Thread: What's in a name?

Name chatter again! I'm sure there is a thread similar to this already but as I couldn't find it I've started a new one - Dashy, if you happen to know where it is....

What does your performing name mean to you?
How did you choose it? Did it go through changes?
Has it been a curse/blessing/both?
Any funny misunderstandings or mispronunciations?
Does it reveal your own personality at all? Or are you mysterious?

I chose the name 'Kittie Klaw' quite deliberately because it made sense to me:

Kittie - is similar to my given name, Kirsty, I like cats and it apparently suits me (I went with the unusual 'ie' like 'Bettie Page' for the sake of being a different 'Kitty')

Klaw - I liked the pun and the alliteration it gave to 'Kittie'.

I also like that it is a little nodding tribute to Irving Klaw (the wayward photographer who took the iconic naughty pics of Bettie Page and landed amidst an FBI scandal).

But I have had people over-interpret it and suggest I must 'have claws' etc. I can see why they draw that conclusion from the pun, but annoyingly, it didn't occur to me that anyone would attempt to psychoanalyse or put a meaning on to it, when I was merely tittering to myself and settling on it's whimsical quality.

What strikes me as interesting here is that it's the connotation of 'claw' rather than the 'kitty' that is seized upon for interpretation.

Anyone else had an odd/unexpected experience ?

WARNING

Warning: This is an Old Thread This discussion is older than 60 days. information contained in it may no longer be current

The most recent thread was this one Kittie : http://www.ministryofburlesque.com/b...user-name.html

But it only asked about the significance of people's name choices (although some also discussed how it affected their performing )

I've explained there and in previous threads the many sources of my name, so I won't bore everyone again. But to answer your other questions:

What does your performing name mean to you?
Everything - Tempest is my saviour, my champion, my rock. She is the only way that I manage to make it out of the front door back into the real world. As myself I am still trapped, but Tempest gives me life....and once I am out, most people can see that she slowly merges with me as evenings go on....but she never totally leaves me to my own devices. From playing around with lots of names to find the right one, the first time I put Tempest and Devyne together I knew instinctively that she was me...I know it sound weird, but it was sort of like love at first sight. At first I chose the name to ultimately perform with, but more recently I've started using it for some of my writing, story boarding and photos.

Has it been a curse/blessing/both?
An absolute blessing - other than finding my wonderful husband, finding Tempest has been the most wonderful thing that has ever happened in my life. She's even made her way into my medical records because my mental health worker thinks she's had such a profound affect on my recovery.

Any funny misunderstandings or mispronunciations?
Loads of people spell it Devine and even more so Divine, and thought the spelling of Devyne does has special significance for me, I'm not precious if people spell it incorrectly - the important thing is they remember my name, and of all the names I've used in various careers, it does seem to be the most remembered except for my real name.

Does it reveal your own personality at all? Or are you mysterious?
Yes, but this is all described in previous threads.

I used to perform burlesque as Carrington!

I did stand-up as Warren Speed .

And I once did fetish as Rubber Johnny.

It was all getting too confusing so now I just use my real name for everything I do ...

x

This is an odd one for me as Diva was born in my early 20's and was my name for all my wild and wonderful performance art. Diva for me represented a strong and confidant woman that got her own way, was wild, challenging, sexy and not scared of anything or anyone. Diva got me into a lot of trouble back then as I was not old enough to carry her off. In 2004 she knocked on my door and I am glad I let her back into my life. I love being Diva and I feel I have grown into Diva and she has given me the courage to live.
My name is incredible important to me as its not just a name its something I live up to and am proud to be.
I hope this makes some sense and I don't just come across mad.
Some people find it really hard to call me Diva and get annoyed when i will not tell them my real name but I think that is up to me. What does make me laugh is if someone in a dressing room is complaining about a performer or a promoter and say 'Oh god she thinks she is a right Diva' then looks over to me and they normally apologies as they feel they have taken my name in vain lol Its great its like being called God or Buddha.
It is a hard name to live up to but god it makes you live.
Love
Diva x

What does your performing name mean to you?
Hmm. It means quite literally that i can be a right 'Lady Jayne' and that i like lollypops.







How did you choose it? Did it go through changes?
Nope! its always been that! Candy reminds me of my aunty bringing me back sweets from arizona, and Jayne.. Well i used to get lady jayne for being stroppy. Although one of my favorite Aunty's names is Jayne too.

Has it been a curse/blessing/both?
Both really. Although i wish people wouldnt assume my name was jayne.

Any funny misunderstandings or mispronunciations?
No, but people often spell it wrong.

Does it reveal your own personality at all? Or are you mysterious?
It does to a certain extent, the more fun loving, stroppy me. I do however have the capacity to think and be quite deep. sometimes too much so.


i thought this was a nice post to say hi again lol!:hug:

hello!:wave:

I'm never surprised when people misspell 'Leyla'. I get 'Layla' ( like the Eric Clapton song) and 'Leila'. I don't mind because both are more common than the one I've chosen. 'Leyla' was the spelling on the Farid El Atrache cd that contained my Seven Veils track which is simply entitled 'Leyla'.

'Leyla' was given to me by an Arabic singer who used to sing at he place where I was working as a bellydancer on the Edgeware Road in my early twenties. I was in negotiations for a contract in the middle east and they'd asked me to pick an Arabic stage name.
I was toying with all sorts of names I'd researched and nothing fit. He suggested Leyla as it was a reference to the Arabic Venus (according to him - he kinda liked me) and I said OK.
I only really researched it a few years later after another Middle Eastern friend told me she thought it was perfect. I found out that as well as being the goddess of erotic love it also means 'beauty of the night'. So sex, darkness, moons, stars, drama, sensuality, mystery, femininity: I thought 'RAAAWK!'

Rose was added for a million reasons - none of which is particularly compelling. It was partly because Leyla was so un- burlesque and so the cliche of Rose balanced it. Roses are luxurious and romantic, and a bit rock n roll because they have thorns and rock bands seem to like them as motifs. Plus Johnny Depp has a daughter called Lily Rose and I love that. I just didn't want to be a Lily because there are better ones than me. I'm a rare kind of woman - I don't fancy Johnny Depp. But I sort of want to be him, and so I thought that if my stage name sounded like his daughter's it would always link me to him in my mind. Though not in his - I'm not crazy.

It has been a blessing because it's a little different - the only trouble can come with pronunciation in some countries. They can't say it in Scandinavia. I get called 'Leya'. But the way the Italians say it makes me melt. 'Leeeyla'. And when they announce me onstage they roll the 'r' in Rose.

What does your performing name mean to you?
well, i dont currently have a performers name ops:, as i'm kinda new to the whole burlesque scene but, if i did it would have to be baroness von nievity, as thought up by my boyfriend as a joke.

Maybe you could help me think of one, or even a more appropriate/ fitting name. :help:
How did you choose it? Did it go through changes?


Has it been a curse/blessing/both?
N/A at the moment

Any funny misunderstandings or mispronunciations?
N/A at the moment

Does it reveal your own personality at all? Or are you mysterious?
I would like to say that it leaves an air of mystery however, the fact that i'm new and nieve about burlesque as a whole tends to ring true. ops:

Originally Posted by DivaHollywood

I love being Diva and I feel I have grown into Diva and she has given me the courage to live.
My name is incredible important to me as its not just a name its something I live up to and am proud to be.
I hope this makes some sense and I don't just come across mad.

Nope, I totally understand and can identify with what you're saying here.....especially about the name giving us the courage to live........mind you, I am mad

This is something I've been meaning to sort out for ages but have not got round to it - I was singing just last night at the launch of a new Burlesque bar and they introduced me as "Annie" but it felt so wrong!!!! I need a name - someone help me!!!!!!!!