The Name "Harf"

I'm trying to discover the origin of the name Harf. To that end I have e-mailed a number of people who have that name. Here are some of the responses I have received:

Date: Sun, 15 Feb 1998 18:20:42 +0100
From: Herbert Harf (herbert.harf@wanadoo.fr)
Organization: Observatoire
To: Mitch
Subject: repons du 04.02.1998

hello mitchell,

thanks for the e mail and your question of the origin of my name harf.
I am german and living here in france about three years. before i lived in switzerland 12 years.
i was born in düsseldor, germany.

your question: it seems to be that the origine of the name harf comes from harfe (on anglais harp). certainly you know thet this is an musical instrument of the sting family. the harp (harfe) is believed to have originated from the bow of hunter. he word harfe (harf) is of teutonic origin. the instument was populair early in the middle ages. perhaps my ancestors have been musicians.
I am going to quit my contract with internet at the 20 février.
d'ont look for the mistakes.

i wish you all the best

herbert harf
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 1998 14:05:44 -0600 (CST)
From: Matt Bandy (harf@vansloot.ece.uiuc.edu)
To: Mitch
cc: m-bandy@uiuc.edu
Subject: Re: Harf's homepage



On Wed, 4 Feb 1998, Mitchell Harding wrote:

) Hello,
)
) You don't know me but I am curious about something and would like to ask
) you. Your home page is titled "Harf's homepage". Where does the Harf
) come from? I am assuming it is the name of your computer account which
) is your web account, but why did you choose the name Harf?
)

I'm somewhat surprised anyone bothered to read that; I just did it because it was an assignment (the only assignment, really) for Engineering 100.  I'm not a big believer in personal homepages, unless they're devoted to a single topic.

Anyway, to answer your actual question, it's a nickname I got several years ago in high school.  Once, during some in-class oral report, I mispronounced the word "half" as "harf."  A couple of people in that class started calling me that, and the name stuck.  Probably as many people who met me after that know me as "Harf" as by my real name, since most of my friends introduce me by it.

-- Matt Bandy (m-bandy@uiuc..edu)

Go back to the Harf Project!