I’m not sure which freaked me out more: my sudden loss of identity or the fact that my own mother couldn’t remember my effin’ name.

Multiple names, shifting identities.Born Gershon Eliezer Weinrib, named after his murdered grandfather, the author''s identity was fluid from the start. Anglification at customs turned his parents into Morris and Mary, and him into Gary Lorne Weinrib, a name his mother later misremembered as Gary Lee Weinrib, adding to the confusion.The nickname sticks.His friend Burd started calling him "Geddy" because of his mother''s accent, a name that stuck and became his professional moniker. This nickname, combined with his rediscovered middle name "Lee," formed "Geddy Lee," a deliberate choice to create a less ethnic, more "rock and roll" identity, eventually leading to a legal name change.Assimilation and self-creation.The journey through multiple names reflects a desire to assimilate into Canadian society and the music world, moving away from a name tied to trauma and immigrant status. This process of shedding old skins and actively choosing a new identity was a significant early step in defining himself.