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18 Indexing Nameswould look for Genghis Khan. So each of us has provided a See reference fromGenghis Khan to our variants. In the same spirit, Mertes recommends referencesfrom Avicenna to Ibn Sina and from Averroes to Ibn Rushd, Avicenna and Averroesbeing the past predominant Western forms of these Arabic names.In addition to Hedden and Mertes, White in Chapter 14 presents a section ontransliteration, especially with regard to Chinese and Arabic names.NAMES AS PHRASESNames as phrases comprise the likes of Mickey Mouse, Cousin Fannie, MalcolmX, Master of the Amsterdam Cabinet, Mark Twain (because Samuel Clemens tookthe name from a Mississippi riverboat command), the artist Le Corbusier (Frenchfor “basket maker”), and musician Daddy Yankee. They don’t occur as often asother problem names, but when they do, they can cause much head-scratching overwhether and when they should be inverted.For the most part, I find that the options set out in the 1998 revision of AACR2provide admirable guidance, fitting my initial instincts regarding how the nameswere to be indexed. The main options, paraphrased, are:1. A phrase or appellation that does not contain a forename (and,presumably, no surname). Names represented by these examplesare the easiest to index. With neither forename or surname, thename must be entered in direct order, as above. For example:Daddy YankeeMaster of the Amsterdam CabinetSitting Bull2. A phrase consisting of a forename or forenames preceded bywords other than a term of address or a title of position or office.For example:Calamity JaneGorgeous George3. A forename preceded by a term of address (e.g., a word indicatingrelationship) or a title of position or office. In his chapter, Whitecalls these “partial names,” the names of relatives mentioned assuch in autobiographies and memoirs. He adds suggestions for theinferring of surnames from clues within the text; otherwise, hewould consider double-postings or cross-references for the namesin direct order. For example:
Seven-Problem Approach to Indexing Names 19Charles, UncleFannie, CousinMargaret, Miss4. A name that has the appearance of a forename, forenames, orinitials, plus a surname. For example:Twain, MarkTo me, category (4) includes the names of fictional persons possessing the characteristicsof the appearance of forenames with surname. In this, I disagree withZafran, who states her preference for direct order along with my and others’ opinionsin Chapter 21 on fictional names. Smith, in Chapter 19, provides circumstancesand examples for both approaches, and also for double-posting. However,there has been little disagreement within indexing and cataloging circles over thenames of animals. These usually constitute phrases and are entered in direct ordereven when they mimic human names:Curious GeorgeDonald DuckMickey MouseWile E. CoyoteSome names that look like phrases, and as if they should be entered as such,actually aren’t. One example is the name Malcolm X. It turns out that “X” is thesurname he adopted; thus, he is indexed as “X, Malcolm.” It can pay to checksources before making assumptions. The singer Blossom Dearie fooled me when Ifirst had to tackle her name. I had always assumed her name was a pseudonymousphrase. Fortunately, I checked her biography on the web, discovering that indeed,a Mr. and Mrs. Dearie had been blessed with a daughter, whom they had namedBlossom! Thus, she was indexed as “Dearie, Blossom.”CONCLUSIONAll of these examples and citations of chapters in this book demonstrate the richknowledge provided by its writers. Differences of opinion among the contributorsto this book must not deter beginning indexers; rather, they should be seen as differentoptions to approaching a particular issue, applicable to particular indexes atdifferent times. When I began my indexing career, it was as a “purist,” probablybecause of my years in library cataloging, where conformity to underlying principleswas essential. As an indexer, I learned to modify my stance in obedience togenres and audiences, authors’ usages and preferences, and publishers’ style
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