Having a unique last name can be great. Whenever you walk up to someone who you do not expect to remember you and say your name, they will nod and say something along the lines of, “Oh, yes. We’ve met before,” or “Yes or course, I remember your name.” While you know for a fact that they would have never remembered you solely by looking at you, it is still nice to think that you're memorable, even if it is just because you're last name is Redhead.
It wasn't really until junior high that I remember people starting to point out my last name. Before that, I went to a small private school and everyone knew each other. I also have an older brother so by the time I showed up, people already knew that our last name really was Redhead. Because of this, I didn't get questioned often in grade school, but when I switched to 7th grade and started to meet new people, it went something like this:
“Is it really?”
“Do you have red hair?”
“Why don't you die your hair red?”
“Do you have an uncle named Dean?” (This One only came from teachers.)
When volleyball season rolled around, my last name became my identifier on and off the court. Some people didn't even know what my first name was.
Many teachers would ask me in the first day of class what I would like to be called since a lot of people usually use a shortened form of Elizabeth. A lot of times, my fellow classmates would interject and say, “Just call her Redhead.” Depending on the teacher, how young, how involved in sports they were, or how cool they were, they would either refuse or laugh and proceed to call me by my last name whenever I raised my hand.
More recently, I started working in downtown Chicago and obviously, people don't know me like they did in my hometown. It was only once I received my name tag that one of my coworkers noticed my last name. She immediately laughed and asked me if she could call me Red.
I really enjoy having a unique last name. It's a great way to see someone who you first meet be really confused.
