In my twenties, I actually worked in the same office as a Mike Hunt.

And that's exactly how he used to introduce himself.

He even used to answer the phone, "Hello, Mike Hunt"

I admired him immensely. Seriously.

It taught me to meet embarrassment, or even potential embarrassment, of any kind, head-on.

Great bloke, never forget him.

Houellebecq,

Isn't the snooker analogy more about the white ball going around and ethnically cleansing the table, or have I stumbled into the wrong thread?

Maybe they adapted it. I think the ethnic leansing was part of it, but I definitely remember the quote 'White man's fear of the potency of black balls'

Dunno if Houellie is serious or not, but here goes

I changed my surname when I married because I didn't like my family name particularly and there were always problems with spelling. After I divorced I couldn't decide what surname to use - my mother's? my father's?, grandparent's paternal side or maternal side? Too confusing, so I just stuck with my married name.

I remember a girlfriend of mine called Robyn who refused for years to marry her de facto, his surname: Hood.

She wouldn't hear of keeping her own surname and eventually she did become Mrs Robyn Hood.

In the past taking on the husband's surname was part being of chattel, but that doesn't apply to women any more. Therefore I agree with Foxy that its a personal choice.

OMG pericles! I have been laughing for ages about the name Mike Hunt!

I have changed my mind. We should all be able to choose our own name when we are old enough- rather than risk the above sort of name being given to us by our parents!

Lol, Suze.

Pericles, in another department at the university at which I last worked there was a guy named Michael Hunt. His boss was an ebullient professor who used to turn up at the Staff Club on occasions bellowing out "Has anybody seen Mike Hunt?", "Where's Mike Hunt?" etc etc.

Much mirth all round. Not sure what became of the poor guy.