MILLIANS: The name game

Published 2:13 pm Friday, May 2, 2025

A year or so ago, Wanda came home with four kittens that she discovered in the bushes outside the Brown-Stetson-Sanford House.

We already had Larry, the cat made famous by his disappearance for 30 days. A Good Samaritan found Larry, called us, and a joyous reunion ensued.

The last thing we needed was four more cats. But while they were residing with us, they at least had to have names. 

My younger son named them Annakin, Erry, Indiana and Omega. Get it? I’ll take a vowel, please, Vanna. (We already have a dog named Uber, so that gives us the U.)

Anyway, we managed to find homes for two of the kittens, but we kept two – Annakin (Annie for short) and Erry. 

But you can’t call a male cat Annie. That’s worse than a Boy named Sue.

So, Kyle suggested we rename him Otis.

Not for Otis Campbell, the Mayberry town drunk. Not for Otis Redding, the late, great singer from Macon.

But for Otis Day. The lead man in Otis Day and the Knights, the band made famous in the movie “Animal House.” They made the song “Shout” famous.

And, of course, our cat’s name is not just Otis. It’s always Otis, My Man.

As it turns out, we were ahead of the times. Nowadays, if you don’t like the name of a person, place or thing, change it.

The Gulf of Mexico becomes the Gulf of America. 

Greenland could become Red, White and Blue Land. At least that’s what Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-Ga.) is proposing.

Fort Benning in Columbus, after being changed to Fort Moore, has been changed back to Fort Benning. It was named for Henry Benning, but now it is named for Fred Benning.

Fort Bragg, which was changed to Fort Liberty, has been changed back to Fort Bragg. Same story as above: same surname, different guy.

Heck, movie stars and other performers do it all the time.

John Legend’s real name is John Roger Stephens. Sounds like a Supreme Court justice.

Meg Ryan was Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra. That’s a lot of names.

The late Kirk Douglas was born Isur Danielovitch Demsky. That’s hard to remember.

Jamie Foxx’s real name is Eric Marlow Bishop. He liked the late comedian Redd Foxx.

Tom Cruise was born Tom Cruise Mapother IV. His agent suggested he drop his real last name. 

Now, check this out: there’s a bill in the Texas legislature to legally change the name of a “New York Strip Steak” to a “Texas Strip Steak.” 

The cut of beef might have originally been named for where it was made popular, but Texans want it to be named for where the cattle were raised.

And, sports teams have been changing nicknames a lot lately, too.

The Cleveland Indians became the Guardians. The Washington Redskins became the Commanders.

Thank goodness, we still have our Atlanta Braves and Baldwin High Braves.

Of course, street names change all the time.

A Milledgeville street was recently named Henry Pope Way, in memory of the late banker.

We’ve already got streets named for Earnest Byner, a retired NFL star and recent Baldwin High honoree, and Floyd Griffin, a former Milledgeville mayor, state senator and current state representative.

In fact, there are all sorts of roads in Milledgeville named after people. From Carl Vinson Highway to Culver Kidd Parkway, although you don’t see all that much signage proclaiming it as such. I don’t know why.

There are streets in Baldwin County named after Bill Johnson, Arthur Trawick, C.T. Lord, Deacon J. Simmons, Frank Bone and Pierce Johnson. 

So, what’s stopping us from renaming more streets? Even downtown streets such as Hancock, Wayne and Greene, which were named for Revolutionary War types.

How about honoring former mayors, such as Walter Williams and Dr. James Baugh?

Business and community leaders such as Gus Pursley Jr. and John Baum?

College leaders like J. Whitney Bunting or Gen. Peter Boylan?

A trailblazer like Rev. Payton B. Cook?

Literary giant Flannery O’Connor? 

And, why not name one for our longtime and still serving sheriff, Bill Massee?

Just my two cents worth.

If you don’t like a name — street or otherwise — change it. You can always change it back. 

—Rick Millians, a 1970 Baldwin High graduate, is retired after working at newspapers in Georgia, Ohio and South Carolina. Reach him at rdmillians@aol.com.