Thursday, February 12, 2009

What's In a Name





My sister tells us this story about a woman who's daughter was in the hospital where she worked. The lady was all in a huff because the nurses were not pronouncing her daughter's name, La-eia, correctly. Terri told her to just tell them the correct pronunciation and she'd see to it that they'd say her name correctly from then on. The woman's reply was, "It's a simple name really if you'll just remember that the DASH is NOT silent. La (dash) eia."

What is it with these people? Do they not realize that they're giving their children names that will define them every single day for the rest of their lives? When we named our children my first concern was that they be able to spell, and write, their names before reaching adulthood. We have "Trisha", "Jami", and "James", simple names, good names, strong names, common names, but not so common that they ever had more than 1 other child in any of their classes with the same names.

I was reading the Honor Roll list from one of the nearby school districts a while ago and all I could do was shake my head when I read some of the names of the children. Can you imagine being in kindergarten and having to learn how to spell, "Darhranesha", or "Shonqawnicksa", "Trieqauna", "Tieawauna", "Lavortchano", or heaven help you, "Shaquirta"?

Another story my sister, the nurse, told me was about this woman who was naming her newborn son and the nurse was helping her to fill out the birth announcement for the newspaper. The woman said the baby's name was Dominique, the nurse asked her to please spell it so she'd get it right and the woman said, "D O N O T H I N G". Then she got mad because the nurse couldn't stop laughing!

Please Momma's, have mercy on your children by giving them a names that they can spell before they're 20!

14 comments:

Donna said...

HAHAHahahaa....this is better than Achmed...Hahaaa.....and SO true...hughugs

Donna said...

PS-HAHAHAaaaa...my favorite is Ebonics Airways.....hahahahaha

Joan said...

Sometimes when I read the birth announcements in the paper, I am flabbergasted at the names people give there kids.

Anonymous said...

I'm in total agreement with you.

My sons are David and Michael. Easy names. Built to last a lifetime.

I heard of twin boys named Lemonjello and Orangello.
I don't know if that's a true story or not.

Cas
lemon jello, orange jello

kimberly said...

oh my.....yes....i've heard a few in my time too....
xo,
kimberly

Anonymous said...

But let's not forget our celebrity friends either in this discussion- how about Bronx Mowgli? and Apple? What about Moxie Crimefighter? Tallulah? Sage Moonblood? But I guess it's okay for those kids since money can buy their happiness?

The "Lemon Jello" was used in a joke by comedian Gary Owens. I don't know if it's based on someone real though!

Sally said...

Well, now I don't hate my name quite as much!! hahahaha

Those are some awful monikers to stick on a kid. I worry sometimes about Hunter; when I mention her to someone, they always think of course she's a boy. But, it's grown on me and she couldn't be anyone else!

Joni said...

I think some of the unusual names have cultural significance and are actually quite beautiful, but they are very difficult and I imagine most of them end up with nicknames...I'm just grateful my name has only four letters...but still, you would be surprised how many people call me Johnny...lol.

Brenda said...

Amen about the celebs, I think money or not, they must have been high on something to have come up with some of those names!

Anonymous said...

Good lord I can't stand this either. Actually pronounce the dash? That's crazy and I hope that child comes back and smacks her mama upside the head later in life.

I also can't stand when someone takes a simple name and twists it around to something goofy. It's not Julie, it's Jewellee. Crazy.

Jeanette said...

I work in a large hospital and you can imagine some of the names I see. As a matter of fact I think I'll start collecting them and do a blog post some day! People are crazy!!

Attila the Mom said...

Hahahahaha! I'm soooo with you! My Little Guy went to kindergarten with a girl named Phallicia (pronounced Felicia). Guess her folks wanted her to grow up to be a porn star. ;-)

Anonymous said...

I know some people want their kids to be unique, but I wonder if they realize how much their child will be singled out when the name is really out there? I think it's interesting to see a child with a name from their ethnic background. I've seen Irish names, African names, Middle Eastern names... but some of the made up names seem to use the entire alphabet!

Jeanne said...

In our department at work we see a lot of different names that people give their kids and you are so right they are getting stranger and stranger these days.