Everyone likes to have their own name. Four Americans in the cultural space have chosen mine. Not so surprising, because while Joseph/Joe is rare in Australia, it is common in the USA.

The other Joe Floods are about ten years my junior. There is a musician in Connecticut who has played with several big names; an actor who has been in five fairly high profile films; a comic book author with a dozen titles; and a Washington DC journalist who has written four novels and a bestseller "The Fires" about 20th century planning in New York.

My own birthname has only eight letters, "Joe Flood". That is all there is. I try to avoid confusion with my juniors by being "Dr Joe Flood" when necessary.