After the cake has been cut and the presents opened, many modern newlyweds decide to follow the tradition of taking their spouse’s name. While the decision to alter one’s last name can be bitter-sweet emotionally, the logistics involved in making the onomastic switch can lead many to despair. To help out newlyweds out, the website NameChangeLaw.com has assembled useful information state-by-state.

Coronation Street and Notting Hill, Number 10 Downing Street and Strawberry Fields, the place names of England are famous for their charm. But not all English toponyms are positively regal. In fact, some are just the opposite. Find out more about some of what the BBC has labelled “England’s rudest street names.”

Ever wanted to know more about the names of England’s cities, towns, and villages? The Institute for Names Studies at the University of Nottingham has made available a newly updated website providing information on the history and meaning of over 10,000 place names in England.

Dr. Cleveland Evans writes about names for the Omaha World-Herald. This week’s column explores Cinderella.

From Sligo, Pennsylvania to Limerick, Kentucky, the topography of the United States is filled with onomastic markers of its rich Irish heritage. Interested in learning more about Irish place names in the US? IrishCentral.com offers readers a fascinating look at this important part of American onomastic history.

Want to test your knowledge of eponyms? Which of the following words were NOT based on the names of real-life people?

1. pompadour
2. dynamo
3. sandwich
4. mesmerize
5. gerrymander
6. trumpet

Ready? The answers are 2 and 6.

Raking in ca 14 billion dollars per year, the US porn industry is very big business. With all that cash around, it’s no wonder that the industry continues to attract would-be stars. To help these onscreen hopefuls, the internet is filled with specialized name generators.

Although some may scoff, as porn legend Annie Sprinkle revealed in an interview with Alternet, landing the perfect porn name is critical: “My name helped me to totally change who I was […] and become who I wanted to be.”

Despite these unusual psychological and economic demands, Stanford Linguistics Professor Arnold Zwicky contends that most porn names are actually quite regular. For example, his examination of over two thousand porn star names revealed that the most common first name for erotic actors was… Mark.

Dr. Cleveland Evans writes about names for the Omaha World-Herald. This week’s column explores Ronald.

For many years now, the New Zealand government has made a concerted effort to replace long-outdated, highly offensive place names. Thanks to this effort, toponyms such as “Nigger Hill” and “Niggerhead” were changed into “Kanuka Hills” and “Tawhai Hill,” respectively. More on this government’s movement to replace place names featuring the N-word and other epithets can be found through Creative Spirits.

What do the names SoyJoy, Lytro, Kixx, Scribe, Spontania, and Yum! all have in common? They are all the brainchild of naming guru, Anthony Shore.

Read this New York Times Magazine article about the legendary man behind these brand names as well as the other companies that participate in this quirky (and lucrative!!) world of product naming.