IRIS
RUBY
FLORENCE
CANDACEY
EULA MAE
INEZ LOUNETTE
FERRELL PRUDENCE
LEAFY
RUBY
FLORENCE
CANDACEY
EULA MAE
INEZ LOUNETTE
FERRELL PRUDENCE
LEAFY
In 1960, when I was born, my mother told me that she had wanted to choose a name for me that was different, and in those days "Kimberly" was very rarely used for a girl. Added to that was "Hope" (don't know if she thought I would need some of that) and I came into this world as Kimberly Hope and I must say I do like my name. The list of names above are all names of my great aunts and grandmothers (mom was an only child). Back then names usually were handed down through families or they meant something. Even though they sometimes sounded like flowers, jewels and cities, they were names that were loved and even most times understood.
Today's world has changed little when it comes to choosing a name for a baby, Family names are chosen and handed down. Some names are given to commemorate something or someone ie.. Summer, May, Georgia, Starr, Stormy and the list goes on and on. Where am I going with this you may ask.
Last night I was reading our little small town newspaper and I came across the list for our local schools' honor roll. While glancing through to see if my nephew had once again made it I came across a name that literally made me do a double take. Most of the names were your usual Dawlton, Sydney, Kalee, McKynzie and so on. But the name that caught my eye was, and I kid you not, Forlepay!
Now this name belongs to a Kindergartener. I can't even decided whether it belongs to a boy or a girl. But what struck me is this. What were the parents thinking? Even if this is not a misprint, or a family name handed down, enough people in this world would do the word association and probably all come to the same conclusion. Now being in Kindergarten, the name wouldn't mean much to the other students, but once this child gets to high school and even later on in life, it would probably be safe to say there will be quite a bit of teasing. I don't even have to give you an idea of what kind of teasing this child will get but someday he or she will realize that they were stuck with a name that most people will probably think was misspelled. I am not even sure how to pronounce it. Is it For-le-pay (kind of french) or Forle-pay? I Googled the name and got one listing for it and it is in our area so it is probably a family name. I went to various websites for baby names and their meanings and I got nothing. Nowhere could I find it.
So it comes to this...kids have enough in this world to contend with just getting through school and then life, why would parents make it any harder on them by giving them a name, even though it may be a family name, that will surely be ridiculed, misspelled, and probably used as an x-rated nickname? I can't help feeling for this child and what the future holds for him or her.
Oh and by the way, yes, my Great Grandmother did actually name one of my aunts "Leafy" Don't know the story behind it, but you can bet this has now peaked my interest.
6 comments:
I agree aunt kim what was that childs parents thinking. I would never do that to my child, at least I don't think devan is a odd or bad name, and I didn't know I had an aunt named leafy. Guess you learn something new everyday.
oh that is too bad about that childs name.
when my mother ws grwoing up she knew a family that named their kids by such name as Stormy Jo, Windy Dawn, and Star Light. I forgot the other names. It was a large family. I dont understand that kind of name giving myself. I once knew an old preacher whose name was Harry and his last name was Bear! Go figure!
The things people do to their children!! What were they thinking? Sheesh!
oh Lord I can only imagine how this child will grow up with this name!! and this is what our world has come too! and these same children are going to be running our country and taking care of us.
and yes windy we had an aunt leafy. she was grandmothers sister
Windy, don't worry, Devan is a great name.
Mrs Darling, I think people are so busy trying to name their children something that no one else has that they lose sight of the fact that the children have to grow up with the name.
Kathleen, I agree, people do weird things. Obviously they weren't thinking. Welcome.
Sissie, you're right. I hadn't thought about that. Of course the name doesn't decide whether or not they can run the country, but would you vote for some one with a name like that. Through no fault of their own this could affect everything they do. So sad.
I loved our Aunts names...they were all weird and the other kids would always say no-way...Kim you need to tell them what we called some of them..lol.
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