Looney

I’ve titled this blog “Jason Looney” because I think it’s silly for personal blogs to have brand names.  In fact, when I link to other blogs, I typically do so by the author’s name rather than the blog’s name.   

I suppose it’s convenient for me to have this opinion since my name already sounds like a brand.  The way the blog has been going, in fact, some of you have probably wondered whether “Jason Looney” is a pseudonym.  Well, it’s not. 

While we’re on the subject of my fascinating name, here’s a grab-bag of fascinating items about it:

• As a kid I was told that the name O’Looney is a highly-respected one in Ireland.  I’ve since come to doubt this.
   
• When your name is Looney the first thing everyone says is, “I bet you get teased a lot.”  I always answer affirmatively, but it’s a lie.  See, no one has actually teased me about my name.  Instead, everyone assumes those coming before have done the teasing, and, since it’s hard to add anything especially clever to ‘Looney’, things just end there.  So dear readers, if any of you would have the heart to tease me about my name in the comments below, I would really appreciate it.  I’m tired of lying. 
   
• My name used to serve as an acid test for girlfriends.  My last girlfriend (before Sarah) had no interest in taking my name, which should have been a giant red flag.  (I mean, if you’re not willing to take the name, there’s no way you’ll be able to handle the Looney family itself at the wedding!!!!*)  Sarah on the other hand felt the name fit her well, which I now realize should have been a giant flag of some other color.** 
   
• I simply cannot get past the fact that my ancestors were handed the surname Looney, then allowed to procreate and pass it along.  I don’t know why it bothers me so much — it just seems like an odd turn of events. That said, I suppose it’s not as odd as ol’ James Progenyeater.  How that surname survived is one of the great mysteries of our world.
   
• The spelling for the synonym of ‘crazy’ is ‘loony’.  But Looney Tunes employs the ‘E’, just like me.  Why?  I have no idea.  Maybe we could ask the wise-acre, roto-tilling bunny.  (Just so long as we agree to never trust that sarcastic name-stealing ***.)
   
• Check out the explosion of Jasons in the early 1970’s via Name Voyager.  This is why every Jason you know is roughly the same age.  My parents thought they were being unique.  (Ha ha.)  Determined to avoid this mistake, Sarah and I chose the name Jackson for our first-born.  (Ha ha.)
   
• This post, as with all of mine, is 100% research-free.  So don’t bother inundating my inbox with interesting etymological facts.  I prefer mystery.

* The actual number of Looneys that made my wedding is the joke here.  Please, Argentina, cry for me.
** My semaphore is rusty, so I’m not sure which color signifies “insane in the membrane.”