Category: Random

I have changed my last name from Grossman to Morrisson.

I’ve never felt connected to the name Grossman, or even to the concept of having more than one name. I’m Nick or Nicolai, no need to get fancy. But since a) I’d feel like a complete tool trying to pull a Prince, Madonna, or Christo, and b) sometimes more specificity is needed, so I need something back there. I also didn’t want to randomly make something up, because I would face the near-impossible task of equaling Cramps singer Lux Interior’s name.

I’m a half Dane, half [cultural] Jew. The traditional Scandinavian naming convention is to use patronyms, about which Wikipedia says:

A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one’s father. A component of a name based on the name of one’s mother is a matronymic, or matronym. Both are means to convey lineage.

In many areas patronymics predate the use of surnames. They, along with the less common matronymics, are still used in Iceland, where few people have surnames. For example, the son of Pétur Marteinsson would have a different last name – Pétursson,

Many Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Spanish, Slavic, Manx, English, and Scandinavian surnames originate from patronymics, e.g. Wilson (son of William), Powell (ap Hywel), Fernández (of Fernando), Carlsson (son of Carl, e.g., Erik Carlsson)…

My father’s name was Morris, and I’m his son, so Morrisson it is. I reckon that’s a good way to stay connected to both sides of my family: a name from my father and a naming construction from my mother. It finally feels right, so I’m going with it.