No, I’ve Never Won The Daytona 500.

These are the most common questions in response to my last name, Waldrop.

10. Are you related to that racecar driver?

9. Could you spell that?

8. So is it “trip” or “dorp”?

7. Are you related to that car dealer who used to be a racecar driver?

6. Is that Belgian or something?

5. Did you just say ‘D as in Deiter’?

4. Are you related to that 19th century German opera composer?

3. Do you know anyone else with that name?

2. Are you related to that racecar driver’s son?

1. Could you spell that again more slowly?

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13 Comments

  1. Kristine @MumRevised

    19th century German opera composer, that was totally what I was thinking.
    I always thought drop, like in a drop of beer in your photo. People want to add letters to my last name and ask me “is that it?” all the time. I’d rather be asked if I was a race car driver. I might even plan some witty retorts. I’d like to hear your usual retorts to these 10 🙂

    Reply
    1. Christopher Waldrop (Post author)

      My best retort when asked to spell it is “S-M-I-T-H”. Once when a friend and I were ordering a pizza over the phone I called and gave his name. He thought this was hilarious and didn’t realize why I was doing it. The next time he called for the pizza and he gave my name…and he had to spell it three times.
      After he hung up he turned to me and said, “So that’s why you give them my name…”

      Reply
  2. Allison

    I was so excited to marry an Everett after years of getting my maiden name (Breyer) mangled. Turns out, people can screw that up, too. We get: Everet, Everest, Evertt, Everette, Avery… and so on. If I were you, I’d say, “Wal as in Wal Mart and Drop as in,’Drop It Like It’s Hot’.”

    Reply
    1. Christopher Waldrop (Post author)

      I’m surprised your maiden name ever got mangled. If people asked you could have said “Just like the ice cream.”

      Reply
      1. Allison

        Oh, I did. Every time. I got Brewer a lot. I used to also say, “Like the ice cream, or the Supreme Court Justice”. That just got a blank look.

        Reply
  3. mydangblog

    My full name has 19 letters, including a z, w, y, k, and a hyphen. I never get asked if I’m related to anyone, but I ALWAYS have to spell it. Slowly. Twice.

    Reply
    1. Christopher Waldrop (Post author)

      That does sound like quite a mouthful.

      Reply
  4. Ann Koplow

    Most common questions in response to my last name:

    1. How do you spell that?
    2. What do you mean, your name doesn’t start with a “C”?
    3. Are you related to Frieda Koplow?
    4. Are you related to Herb Kaplow?
    5. Are you related to Francis Ford Coppola?
    6. Is your name pronounced like a comic book sound?
    7. Did you really just say “K” as in “Knife?”
    8. What kind of name is that?
    9. Could you spell that again?
    10. Who are you?

    Reply
    1. Christopher Waldrop (Post author)

      It’s not surprising to me that we have some of the same questions in common, although I am surprised that people don’t ask if you’re the Ann Koplow.

      Reply
  5. Arionis

    My last name is Lovelace. If I’m meeting someone from Gen X or before, I usually get asked if I’m related to Linda. After the eleventybillionth time I just started saying yes, she was a distant cousin who was always a hit at the family reunions.

    Reply
    1. Christopher Waldrop (Post author)

      That is brilliant. And I’m a little ashamed to admit that I wondered–being of that generation–but wouldn’t ask.

      Reply
  6. Spoken Like A True Nut

    My last name happens to be a common Scandinavian male first name. I have had to deal with a good many confused Europeans over the years thanks to this.

    Reply
    1. Christopher Waldrop (Post author)

      That’s interesting–I’d expect Europeans to recognize the name, although I also remember going to Russia and there was a young woman named Yvonne in the group. Her name caused some confusion because all the Russians we met thought her name was “Ivan”.

      Reply

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