It Is Only Q

2023-12-18

The programmers at British Gas are among the many who don't believe that a surname can be only a single character, and their customer service agents have clearly worked around their validations (or just left a note for themselves in the problematic field!)... leading to hilarious postal mail (I'm ignoring for the moment that they're using the wrong title for me.):

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

Update

This is getting a lot of attention, so I just wanted to add:

Yes, my surname really is just the letter Q, and it has been for most of my adult life. The story about it is less-interesting than the fact of it.

Yes, it causes me problems with online forms and the Passport Office hate it but just sometimes it pays for itself. It's quick to write out, too (if you don't count the time I lose having to tell people "no, really..."), and saves me wear-and-tear on my keyboard.

I can help you change your name to something stupid awesome, too. If you're a British citizen normally-resident in the UK, at least.

I've already seen Falsehoods Programmers Believe About Names, thanks. I linked it above, but you probably didn't see the link if you found me via all the Mastodon boosts this post is getting.

Be gay, do crime.

Links

Falsehoods Programmers Believe About Names

My blog post "Mx", indicating that I don't use the title "Mr."

My surname really is just the letter Q

Problems with online forms

The Passport Office hate it

Sometimes it pays for itself

Help you change your name to something stupid awesome