Here's a final conundrum.
Why did I pick Iota Manhattan as my blog-writing name?
Aha! I can help you with that one. It's an anagram of my maiden name. When I was about 14 or 15, one wet lunch break, stuck in the classroom, I and a friend or two or three occupied ourselves by making up anagrams of the names of people in our class. (I know, I know, most teenage girls talk about boys and make-up. I and my friends made up anagrams. What can I say?) I thought Iota Manhattan was so fabulous, I said "if I ever write something, I'll use it as my pen-name", and so I have.
Apart from my own, my favourite anagram name was Helga R. Cespit. Honestly. I can't give you the original name, in case she googles herself and lands here. I'm not sure we ever told her...
Iota is the Greek letter 'I', of course, so it's very apt for a writing persona. Manhattan gives an American flavour, appropriate now in a way that I could never have foreseen as my teenage self. I do also enjoy a secret ironic chuckle because, as you probably have realised, my location, though American for sure, is a pretty long way, geographically and culturally, from Sarah Jessica Parker territory.
I'm not going to respond to any guesses in the comments section, by the way. I'm not revealing my real name, maiden or married, on the blog. If you're a puzzle-fiend, and you want to have a guess, you can email me and I'll tell you if you've got it right.
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I am not a puzzle feind and am useless at these kinds of things (these kinds of puzzles are recommended for longer lives, btw, so there ya go, well done!). But anyway, I love this story! I used to write 'chapters' with a friend--I wrote one then she wrote one till a great fabulous, convoluted story took shape. Our characters were Erica and jessica and I always swore Id use my name when I was older form, something (mine was jessica) but now I know too many jess/jessicas so it doesnt work. An anagram would have been much more interesting.
ReplyDeleteHow very 80's!
ReplyDeleteI just love that name combination. I think it would take hours to work out any other names in it. Maybe if I get very bored one day, I will work it out!
ReplyDeleteI once knew someone with the anagram name of Gouzel Phemage.
I wouldn't want that identified either.
Maggie
Nuts in May
I think Iota is a great name for a blogger. You really seem to inhabit that name, too.
ReplyDeleteI don't think my name makes any interesting anagrams. But I can make the words Lax Parent out of it.....
oooh yer tease! I love anagrams but am totally usless at them it is the only reason I could never go on Countdown! Great story.
ReplyDeleteI love your nom de plume!
ReplyDeleteYou asked me why I gave up my own anonymity and the answer is - to a certain extent - you.... Iota Manhattan's such a great name. It sounds real, but it's also clear it's not. In a way "Plan B" never did. I love it. Stick with it.... and if you are passing on your way up North. I promise to call you Iota, if you call me Plan xx
ReplyDeleteSorry haven't been here in a while, its all systems go with CyberMummy.
ReplyDeleteI cannot think of you as any other than Iota.
It's a fantastic name... personally, I've always been useless at anagrams, so I'll be spending the next 6 months working on this one!
ReplyDeleteI know your real name so am not joining in that one (though I met moretolifethanlaundry at the village cricket this morning and she mentioned you and I don't think I said your proper name - I am getting better at this.)
ReplyDeleteWhat I am interested in, given that we went to the same school, who Helga R. Cespit was!
love
Josephine
What a fascinating post - thank you for explaining your name.
ReplyDeleteWhat's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet! in other words it shdn't make an iota of difference, but somehow it does. Shakespeare got that wrong I feel. I know your real name too but I must admit in my head I am saying & thinking Iota when I write to you!
ReplyDeleteIota Manhattan is a fabulous name. I think you you say it really is your name, Betty Boo. xx
ReplyDeleteYou mean Iota Manhatten isn't your real name?! Gutted.
ReplyDeleteDamn. notSupermum just pinched my comment.
ReplyDeleteYou are Iota Manhatten. You just are. Don't ever change it and don't ever say it's not your real name again.
Illusion. Shatter.
I know your real name and it's beautiful. (Sworn to secrecy but aren't you going to Cyber Mummy? What are you going to do there?) I'm just off now to work on my own little anagram.
ReplyDeleteYou have just reminded me that when I was younger, about 10, I used to say I was going to be a famous writer and twist the phrase Joe Public by calling myself Joanna Republic??? I also have a friend whose name is a complete mystery to all who know her - we just call her Bird.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!