Names, Part I

How important is a name?

Numerologists would tell you that a simple collection of letters is incredibly important, and the effects impact every aspect of life. Hmm. 'Not sure I buy that, but common sense would tell you that names are an important part of first impressions.

For us ladies...

A corporate boss named "Heather" or "Natalee"? Probably not. "Katherine"? 'More believable.

A stripper named "Mildred" or "Frances"? Nope. "Neveah" or "Summer" would be more like it.

For the gentlemen...

"William" suggests someone very different from "Lance". "Gerald" gives a different impression than "Josh". Then there are the names like "Harold" and "Richard" which have shortened versions that have the potential for abuse.

And THEN there are the androgynous names like "Morgan" and -gulp- "Lynn". Who can forget "Androgynous Pat" from SNL?? The skit could have been named "Androgynous Lynn".

When you are expecting a baby, selecting a name can be very difficult. Both sides of the family would be honored to have you name your child after a relative ("Uncle Ludwig would have been thrilled!") so often the middle name becomes a compromise for family tradition. That is exactly how my middle name became "Mildred". It's true. Finding a first name that 1. Neither parent hates and 2. Sounds okay with the last name can be a challenge. If you happen to be a teacher many names have been spoiled by knowing rotten versions of said names which only adds to the struggle.

When I told my parents that my son was going to be named "Chandler" they were disgusted and said that it sounds like a soap opera name and they would not be able to use it and they would be calling him "Buck". Ahem. I would like to point out my brother had a beagle named "Buck". Weird. Anyway, ultimately they came to love the name after dozens (maybe thousands?) of people have complimented the name over the years, saying how awesome it is.

 ... to be continued ...

Pat!