SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - What's in a name? If you're the former Raymond Allen Gray Jr., only one word — Bubba.
The 39-year-old Springfield native legally changed his name last month to reflect his childhood nickname. His new first name? Bubba. His new middle name? Bubba. One guess what his new last name is.
"I kind of like to laugh and joke, and it's something silly to kind of poke fun with," Bubba Bubba Bubba said.
The name change won't be hard to get used to because he has long been known as "Bubba" or "Bubby" Gray, he said.
"My dad called me Buddy, and it got switched to Bubby. Some of the kids couldn't pronounce Buddy too well, so they said Bubby, and it just stuck," he said.
For years he considered changing his name to Bubba Gray. Then a co-worker in the Illinois Secretary of State's office started calling him Bubba Bubba Bubba in jest. Later another co-worker mistakenly thought that was his real name.
"That's kind of what started me thinking: Well, let's just have it all the way through — Bubba Bubba Bubba — first, middle and last," he said.
Bubba's new name became official on Nov. 20 and he's already got a new driver's license and work identification card. He sometimes has been asked what his parents, who are now deceased, would think about the change.
"I'm sure my dad probably would be shaking his head," Bubba said.
I'm surprised it's taken this long for somebody to do it. 
The 39-year-old Springfield native legally changed his name last month to reflect his childhood nickname. His new first name? Bubba. His new middle name? Bubba. One guess what his new last name is.
"I kind of like to laugh and joke, and it's something silly to kind of poke fun with," Bubba Bubba Bubba said.
The name change won't be hard to get used to because he has long been known as "Bubba" or "Bubby" Gray, he said.
"My dad called me Buddy, and it got switched to Bubby. Some of the kids couldn't pronounce Buddy too well, so they said Bubby, and it just stuck," he said.
For years he considered changing his name to Bubba Gray. Then a co-worker in the Illinois Secretary of State's office started calling him Bubba Bubba Bubba in jest. Later another co-worker mistakenly thought that was his real name.
"That's kind of what started me thinking: Well, let's just have it all the way through — Bubba Bubba Bubba — first, middle and last," he said.
Bubba's new name became official on Nov. 20 and he's already got a new driver's license and work identification card. He sometimes has been asked what his parents, who are now deceased, would think about the change.
"I'm sure my dad probably would be shaking his head," Bubba said.
I'm surprised it's taken this long for somebody to do it. 
