What's in a name?

A lot, Dumby!

Names allow you to form an identity through language, which has had a interesting role in the way humans think.  It was even argued, and still is, that humans did not perform complex thought before they were able to speak language.  I disagree with this because without complex thought, how could language have developed at all?  Anyway, this form of identification is why nick names are so often used - if one's given name does not suite one in all situations, it is important to have a call sign that does.  Having a connection with your own name tells who you are as a person.  But equally important, it is a way of identification as separate from other people.  It is a way to express that other people's horrible negative traits are different than your awesome negative traits.

Madeleine.  This is who I am.  I am a Tower of Strength.

Needless to say, then, when you call someone by the wrong name, you're a jerk and an idiot.  There are, of course, some instances when this is acceptable.  The just having met period, and in this instance it's even kind of tricky.  You only are allocated, like, 3 times of messing up or not remembering before, I'm sorry, but you become a jerk and stupid-idiot.  Ok, so you don't remember names well.  Figure out a mnemonic device and get better at it!  Seriously.

There are also certain people that you can mess up with where it's alright pretty much whenever.  Close friends, calling them a sibling or another close friend's name is totally fine.  Especially when you were just talking to or about that other person.  Family: it's almost expected they don't get the right name on the first try.  My name growing up, according to my mom, was "Gwen...Meggie...Jon...Ben...the dog... Madeleine!!"  And the same went for the rest of us.  It's the way it is.

HOWEVER!  There is one instance that you should go out of your way to never use the wrong name: when you are talking to the person you're sleeping with/seeing/dating/relationshiping/whatevering.  This is a never do it situation, alright?  I mean, this is offensive on so many levels... I'm not even sure how to express it.  Like... "You're in my bed, and you called me the wrong name?"  "Did you just call me "Dad"?  That is weird and you're walking home."  I promise, the person you're sleeping with/seeing/dating/relationshiping/whatevering won't like it, jerk.  Stupid, stupid, stupid-idiot.

For your health.