Hi Budx,
It's not just about what is said. It's also important how you say it. Your argument makes sense but I think you should be more polite next time.

The names of my country are "the Federal Republic of Nigeria".
Get real people. This argument is getting nauseating.

Budx,
I get ur point. But U are still in error. My name is Kofi Uwase Annan. Even if u have 10 middle names, it is still my name is and never my names are. God, U are a clown

kOFI,
YOu are absolutely brilliant. Absolutely correct all the way. And yeah Budx is really funny.

theodre you no what i have to tell you the part of your msg is sensible but the begining is out of it why not make your corrections instead of insulting another member .I think it will be better to generalize your reply to post and dont think your better cos you are not the fact that you can type with a keyboard does not make you betterv than someone who uses a typewritter fool.

think topic seems very interesting, you guys that studied 4 or 5 years of English Language or related course should help the engineering graduates out. I was taught from school as 'My name is' Obanikoro Fashould Agbaje. i haven't been turned down yet from an interview so far. Good luck

You guys (Budx, Kofianan & Co) are beginning to take a general issue that does not particularly concern anyone personal. We are all here to learn and help one another. Just go ahead and make you earnest contribution and stop attacking one another. It is not healthy for this Forum.

Everybody seems to be right on this issue, most claim they are linguist, grammarian,etc and yet they are not giving us, novice, substantiative explanation in order to understand the reasons behind those Clauses and their acceptability or not.

I totally agree with the points made by Budx: like I said earlier, they are both Grammatically correct depending on the names supplied and possibly how the question came. However, the conventional and generally acceptable one is "My name is". But that does not mean " My names are" is grammatically incorrect. We should also know that English Language and its usuage is dynamic. New things come on board and old ones are discarded.Popularity of the word or clause sometimes count, even if they may not be formal. That is why you have so many slangs in the Dictionary because of their popularity and usuage in a particular settings. Even Dictionaries are been edited after some years. Grammars and words contained in the 1st and 2nd Editions of Advance Learners' Dictionary (which is commonly used) are not the same with those in the latest Edition. Who knows, this argument might reflect in the next Edition. That is why we must argue intellectually and stop attacking one another.

For simplicity, just use the one everyone knows: "My name is". Or, answer as the question comes to you, See Tipsydude.
Except if you want to go there and argue with your interviewers on which is correct .

One Love!!!

Well! well! well! You have all spoken well. Concerning the topic,  .My name IS or ARE.
It is advisable for job seekers like most of us to use my name is for this obvious reasons. Firstly, using my name are, it is an act of garrulousity and pride which the interviewer will not tolerate in all aspects because you are in for business and nobody cares about your other names.

Secondly, I participated in an opened interview conducted by a bank, a guy lost out of the race for using my name are. Looking at the statement my name are, is it not irritiating? Anyway, for those that are ready to learn and to avoid public disgrace, please you can introduce yourself by saying,  I am so, so and so simple. For better understanding, pls, consult A-Z English textbook and the latest Oxford Dictionary.

Best regards to you all.

I agree w/ some of you

if you have many names, the are should be used
if you have the normal first name, middle name and last name, is should be used,

my names are omoge, yemoja, oluchi, nma
my name is Omoge Nma Barch

cheers 

If your "names are" then you must be a demon and I will cast you into the Sahara desert in the Sudan region.

I think the correct expression is 'My name is'. The secret behind English Language is K.I.S.S - Keep it simple and straight!!

otokx:

If your "names are" then you must be a demon and I will cast you into the Sahara desert in the Sudan region.

Why cant people make their successfully without making a complete fool of themselves

I think the correct expression is 'My name is'. The secret behind English Language is K.I.S.S - Keep it simple and straight!!

otokx:

If your "names are" then you must be a demon and I will cast you into the Sahara desert in the Sudan region.

Why cant people make their point successfully without making a complete fool of themselves

simple english

"my name is" correct expression

"my names are" wrong and please do not say this in public places

Unless you have some split personality you are only one person
Therefore "my name is" is always correct, people never say "my name are"
Would you say their name is Bob, Mike, and Dwayne because it is one name each.
You all should know the difference between singular and plural usage of words, come on.

@Budx, that was quite some display of righteous indigenation,

@all, i like his way of thinking, it all made sense if u look at it from his point of view, plus he had all those sweet examples. i just couldn't agree more.

ok guys, whatever u speak, as long as u are able to defend it, carry go joo.



cherry all the way

I think some people are trying to display there low level in English. no one knows it all for those that have the wisdom of been submissive for corrections. budix gave unambiguous explanation on this trend, but is been contested here for fun instead of utilising the advantage to avoid unwanted embarrassment in public yet they are trading it for laugh.

Yes we are Nigerians, but the truth is that we can never 'Nigerianise' the English language. There is nothing like 'my names are', the right thing to say is 'my name is' wether you are referring to many names or just one. The reason for this argument is that those names belong to one and only one person.
Guys please check out the Oxford Advanced learners Dictionary, 6th edition, page 778. Study the box at 'more about names and titles' . You may also want to Read the meaning of 'name' there, it says ', word or words, '
Wether the question is 'what is your name?' or 'what is your full name?', the answer is 'my name is'.

Please look at it from this perspective: no one asks u "what are ur names?" It's always "What's ur name?" to which the appropriate answer wld be "My name is. . . . "
should the question've been asked in the former format i.e. "what are ur names?" then the answer "my names are. . . ." might just be appropriate. Still sounds rather incorrect in my honest opinion.

[size=13pt]My name is Charming, Handsome, Young, Comfortable and your names are [/size]

in the university, it was comrade-like (to show you are a rebel against the universitY authority) to use " my names are, "

However, the correct english is My name is ,

Not my opinion but check this dictionary site out, http://www.reference.com/search?q=my%20names%20are&r=d&db=web.

Most Nigerian english sucks and by the nature of our birth, a lot of us are guilty. e.g nigerian english even in the dailies (neck to neck) but the correct english is neck and neck finish.


SOMETHINGS LOOK RIGHT BUT THEY MIGHT NOT BE.

itz very simple logic. when u have more than one thing (doesnt matter wat it is), it becomes "are", lol

itz very simple logic. when u have more than one thing (doesnt matter what it is), it becomes "are", lol

but the thing been signified here is for ONE person. eg my name is charles douglas roberts.

my names are is correct in nigeria as I hear so many times on naija TV and nobody bats an eye

lets just stick to waffi

So guy'z all you all are saying is that, the correct Word to use is "my name is" and not my names are. well i think u guy'z has thought so many 9gerians English Languge, becoz i check for it and got some info. that it is "my name is" and not my names are,
bless ya all.

Got in2 argument 2day again with some guys, jst checking.

Its erroneous to say 'my names are...'
Can only ask; 'wt re ur names?'.optional though..bt ur response must be..'my name is' even if u bear thousands of names.

The subject is "my names" which is a
plural and therefore "are" is used. If the subject
had to be "my name" then "is" would be used
because the subject is singular. This is the rule of
concord my people.

and by the way,its not polite introducing yourself and mentioning your middle name

i thought i was the only one that gets really disturbed when people say my names are, but it's actually correct. come see testimony time for my naija church; my names are...........i swear my head go dey burn with anger

there is nothing grammatically wrong with it.
if someone told me "my names are" then I will assume that he/she bears many different names maybe for fraudulent purposes.

like someone else said, nobody asked you "what are your names?"
if the question is singular, keep the answer singular.