What Would You Name Yourself?

[Daryn Kagan]

So, I heard on the radio this morning that today, April 9th, is "National Name Yourself Day."

I'm not sure who had the extra time on their hands to create that one, but it does make for an interesting and fun topic.

Do you like your name? Would you change it? Do you know anyone who has? Do you have any favorite names?

[Fran Kandrac]

On WhatFriendsDo.com we 'celebrate' Name Yourself Day by asking the question: Are you Cook, Gardener, Housekeeper, Listener, Errand Runner, Shopper? Everyone has a gift to share. And just as many people are named Susan or Julie or Tom or John, many are named Cook, Gardener, Babysitter or Chemo Buddy. Of course it is fun to be able to re-name yourself on different days to match your different gifts!! :)

http://darynkagan.com/love/stories/lv_080325_whatfriendsdo.html

[Sophia Andrews]

I have this suspicion that many people end up naming their kids what THEY themselves wish they were named (or at least what they wish they could be named at the time of their child's birth...as tastes do change). Those who truly love their own names are more likely to name their kids after themselves, I figure.

My parents named me "Sophia" for a few reasons...first, they liked the meaning---wisdom. This part suits me, as I'm always pursuing both knowledge and wisdom...I value them greatly. The second reason was as a tribute to Sophia Loren, the actress. This kind of makes me laugh, as Sophia Loren was such a voluptuous and curvy woman. I'm built more like a boy...very slender, athletic, and not curvy at all. Thirdly, my parents wanted a name that was familiar, but rarely used. This was true in 1981, but "Sophia" has become a top name to give baby girls recently. I don't know how I feel about this. Someday, there will be a lot of women 20+ years younger than me with the same name. If I look really really young, people might assume I'm a lot younger than I really am. More likely...if they do figure me to be that young, they'll think that I've been through some unbelievably rough living. :)

[HJ Rose]

My name is Harold; never liked it, never will. It's only used when I'm in trouble or owe money. I have more nicknames than I can remember (or repeat in polite company). I go by Hal, HJ, Dallas, Elmo, Chaz... well you get the idea.

Would I ever get rid of my "Harold" tag? Not a chance; I was named after the greatest man it was my privilege to know... my dad!

By the way, my dad preferred to known just as "H". Guess he wasn't fond of it either. :-)


---> Harold Jr.

[Daryn Kagan]

aha! we now know the story behing HJ!

[Anna Diehl]

Well ... I have changed my name - sort of.
Almost 15 years ago, I had another of those traumatic life experiences. It was akin to that straw that broke the camel's back - except that I wasn't a camel, and what broke was in desperate need of breaking ... free. I was doing well on a career path I didn't want, and I was miserable. After police, lawyers, and a month-long trial (no, I didn't do anything wrong or bad), the name I was born with and had always gone by, was little more than a reminder of something I longed to forget. It didn't even feel right to me anymore - it wasn't me. So I asked a few friends to use a different name every time they talked to me. One day I was greeted with "Hi Anna!" when I answered the phone. "I like it ... put something in the mail!" A few days later I received a letter on my friend's handmade paper, addressed to Anna, and I knew I was home... in a way I'd never been before. Today, I am ANNA! I didn't obliterate my birth name, I've simply added a new first name - and I like it!
Happy Name Yourself Day!
Anna

[Daryn Kagan]

that's a great story. How hard was it for people from your earlier life to respect your new name choice?

[Anna Diehl]

That continues to depend on the person, for myriad reasons that I recognize are about their choices in this life ... The friend who named me (and with partner, also won the Name the Baby Contest I held over my answering machine) had absolutely no issue at all (she also gave me my HWA doctorate). I can honestly say that every friend continues to apologize when they slip into old patterns - particularly those with special "You can still call me that" privileges. It's really only those I did most of my growing up with who have challenges in this area - but for a girl who primarily grew up with her dad and older brother, who doesn't already have issues with said dad and older brother? hahaha! ... I'm so grateful for my sense of humor!

[Merry Moose]

I can so relate to the "didn't feel right" concept. As far back as I can remember my given "birth name" never felt right. I was never given a middle name & when I was in my teens I found one I liked....it just came to me, & I used it as a middle for many years.
I have tried, as an adult to "find" my real name....as you wrote, one that would be home. These days I just use 2 initials (first initial of birth given & second of assumed middle), its better than my VERY disliked given "birth name", but its still not home. I tried your idea with friends & family but, while folks said they'd try & I believe they'd be accepting, noone could think of anything. Yup, I'm pretty frustrated about this......& somewhat sad, but I'm not giving up.
Who I am:
I have not had the easiest life emotionally/psychologically but, while I've had lots of pain, I've also known others who have had worse. I try to share what I've learned with others, to ease/help them
I believe that there isn't anything that happens that can't teach us something, that can't be turned into something positive. One can use anything creatively.
I also believe that no matter how bad things may seem, there is always SOMETHING to be grateful for every day. It may be hard to see or feel but we must find it every day & celebrate it.
My favorite sayings are "Nothing ventured, nothing gained" and "One thing different, everything different" hence I have few real regrets, some things may make me sad, or hurt, or really pain me BUT...without those things, I would not be me, nor have the people, places & things I have....I could not trade, unknowing because truly if any one thing is/was different, anything/everything would be different.
I once read 2 thoughts that stick:
1) "sometimes our freedom comes in the way we accept things over which we have no control, things which may cause us great pain, even death" AND
2) "scar tissue is the strongest tissue in the body, perhaps it is also the strongest part of the soul; so (one should) accept (their) wounds and let the scars heal". Makes sense to me.

I'm still looking for my name........anyone out there with thoughts, ideas, please do share. Thanks.

[Erin]

I actually know *of* several people who have changed their names, and my oldest son intends to change his soon. I don't think I'd ever legally change my name, but if I did, I'd change it to Cierra Lynn. Don't ask why... I just like the name :P

[Daryn Kagan]

but then we wouldn't rhyme anymore. :(
If you go Cierra...I'll have to change my name to Dierra....

[Erin]

lmao, well, I'd go by Cierra Lynn... so you could go by Dara Lynn, which isn't tooo much of a change... right?;)

[Gail Sideman]

I hated the name Gail when I was growing up and wanted to change it badly. It wasn't a common moniker, and the hard "G" made the name seem impersonal, something that totally misrepresents my personality.

I still don't love the name, but appreciate that I was named after the paternal grandmother I never knew. My dad called me "Gaily" and even now, so does my great aunt. My boyfriend, not knowing that others called me that, got into the act (although he spells it "Gailee"), which lessons the one-syllable dart that is my name!