That's Not My Name! NaBloPoMo Prompt Day 7 even though its now Day 9....
NaBloPoMo Prompt.
If you had to switch your first name, what name would you choose and why?
I was never one of those children who wanted to change their name. My brother and sister had that phase. I remember the year they made Christmas stocking with their desired names on them, and were permitted to use them!
Me? I was satisfied with my own name: Rebecca.
My father lovingly teased me when he called my Rebecca from Sunnybrook Farms. At even more playful times, he would call me Beckerooni.
My friends simply shortened it to Roo, as we had Pooh and Tigger Too in the group.
All this I was quite comfortable with, never thinking of a name I would rather be called. Hubby took to calling me Beck, which was once mis-heard by one who called my Beth from then on. I never corrected him.
Then, last year, people kept calling me Rachel. Even right after introductions, saying 'Well it was nice to meet you Rachel' to which I immediately corrected to 'It's Rebecca'. Phone calls would ask 'Is Rachel there?', and I was even introduced to someone else as Rachel once.
Come on people, that's NOT my name! I even devoted a Music Monday to this!
The most change I can muster is insisting on now being call Rebecca, instead of Becky. That change happened about 7 years ago now.
The big change in name happened just over 20 years ago, when I got married. I am quite content with both these changes, and have no plans or dreams of changing either.
Maybe it's because I got to help name my three beautiful children. I got to explore names and choose the ones we thought perfect for our little ones. We did labor over names. With each one.
With our first born, we endured a ridiculous number of suggestions from well meaning family members (4 pages of names, front and back, from one loving sister!), and finally combined two names into a new name.
We even picked a name prior to the birth of our second, only to completely change it once she was born because the name didn't fit at all! It took us 3 days to find a new name for her.
The third one we disagreed for weeks before the birth, finally compromising so that he actually has 4 names: a first name we don't use except on paper; 2 middle names, one of which is the name we use daily, the other middle name being my maiden name; and of course the family name.
If I HAD to switch my name, well I don't know what I would choose. It would probably be unusual, exotic, and nothing like my common name now. Until the day I am forced to change, I am quite content with what I have. As long as it isn't Rachel.
How do you feel about your name? Have you ever dreamed of changing it or, or have you always been happy with it?
If you had to switch your first name, what name would you choose and why?
I was never one of those children who wanted to change their name. My brother and sister had that phase. I remember the year they made Christmas stocking with their desired names on them, and were permitted to use them!
Me? I was satisfied with my own name: Rebecca.
My father lovingly teased me when he called my Rebecca from Sunnybrook Farms. At even more playful times, he would call me Beckerooni.
My friends simply shortened it to Roo, as we had Pooh and Tigger Too in the group.
All this I was quite comfortable with, never thinking of a name I would rather be called. Hubby took to calling me Beck, which was once mis-heard by one who called my Beth from then on. I never corrected him.
Then, last year, people kept calling me Rachel. Even right after introductions, saying 'Well it was nice to meet you Rachel' to which I immediately corrected to 'It's Rebecca'. Phone calls would ask 'Is Rachel there?', and I was even introduced to someone else as Rachel once.
Come on people, that's NOT my name! I even devoted a Music Monday to this!
The most change I can muster is insisting on now being call Rebecca, instead of Becky. That change happened about 7 years ago now.
The big change in name happened just over 20 years ago, when I got married. I am quite content with both these changes, and have no plans or dreams of changing either.
Maybe it's because I got to help name my three beautiful children. I got to explore names and choose the ones we thought perfect for our little ones. We did labor over names. With each one.
With our first born, we endured a ridiculous number of suggestions from well meaning family members (4 pages of names, front and back, from one loving sister!), and finally combined two names into a new name.
We even picked a name prior to the birth of our second, only to completely change it once she was born because the name didn't fit at all! It took us 3 days to find a new name for her.
The third one we disagreed for weeks before the birth, finally compromising so that he actually has 4 names: a first name we don't use except on paper; 2 middle names, one of which is the name we use daily, the other middle name being my maiden name; and of course the family name.
If I HAD to switch my name, well I don't know what I would choose. It would probably be unusual, exotic, and nothing like my common name now. Until the day I am forced to change, I am quite content with what I have. As long as it isn't Rachel.
How do you feel about your name? Have you ever dreamed of changing it or, or have you always been happy with it?
I didn't do this prompt because I'm plenty happy with my name too. :D And oh man, the picking out names for children thing... oiy!!! I'm happy with the ones we picked out, but it was like pulling teeth since the hubby and I have different taste. :P (And the 'well meaning' family members, don't EVEN get me started. I actually wrote a ranty post about it!)
ReplyDeleteHaHa! I wanted my name to be Heather because Heather Locklear was so pretty and badass and I was most definitely NEITHER. And because I could NEVER find anything with Kathleen on it....Kathy, Kate, Kay even but no Kathleen. Or it was spelled Cathleen! Really???? I like my name now, but it is Kathleen NOT Kathy. Thanks for inspiring me for tomorrow's post. :)
ReplyDeleteDakota - share the link to rant, please. I wasn't blogging at the time my sister gave us those suggestions, so never got a rant in, lol. She meant well. Hubby and I learned compromise when naming the kids, for sure! I like your name too btw....
ReplyDeleteKathleen, don't worry I won't call you Kathy, or Kate. Oh yeah, Heather Locklear WAS the one to wish we were like. I had my moments of 'if only I was blonde, and had blue eyes, and was taller than 5ft 1 inch'. It took me a while to really be happy with Rebecca, as you read I didn't insist on being called that till much later in life. I knew too many other Rebecca's, Becca's, etc. Knew a few Becky's too, and even a Becki. But I stuck with Becky, then Rebecca, which I actually prefer now and sometimes cringe when hearing the old Becky. But family still uses, and I like that the special ones still can call me that.
Oh wow, just babbled more on my name again! Who knew this prompt would elicit so much babble on my part!!!
I wanted to change my name.. Erin as a child TO Rebecca....My daughter has a penchant to change her name to madeup mixmashed names.
ReplyDelete