One of my favorite essays that I had my high school students write was an informative paper on how they got their name. The middle body paragraphs were about first, middle, and last names, including an interview with their parents, research on their meaning, and other stories of interest.
For Namesake Day, I would love to share with your the story of my name.
My parents chose some interesting names for their children, and my dad did most of the naming. For instance, my sister Toni has the actual name of Ruby Antoinette. I mean, what?!
When I was about 4 or 5, I asked my dad where he got my first name, Mary. My dad Edwin Milton Spencer gave me multiple answers. Besides Jesus' mother Mary, you are named after an old girlfriend I had and a cow. Wow, Dad, thanks! I have never been a fan of the name Mary, as I believe it to be plain when you say it and write it.
I am not sure where Elizabeth came from, but it is also another Biblical name, working well with Mary. The two mothers with an amazing job of raising John the Baptist (Elizabeth) and Jesus (Mary). I cannot imagine that pressure. In today's social media, we worry about Pinterest-worthy birthdays and cell phone usage and everything that comes with that, but Mary had to worry about raising God's son. I preferred this name to Mary, but I did not ever change and go by it. My mom would call me Mary Elizabeth when I was very young. My mom had wanted my middle name to be Iola (and I am glad that didn't work out), but even better was that she wanted to name me Sammy Ann Spencer (and call me Sassy). I might be Sassy, but that name doesn't fit me either.
As you probably discovered, my maiden name is Spencer. That name was probably my favorite of the three. Yes, tracing back we would be traced to the Princess Diana Spencer clan of England. I told my friends that in fourth grade, and they said I was lying. My mom was fascinated with the royal family, and I do enjoy them as well. I wanted to keep this name going, but my husband's last name Sears does not sound the greatest with Spencer. If my child had any speech issues, (ironically, Paisley did), Spencer Sears is a name too difficult to say. Therefore, I did not keep that name going, but maybe my children will.
The most interesting thing about having the name Sears is that EVERYONE asks how to spell it. I had the surname Spencer for 25 years, and there are two spellings of it. However, now that I have the name Sears, a name I thought to be pretty common, I must spell it? Do I say it weird? Are we in era where they ask to spell everything due to the 1,000 spellings just for Brittany/Brittni/Brittney, etc.? No matter the reason, I will continue to say that my name is Mary Sears, like the store.
I grew up with the last name Rhoads. I understand the "how do you spell its" and having my name spelled wrong on lots of things. I finally got to the point of always saying, "Ariel Rhoads, like the roads you drive on with an H." I did it this way because if you spelled it out letter for letter, they would inevitably add an E where one was not said. I too, thought I got to a good place when I married a Snyder. I get asked how to spell it alllllll the time. (Dang long i sound...)
ReplyDeleteRuby Antoinette Spencer sounds very royal! My sister's name is Jessie. My mom had a dog named Jesse when she was little, so I always tease my sister that she's named after a dog. Haha! Remind me to start bowing when I see you... named after two "royal" women of the Bible AND related to Princess Di?!?! I had no idea I've been in the presence of a Queen! :D As far as spelling... I was thinking, "how do people not know Sears??? It's a department store!" Also, I've been known to introduce myself as Caitlin, I don't care how you spell it, Bever, like the animal without the A, NOT like Justin Bieber.
ReplyDeleteYou could pronounce your first name with a Long A....like Mayree!!! LOL Or, what about saying when they ask you to spell it "well, it isn't spelled S-E-E-R-S because then I would be a person who is supposed to be able to see through supernatural insight what the future holds and that isn't me so it's Sears like the store that might possibly be going out of business in the next five to ten years spelling." (bowing)
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