Risible Surnames

There is a masochist's pride in a funny last name, specifically Ball. Several other with our name have noted in emails that they too belong to the club. It may be like a dueling scar having had to suffer thousands of jibes.

I confess I have only a little sympathy with the Shoemaker or Fuchs who decry what they endured. It is small beer to have a name with such a limited set of puns and insults.

A linguist told me that Ball is likely the worst in the English language. The humor set includes:

• any sport with a ball
• coitus
• dances
• clichés, such as on the ball, have a ball, and behind the eight ball
• testicles
• hair balls
• sour balls
• wrecking balls
• tea balls
• and even bullets.

Ball is a noun and a verb in far too many formats and contexts.

I honestly had a slim hope that my linguist chum knew or could think of another funnier name. Not yet.