Cheylynn

I was given a name sign by one of the deaf ladies in my church, whom I consider a good friend. My daughter was given a similiar sign. Mine is a "C" directed by 1 hand like the smiling sign. My daughters is the same thing with the letter "T" because we are always smiling. Neither of us are interpreters although we do sign the songs we sing. I felt very special to receive a name sign!

Deafness

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Bramus

I'm a little curious too

herewego

My teacher is a interpreter and has a sign name, however honestly her knowledge of ASL is amazing. 11 years of practice plus she is finishing up her schooling for it, started learning when she was 12. I find that as with anything and anyone, some people will accept you some won't. Some deaf people would love to talk to you, if you are hearing some not as much. I'm hearing but I can't really say it's necessarily a deaf thing. I was asked yesterday if I had a deaf name however, I don't believe the guy knew I was hearing I said "no I am hearing and have a no sign name" (in ASL of coarse). Seems to me you have to be generally excepted into deaf world to have a sign name be you hearing or not. Correct me if I am wrong.

LDNanna

I have signed a few names for interpretors......... (lol)

Bottesini

They don't want that kind.

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Juli-terp-to-be

I was given a sign name by my first ASL teacher. I have extremely distinctive hair color. I have a natural silver streak of hair over my right eye. So my sign name is to fingerspell a J at my hairline right over my right eye.

Is it also true that only a deaf person can give another person (hearing or deaf) their sign name?

herewego

I asked a deaf person at my church if you are hearing and hoping to get a sign name from what I can tell you have to invest time and have good motives. In fact even tho my teacher as I mentioned has a sign name, not everyone that knows her knows her sign name. I could be wrong but this maybe due to the fact that she isn't involved with all the same deaf groups as she used to. I assume a sign name is a form of respect from a deaf person. As I always say I'm hearing and new to signing, I think sign names is just like friends it takes time.

Berry

Makes me wonder. When I was a kid my best friend was CODA whose name sign was "Need spank" (The sign for "need" and then a spank to the butt of the passive hand).

So is it possible there is a 60+ year old guy running around with the sign name "Need Spank"?

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chip

That is TOO FUNNY!

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SpitfireMK5

I have one as an ASL Interpreter student. People have been asking me, does it have to come from a Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing person?

Interpretrator

I was taught that it should come from a deaf (and preferably Deaf) person, but then later I ran into a lot of deaf people who thought that was BS. Maybe times are changing, I don't know, but it was drummed into me, so personally I won't give anyone a name sign. (Except my husband, and I consulted with someone in the community for his.)

Mine was given to me by a deaf friend who loved my curly hair, so it's related to that.

JennyB

I totally forgot about this thread til now! Really the "Bad Jenny" name sign started as a joke with friends. I have a tendancy to get into trouble. I say things that I probably shouldn't, but if I am thinking it I say it. So Bad Jenny got condensed into one sift movement and was used as a joke with friends at first. Then...before I knew it...the entire Deaf community was using the name sign for me. From there I just accepted it and if the wrong person asks why I say it is because I'm cute

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Bottesini

But does it have a special bad meaning in Canada? Like a swear word or something?

JennyB

I am not sure I know what you mean?

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Bottesini

Well to be blunt is it just like saying "Bad Girl" or does it have another connotation like "You Bitch!"

I honestly don't know. Mine is "Elf" and still exists from my childhood when my grandmother gave it to me for personality.

Bottesini

Although maybe if I had read more carefully above, it does not have a meaning and is just from your tendency to be outspoken.

It is not a normal Canadian slur.

JennyB

Right, no Canadianisms. Think of scolding a dog for bad behaviour "BAD DOG!" and then replace the dog with "Jenny". How is that analogy?

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Bottesini

Perfect! I now understand, although I admit I am embarrassed not to figure it out on my own earlier.

CJB

:rofl2:

Berry, I can hardly breathe...

CJB

That makes more sense now.

CJB

Both interpreters that I use have name signs. One is a Deaf interpreter though.

Mommakitten

My 11 year old cousin who is deaf gave me my sign name. My name is Kat, and he wanted to either use K's with the sign for stars or a K as the sign for cat (I like stars, and he said my name is Kat so why not use cat with a K). He told me to choose. So I chose K with the sign cat. I have been told by all of my friends here in the deaf community that a lot of times, there will be some friends might want to give me a sign name for the deaf community outside of my family. So that may or may not happen. Or as some of the previous people have said, I might also get a new sign name when I am out in the field as an interpreter.

Hutt5asl

I have started my Interpreter training, but I was given my sign name about 9 months ago by a Deaf friend. She used my first initial, "L" with the thumb touching near my eye (I wear glasses) then touching again near my mouth (I smile a lot). I love it! But I was also told that only a Deaf person should give you a sign name... has that changed or relaxed a little in recent years? Just wondering....
:O)

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Gangis

Interpreters definitely do receive name signs. Most of the time, they are given by their deaf friends, clients or teachers. Very rarely dot hei give themselves one, since name signs are traditionally given by someone else.

stormpraiser91

I'm studying to be an interpreter, and I have one! It's an A handshape signing a variation of the sign for "Autism" because I'm autistic.

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kellycat

Most of the interpreters at the school where I work have name signs, at least 3 of whom are CODAs. But several don't (especially with short easy names like Sue). But then, some of the Deaf people I know don't have name signs, because their names are short and easy. (They also grew up mainstreamed and got involved in the community later, don't know if that is the reason, or just that they have simple names.) My name is Kelly, which is perfectly simple to spell, so apparently nobody ever felt that I needed one. A friend asked if I wanted one once, and what did I really like. I don't work well under that kind of pressure...I mean, this would be a name that would stick with me, maybe forever! I did a poll and consulted friends before naming this season's volleyball team!! So I just shrugged. And it's K-E-L-L-Y ever since.

They've always given sign names to our principals (some variation of the sign for principal, initialized by his last name) and other important people around school, so we can easily talk about them, although these people don't sign so don't know they have sign names, or even what a sign name is.

pookymuffin101

just as a question? What are some common name signs for people who's names start with an "s"? I'm from Canada(BC), and I sign ASL.

Grayma

When I was in college I was given a name sign by an 8 year old deaf girl I did a lot of big sister type stuff with, and who I helped interpret church services for. But.... she was 8. The name sign is the sign for butterfly with the initials of my first name- because I collected butterfly stuff. She came to my dorm room and was enchanted with the hundreds of butterfly things all over my room (I was obsessed).

That was cute and sweet, and I liked it in college. I haven't told anybody I know about it since I left college. I am okay without a name sign.

There's not some unwritten rule about having to stick to that original name sign, is there?

Mohave

I've gotten one from the community here in the tri-state, and I'm still a student, (guess they like me?), or just depends where you live.