The Proper Pronounciation of a Certain Surname…

Say that title fast five times!

A recent conversation on Twitter with several of my tweeps made me realize that most people out here on the Interwebs think my surname of “Rubright” is a fake or porn surname, and, most people definitely mispronounce it.

As much as I would *like* it to be my porn name, it is my real, legal surname. I should say it’s been my surname following my adoption when I was several months old. See:


The State-mandated Drivers License

I’ve heard all sorts of variations of pronouncing it, but it is properly pronounced “roo-brahyt”. “Roo” as in kanga, and “brahyt” as in, well, bright. I’ve also heard several off-collar ones as well, like “Rub-me-right” and “Rub-right” and “Rub-me-wrong”. You get the idea. The fun of growing up with a surname like that has always been… interesting.


My old name plaque from the OGRE. I kept it.

Rubright is one of several Americanized spellings for the original German of “Rubrecht” or “Ruprecht”. I’ve also seen it spelled as “Rhubright” and “RuBright”.

My father’s mother was big into genealogy. I went on several research trips with her to libraries scouring microfiche when I was younger. I don’t know how far back she got with her research, or what even happened to all that information after she died. I’m assuming one of her children ended up with it. But I could be wrong.

Not that I particularly care, as horrible as that sounds. It’s just a name. I am way more curious about my medical background than I am my surname’s history, of which I know absolutely nothing of.

There you have it, and now you know.

But I still pretty much answer to anything though.

Until next time...
Erik

8 thoughts on “The Proper Pronounciation of a Certain Surname…

  1. Odd. I had been pronouncing it correctly in my head all along, and it never occurred to me to say it as “rub-right.” But NOW…

  2. whatever; you a one handsome man by any given name.
    I love geneaology; I hope some day you obtain your history, for I think it important and interesting to know one’s roots.

  3. I guess I’m weird or something. I never thought the name was fake and I think the proper pronunciation is obvious.

    I agree with Dave2… now I cannot get “rub-right” out of my head.

    1. Funny you mention the R-U-Bright bit. I left that one out. But one of my cousin’s actually used that as a campaign slogan for some position back in high school. “R-U-Bright? Then vote for Rubright.”

      And the Ewok thing? There is someone I used to work with at the former job that we called our Ewok. That’s about the only reference I have.

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