Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape of names we are born with, marry into, or want to shed like an itchy wool sweater.

Today I got a very clever inquiry from a freelancer that I just had to share with all of you… “I'm a freelance copywriter with a name that's hard to spell and pronounce. (But my parents were pharmacists, so I guess I'm lucky they didn't call me Diphenhydramine -- or Benadryl for short.) Although my name has grown on me, I understand first-hand why companies need to avoid head scratchers when it comes to naming themselves and their products. I'm sending my list of 20 names …" The email was signed by “Seré Halverson," which she clarified is "Pronounced Siree, as in Yes Siree. Fortunately, my middle name is not Bob." Seré didn’t mention that SERE is also an acronym for Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape, is a U.S. military program that provides personnel, Department of Defense civilians and contractors with training in evading capture, survival skills and the military code of conduct. Regardless, Seré GETS IT! She was born with a name that she constantly has to spell, pronounce and explain to people. So she understands first-hand why when you name a product or company, you should do everything you can to avoid having to do this.

Luckily, Seré has grown to like her name and even has quite a few namesakes. Most of them are people, although she does know of one French Poodle.

But what if you don’t like your last name or have to meld two names together? That’s where America’s only family naming expert, Kelly Utt-Grubb, of Name Counsel can help you. People facing a naming crisis who may need Kelly's expertise include…

• same-sex couples getting married
• men or women getting married
• men or women getting re-married
• married women who are not happy with their current last name/ their surname choices
• couples expecting a child
• couples adopting a child
• individuals/single parents expecting a child
• individuals/single parents adopting a child
• couples creating a blended or step-family
• women divorcing
• widows beginning again after the death of a spouse
• individuals seeking a last name that will help them move on from a difficult past
• transgendered individuals choosing a new last name to go along with their new identities

Kelly can help you choose a personally meaningful last name you'll feel good about. And she should know. Someone once joked that taking naming advice from someone with the last name of Utt-Grubb must be like taking interior decorating advice from Ray Charles. But Kelly says that’s the beauty of it. Considering her husband, Mr. Utt-Grubb, is a strapping 6’4” former Air Force Special Ops from a small southern town in Tennessee, that’s utterly brave and modern of him to hyphenate his last name. (How many men do you know who hyphenate their names after marriage?)

Want to know what last name is right for you? Take Kelly’s free quiz and find out.