What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. - William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
The first week in March is Name Pride Week. Today, March 4, is Learn What Your Name Means Day and the Friday of the first full week of March is Middle Name Pride Day. Many sources mistakenly think that Middle Name Pride Day falls on the same day every year but that is not the case. This year it falls on March 6. A parent often selects a name to honor a friend or relative. That person may have possessed certain characteristics that they wanted you to inherit.
Until the Civil War, middle names simply were not that common in the United States. Sometimes, a mother will have all her children's first names starting with the same letter of the alphabet. In the past, hurricanes have been named for women. There are hundreds of websites that help you to find a name for your children, dogs, cats, horses, and even boats! I found funny names, celebrity names, happy names and unique names. There are many websites that tell you the meaning of names. Here is one you might want to check out: http://www.behindthename.com/
Many people don't like their names and some go so far as to have them changed. A lot of people never reveal their middle names to anyone and often just use the first letter of their middle name when signing a check, etc.
This week we should all take pride in our first and middle given names. Supposedly, one way to celebrate is to reveal your middle name to at least three other people.
My middle name is "Ann". There used to be a potato salad out called, " Judy Ann Potato Salad".
Several times, I had people ask me if I was connected with the company when they found out my middle name. I went to school with a girl named Clara Bell. She was teased to death because there was a clown on the Howdy Doody Show by that name.
Do you have any hangups about your name? Do you dislike it? Are you named after someone you know or a relative? Do you know any really funny names?
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30 comments:
That's interesting! My mother named me Sylvia after the actress Sylvia Sidney, my middle name is Rae, after my father whose name was Raymond.
I used to hate my middle name--but now I love it. I was named Elizabeth (after my grandmother on my mother's side) Bruce (as a middle name) Banks (last name). I guess I didn't look like an Elizabeth since they called me Betsy. BUT--Bruce is a family name and I was embarrassed by it when I was young --since it was a boy's name. These days, girls have all kinds of boys' names and vice versa. BUT--even if they didn't, I stil love my middle name since it connects me to the Bruce side of my family.
Hugs,
Betsy
Mine is "Silver Moon"- sort of Cherokee.. there is a little story behind but not sure i shd post it here. Anyway, i appreciate that it has been selected with some consideration- and it would be quite ungrateful if i didn't feel that way.
Have a great day, Judy!
My middle name is Patricia, after my mum's best friend.
My middle name is Marie, named after a friend of my parents whom they admired. I never met my namesake, but heard she was a fine woman. My first name, Elizabeth, was after an aunt, who actually never seemed to like me very much! But I like the name, anyway, though I think my nickname "Beth" is more suitable. "Elizabeth" is a bit too grand for a down-to-earth person like me!
Interesting post, Judy!
Hi Judy,
This was interesting. I always learn something here. OK....time to confess...my real name is Patricia Jean....My hubby gave me the nickname Balisha 6 yrs ago, when we married, and it stuck. You know...Patricia, Balisha..kind of rhymes? I am called that all the time now....and to tell you the truth, I like it. It's fun to change your name... when you are in your 70's.
Me again...love your header.
I don't like my name. The Dr. that delivered me named me after his wife. He told my Mother if she would let him name me, he would buy me a new dress. She said he never lived up to his promise. I always wanted to hunt him down while I was a teen ager and see if he would buy me one. My middle name, I don't like it either. It is after an aunt...my Mothers sister. Clara Mae....I have always wanted to just change the letters around in Clara to Carla. Or I like Claire or Clair. But come to think of it, Clara Mae is better than Clara Bell. That is awful...I think there was a cow by that name....LOL
What an interesting post. My middle name is Virginia after my Dad's only sister. I never cared for my name - but as I got older I gave it little thought.
Sweetie
I am crazy about my entire name!
I was named Tabitha after Samantha Steven's daughter on Bewitched. But also in the bible there was a kind lady named Tabitha who gave her life to helping others, she died and Jesus brought her back. I didn't find out about the bible part until last year. how ironic it is!
My middle name Marie is after St. Maria
I am not even going to share the name. I cannot stand it.
Named after my mother and father and they did not like their names.
Why then pass it on to your first born. LOL.
Hi Judy, I never liked my first and middle name for years. I was named for an aunt I did not like and ended up living with her for a number of years, now I have come to terms with the name and do not mind being called by it. The name is Margaret Belle. I have a nickname I like because my dad gave it to me, it is Pat.
Oh what a great post. Its funny when sometimes you hear a baby's name and you think it is so strange yet you get used to it and then cannot imagine them being called anything else. I was named after my darling beautiful Nanna. Loved her so and every clarivoyant I have been to always tells me that my spirit guide is my grandmother and describe her to a 't'. That fills me with joy I have to tell you as we were so close too. Funny names - I can only think of all the move stars who call their kids ridiculous names! Poor kids is all I can say.
I love the music too Judy. My kind of music.
Mine is Clair Marie and I'm another who suffered being called Clara Bell the Clown in elementary school. Could have been worse, I'm sure.
I was born in Maine, named after people there, grew up on the west coast where I rarely met a Claiir/Claire. When we moved back east again, there they were!
Judy, you've done it again, here on your warm and welcoming blogspot. You always find a subject that touches us all and brings a response.
Always love the music. Thank you!
Hi Judy, my name as you know is Yvonne, but as a child........and still to my family have always been known by my second name Sally.
Heavens knows why my mother named me Yvonne as I was never called it.
I have through my poetry have always called myself with my first name. A great and interesting blog.
Take care.
Yvonne
My first & middle name is Coleen Marie. I have no clue who I was named for but we gave our only daughter the middle name of Marie and she gave HER daughter the middle name of Marie, as did our son (who also married a girl with the middle name of Marie). So I guess we have started our own tradition.
Hi Judy! *giggles* we both have the same name...and the same middle name! Only I'm a Anne, instead of Ann.
Now if our last names would turn out to be the same, that would be a wonder!
Thanks for sharing all of the research work you have shared with us. :)
I have never been crazy about my first name. Always wanted to be Rebbecca or Deborah. But my Daddy thought long and hard about my name. Pamela Ann Moore. My initials spell my name. Daddy was very proud of coming up with that. Of course I messed the whole thing up by marrying a Waxman. Now I am just PAW.
wow!!! i dont know that there is such name pride week..amazing huh?? is it ok if i post this in my blog? i love it. thank u advance. hahahaaha!!! by the way miss judy i tagged u in my blog hope u would participate its a lot of fun...mwah!
Dear Judy,
My name is Ruby Irene, and I was named for several aunts. In fact all the siblings in my family were named for relatives. I don't know if my parents were just unimaginative or if it was just customary to be named for relatives. I have always liked my name (guess I didn't know any better, ha). My mom always called my by both my names and it made her mad when anyone tried to give me a nickname. Thanks for the really interesting post.
Love,
Ruby
My grandmother wanted to name me patricia but dad didn't like that name hense... I alway thought Patricia sounds important. my middle name is ann for my great grandmother who lived 100 years.
I am very attached to both my names (Evelyn and Yvonne) because I was named after my paternal and maternal grandmothers. I was the first born daughter of my generation so I always felt that I got the "important names".
Of course now that I'm over fifty I've left that childish sibling rivalry behind (smile).
Evelyn in Montreal
Hello again,
I just noticed that you don't appear on the Geneabloggers Blogroll.
If you don't belong and you like to interact with others then go to my site and click on the Geneabloggers button.
There's a lot of interesting folks there!
Evelyn in Montreal
Hi Friend.. Interesting post.. Keep up the good work..Do find time to drop by my site and post your views... Take care.. Cheers mate!!!
My dad is James Donald, I am Jamie Dawn, and my younger brother is Jason Donald. All JDs.
I used to think my name was a boy's name. I didn't know of many girls named Jamie. But then, the bionic woman was Jamie Sommers!! That was great!
My mom said I came out of Sunday School upset one time when I was really little. I said I hated my name and I wished I had a beautiful name like Jochabed. I may not be spelling the name right, but it's the name of Moses' mother in the Bible and apparently we'd learned about that in class that day, and I thought it was a beautiful name.
:-)
I am really Elizabeth Ann, named after my mom, Elizabeth and Ann, a friend of hers. they had thought once about naming me Onie (after a relative) Mae....can you imagine how I would have been kidded!!! Thank goodness for second thoughts.
I do not have a middle name. My parents apparently didn't believe in complicating things and gave us easy first names only! I think I was named after the midwife that helped my Mom deliver me at home. My poor Mom!! I weighed 10 lbs!
Interesting post! BTW, I didn't like my name when I was younger but now I love it!
Hi Judy
My Name (June) isn't very magic I think - my parents were married in June and that's how they chose it. The second name, Marjorie, is more interesting (although I don't like it much). My mother's second name was the same, and I'm trying to work out where it came from through family history.
Cheers
June in Oz
Hi Judy. Sorry I haven't been around, but as you know I've been out celebrating. Thanks again for your sweet congratulations.
This is such a fun post. My middle name is Audrey and I was named for my grandma. It was going to be my first name, but my grandma said she was called "odd" in school and wouldn't want that for me.
My mom chose my first name because in the baby book at the hospital it meant "a gift from God." I was quite a surprise to the family, arriving about three weeks after my mom found out she was pregnant. Long story there. If you ask me about it sometime, I'll be glad to share it with you. :D
Hey Judy!
Sorry I haven't written in a while. I've been on a "blogging break" gathering pictures, thoughts and things to write about again soon. I'm not as creative as you!!!
As far as middle names go, I do not have a middle name nor did my mother, my daughter, my ex-mother-in-law or any of my three ex-sister-in-laws. It was unusual for (the women) on my side of the family not to have middle names, and then for me to marry a man whose entire side of the women didn't have them either was really a shock! I always hated not having a middle name growing up because the kids in school always thought I was making up an excuse just not to tell them because they thought I didn't like it! I'm one of those people that (depending on what middle name my parents would have given me), I would have given anything for a middle name! It's funny, how we always want what others have isn't it?
This was a fun post!!
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