Marilyn

It’s amazing how a name can become a brand that inevitably associated with that person.

The story of how Norma Jeane Mortensen became Marilyn Monroe is an interesting example of wordplay and the intuitive adoption of principles now systematically embodied in The Theory of Names.

The name was created by 20th Century Fox executive Ben Lyons and his wife, Bebe Daniels.  Bebe’s mother’s surname was Monroe so they initially, they tried combinations of her christian names and Monroe, such as-

Norma Jeane Monroe

Norma Monroe

Jeane Monroe.

But the story goes that Lyons felt that Jeane Monroe could be improved, and Marilyn Monroe was “sexy and had a nice flow to it” and would be “lucky because of the double M”.

Now, it’s hard to imagine her being called anything else, but if you tried, could you?

Here’s our efforts-

May Monroe

Cat Delilah Monroe

Meg Mortensen

Zela Imelda Monroe

Paris Anastasia Monroe

What’s your favourite?  Could you do better?  Tell all…