Reverb10 December 23 – New Name

December 23 – New Name #reverb10

Let’s meet again, for the first time. If you could introduce yourself to strangers by another name for just one day, what would it be and why?

(Author: Becca Wilcott)

I think I am one of a rare breed of people who are quite happy with their name!

Sure, there are times when I wish I was "Jane Smith", but they are fleeting moments when I have to spell out my entire name for someone who couldn't care less what my name is and is just writing it down as part of their job. In fact, I am just happy when they spell it right!

My names (I have three given names in all!) were all chosen just for me, while my (younger) sister was named after both our grandmothers. I have always suspected this might indicate that one or the other would have liked me to have their name, however I am near the tail-end of 14 grandchildren on one side and 11 on the other, so there were plenty of other chances!

My father also had three given names and went through life known by the second, not the first. My mother  was nick-named after an aunt, which she preferred to what was, at the time, a very formal first name (Sarah!) which she didn't feel she lived up to. Names are funny things. As a genealogist, it is amazing to see just how many people go through life called something different to the name on their birth and death certificates, which makes it just a bit tricky for we poor family historians!

So i will stick with what I have, thank you all the same, because She is who I am!