Names and things that need them

[sessifet]

This place needs a name. It is currently The House Formerly Known As The Boys' House, which is a bit of a mouthful. I kind of call it THFKATBH, but I worry I'll eventually first sprain my tongue and then accidentally summon Cthulhu, which would put a crimp on the general proceedings of life. Aside from that small matter, officially calling it THFKATBH then logically leads to a house called Squiggle, because I'm nothing if not persistent in following stupid pop culture references to the bitter end.

House Atreides was suggested by a friend of ours after I mentioned earth worms the size of Shai-Hulud in my small garden. azekeil rejected this excellent suggestion. Weirdo. (We're totally not going to name this place Dune or Arrakis. I believe there is such a thing as tempting fate.)

'tHuis is tempting, but will probably get me groaned at by my Dutch friends and stared at in bewilderment by everyone else.

Anchorhold is incredibly satisfying to me as a concept and a name, but not a name for a house. It is, in fact, the name of my garden.

Of course, there's the old favourite: The Fucking Zoo or How Is This My Goddamned Life for when Loki drops yet another frog in the kitchen,

'scuse me while I go deal with that.

Comments

[flexor.livejournal.com]

Huisje Weltevree? *innocent look*

[cat63.livejournal.com]

The house I lived in as a child was called "Yer Tis", which in my mother's Somerset accent, equates to "here It Is". It was in South London, so nobody understood it :) Which is probably not much help really, especially with the frog situation.

[serena-lesley.livejournal.com]

Yay, frogs!

I don't get it. Why do houses/vehicles/inanimate objects need names? It was 'the boys' house' before due to a refusal to actually name it, therefore the 'name' is purely a descriptive term. Names for inanimate objects, unless they happen accidently (as a descriptive term, such as in the case of 'the tank' for Alex's Lexus) are surely not necessary? I mean, if you were to talk to someone about 'Anchorhold' you'd have to tell them it was the name of your garden anyway so 'my garden' etc is sufficient..?

[hobnobs.livejournal.com]

>I don't get it. Why do houses/vehicles/inanimate objects need names?

I think it's about an identity, rather than as identification for other people. For me personally, something that is named becomes more than "a thing" and instead gets a much closer attachment. My motorbikes have all had names, for example, and are though of very fondly rather than just as pieces of machinery. (Comparitively; I have a small collection of soft toys that I've accumulated/been given over time. All of them are dear to me, but the ones that are most dearest are those with names.

[sessifet25.livejournal.com]

It's the first time I've encountered a house that needed a name. If I knew why it wants one and why it's different from others before, finding one wouldn't stump me. :)

And naming things, to me, is not primarily about talking to other people (it's certainly the first time I've mentioned my garden has a name), but more of a personal label. I may end up talking about it (like when comparing geek device naming schemes), but ultimately it's for my own personal satisfaction. Does that make any sense? :)

[serena-lesley.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. I'm so glad that mine has never needed a name, it's just 'Serena's house'. I recently asked Mat about the one guaranteed parking space, for when he moves in. He says it'll always be mine by default. Because it's always been mine, it's my house, after all...

[the-hatstand.livejournal.com]

How does Hope Springs sound as the name of a house?

I thought, what goes with a garden called Anchorhold? And Anchor made me think of Hope & Anchor, which seems a fitting combination (and was also the name of the pub where I played my first gig with X-sTatiC, but that's by the by). And Hope inevitably lead me to Hope springs eternal.

[sarah-mum.livejournal.com]

The Karal?

[dmwcarol.livejournal.com]

Probably not helpful at all, but a friend used to call their house "the good ship airfreshner"

[easternpromise.livejournal.com]

I've always known it as THWNN - the house with no name.

[arkarian-kamui.livejournal.com]

Windhaven? (Ok, I've read too much books by George RR Martin, but the name has something for me)

[celticwitch-0.livejournal.com]

How about 'Our House' (cue madness song) until you actually figure out another name for it..

Mine was nicknamed the 'safe house', until certain people pointed out the living room looked like the Tardis.. hence renaming it to that.

[sierra-le-oli.livejournal.com]

I love the name Anchorhold.

[granny-amber.livejournal.com]

I currently call it "The bo......Alex and Karen's house". Eventually my memory will start calling it 'Alex and Karen's house' without having to think about it :-)

[xidia.livejournal.com]

HAK - House of Alex & Karen ?