History Recap / RecessS1E7FirstNameAshley

* SpoilerTitle: Spinelli's first name is given away by title.

* AluminiumChristmasTrees: The Ashleys claim that the name "Ashley" is only a girl's name--on the contrary, "Ashley" is technically a unisex name (meaning that it can be used for both boys and girls). Also, at least in the United States, it was originally more common as a boy's name--in fact, it wasn't until around the late 1970s that "Ashley" really started becoming more popular as a girl's name than a boy's name.
** Also, in some English-speaking countries (outside the United States), "Ashley" is still far more common as a boy's name than a girl's name, with the alternative feminine spelling being "Ashleigh." In the United Kingdom, for example, "Ashley" is predominantly a boy's name.

** In the United Kingdom, "Ashley" is still more common as a boy's name than a girl's name, with the alternative female spelling being "Ashleigh."
* BigNo: Spinelli lets one out, after Randall reveals her first name.

* ChildrenAreInnocent: Combined with StatingTheSimpleSolution--the kids on the playground honestly believe that changing your name is as simple as say, getting a new library card. Mikey implies as such when questioning Spinelli on why she doesn't change her first name.

** After Randall reveals to everyone that Spinelli's first name is Ashley, she later explains to Gretchen and the boys that she doesn't have a problem with the name itself--in fact, Spinelli likes her first name just fine, especially since she was named after her Great-Aunt Ashley, who's considered a family hero because she was the first woman to win the Iditarod Dog Sled Race in Alaska. Even though Spinelli never met her Great-Aunt Ashley, she greatly admires her.

* GilliganCut: The rest of the main six reassures Spinelli that the Ashleys wouldn't dare induct her, feeling that Spinelli's far too unlike them. Cut to the Ashleys discussing that they have to do it so as for Spinelli to not marr the Ashley name.

* PygmalionPlot: Subverted. The Ashleys try to force Spinelli to become a proper lady, but due to treating her as a slave and Ashley intern and forcing their views on her, she wants out as soon as possible.

* ShoutOut: The Ashleys taping Spinelli's eyes open to force her to watch "My Fuzzy Unicorn" bears so much resemblance to [[Film/ClockWorkOrange a certain scene]].

* ShoutOut: The Ashleys taping Spinelli's eyes open to force her to watch "My Fuzzy Unicorn" bears so much resemblance to [[Film/ClockworkOrange a certain scene]].

** After Randall reveals that Spinelli's first name is Ashley, she explains to Gretchen and the boys that she doesn't have a problem with the name itself and that she likes her first name just fine--Spinelli was named after her Great-Aunt Ashley, who was the first woman to win the Iditarod Dog Sled Race in Alaska. Even though Spinelli never met her Great-Aunt Ashley, she greatly admires her and says that she's considered a "family hero."
** Utliamtely, Spinelli's "problem" with her first name being Ashley is that, for as long as she can remember, every other girl she's ever met who had "Ashley" as their first name were girls like Ashleys A, B, Q and T--Spinelli doesn't want people to think that she's anything like them, and that's the main reason why she doesn't like going by her first name.
* ExactWords: The constitution of the playground states that someone whose name is Ashley must join the Ashleys if invited by an Ashley, and TJ's able to [[HoistByTheirOwnPetard use this against them.]]

* ProperlyParanoid: Spinelli never told anyone her first name because she didn't want to have to join the Ashleys. The minute that Randall outs her, the Ashleys force her to join using the Constitution of the Playground and mistreat her.

* AluminiumChristmasTrees: The Ashleys claim that the name "Ashley" is only a girl's name. On the contrary, "Ashley" is technically a unisex name (meaning that it can be used for both boys and girls), and, at least in the United States, "Ashley" was primarily a boy's name until the early 1980s.

** After Randall reveals that Spinelli's first name is Ashley, she explains to Gretchen and the boys that she likes her name just fine--she was named after her Great-Aunt Ashley, who was the first woman to win the Iditarod Dog Sled Race in Alaska. Even though Spinelli never met her Great-Aunt Ashley, she greatly admires her and says that she's considered a "family hero."
** Spinelli claims that her "problem" is that, for as long as she can remember, every other girl she's ever met who was also named "Ashley" were girls like Ashleys A, B, Q and T--Spinelli doesn't want people to think that she's anything like them, and that's the main reason why she doesn't like going by her first name.

* WhamShot: Spinelli's student file, which reveals her first name ''is'' Ashley.

** After Randall reveals that Spinelli's first name is Ashley, she later explains to her friends that she doesn't have anything against the name "Ashley" itself--Spinell claims that she was named after her Great-Aunt Ashley, who was the first woman to win the Iditarod Dog Sled Race in Alaska. Even though Spinelli never met her Great-Aunt Ashley, she greatly admires her and says that she's considered a "family hero."
** It ultimately turns out that Spinelli's "problem" is that, for as long as she can remember, every other girl she's ever met who was also named "Ashley" were girls like Ashleys A, B, Q and T--Spinelli doesn't want people to think that she's anything like them, and that's the main reason why she doesn't like being called by her first name.

* AluminiumChristmasTrees: The Ashleys claim that the name "Ashley" is only a girl's name. On the contrary, "Ashley" is technically a unisex (meaning that it can be used for both boys and girls), and, at least in the United States, "Ashley" was primarily a boy's name until the early 1980s.

* ChildrenAreInnocent: Combined with StatingTheSimpleSolution--the kids on the playground honestly believe that changing your name is as simple as say, getting a new library card. Mikey implies as such when asking Spinelli on why she doesn't change her first name.

** After Randall reveals that Spinelli's first name is Ashley, she later explains to her friends that she doesn't have anything against the name "Ashley" itself--Spinell claims that she was named after her Great-Aunt Ashley, who was the first woman to win the Iditarod. Even though Spinelli never met her Great-Aunt Ashley, she greatly admires her and says that she's considered a "family hero."

* SelfDeprecation: It's funny how the Ashleys consider "Paul" and "Joe" to be undesirable boy's names considering that Paul and Joe are the names of the creators.

* AluminiumChristmasTrees: The Ashleys are surprised that the boys are claiming their names are Ashley, but it is technically a unisex name--and it was originally more common as boy's name. In fact, it wasn't until the early 1980s that it started becoming more common as a girl's name.
** In America, "Ashley" is much more common as a girl's name than a boy's name--but in England, it's still more common as a boy's name, with "Ashleigh" being the alternative spelling for girls.

** After Randall reveals that Spinelli's first name is Ashley, she later explains to her friends that she doesn't have anything against the name "Ashley" itself--Spinell claims that she was named after her Great-Aunt Ashley, who was the first woman to win the Iditarod. Even though Spinelli never met her Great-Aunt Ashley, she greatly admires her and says that she's a "family hero."
** Spinelli ultimately claims that her problem is that, for as long as she can remember, every other girl she's ever met who was also named "Ashley" were girls like Ashleys A, B, Q and T--Spinelli doesn't want people to think that she's anything like them, so that's the main reason why she doesn't like going by her first name.

** After Randall reveals that Spinelli's first name is Ashley, she explains to her friends that she doesn't have anything against the name itself--Spinell claims that she was named after her Great-Aunt Ashley, who was the first woman to win the Iditarod. Even though Spinelli never met her Great-Aunt Ashley, she greatly admires her and says that she's a "family hero."
** Spinelli ultimately claims that her problem is that, for as long as she can remember, all other girls she's met who were also named "Ashley" have been girls like Ashleys A, B, Q and T--Spinelli doesn't want people to think that she's anything like them, so that's the main reason why she never wanted people to know what her first name is.
* ExactWords: The constitution of the playground states that someone whose name is Ashley must join the Ashleys if invited, and TJ is able to [[HoistByTheirOwnPetard use this against them.]]
* FauxHorrific: The Ashleys fear that, if they don't include Spinelli into the Ashley clubhouse, they might date boys with names like Paul or Joe when they're in middle school.
* GilliganCut: The gang reassures Spinelli that the Ashleys wouldn't dare induct her. Cut to the Ashleys discussing that they have to do it so as for Spinelli to not marr the Ashley name.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Spinelli may have had her reasons to break Randall's tape recorder since no one should be recording students' conversations, but it motivates him to find dirt on her and sell her out to the Ashleys.

* ReadTheFinePrint: Gretchen does this with the constitution of the playground to find out if there's a way for Spinelli to leave the Ashleys' clique. As it would seem, the only way that Spinelli could leave the group is if the Ashleys agree to let her go. After hearing this, T.J. comes up with a plan to do that so that the Ashleys kick out Spinelli.
* SelfDeprecation: It's funny how the Ashleys consider Paul and Joe to be undesirable boy's names considering that Paul and Joe are the names of the creators.

* ChildrenAreInnocent: The kids on the playground believe that changing your name is as simple as getting a new library card. Mikey implies as such when asking Spinelli why she doesn't change her first name.

* EmbarrassingFirstName: An interesting variation, in that Spinelli honestly doesn't dislike her first name--she was named after a great-aunt (through her mother's side of the family) whom she greatly admires (Spinelli's Great-Aunt Ashley was the first woman to win the Iditarod). The only reason she doesn't like being called by her first name is because she doesn't want to be associated with girls like ''the'' Ashleys, whom she considers "snooty and prissy".

* StatingTheSimpleSolution: Invoked--Mikey questions why Spinell can't just change her first name, which, in real life, isn't as simple as one would think it is. Spinelli explains that she honestly doesn't hate the name itself--in fact, Spinelli actually likes her first name, especially since she was named after a relative that she greatly admires. The problem is that she doesn't want to be associated with girls like Ashleys A, B, Q and T.

* AluminiumChristmasTrees: The Ashleys are surprised that the boys are claiming their names are Ashley, which is actually a unisex name. In fact, as shown in ''Film/GoneWithTheWind'', it used to be a boy's name.

* ChildrenAreInnocent: The kids on the playground really believe that changing your name is as simple as getting a new library card. Mikey implies as such when asking Spinelli why she doesn't change her first name.

* EmbarrassingFirstName: Spinelli reveals that she hates her first name, not because of the name itself -- she was named for a great-aunt whom she admires -- but because she doesn't want to become part of ''the'' Ashleys, whom she considers "snooty and prissy".

* FauxHorrific: The Ashleys fear that, if they don't include Spinelli into the Ashley clubhouse, they might date boys with names like Paul or Joe when they're in JuniorHigh.

* ReadTheFinePrint: Gretchen does this with the constitution of the playground to find out if there's a way for Spinelli to leave the Ashleys. She says it would only work if the Ashleys agreed to let her go. T.J. and the others immediately concoct a plan to do that so that the Ashleys kick out Spinelli.

* StatingTheSimpleSolution: Invoked. Mikey asks Spinelli why she doesn't change her first name, which in real life is not as simple as it appears. She says that she can't because she was named for a great-aunt Ashley, who was cool in her books. Also, she doesn't hate the name Ashley itself, but rather the girls that own the name.
* TemptingFate: The gang laughs at the thought of the Ashleys inducting Spinelli. They think she's too unlike an Ashley to fall victim to them. Cue a GilliganCut to Ashley A. convincing the other Ashleys to do just that.

* TemptingFate: The gang laughs at the thought of the Ashleys inducting Spinelli. They think she's too unlike an Ashley to fall victim to them. Cue a GilliganGut to Ashley A. convincing the other Ashleys to do just that.

* SelfDeprecation: It's funny how the Ashleys consider Paul and Joe to be undesirable boy's names considering that Paul and Joe are the names of the creators.

* MyLittlePhony: Among other things, the Ashleys make Spinelli do is watch videotapes of "My Fuzzy Unicorn" with her eyes taped open.

* AluminiumChristmasTrees: The Ashleys are surprised that the boys are claiming their names are Ashley, which is actually a unisex name.

* IAmSpartacus: TJ and the gang get the entire playground to claim their name is Ashley, thereby allowing Spinelli to invite them into the group.

* ExactWords: The constitution of the playground states that someone whose name is Ashley must join the Ashleys if invited, and TJ is able to use this against them.