So I started writing this post late last night and fell asleep before I published it, naturally. So that’s why I’m publishing it late. But hey, at least when I don’t publish something on time it’s always published the day immediately following when it’s supposed to be published.
Anyway, today’s writing prompt is:
#7. How were you named? If you feel that your name is boring and the story behind it equally so, make up a name and come up with an interesting story behind that.
This is the true story behind my actual name. You can see from my profile that I clearly go by Emily, but that’s actually my 2nd middle name. Yes, I’m one of those people who have three names, one first and two middles. It makes for a confusing life, since I clearly go by my 2nd middle. I never know whether to put my first name on things (since legally that is my first name) or to put Emily. It leads to some complications and some frustration.
A long, long time ago (approximately 22 years and some odd months), my mom and dad were probably annoyed to find out that they were having another kid (aka me) after already having two boys and a girl. They had two names prepared before they knew the sex of their baby, one for a boy and one for a girl. During that time when my mom was pregnant, her parents came to live with them down in West Virginia so they could help out around the house and help out with the kids since my siblings were such a handful and whatnot (at this time my mom had a 10 year old, a 7 year old, and a 3 year old). Well, my parents finally decided on a name for me if I ended up being a girl and decided to tell my mom’s parents. They would name me after my great aunt on my dad’s side, who was also my dad’s twin sister. Her name was Charlotte Elizabeth.
Pretty, right? Apparently my grandmother didn’t like that, and really wanted my parents to call me “Emily Elizabeth” because:
- She really loved the name Emily
- Because of a character from EEK the cat (I’d also then have the same initials as said cat.)
My parents considered it but then told my grandma that that wouldn’t work because they were already planning on naming me Charlotte Elizabeth. But they decided to make a compromise. They would add a second middle name so that way my grandma would be happy: Emily. They figured I was the last kid, so what’s the arm in adding a second middle name?
Now you’re probably wondering how I got to be called “Emily” over “Charlotte” or even “Elizabeth.” Well, I’m going to put the blame on my wonderful grandma on that one. I’m pretty sure that as soon as I came out, she started calling me Emily. And then my parents pretty much gave up and was like “Well, we have to call her that now because that’s what she’s going to respond to whenever we talk to her.” So here I am. Charlotte Elizabeth Emily. CEEK.
I can’t tell you the amount of times professors and high school teachers and employees call me “Charlotte” and I have to correct them and say “Emily” and they look at me like I’m insane. Obviously Emily isn’t a nickname for Charlotte so it’s the last thing they were expecting. Actually, my 10th grade history teacher made the announcement on the first day of classes to let him know if you go by something other than your first name, which is often the case I’ve noticed, and he assumed I went by “Lottie” instead of “Charlotte” and he looked at me as if I were insane when I said I went by “Emily.” Such a confusing world.
Two weeks ago, one of my packages didn’t get sent to my recently opened PO Box because the name I put on my application was “Charlotte” and it was addressed to “Emily.”
Regardless, I don’t think I look like a Charlotte at all. I’ve been called Charlie many times, mostly by my college cross-country team but also some friends throughout grade school, but I don’t think I could pass as a Charlotte. I definitely don’t look like an Elizabeth, Eliza, Liza, Beth or Lizzie, either. But I feel like I look like an Em, Emmy, Emily, and even an Emma as my friend’s mom often calls me because she likes the name.
So with all of that being said, I’m wondering if you have an interesting story about your name/how you named your children?
Emily's Pensieve 