What's in a name?
Recently I saw a poser on Facebook: "What names were popular when you were in school?"
Oh ya! Without having to consult my yearbooks, I could rattle off a baker's dozen.
Like it or not, certain names date us. How many of you of a certain age hear 'Jennifer' and immediately their minds go to 1970's Love Story. More recently? Brittney. Taylor. Addison.
During my teen years I so wished my parents had given me a cute name. Like Kathi-with-an-i ... Patty ... Debby ... Cindy.
I can't tell you how many people have called me 'Ira' or 'Myrna.' 'Elvira' even. Sure, I toyed with the idea of having it legally changed. Instead I've finally grown to appreciate my government name.
I love what Sean Dietrich posted last evening:
"Personally, I've always thought a name was one of the most important elements of a person's jumpstart in life. Your name is the first thing anyone will ever say about you. Your name is the last thing that will ever be written about you."
He went on to list some of his personal favorites. Some checked my Ick Meter 'just because.' Some I disliked for no other reason than they remind me of someone. Even as far back as grade school. Hey, I'm not too proud to believe there are people who wrinkle their nose when they hear my name!
I'm so old, I remember when a baby's gender was a surprise up until the moment of birth. Unlike most young people today, the baby's name was only learned when something like this arrived in the mail:
From my own baby book
So, I need to wrap this up!
Before I do -- and keeping with the theme of WCW ...
* Do you like your own given name?
* What are some of your favorite names?
Not because you asked (lol!) -- but I'm adding mine at the bottom.
Have yourselves a wonderful Wednesday!
Hugs, Myra
The only names I'm likely to bestow would be on little 4-legged creatures. Nevertheless, my 'right now' favorites are:
Caroline, Jacqueline, Emily, Shea, Ryne
I'd love to hear some of yours!
the new names now, and I know because my cousins are all having grands and great grands.
ReplyDeleteHarper, Charlie, Palmer, all 3 little girls under 3 years of age and cousins great grands.
I thought they were odd, but then I have since seen those names on TV and on blogs and other places.
I swore that when I turned 18 i would change my name from Sandra, because everyone called me Sandy and I hated it. I never did change it, but I did refuse in my grown up years to answer to Sandy. My middle name I don't even use, my legal on every thing is Sandra M. for maiden name. I wanted to be Maggie, no idea why, but did name a dog Maggie.
My friend in KY had a name like yours, no one said it correctly. Her name is Merle.
the names on all the stars on the oscars are pretty strange.
I can tell you my husbands sisters names were names I would have changed if they were mine.
Doris, Edna, Annie Mae and bobs mother was Thelma. those are all from early 1900's.
Charlie and Harper, yes! I think the latter caught on after Virginia Beckham named her daughter that. I love the name Charlotte, but cringe when they use 'Charlie' instead.
DeleteI've always like my given name. Pamela is a name that not too many have. But as I've grown older I like what pepple now call me and that is mostly 'ma
ReplyDeleteI've been a mom for many years and it's the name I hear most often. I answer to it and and am very proud to be a mom. Some of my favorite names include Meredith. If I'd had another child, that is what I would have called her. Merry would have been her nickname.
I loved your topic for today! And I like The reply that you wrote about from your friend . I used to read his posts all the time, and now I think I'll be revisiting him again. Hope you are enjoying good weather there. It's a beautiful day in Ohio! Love, ma'
I once had a coworker named Pamela ... our manager always called her, "Pam-Ella."
DeleteLove the name Meredith! I've actually a great gr-daughter named Meredith, but have never seen her and I'm not allowed to post photographs.
I didn't much care for my name growing up, but now I love it. Perhaps, because I so appreciate being named after my two beloved aunts, Martha and Jane. How could one not grow to appreciate that?
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Myra!
What a wonderful legacy your parents bestowed. One of the prettiest babies I remember seeing was named Jane Martha.
DeleteAnd yes, she went by both names!
I never thought about this - but it is true - "Personally, I've always thought a name was one of the most important elements of a person's jumpstart in life. Your name is the first thing anyone will ever say about you. Your name is the last thing that will ever be written about you."
ReplyDeleteMy brother was Andy and he named me Sandra (Sandy which I changed to Sandie).
I like Kate or Lexi.
I like your name too!
That's interesting about your brother naming you. So, did Kelly name Andy after her uncle? I like your choices!
DeleteI'm not trying to flatter you (smile) but I love the name Myra.
ReplyDeleteIn ancient times when I was in grade school, the popular names were Linda and Bobby. I swear there were at least seven Lindas in my 2nd grade class.
My real name was John Jr.
Truth to tell, I hated my abusive father so much that I legally changed my name to Jonathan when I was sixteen.
No regrets. I like Jon better than John.
I forgot about all those many Lindas, too. I don't blame you for becoming 'Jon', but can't help by wonder if your sweet mom okay with it?
DeleteMy mom was okay with my decision and my father couldn't care less.
DeleteIf our first born had been a girl I wanted Johanna..my hubby nixed that right out of the gate. Then it would have been Karen Elizabeth..but my girl was a boy named Steven Edward..middle name after his paternal grandpa.
ReplyDeleteI do like my name but I always had a struggle because everyone wanted to spell it Susan..not Suzan. I learned to embrace it. Mostly I go by Sue now and most of my long time oldest friends call me Suzy.
I do like the name Emma and Erin/Aaron
Wasn't one of the VonTrapp children named Johanna? I like it, too!
DeleteFor some reason, 'Suzan' reminds of me of something I read in a children's book; her brother called her 'Suzan-Poozan.'
When we lived in Jax (Jacksonville, Fla.) there were no less than 3 of us Pamela's on that one street, and, yes, we were all babies of the 50s.
ReplyDeleteWe couldn't have children and tried for many years to adopt. It never worked out but I had already picked out what I would name each one by s*x: male - Samuel David; female - Sarah Elizabeth. Both good solid names that are easy to find on a coffee cup or key chain fob if they're ever at the Disney Gift Shop. lol
Such a fun post. I enjoyed the trip down memory lane.
Blessings. 💙
Great names, yes. One of my church friends has a new gr-gr-baby named Samuel ... who's spent the first 4 months of his life in NICU but is 'Samuel strong.'
DeletePS - I always looked for my name at gift shop merchandise -- to no avail.
I'm glad you appreciate your name. I like it! I do like my given name. I need a dog so badly in my life. It sees like everytime one comes up who interests me on Adopt-A-Pet, I'm either not feeling well or we have plans to go out of town. I miss my Skye.
ReplyDeleteI know you do, Debby. Yet, I believe the right pup will come into your life when the time is right. Keep praying!
DeleteI just NEVER liked my name, once someone told me it was spelled wrong, it should have been Jacky, I heard. Once my name became Jack I was ok with it. That said, I named our first son Jackie Jr. with Sherry's permission of course. That has never matched with me dislike for the name, I sure didn't dislike our son JJ. LOLd
ReplyDeleteAnyway, we enjoyed the visit. Always do.
We have a grand son named Maverick, Luke Vegas and two GGrands, Jack. (Olliver Jack and Jack Wiley!)
Maverick, Luke and Oliver are such cool names. I don't know how true this is, but read many years ago that Diana wanted to name William 'Oliver' but was shut down because that wasn't a royal-approved name.
DeleteThere's a tendency over here to name children after the place where they were conceived. Names like Sidney, Roma, Chester and so on. I know a girl called "The frozen food aisle at the supermarket".
ReplyDeleteRemember hand-me-downs? My parents liked to hand down their children's names after the first born. Saved them having to think of a new name for each child. We were all called the same. I hated being called Petal. I thought of changing it to Marigold.
Right ... enough stupidity. I'm in one of those moods right now.
God bless Mevely ... or is it Myra?
Funny fellow! Actually Petal and Marigold aren't so different than what some celebrities are naming their offspring. (SMH)
DeleteMy given name's Myra -- but for the purposes of this blog -- and privacy from my coworkers -- I combined my first and middle to create Mevely.
I’m thinking of grade school names. Marjorie, Annette, Jean, Mary, Gladys, Evelyn, Sheryl, Barbara, Patricia, Dolores come to mind.
ReplyDeleteI, too, occupied classrooms with Jean, Barbara and Dolores. Tom's sister is 'Annette' and my middle name is 'Evelyn.'
DeleteI have such a common name that it has never bothered me. It is not special but it is not a difficult name to live with.
ReplyDeleteOur sons have very common names, though I did want to name to last one Erasmus and call him Razz. Now that he is an adult he wishes I had.,
That is so cool!
DeleteI used to hate my name but I've realized it is what it is. This is silly but I always felt like my birth name was too short. It is better now that I have a last name that is a tad longer. When I was a kid, these are the names of the girls on our street - Lisa, Mary Lou, Mariea, Genny (Virginia), Susie (Susan), Renea, Diane. I remember we had a Laura and a Sharon and a Linda in our class. Three of my best friends were Kaye, Faye, and Karen. My oldest sister has Elizabeth in her name and I always loved that name. She doesn't use that name, though. I just read Anne in the kitchen's comment above and Razz is such a cute name!! I also like the name, Charlie.
ReplyDeleteI hear you on short names! Both my first and last names are only 2 syllables. When I speak it out-loud, it just sounds awkward. Like a puppet, lol.
DeleteHappy Birthday Mevely, and wishing you many more filled with happiness, joy, good health and whatever you desire.
ReplyDeleteGod bless always.
Thank you so much, dear friend! 🤗
DeleteNamed after my mom's sister Anne and my dad's sister Anna and my great grandmother S. yes I am proud of it. My sis had a friend named Myrtis Tarver. A rather unusual name. I like your name, it is unique to me and it is you! Somedays I wish mom chose Cecelia and I could have been a CeCe. But than my sister Mary ( after our other grandma and mom's older sister) had a friend named Cece and she turned out to be a real bugger. Our grandbaby has a different old school name but it is Jake's middle name too, some connect to his grandmother who he adored! Noelle & Nick have the same initials NCR although Noelle added NCRE to her's. :-) I love hearing names. Your posts are so thoguhtful. Love ya my friend.
ReplyDelete