To the delight of word lovers everywhere, last month's hiring of Tony Snow as White House Press Secretary meant one more aptly named appointee could be added to a list that includes Larry Speakes (Ronald Reagan's press secretary) and Margaret Spellings (current Education Secretary).

We know such fortuitous terms as aptronyms, a term coined by newspaperman Franklin P. Adams in 1938. Inspired by Snow's new job title, Timothy Noah of the online magazine Slate is posting aptronyms from readers: check out his Updated Aptronym Yellow Pages. Or submit your own favorites.

Interested in the phenomenon called "nominative determinism," whereby (according to theorists at New Scientist magazine) people choose jobs that fit their names? Then you may want to learn a bit more about the meaning behind your own surname.