D’oh

Filed under:Blogging — posted by Anwyn on July 17, 2007 @ 8:10 am

Apparently my pseudonym is the masculine version of the Welsh feminine name “Anwen.”

Oh well. the “wyn” is more appropriate to the Tolkien language I cobbled it out of (from the Rohirrim) and I know of at least two girls named “Bronwyn,” which by those rules is also a masculine name.

But this could help explain why a startlingly large percentage of the bloggers I met in NYC assumed I was a guy until they met me.

14 comments »

  1. You could always give folks like that a cryptic smile and say, “Well, it fit when I first picked it out for myself but, what with the surgery and all…” then chuckle in a deep voice.

    Comment by Venomous Kate — July 17, 2007 @ 10:01 am

  2. Ulp. Definitely not in front of the Funkypundit. He was way too hot.

    Comment by Anwyn — July 17, 2007 @ 10:12 am

  3. When I first encountered you in the blogosphere, I assumed you were male, as well. Not sure why, as I don’t speak a word of Welsh. If it’s any consolation, I’ve been mistaken for a female, too.

    Comment by Xrlq — July 17, 2007 @ 10:32 am

  4. Wow. Well, I’ll just fall back once again on the premise that I must be hard-headed and reasonably stalwart in debate.

    And anybody who thinks that’s sexist, try coming up with another good reason people would think I’m a guy that will make me feel better, and get back to me.

    Comment by Anwyn — July 17, 2007 @ 10:52 am

  5. I think it’s not only your name but how you write (I mean that as a compliment.)

    Comment by Petitedov — July 17, 2007 @ 12:11 pm

  6. Thanks, Petitedov. :)

    Comment by Anwyn — July 17, 2007 @ 12:36 pm

  7. In the very beginning at TORN I thought you were male, too. A close reading of a couple of your essays proved otherwise, though. At least you didn’t pick “Annwyn” as a handle, though. ^_^

    Comment by exdem13 — July 17, 2007 @ 2:17 pm

  8. TORn *and* here. Now I’m really surprised.

    Ah well … chalk it up to consistency of writing, I guess.

    Comment by Anwyn — July 18, 2007 @ 8:51 am

  9. Do you think that many people are versed in Welsh? And for what it’s worth, I never thought you were a guy. ;)

    Comment by Corvar — July 18, 2007 @ 2:14 pm

  10. Call me crazy, but I pegged you for a girl right away. I figured you simply modified the Sindarin ending for maiden ( -wen, according to the back of the _Silmarillion_) to look more like the highly combative and heroic Eowyn.

    Comment by Chris — July 18, 2007 @ 2:46 pm

  11. Do you think that many people are versed in Welsh?

    Nope. Just joking, as it was the second reference in the space of a few weeks to masculinity rather than femininity.

    Call me crazy, but I pegged you for a girl right away. I figured you simply modified the Sindarin ending for maiden ( -wen, according to the back of the _Silmarillion_) to look more like the highly combative and heroic Eowyn.

    Yep, I modeled it off Eowyn. Which, again, is why I’m surprised any Tolkienite would’ve thought I was a guy … bloggers, six of one/half-dozen of the other, I guess.

    highly combative

    Tell me how you really feel! :-)

    Comment by Anwyn — July 18, 2007 @ 5:09 pm

  12. Our Anwyn disproves the old adage: “All’s Welsh that ends Welsh.”

    Comment by Daddyman — July 18, 2007 @ 6:42 pm

  13. >>highly combative

    >Tell me how you really feel!

    Hey! I did add the adjective ‘Heroic,’ too! Why must we focus on the negative? :-D

    Comment by Chris — July 20, 2007 @ 5:38 am

  14. I’m not sure I want our fighter pilots assuming “combative” is a negative … :)

    Comment by Anwyn — July 20, 2007 @ 5:40 am

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