Dearest fellow Facebookers,
Do people often exclaim they know someone who looks just like you? I have heard it once or twice, not since I was young, and usually in reference to how my nose looked a lot like Barbra Streisand’s. They didn’t compare my skin to her peaches and cream complexion or my singing voice to hers. It was always just my nose.
Apparently there is a name for that facial twin or face double we may have out there somewhere in this wide world. The word is doppelganger, which I thought was the name of that thing that hangs down in the back of your throat! Ha! That hangy-downy thing is actually called a uvula. But I think doppelganger is a better fit. And it seems there is a whole assortment of folklore, myths, religious beliefs and paranormal phenomena associated with this idea of a twin stranger.
Nice To Meet You
I chose a feature in Southwest (airlines) magazine for Glossies Made Me Do It, 07.2018. In his article entitled “Nice to Meet Me”, Jesse Hughey talked about a similar idea to that of a facial twin.
But instead of researching the possibility of having a face double, Hughey connected on Facebook with others who share his name. And in doing so, took a look at himself from a different perspective. “Friending” a younger Jesse Hughey, had the author reminiscing about his own youth and even seeing a younger version of himself in some of the activities and experiences his counterpart was enjoying. But it also helped the author realize how content he was in his current chapter of life.
Following his lead, I decided to see how many Jesse Hugheys I could find on Facebook. 14. Some were male, some female.
And then I decided to take a look at how many Leslie Clingans there are. Three including me!
Curiously, one of them works for a public school system as I once did. We might be able to be virtual pals.
Leslie Roberts
But my real birth name is Leslie Roberts. Roberts being my maiden name. So, I decided to search Facebook for Leslie Roberts. Spelled exactly the same as my name. Wow! Too many to count! Men and women. A number of them live in New York, where I was born. One in Edmond, Oklahoma where my BFF Sharon lives. Another who sells Scentsy…I did, too. More than a half-dozen employed in education. I never dreamed there would be so many Leslie Roberts.
As I scrolled through the list of names and thumbnail photos, I looked for someone I thought I would be friends with, in real life. Based solely on their photo and what little bit I could read about them on Facebook without befriending them. I chose this Leslie Roberts.
She looks like a nice person. She lives in 9 hours away in Duncanville, Texas, which is close to Ft. Worth where my daughter Brennyn lives. And she works for Living the Dream, which I can’t tell too much about, but I like the name! Haven’t taken the plunge to contact her but who knows, maybe for this month’s Stepping Outside My Comfort Zone, I will do just that.
Your Turn
Have you ever checked Facebook or Google to see how many folks share you same name? Have you ever been told you look just like someone else? Do you believe there is a doppelganger for each of us? If you decide to look on Facebook for others who have your name, let me know what you find in a comment below! Would you ever reach out to one or more of your namesakes?
So excited because my sister comes to visit tomorrow. Oh, the fun we are going to have! Stay tuned for a full report. Have a great week yourself!
Hugs and kisses,
pat
Years ago, hubby was mistaken often for the tennis player Andre Agassi. It was kinda funny, especially when the big tennis event was in town with him. I was always… But, I’m no Brooke Shields (that’s who he was married to at the time). It never helped us get into restaurants or anything, but people did stop him in stores! For me, I look like my mom…. does that count? LOL
I’ve never looked at FB that way. I have such a common name… there were 2 others in my company when I was working. One never forwarded miss-sent mail, the other did. I even had a client with same name but she went by Trisha versus Pat. We always made jokes about the commonality. And then there is my BIL… yup, same name – Patrick versus Patricia but we both are Pat. A few folks have found it challenging to find me on FB because there are so many of us.
I have no desire to reach out anymore to people with same name. But it would be interesting to find a doppelgänger!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
What a great story about your hubs. He must be quite the looker! Interesting that you have known so many folks with your name, personally. I did meet a mom with daughters the same names as mine…Brennyn (spelled with an AN instead of YN, if I remember correctly) and Lauren. Brennyn is quite uncommon. My phone cannot spell it right to save my soul. Even though I type her name daily, I still get Brenda, Brendan, Brian, Briana, etc. Very frustrating.
Joanne Long
The strangest coincidence with a same name in my life is that one of the principals that I worked with has a sister in Ontario with the same name as me who worked in the public library in a small town which I did before I was a teacher-librarian.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
That is crazy!!! I should have added that one time at the pediatrician’s office in Panama, I think, there was a mom scolding her daughters Brennyn and Lauren…which are the names of my daughters. We had a number of things in common beyond the names of our children and the fact that we were all living in Panama at the same time!
ShootingStarsMag
How fun! I love this idea. I’ve definitely seen people that look SO much like a person I personally know, so I tend to think we all have someone out there that could be our twin. I’ve never looked my name up on Facebook but now I’m curious to see!!
-Lauren
Leslie Roberts Clingan
How many folks on Facebook with your same name did you find? Crazy, huh?
Dara
There’s a person with my name on facebook which is weird because it’s not so common! My son and I were looking him up on a swim team app and there were multiple kids listed with the same name as him!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Your name would be uncommon so it is interesting that you found someone sharing it on Facebook. I was surprised because Leslie isn’t that common either. Roberts is kind of like Smith!
Carrie @ Curly Crafty Mom
Fun! I just looked up Carrie Heaton and a few people popped up, but I was the only Carrie Albrecht I found on FB. I think you should contact her! That would be fun and bold! Have the sweetest time with your sister, Leslie! I love how your family makes time to be together, even though you don’t live close to each other.
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Only one Carrie Albrecht! You should contact her. I will contact my Leslie if you contact your Carrie!!!
Thank you for the compliment on our family. I have had the bestest time with my sister. Today we are hiking then going to a winery/vineyard. I can run by and pick you up, too…wanna come? XO
Gail
Interesting idea! I only found 1 Gail Hanlon with a photo and a few Gail Tylers (my maiden name), mostly in America! They all seem my age or thereabouts – I think Gail is quite a dated name!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Gail is such a pretty name. I have known several but they are all about our age. Leslie can be masculine or feminine so there were members of both genders with my name Leslie Roberts. Kind of crazy! Glad you checked out your name. Fun!
Jodie
I have never done this but it could be so fun. I know I’d never find another Filogomo out there, because it’s only Rob’s family with that name here in the states. But maybe my maiden name??
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Try your maiden name, Jodie, and let me know what you discover! It is fun. And kind of makes this big world seem smaller.
Whitney @ Whitney a la mode
What a fun idea! I’m totally going to see how many Whitney Rantzs I can find. I doubt that many (or any)! And who knows about my soon to be married name…Wildeboer!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
What did you discover? Any more Whitney Rantzs on FB? Your soon-to-be name is going to be even more uncommon, I would think. Would love to know what you found.
Lysha
What a cool idea! My name is so unique and sometimes google it, but I’ll have to see what I find on FB.
Cindi
Nobody in the world has the same (legal) name that I have.
Thank goodness.
I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
It gives my friends and family great comfort to know there is only one of me.
Knowing me alone is enough grief they can take! LOL!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
You make me giggle!! I never liked my name growing up (really don’t even today but kind of over it). Would love to have been a Laura or Lauren, which is the name I gave my second daughter. As in Ralph Lauren.