What's in a name?
Sir, No doubt your offices have already been bombarded by telephone calls and letters from members of the Hohenstocknitz, Brimblecombe and such clans. May 1 as someone bearing the surname Duthie register my sur prise at the casual and apparently thoughtless way in which Benny Green in his contribution (What's in a name? April 7) has written off my handle as ' bizarre '? Moreover I put forward for consideration the suggestion that to adjust the name James to Jimsy is no more quaint than for Mrs Green's boy to allow his forename to be familiarised from Benjamin to Benny.
But more sinister, of the names selected by Master Green for special mention under the ' bizarre ' label the majority seem to carry a Germanic or Scottish flavour (see his particular attention to Sir Walter Scott). If I can encourage your scribe to continue his attacks, say once every month for the next twelve, at the end, all those of us bearing names singled out for 'Green treatment ' could organise ourselves into a . . . persecuted minority group. Our plight would be attended to by pious do-gooders — certain sections of the press would be certain to take up our case — T.V. chat-shows would carry the banner on our behalf — the possibilities (and profits) seem potentially enormous.
Frankly it has been increasingly obvious to me for some time that the big drawback to any grand design that I had was that, not being a member of a minority group, no one and no organisation was prepared to make allowances for me — I have never had a socioligical/political/racial excuse for behaving unreasonably. But with a little effort on Mr Green's part he can make it possible for me and others with Scottish or German names of a bizarre timbre.
Confident that my earnest plea will be heeded I am off now for my whining lessons. As for Mr Green — hit me again! John Duthie 19 Glenmere Avenue, London NW7
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