sLast week, I learned the first name of an anonymous blogger (AB). I later told AB that his/her government name came as a surprise to me because all the [insert AB's government name here] were all quiet and a little weird. AB definitely is not quiet and not too weird.
The exchange got me thinking about names and how names fit. A few days later, I had a conversation with some fellow bloggers (hi Laura and Diego) about the name Oscar. And this brings me to the question of the week.
This really is a QOTW considering I’ve been asking pretty much everyone I come across, including the kid taking tickets on Christmas Day at the movie theater. Laura was the only person to respond in a way that didn’t fit my hypothesis.
La Pregunta: Have you ever met a white* man (or boy) named Oscar?
*By white I don’t mean European. I mean white American.
I’m thinking of naming my car Oscar. But with a K. Oskar. It’s a metro black car. Take it how you want to.
Can’t say I’ve met any white guys named Oscar, but I’ve never met any Mexican women named Refugia either and I know they exist.
Famous white/Jewish Americans named Oscar:
Composer/actor Oscar Levant.
Lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II.
Oscar Meyer.
There’s Oscar the Grouch, but he’s green.
And Oski(http://socs.berkeley.edu/~olney/handouts/oski-trads.jpg). Go Bears!
Fictional, but how about Oscar from “The Odd Couple”?
My grandmother was Maria del Refugio, aka Cuca. Don’t know of any Refugias. As for Oscar, the Academy Awards statuette is called Oscar because a former Academy executive director thought it resembled her uncle. She and the staff starting calling it by that name. Since her name was Margaret Herrick, I figure her uncle was probably not Latino. (Another story was that Bette Davis said it looked like her husband when she received the award, but she was never married to an Oscar. I still like that story better.)
http://www.oscars.org/aboutacademyawards/awards/index.html
Tia Maria de Refulgio = Tia Mary or aka Tia Cuca. Now how do they get Cuca out of Refugio? Oscar…. the ones I know are all brown.
wait… we know one, my husband and I. He is this older hippie guy that married a Chilean and speaks fluent Spanish. He’s very organic and knows about every ediable plant in so. Cal. Oscar the overall wearing, no shirt under, flip flops on his feet… Oscar. he just published a book Flora of the Santa Ana River and Environs. He’s an original. He is not dry like toast, that’s for sure.
I do remember one white guy named Oscar from elementary school…I wonder what happened to him.
I must say that my taken name has made many around me keep a sharper eye on their tortas (mostly the jamon ones, which I really don’t want) and that my given name had a big influence on me during my formative years. The anglo teachers inability to pronounce it, and it’s overall Mexican-ness made me anglicize it for a few years, but I eventually went back to it when I stopped fearing the perception of being different. I know that my name did make me more introspective, so when/if I have kids I’m gonna give them the most backwards Mexican names I can find, Refugio/a, Florentino/a, Facundo/a, Tiburcio, Maclovia, something messed up like that. They’ll thank me…eventually.
All the Oscars I know are not white.
My dad’s name is Casimiro. I don’t know what my grandma was thinking. But then again, she did have 22 kids, so she musta run out of ideas by that time. Some other great ones in my fam include Luterio and Josefina.
I never knew a white cat named Oscar. But I did have a great grandmother named Refugia. Grandma Cuca in the house. My grandfather’s name was Macario…we called him Tata Maca. I’d like to see your average white man pull that one off.
For all the people with abuelas and tías named Refugia, and thus nicknamed Cuca, have you seen this?:
This is so random Cindy Lu. Now you have me thinking if I’ve ever met anyone else that has my name and is a American White Oscar. I actually haven’t now that I think about it. Most of the Oscars I’ve met are Raza or African-American. Weird….
Obviously, we need to find two white people, have them procreate, and name the thing Oscar. I might be willing to make the sacrifice.
Hi.. I’m visiting from Bonita in Pink’s blog =) I just laughed my butt of with this entry.. mosly by the funny comments. I thought I would comment too. Being mexican myself…no I have never met a white Oscar. Now it got me thinking HOW did they get Cuca from Refugio/a? My 2 year old says cuca to “musica” since he can pronouce it…lol
BTW, I love your blog. I may come visit more often.