A Day in the Life

What's In a Name?

I like having an unusual last name. I like that I know its history. "Hochee" only goes back a few generations, a poorly anglicized version of the Romanian "Hociota." It's got character. Spunk.

Alas, the growing power of search engines has begun to encroach on the novelty. Google for "hochee" and you get 13 pages of results. My step-gram dominates the first few pages with her notoriety on the highly competitive llama showing scene, and Dad and I get a few honorable mentions in the chess tournament standings, but what about all those other pages? I found one WWI-era quote from Nick Hochee that I think might be familial, but I categorically reject any connection with the fellow who gives visitors to Amsterdam advice on guns, the modification of bongs, and navigating the red-light district. What about John Elphinstone James Hochee, a 19th century scholar from Buckingham? As for Bita Hochee, I first guessed it to be the name of some geologic formation in nothern Arizona. Apparently a Martian meteorite was found there, and it seems to be a hotbed of religious and musical energy (uh, not sure if there's a connection there). Then I discovered this:

"... Bita Hochee, [Arizona] a town of six or seven people where seasoned church-planters Andrew and Sharon Torbett are making a stand for the gospel at a church called Broken Arrow Chapel (Assemblies of God)."

Again, I categorically deny any connection.