Naming contest for Portland, Maine’s new pro hockey team

The team name for the new Portland hockey franchise is…. UP TO YOU! Comcast Spectacor has announced that the hockey team that will start playing in Portland next year will have their name decided by a contest. Fans can submit suggestions for the name at PortlandMaineHockey.com, the team’s website, by Aug. 14. Five finalists will be announced Aug. 17, followed by a popular vote.

“The team name will not be Hockey McHockface or anything like that,” said Adam Goldberg, vice president of business operations for the ECHL franchise that’s scheduled to begin play at Cross Insurance Arena in October 2018. “We have some liberty in making sure the name is appropriate to the region and something we can take pride in.”

Chester: A strong fortress

According to Nameberry, the name “Chester” is of Latin origin and means “fortress”. A favorite boy’s name in the late 1800’s, “Chester” reached its peak in US popularity in 1920, when 0.336 of all male births were given this name. Since the early 20th century, “Chester” has progressively declined in frequency and popularity within the United States. Nevertheless, the list of modern men with the name Chester includes many popular artists. An excellent example is Chester Charles Bennington, the late frontman of the band Linkin Park.

Linkin Park, the band formerly known as Hybrid Theory

The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines a “hybrid” as the “offspring of two […] different varieties, species, or genera”; or “something heterogeneous in origin in composition”. It is this definition that fits the musical and philosophical origins of the band Linkin Park. Beloved by millions of fans for their transformative synthesis of rock, hip hop, metal, indie, grunge, genius, and light, their original name was “Hybrid Theory” (which became the name of their first LP). As the band’s bassist, Phoenix, revealed in an early interview: “Although the styles we’re mixing can be very different, we want the combination to feel natural—that is a big part of our band’s identity.” For nearly two decades, since the band released the album “Hybrid Theory”, to its 2017 release named “One More Light”, the band has remained true to its goal to bring artforms and people together.

About Names: McCartney is a rare talent, and a (historically) rare British Paul

Dr. Cleveland Evans writes about names for the Omaha World-Herald. In his July 18 column, he looks at the history of the name Paul.

The name Paul is the English form of Latin name Paulus or Paullus, meaning “small” or “humble.” St. Paul was an important leader of early Christianity. Despite Paul’s biblical significance, his name wasn’t popular in medieval Western Europe.

Paul had a minor uptick from 19th to 16th in the U.S. when Beatlemania crossed the Atlantic. For Americans, though, Paul wasn’t “fresh” enough for that to last, and it fell out of the top 50 names in 1991. McCartney is the most famous modern Paul, but there are scores of others. Paul Robeson (1898-1976), singer and political activist whose version of “Ol’ Man River” is still the most famous rendition of the song, kept the name known among African-Americans. Read on to find out more about Pauls in history!

 

“Southern Stars” name dropped from Australian women’s cricket team

Australia vs West Indies women’s cricket

Cricket Australia has adopted a naming convention that will see its men’s and women’s international teams referred to in the same manner. The two national outfits will be referred to in the same way — simply as the Australian women’s cricket team and the Australian men’s cricket team. The women’s Southern Stars moniker will remain in a colloquial capacity, but some questions by businesswoman Ann Sherry prompted the change. Australia’s women’s cricket captain Meg Lanning has praised Cricket Australia’s (CA) decision to drop Southern Stars as the official women’s team name. “I think it’s a big step towards gender equality and it’s great that Cricket Australia have recognized that,” she said.

Mumbai steps up removal of British names from railway stations

Indian authorities are moving to strip Mumbai’s railway stations of their British names, as leaders seek to purge the city of remnants of its colonial past. Critics say the name changes are a cynical ploy to appeal to the local Maratha community, which makes up the bulk of Shiv Sena’s support base, while historians lament any attempt to eradicate the city’s history. Elphinstone Road station – named after a British-era governor – officially became Prabhadevi station this week, after a local Hindu deity, and ministers say more changes are in the works. In addition to the Guardian article, this YouTube video from Lehren News provides good coverage.

When “milk” is milk – and when it’s not

Soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, flax milk, rice milk….what do all of these products have in common? Not one of them was, well, “milked” from a cow. For that reason, the dairy industry has said “enough is ENOUGH!” Plant-based products that use the name “milk” are, according to dairy industry leaders, deceiving consumers. If the Food and Drug Administration is anything to go by, they might well have a point. The FDA defines “milk” as a “lacteal secretion”. Sound yummy? Want to learn what all the naming uproar is about? This New York Times article examines the controversy.

 

A History Of Shocking and Controversial Beauty Product Names

From “Dusty Rose” and “Ruby Red” to “X-

Rated” and “Better than Sex”, over the past few years, the product names of women’s cosmetics have gone through revolutionary change. What used to be considered too risqué or offensive to sell has now become commonplace in the marketplace. While some have hailed these onomastic changes as liberating and fun, others have begun to wonder if product namers have gone too far. In this article at Bravo by Adele Chapin, a fascinating discussion of this controversy is offered. (Warning: autoplay video upon landing on the page)

The flip side of picking an English name

Chinese people commonly choose their own English names when they move overseas. It is to make names more pronounceable, but they know the real bonus is the chance to pick their own names, like picking a new identity. In this article in the China Daily, Cecily Liu looks at how Chinese people pick their English names, and what it means for identity – and why British people working in China might choose Chinese names.

Dottie Lux : “The real names crusader” for LGBT people on Facebook

Dottie Lux has made it her mission to help trans users and drag queens restore accounts that match their identity. Photograph: Camille Adams Photography

One of the most important and exciting parts of transitioning is announcing to the world your brand new name. Thanks to the work of generations of trans activists, this onomastic coming out has become easier and easier. However, there are still many important, painful, and unexpected stumbling blocks. In this Guardian article, what Facebook’s name policy has meant for some in the LGBT community is explored.

The company contends that it does not allow fake names in an effort to prevent bullying, harassment, scams and criminal behavior from anonymous accounts. Though Facebook insists that it has since improved its procedures, critics say the company’s name policy continues to pose challenges for trans people and other vulnerable users who don’t use legal names for safety and privacy reasons, including domestic violence survivors and drag queens.