Prime Minister in the memories of many, I guess? Even if he looks nothing like Chretien!

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