tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post2947918725893055138..comments2024-03-28T13:37:53.397-04:00Comments on SleuthSayers: What's in Your Name That Defines You?Leigh Lundinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-9028647378246942972012-10-04T15:56:33.588-04:002012-10-04T15:56:33.588-04:00I have never liked my name, but didn't think t...I have never liked my name, but didn't think to use my middle name, Thomas. I was underweight, withdrawn and studious as a child, so my name took on even more signifance. I can still hear the taunts.<br /><br />"Hershey Bar" was the most used epithet, and everyone who used it thought they were being clever. I was named for an uncle who was killed in an accident before I was born. Oh how I wish he had a more "manly" name.<br /><br />Yes, names are important, both in fiction and real life. Parents should be a little more thoughtful before naming a child. And I think some celebrities are the biggest offenders.Herschel Cozinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06097703750150309319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-31904376051080994282012-10-04T14:30:26.659-04:002012-10-04T14:30:26.659-04:00My mother named me after a character in a book sh...My mother named me after a character in a book she read about the time I was born. I always hated the name!!! And have tried all kinds of nicknames all my life. For my aka I finally chose the name of my great grandfather in Knoxville, Ransom D. Whittle. It sounds like a person who would pen spy thrillers! Thelma in ManhattanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-50119436856896521172012-10-04T13:31:11.302-04:002012-10-04T13:31:11.302-04:00Deborah, here are two other things about your name...Deborah, here are two other things about your name that seem to fit you. You can take your pick, depending on how you feel about the source. :-)<br /><br />First, the meaning "bee" is highly significant in the ancient European goddess traditions, in which he bee and its honey were a symbol of the goddess's fertility. Cows and milk were as well. Notice that this gives a new read to "a land flowing in milk and honey", too -- a read that was there at the time and we've lost since.<br /><br />Second, if you're into the Old Testament, Deborah was the only woman Judge and a mighty, powerful woman. You can read about her here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deborah<br /><br />Either way, your name says a lot of powerful and positive things about you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-52210150901638620962012-10-04T12:48:51.685-04:002012-10-04T12:48:51.685-04:00I legally changed my name from Betsy to Elizabeth ...I legally changed my name from Betsy to Elizabeth when I was over 40. Needless to say, I should have done it long before. Not even my mother would have the nerve to call me Betsy these days.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-2103154487123006192012-10-04T10:52:09.370-04:002012-10-04T10:52:09.370-04:00My mother made my name up. My daddy's name was...My mother made my name up. My daddy's name was Alvis, so she took the v out and added a name and called me Uh Liss Uh. I hated it because I was the only one that long ago with a weird name and everyone said it different or wrong and still do.<br /><br />I like it now.<br /><br />Since I married, my last name is a little different and I always say I have a dollar to my name and it's borrowed and I'm keepin' it.<br /><br />Loved your article. I am a name hog too.alisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03240102830608660598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-27742131189857342142012-10-04T10:27:30.827-04:002012-10-04T10:27:30.827-04:00I've always been enchanted with names and what...I've always been enchanted with names and what they mean and how people live <i>up to</i> or <i>down to</i> their names! :-) I do think people evolve into their names and that's why so many nicknames abound. By the way, I have never been a Deb, but people who knew me way back when call me Debbie. I don't think I am her any more, but I was as a teenager. Debbie is more cute and bubbly and Deborah is more serious. :) I agree with the future odd names grandparents will have: Grandma Heather just sounds out-of-kilter, but maybe we'll grow into that. I am not so sure about Grandpa Ashton. However, I am sure Mamie and Mabel used to be sweet girly names of cutie-pies and we only know them now as sweet old ladies in the nursing homes.Deborah Elliott-Uptonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00847049319243268520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-9365740449906896102012-10-04T09:57:53.591-04:002012-10-04T09:57:53.591-04:00I spend a lot of time trying to think up the right...I spend a lot of time trying to think up the right names. I have baby name books, lists of student names, websites for names, especially Norwegian ones - most of my Laskin, SD characters would be Norwegian with a few Germans thrown into the mix - and, of course, the Census to get the most/least popular names for the time frame. <br /><br />I kind of suspect that a child does grow up with some sort of shadow from the name they're given - otherwise why would so many teenagers fantasize about changing it? I also have this vision of all the future 2050 nursing home residents with popular names. I think the guys get off easier, because most people don't name their sons Candy or Velvet. <br />Eve Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03015761600962360110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-68783022084189644952012-10-04T09:45:04.085-04:002012-10-04T09:45:04.085-04:00Deborah, I have to ask--are you called "Debor...Deborah, I have to ask--are you called "Deborah" or do relatives and friends shorten it to Deb?.<br /><br />Personally, my name has evolved with time and stages of my life. As a toddler, everyone called me "Fancy." (The family story is that my mama always had me wearing bows and fancy, ruffled panties, which I enjoyed showing off. Hence, "Fancy Pants.") Through school it was "Francie." (Guess it was too embarrassing to explain why they called me "Fancy," plus Reba McEntire's song didn't exactly leave me wanting people to call me "Fancy.") College and beyond, "Frances." I made the change to "Fran" when I divorced. I was going to change my last name too, but when I went through the phone book looking for one I liked, my children (4 and 9 at the time) cried because I wouldn't have the same name they did. For some reason, after the change, people at work began calling me Franrizer like others are called Maryanne. Like RT, I can tell how far back a friendship goes by what folks call me. My extended family has (after over twenty years) finally switched to "Fran."<br /><br />My characters tend to name themselves, and try as I might, once they create themselves with a specific tag, I can't change it.<br />Fran Rizerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08655783035179620991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-65858407772161647092012-10-04T09:17:34.345-04:002012-10-04T09:17:34.345-04:00Deborah, excellent opening paragraph, and you are ...Deborah, excellent opening paragraph, and you are very right, certain names provide the receiver with certain images of that person. The remaining question is: does a child then grow up to reflect the name he or she has been given?<br />Early on, Leigh inquired what R.T. stood for. Seems I was named after both of my grandfathers: Robert and Thomas. However, when I worked surveillance with state and locals, our radio numbers weren't compatible, so we used first names. Unfortunately, we had too many Roberts and/or Bobs. So, when the bad guy would leave his house and the case agent radioed for Bob to take him away, there would be a parade of surveillance cars and nobody was left to watch the house. My wife suggested the R.T. name and it stuck. Now I am aware of who knew me from the early years by the name they call me. Actually, I have used so many names on the street that I will answer to almost anything if I realize someone is talking to me.<br />Good blog article.R.T. Lawtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15523486296396710227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-85317051352434859502012-10-04T08:45:49.328-04:002012-10-04T08:45:49.328-04:00I can't write a character until I get the righ...I can't write a character until I get the right name.Janicenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-61243671491220246142012-10-04T04:16:19.103-04:002012-10-04T04:16:19.103-04:00You and I both care about names. I recall the two ...You and I both care about names. I recall the two of us searching for a perfect name for some story.<br /><br />My parents named my middle brother and me with a nod to our American Indian heritage and family names. With first and middle names taken together, mine means 'walks in water under the ridge' and my brother means 'camps in the valley'. My youngest brother's forename came from a family friend, but his sort of fit the pattern too meaning 'fire of the sun'.Leigh Lundinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.com