A Name That Nobody Gets Right The First Time: Harter

For years now, I've accepted the fact that while introducing myself to someone new, the likelihood of that person repeating it back correct is small. I say "Harter"; you say "Carter". I say "Harter"; you say "Hunter". I say "Harter"; you say "Farter". Get the picture? thing is, it's not an outlandish name, one that can only be pronounced with the help of a linguist. It's just that, no one has ever heard it before. Most people find my name to be pretty cool, but only after they've gone through ever other similar variation. So, what's the history behind such a name that is complicated and uncomplicated at the same time?

Harter is the last name of my dad's mom's mom. In a nutshell, it's my grandmother's maiden name. There is not much documentation about the name itself. I do know that my great grandfather was of German and Swedish descent. I also know that "Hart", in German, means "mud hut". I can only assume then, that my name is definitely rooted in German heritage. As for it being partially translatable into "mud hut", you can make any delineation as to why my ancestors would be intrigued to choose such a name, or why they added an "er" to end. Regardless, I'm extremely proud of my name. I breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that I won't ever have to change it, due to the lack of other Harters in the industry of theater and film. Hopefully, I'll be the first, and the other 40-some Harters, in the world, will just have to deal with it.