a name-y post

[chestnutcurls]

I find it interesting that most of my workdays are either insanely busy or completely inactive. There doesn't seem to be an in-between. I haven't minded much today, though, since the Project-From-You-Know-Where reared its ugly head again yesterday. Another 2 hours in the copy room, more confusion regarding what had been revised and what copies were going where and to whom, and I was nearly in tears by the end of the day. So today I have been thankful for the quiet. :)

I'm trying to think of a fun topic that will generate discussion, but everything I've dwelt on lately would probably be boring to everyone else. So how's this for a random subject: How did your parents decide on your name? Were you named after someone? Did they just like the name? I am fascinated by names and etymology, so I love to hear about these things. :) My parents picked Brenda out of a name book. Apparently they considered naming me Emylynne after both my grandmothers, Emily and Lynn, but thankfully they just kept Emily for my middle name.

Also, what names do you have in mind for your future children? Do you plan to name them after anyone? Do you feel pressure to use a Biblical name? I have a million ideas for names, and they're always changing. For girls, I like Hannah, Julia/Julie, Lilly, Natalie, and Leia (but pronounced Leah; a girl whose blog I've read has this name, and I think it's neat). Most of the boys' names I really like are, coincidentally, the names of my guy friends, so I guess we'll have to... see about that. :P I'm pretty sure that a future daughter's middle name will be Deborah, after my sister Debra (she's always felt that her name is spelled the "wrong way," so this might make amends). :)

I am now ashamed of myself for rambling on this long about names. And I could ramble for pages, which is sad. Anyway, discuss. :)

Comments

[yakk0dotorg]

I don't know where my parents got Jeremy from. I think it was a 70s thing. Thomas is a family name though. My dad, his dad, and his dad all had Thomas as their first or middle name.

[aardwolf.livejournal.com]

And so the often told story shall begin again:

I'm was named Charles Lawson Culver. My father's mother's someone was named Charles Warner (or something like that), so they supposedly got it from there. I was named Lawson after Calvin Lawson, my parents' favorite waitor at their favorite restaurant (the Rendezvous, a BBQ Rib place here in Memphis for those not from the area.)

I have a family history chart at home that I bought from some random online place. The Culver family (which means Dove, BTW) originated from England, and they have recorded the original Culvers that live in that area. I don't remember the details, but it's kinda neat.

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

It's funny that you were the first ones to respond, when I already knew about both of you. :)

Have fun tonight... ;)

[moredetails.livejournal.com]

My parents didn't name any of us girls after anyone. They just thought of names that they thought sounded pretty and good with our last name. If I were a boy, my dad really wanted to name me Obediah Zachariah (sp on both?). Thankfully, I am a girl. At the time I was named, Jessica wasn't very popular. In fact, my mom only knew it to be an old lady name, but still a nice name. Soon after I was born, Jessica became the second most popular, and then the most popular girl's name. So there are a lot of girls named Jessica who are about 20 or younger.

So I am Jessica Renée, and I've actually met/heard of like three other Jessica Renées. Apparently a lot of people find those two names to make a good combination. I'm happy with it. I just wish my first name wasn't so popular these days.

My sister's names (not that you care) are Rochelle Diane and Dawn Christine.

You know I had to give a long answer. :)

[contradictions.livejournal.com]

I've found Renée, Ann, and Marie (different spellings of both, as well) to be quite popular among girls our age. I have many many friends with those as middle names. I guess that they're those kind of names that sound good with almost any first name. Iiiiinteresting :o)

[moredetails.livejournal.com]

Hm.. :( I thought Renée was at least a LITTLE less common than Anne and Marie! Everyone's middle name is Marie. At least let me have one name that isn't super common (besides my last).

[moredetails.livejournal.com]

I forgot to mention my kids names. I don't really want kids, but if I did have them, I do have names in mind. For a boy: Asher (it means happy), Julian, or Sidney. For a girl: Madison (though it's getting super popular), Camille, Emery...I have a lot of girl names in mind.

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

I kind of like Emery too. I also like Ember, but it sounds so much like Amber and people would probably misspell her name all the time.

[tingilya.livejournal.com]

My name: Danielle is the feminine form of Daniel, which means "God is my Judge." And that pretty much sums me up. It's fascinating how my name and my parents' names totally fit our personalities. When I was growing up, *nobody* had ever heard of my name before, and I hated it. I didn't realise how unique it was. Now that it's more common, though, I'm okay with it.

Future names: I adore Emily Ransom, and I want to call her Ransom. It's an old family name. Also, my best friend's son is named Ransom (after the character from Lewis' space trilogy) and I think it'd be cool to have a girl to match her boy! I also love Caris Margaret - Caris is Greek for grace and Margaret is my mother's name. And I'd want to call her by both names. Boy names? I have no idea, really. I thought I'd leave it up to my husband mostly. I've always adored the names Jack and Sam, though - Jack for a close friend of mine who pretty much changed the direction of my life, and Sam for Frodo's friend who's so loyal and noble. I've always loved Josh, too, which is just... funny. Heh. Perhaps I'll have a Josh Jr.?

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

It's neat to have a name that matches you. Brenda means "firebrand," which is definitely not me. :) However, my sister's name Debra means "bee," and that describes her perfectly. One of my mom's nicknames for her is "Busy Bee." :)

[yakk0dotorg]

I think firebrand can suit you at times. Of course I've seen you get really mad (most likely at me) too.

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I think.

[tingilya.livejournal.com]

OH! I forgot two of my favorite girls' names! I adore Eowyn. Especially when I heard how it's really supposed to be pronounced. It's beautiful, and Eowyn was such a wonderful woman. I also love Dacey, which is Irish for "southern." I'll stop spamming now.

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

How is it supposed to be pronounced? Nobody's ever explained to me, and I've felt too stupid to ask. :) I love her.

I like Sam, too. :)

[aardwolf.livejournal.com]

Ay - oh - win. ;)

What's in a name?

[contradictions.livejournal.com]

As far as I know, my mom picked my first and middle names, but it was up to my dad to decide how to spell them. Phillip means "Lover of horses", but I think my mom just liked the name. Although I DO have a weakness for a certain type of horse...you know...the kind with lots of "horse" power? ;o) As for Bryan, my middle name, I am named after my grandfather, whose middle name was Bryant.

I *would* have been a Jr., but my dad's middle name is Eddie (after my grandfather, Edward...Edward Bryant, in case you hadn't figured it out ;o) ), and my mom didn't care for that. Had his middle name been Edward, I would have been Russell Edward, Jr.

And had I been a girl, I would have been Jennifer Leigh.

Now, as for MY kids' names. I know that I want at least one boy and one girl (although that is beyond anyone's control, of course...but that's what I want :o) ). For a boy, I definitely want a Phillip, Jr. :o) I don't know why, either...I have just always liked the thought of having a little Jr. running around...people always used to call me "Little Russell" or "Little Rascal" because I look like my dad, and I always liked that. And for a girl, I do like the name Jennifer Leigh. But, of course, my wife would have input into that, since, well, she's the one that has to deal with them for the 9 months before we actually get to meet them ;o)

Long enough comment for ya?

[jmcphers.livejournal.com]

My parents spent a lot of time looking for good names and praying about the matter. Both of my names are Biblical; Jonathan means "Gift of Jehovah" and was best known for his friendship with David. I don't recall the meaning of Aaron, but it was also positive.

I haven't given much thought to children's names, yet. When two people try to name their own children, there are often conflicts because one of them has the Perfect Name and the other thinks it's unaccaptable because they know/knew someone with the same name(s) who they'd rather not think about. I'll probably do the same for my children as my parents did for me -- look at meanings, see which names my wife and I both like, assess how popular the name is, and try to find one that's meaningful and special and will suit them well as they progress through life. You only get one name; it'd better be a nice one.

Don't be ashamed. Names are marvelous. (-:

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

That's so true about having to disqualify names because they belonged to people you didn't like. It works the other way, too. There are several names I didn't like so much before, but then I met people who beautified their names. :)

I can't remember what Aaron means either, but he was Moses' brother, so it has a good connotation. :)

[moredetails.livejournal.com]

Lofty; exalted; high mountain. Biblically, Aaron was Moses' older brother (and keeper by God's command). He was first high priest of the Israelites, remembered for the miraculous blossoming of his staff or rod.

That's what it says in one place, anyway. I love that name Aaron, but also Erin for a girl. the "air" sound is so pretty, just like in Eric, Erica, Sarah, Darren, etc.

Ooh,fun...

[ruthieroo.livejournal.com]

Names are so fascinating!:D I've never much liked my name...Ruth means stuff like "companion" "friend" "beautiful" (depending where you look) so you know that's all nice.;) But it's not very fascinating or anything.;) My middle name is after my gramma,Lorraine. My gramma is great but the name...!! ;) When I was little I thought my middle name was Meringue. Like Lemon Meringue Pie...I was Ruth Meringue...:| My parents named me what they did because of the biblical Ruth and my mom said she had a good friend in college named Ruth. It is true that when someone is a great person their name becomes a lot nicer!:D If I was a boy I *think* I was to be named Zachariah...although knowing my parents they might have done something like ZECHariah.;) My sister's name is Hannah but they pronounced it "Hahn-uh"...therefore people who have known her a long time forget and call other Hannahs by this pronunciation.:P
Brenda is my cousin's name...I wouldn't describe her as a firebrand,either!;)

Re: Ooh,fun...

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

I love the name Lorraine! :)

[grace20.livejournal.com]

Well...my name. Actually, its kind of a cool story. My mom and dad had picked out a few names, and my mother loved the name Lisa Adriana, but she hadn't really mentioned it to anyone. She got a letter from her mother telling about a dream she'd had. She dreamed my mother had a black-haired daughter named Lisa Adriana. (and, yes, I do have black hair) :o) Isn't that fun?

Lisa means 'consecrated to God'. I'm not sure what Adriana means, but my great-grandfather's name was Adrian, so that's where that came from.

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's really cool! :) Adriana means "dark." It's Latin. So that goes with your hair, too. :)

Something like that happened to me recently. I dreamed that I had a baby girl and named her Natalie Grace- I had never thought of that name before, but it was very important to the dream. Several days later, a guy in my office adopted twins, and they named the girl Natalie Grace. It was weird! I didn't tell anyone at work about it, though, because I didn't think they would believe me. :)

the name game

[greenhornet.livejournal.com]

I am named after my father Donald Lee Henderson Sr.

We are both named (first name) after the Clan in Scotland from which we descend. Clan Donald has a lot of surnames in it, among them MacDonald and Mac Donal and McDonald.

Lee sounded good after it.

Re: the name game

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Do you like being a Jr., or are you sometimes annoyed by it? (Like, were you ever called "Little Don" as a kid? :)) My dad is a Jr., and I know he's never liked it very much.

Re: the name game

[greenhornet.livejournal.com]

I never had a problem with it. Of course my dad was my hero, so I liked having the same name.