Barney & Clyde by Gene Weingarten; Dan Weingarten & David Clark for June 10, 2012

Ah, but sometimes matronymic naming is used in Iceland.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_name

In some societies, children belong to the mother’s line (and family name), because while paternity might be questioned, it’s always clear who a child’s mother was.

If “Mc” or “Mac” means “son of” in Gaelic, what does “O’” mean?

And during a Jewish religious service, when requesting a blessing for anyone who is sick, the ill person is named “So-and-so, child of his MOTHER.”

So, not TOTALLY fair. yes

@runar: I’ve noticed that many Irish surnames often begin with “Mc.”

Actually, the “fitz” signified “son of” for those born without benefit of parental matrimony . . . such as “fitzroy”

equally unfunny, but related, is the topic of equal pay for women ……surely THAT wouldn’t be voted against by anybody with any sense….surely

“Prepare to die by the sword of EGG, Son of Muffin!”

In Iceland, it was possible to adopt family names until 1925, when that became illegal unless you inherited your name or were of foreign origin. Furthermore, personal names that are new to Iceland are subject to approval by an official committee that has jurisdiction over naming. A new name must not use letters that are not in the Icelandic alphabet and they must be grammatically compatible with the Icelandic Language. If you seek Icelandic citizenship, you must either have a compatible name, translate your name to its Icelandic equivalent or simply adopt a new one.The patronymic/matronymic names are only used to distinguish people with the same personal name; in practice, every Icelander is on a first name basis with every other Icelander. I lived there for a summer, and the other names on the doorbells in my apartment building were single personal names.

@ELDO: I hope you see this tomorrow if you don’t log on today: “Gonzalez” is the patronymic gor “Gonzalo.”