Has The NAME Become A GAME I Can't Quite Follow? "Oh, please, stay by me...DIANA."

[Methuselah2]

One thing that immediately struck me when I first started to visit SDF is that some members usually refer to DIANA ROSS as DIANE. I would really appreciate being informed as to how this developed.

I've heard that 'Diane' is her given name, and that she decided to go by 'Diana' some time after the 'Supremes' name came into being.

I've also heard that her birth certificate shows 'Diana' but that it was simply a misspelling, and that her intended name at birth was actually 'Diane'.

So, I don't know for sure what's what. Nor do I actually need to know. The only thing I do know in regard to her name is that she prefers to be known as 'Diana'. So, for members who use the 'Diane' form, I would love to know why you do.

In Mary Wilson interviews, Mary always uses 'Diane' when discussing her personally, and she has explained her reasons--'Diane' is what she always knew Diana as, what she has called her since they first became friends, what she has called her throughout her entire life. And that's totally between the two of them.

But the usage of 'Diane' on the Forum, I just don't quite follow--unless a lot of members who do so have her approval because of a close personal relationship with her. But for those who don't, I've wondered why the 'Diana' preference is not used.

Thank you to those who respond.

[marv2]

Another diana ross thread?

[skooldem1]

Another Diana Ross thread you find yourself in?

[Methuselah2]

Yeah, 'fraid so, Marv and Skooldem. But it's really more about the members, the people I read, that I converse with here. I'm just looking for some clarity. The SDF is all about communication, right? So, it always helps to get it right, I think.

Perhaps your questions are your comments. If you prefer me to limit my posting, I will make an effort to that effect. I've made several Mary Wilson-related posts lately, and I can start there.

[skooldem1]

Some will say it's because she introduced herself that way on the Copa Album and that's what they are used to. Which is a fabrication because all the albums before that she was called Diana Ross. It even says "Diana" on the cover of "More Hits by the Supremes".

[Methuselah2]

I think the Copa intro may have just been a slip due to the pressure and excitement of the engagement. It doesn't seem intentional to me at all. Do I know that for sure? No, I don't. Has she always seemed intent on her use of 'Diana'? Yes, I definitely think she has.

[marv2]

Yeah, 'fraid so, Marv and Skooldem. But it's really more about the members, the people I read, that I converse with here. I'm just looking for some clarity. The SDF is all about communication, right? So, it always helps to get it right, I think.

Perhaps your questions are your comments. If you prefer me to limit my posting, I will make an effort to that effect. I've made several Mary Wilson-related posts lately, and I can start there.

Methuselah, post whatever you want. It just seemed like there were 10-20 Diana Ross threads here this past week and she is not even active right now I don't think.

[marv2]

I think the Copa intro may have just been a slip due to the pressure and excitement of the engagement. It doesn't seem intentional to me at all. Do I know that for sure? No, I don't. Has she always seemed intent on her use of 'Diana'? Yes, I definitely think she has.

It was no slip. Her name is Diane, always has been:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0CVPzhLkS0

[Methuselah2]

All I can say, Marv, is that I try to make my thread TITLES clear as to whom they're about so that members can readily go into them if they want to and just as easily ignore them, as well. I don't keep track of every thread nor do I read every one that may even be about someone I'm interested in.

My thinking is: If I start a thread that 1 person enjoyed or got something out of, then my thread completed its job. No one else needed to view it if he or she didn't want to. I can't please everyone nor try to. Pleasing one other person is enough for me. I would hope other members feel the same way. Perhaps they don't. But I do appreciate feedback and if I felt a ground-swell of negativity to my posting, I would not simply ignore it.

[jobeterob]

Some people on here use Diane because they believe it makes her more common, because it shows they "know" her and are closer to her than the rest of us common folk, and because it might convey a measure of disrespect.

Some people grew up with her and that's all they ever called her. Some people decided to switch to Diane from Diana because they wanted to emphasize a special connection. Berry seems to have known her since she was a young teenager and he seems to think Diana is the name.

The polar opposite of the "diane" faction is the "miss ross" faction of fans. It's just all a bit of an over reaction. I wonder if she secretly reads this kind of thing and laughs her head off.

It's really just a bunch of nonsense mostly amongst fans. The world knows her as Diana and who cares beyond that?

[Methuselah2]

It was no slip. Her name is Diane, always has been:

I whole-heartedly agree with you, Marv, that she was always known by and long went with 'Diane'. But once she started using 'Diana', I always felt any 'Diane' mention was inadvertent. If I ever get the chance, I'm going to ask her about it. Don't think I won't. Of course she'll immediately say, "OMG, are you that guy on SDF?" And I will say, "Please, call me Honey Boy, your pride and joy. Sweet kisses are my claim to fame. But you already know that." And then, lunch together at, naturally, here it comes . . . La Scala.

[marv2]

I whole-heartedly agree with you, Marv, that she was always known by and long went with 'Diane'. But once she started using 'Diana', I always felt any 'Diane' mention was inadvertent. If I ever get the chance, I'm going to ask her about it. Don't think I won't. Of course she'll immediately say, "OMG, are you that guy on SDF?" And I will say, "Please, call me Honey Boy, your pride and joy. Sweet kisses are my claim to fame. But you already know that." And then, lunch together at, naturally, here it comes . . . La Scala.

Nah, just ask her..........is it true your mother Miss Ernestine named you Diane? She won't bite you. hehehehehehehe........

[jobeterob]

Good story. LOL

[Methuselah2]

Marv - Good idea about the 'Miss' before 'Ernestine'. She'll either go with it or possibly clobber me with the bread plate. As she then turns to the rest of the restaurant and says, "And for my next number, I'm going to dive into this crab salad!"

[skooldem1]

Diana and Diane are the same name. It's only a big deal to those who make it a big deal. I have heard Diana refer to herself as Diane as late as 1999/2000. I have heard Janet Jackson and Whitney Houston call her Diane. All her family and friends call her Diane. Technically her real name is Diana as that is what is on her birth certificate. It's also in her high school yearbook. But any person that doesn't know her personally should use what she prefers to use and has used professionally for the last 50 years. People don't still call Tina Turner- Anna Mae do they?

[milven]

The first post in this thread says that a lot of posters on this board call her Diane. I can only think of two people who call her Diane here.

I know my brother my whole life. He was named after my dad and we all called him Junior. When he became a teenager, he asked us to call him by his given name. We do. If Diana prefers to be called Diana , people should respect her wishes.

Interestingly, history repeated itself. Just as the wrong name was put on Diana's birth certificate, Diana Intended to call her third daughter "Chutney", yet misspelled the name as "Chudney" on the birth certificate.

[captainjames]

Good point Skooldem1 on Tina Turner I was getting ready to go there with a few other "Motown" names but I will let it rest with your statement. Good point and right on.


Diana and Diane are the same name. It's only a big deal to those who make it a big deal. I have heard Diana refer to herself as Diane as late as 1999/2000. I have heard Janet Jackson and Whitney Houston call her Diane. All her family and friends call her Diane. Technically her real name is Diana as that is what is on her birth certificate. It's also in her high school yearbook. But any person that doesn't know her personally should use what she prefers to use and has used professionally for the last 50 years. People don't still call Tina Turner- Anna Mae do they?

[marybrewster]

Which is a fabrication because all the albums before that she was called Diana Ross.

I don't have the albums in front of me, but if I am not mistaken, she actually was called "Diane" on an album, pre-Copa. I want to say it was "Liverpool" or "Sam Cooke". Certainly someone here will know for sure. I say this not to "prove you wrong", skool. Just to state fact.

Regardless, her given name is Diana. It's on her birth certificate. Her close friends and associates call her Diane. I've heard Berry say it, Florence say it, Cindy say it, Smokey say it, Martha say it.....everyone else calls her Diana.

Truth be told, Diana is only called Daine here by a few individuals, after another few individuals started calling Mary "Mare".

[thanxal]

I don't have the albums in front of me, but if I am not mistaken, she actually was called "Diane" on an album, pre-Copa. I want to say it was "Liverpool" or "Sam Cooke". Certainly someone here will know for sure. I say this not to "prove you wrong", skool. Just to state fact.

Regardless, her given name is Diana. It's on her birth certificate. Her close friends and associates call her Diane. I've heard Berry say it, Florence say it, Cindy say it, Smokey say it, Martha say it.....everyone else calls her Diana.

Truth be told, Diana is only called Daine here by a few individuals, after another few individuals started calling Mary "Mare".
Liner notes to "Country, Western and Pop".

[144man]

The first reference I remember in the UK was on the sleeve-notes to the "R&B Chartmakers" EP, where she is named as "Diane".

Personally, I find the use of "Diane" and "Mare" on the forum breaks the flow of whatever I'm reading.

[marybrewster]

Liner notes to "Country, Western and Pop".

Thank you.

[skooldem1]

Was it before or after "Meet the Supremes"?