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Dan Q

British Gas's programmers don't believe that a surname can be only a single character.

Their customer service agents worked around this by adding a parenthetical note to my record.

The result is hilarious postal mail that tries to reassure me that my surname really is what it is:

EDIT: Well this blew up. FAQ etc. at danq.me/it-is-only-q

Letter from British Gas addressed to "Mr Dan Q (it Is Only Q)" and opening with "Hello Mr Q (it Is Only Q)".
ALT
Pax Ahimsa Gethen

@dan

It was interesting to read on your site (at danq.me/2007/03/08/q/) that you need to have (at least) two names in the UK. Here in the U.S., I have a friend who is legally mononymic. Like you, they have had a hell of a time convincing people that their single name is real, legal, and accurate, not a stage name or nickname.

Dan QQA couple of deeds poll later, and Claire and I are half-way to having changed our surnames. Our new surname: Q. I hereby declare this blog post to be the official FAQ of the Dan/Claire name change. So there, Ms Q. 1. You've changed your names? Yes, we've changed our names. I'm now "Dan Q", and
Dec 20, 2023, 23:29 · · · 0 · 0
Dan Q

@funcrunch I might have been misinformed about that, and I'm currently working with somebody to help test the case. It certainly seems to be required that two names are required when registering a birth, but it seems perfectly feasible (and has been done) to CHANGE your name to a mononym. Although yes: it causes hell with computer systems including government ones!

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