There are those who would say that a name carries no meaning, but go tell that to someone who's name is Dick, Gaylord, Pansy, Cherry, Peter, Herman or Henrietta.
Actually all names have a meaning, they are derivations of root words from cultures and history. Some have wonderful meanings, some not so much. But whatever the name - if it's not currently popular that name can cause a child great anguish - and sometimes carry that anguish into adulthood.
In my day really cool names for girls were Pam, Christine/Christina (Tina!), Amber or Candy. I got stuck with Theresa, nicknamed Terri (the fairy) and on top of that my last name was Dennis (the Menace).
I hated my name, even changed it to Stacey (short for Anastasia, my maternal grandmother's name) for a short time in eight grade. That never stuck and so I was stuck with Terri. Both my names are masculine sounding and I still get mail addressed to Mr. Terry Dennis - mail that immediately goes into the trash. Hey! If you can't even figure out I'm female you got nothing I want to read in that envelope! I often wonder if my name was at the root of my tomboy behavior.
I wonder how many of us have been given a moniker that we can't stand or that we have suffered over for decades?
So, before you name your fresh faced little baby Cosmo or Myrtle, stop and think about just how that name will affect their lives. Don't forget to put both the names together! Do you really want to name your child Rose Bush or Rocky Cave???
Most popular boy/girl baby names in 1950 according to the U.S. Social Security Administration:
1. James / Linda
2. Robert / Mary
3. John / Patricia
4. Michael / Barbara
5. David / Susan
6. William / Nancy
7. Richard / Deborah
8. Thomas / Sandra
9. Charles / Carol
10. Gary / Kathleen
Now, here's their list from 2007:
1. Jacob / Emily
2. Michael / Isabella
3. Ethan / Emma
4. Joshua / Ava
5. Daniel / Madison
6. Christopher / Sophia
7. Anthony / Olivia
8. William / Abigail
9. Matthew / Hannah
10. Andrew / Elizabeth
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There was a girl in our school with the last name of Bean. Unfortunately, her parents had a sense of humor and named her "Candy!"
ReplyDeletePoor kid, now why do parents do that????
ReplyDeleteMichael seems to be a name that doesn't go out of fashion. What is in a name, would a rose by any other name smell just as sweet (or something like that) I just slaughtered Shakespeare! Anyhow, there are way worse names than Theresa IMHO. I know what you mean though, we somehow always want what we don't have.
ReplyDeleteThere was a kid in my first grade class named Jack Daniels. Of course, back then no one thought anything of it---but I wonder how often he's been teased about that name since!
ReplyDeleteMy name was Pam Payne. I got teased about it a lot, because it rhymed and because of "Payne". I survived it.
ReplyDeleteI taught a little girl in pre-school music. Her name was Polly Esther!!! I also have a friend named Mona Lisa. A local car dealer, Latimer Lane, had a Latimer Lane Jr. and a Latimer Lane, III, when number four came along Latimer, the IVth, they nicknamed him four-lane!