What's in a politicians name? More than one might think, on occasion:
Pro-Life: "Marvin Richardson, a strawberry farmer from Idaho, has changed his name to Pro-Life and is running for governor. He tried this stunt in 2006, but Pro-Life was then just a middle name, and officials left it off the ballot on the grounds of it being a slogan; now it's his only name, and they can't stop him campaigning for murder charges to be levelled against women who have abortions and the doctors who perform them."But politicians aren't the only ones who change their name, and not always just to make a political point, but also to raise money for a good cause:
Mr Haddock: "In 2002, Austin Mitchell, Labour MP for Great Grimsby, temporarily changed his name to Austin Haddock in order to persuade more people to eat the fish that provide a livelihood for so many of his constituents."
Harry Potter: "[I]n 2003 a 32-year-old who had made several unsuccessful attempts to become governor of Sverdlovsk, Russia, changed his name to Harry Ivanovich Potter before he had another go."
[F]or St Patrick's day, a couple of weeks ago, more than 1,100 Paddys congregated in London's Trafalgar Square. Many had been sponsored to change their names by deed poll for the day, and all proceeds went to Great Ormond Street hospital.
Names are important, but many of these are just taking it way too far.
