...just call me Penn (because I'm too talky to be Teller).



If you don't like finding out "how stuff works" and prefer to believe that these internet quizzes are magic, don't read this post.

'Cos I've parsed out how that "secret meaning of your name" quiz works, based on seeing it on other's blogs.

First off, the results for my given name:

What Erica Means

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing. You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long. You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start. You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily. You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind. A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

First - note that there are five "chunks" of text, set off by extra spaces. And five letters in my name.

Then - that second "chunk"? NOT ME. Not unless "rebel" means "person who follows the rules" (though these days, it seems that following the rules and the conventions of etiquette maybe ARE a rebellious act sometimes). (and R is for Rebel, maybe?)

Okay, here's my blog-name:

What Fillyjonk Means

You are loving, compassionate, and ruled by your feelings. You are able to be a foundation for other people... but you still know how to have fun. Sometimes your emotions weigh you down, but you generally feel free from them. You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing. You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long. You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start. You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow. You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily. Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is. You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in. You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising. You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care. You are fair, honest, and logical. You are a natural leader, and people respect you. You never give up, and you will succeed... even if it takes you a hundred tries. You are rational enough to see every part of a problem. You are great at giving other people advice. You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life. You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you. At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. You are a seeker of knowledge, and you have learned many things in your life. You are also a keeper of knowledge - meaning you don't spill secrets or spread gossip. People sometimes think you're snobby or aloof, but you're just too deep in thought to pay attention to them.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Notice anything?

The third letter of my given name is "i." The second letter of my blog-nick-name is "i". Same information in the third paragraph of my "fortune" for my given name and the second paragraph of my blog-nick-name (besides - if this were really based on "real" name-meanings, the system would choke on "Fillyjonk.")

So what they have is a letter by letter code, and just translate each letter of your name (skipping repeated letters) into the paragraph that that letter "codes" for.

(I leave it as an Exercise For The Reader to go to the site and enter "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ" as their name...)