In Which I Reclaim My Name

Visitors to this blog may have noticed a pair of links--now vanished--labeled No, I'm Not THIS David Isaak (whether with a 'c' or a 'k').

When I first entered the blogosphere, I was taken aback to realize that that Google searches on my name were delivering up as the top hit DavidIsaak.com, the website of David Isaak, a young comedian in LA.

His website pointed to his MySpace site, where he is listed as David Isaac, with a 'c'. Apparently he thought spelling it with a 'k' for his stand-up work might have some resonance, making people think of singer/songwriter/actor Chris Isaak, or tennis player Ron Isaak. Since I also live in Southern California, I somewhat concerned that people would think I and he were the same person. No tragedy, you might think, but his posts show he writes in a somewhat different voice than I do:

David Isaac's Bio: I roll by the name of David Isaak. I am a white cat from a small town called Los Angeles, you may have heard of it... Number One, All Glory to God because if He hadn't saved me I would be either in Jail or Dead, that's real.

Seeing as I also am a white cat (though I've heard that all cats are black in the dark), and since I also roll by David Isaak to the extent that I roll at all, you can see why this might be a worry.

Recently, DavidIsaak.com dropped from sight, and reemerged as DavidIsaacLeach.com. So I'm guessing his name wasn't David Isaac or David Isaak, and that both of those were names by which he rolled. (Either that, or he's gotten married and taken his wife's name.)

Nothing wrong with "Leach". Cary Grant's birth name was Archie Leach. Archie Leach is also the name of the character John Cleese plays in A Fish Called Wanda, and he's quite debonair. And ends up with Jamie Lee Curtis.

I could have told him 'Isaak' wouldn't be worth the trouble. People can't work out whether it's Gentile or Jewish (I'm the former, but the surname can be either). People from Pennsylvania and neighboring states tend to think of it as a Mennonite or Amish name and spelling, and expect me to have a beard but no mustache.

In any case, being only five letters long, it must be the most misspelled name in the world per letter. (When dealing with the airlines, I've learned to say, "India, Sugar, Alpha, Alpha, Kilo," but this doesn't work well in everyday life.) There's a lot of ways to go wrong. Isaac, of course, and Isaacs and Isaaks. And, some play it safe, resulting in Isaack or Isaacks. Others remember only that it's spelled weirdly, with a double letter, so you get Issak. Or Issac or Issaks or Issacs, all of which make some sense--after all, what kind of a messed-up name has two a's in a row? But then people stare at it and decide neither Issak or Issac look right, so you get Isak or Isaks or Isac or Isacs or Issaak or Issaaks or Issaac or Issaacs or Issaack or Issaacks. The only thing you can really count on is that it will start with an I. Usually.

Mr. Leach is saving himself a great deal of trouble. I wish him well, wheresoever he rolls.

Meanwhile, the domain name DavidIsaak.com was immediately snatched up by a domain-squatting company who have put it up for auction. I really can't imagine bidding will be fierce, but I was shocked that anyone would acquire that domain name in the first place. Weird, huh?