A cousin who is also a hero of mine, just started doing the "Mom's Piggy Tales" Project. It's just a journal of a mom's youth. I'm going to attempt to keep up, (isn't that all I do? ATTEMPT to keep up?) The first entry is to record your birth and how you got your name.
I am adopted, and have recorded many things about my birth ">here before. My name, however, I have not. I was named for my Grandfather, Harley Anthis. He died just months before I was born. I have always hated my name. Growing up I so wished I had a name like, Lisa, Kimberly, Kelly, or Michelle. Or something like Tiffany. Harlene always sounded so masculine, and not one teacher could pronounce it. I remember the Christmas my step mom special ordered me a name plate for my room. It meant so much to me!
As I've matured, I understand how much it meant to my mom to name me after her father, they were so very close. I appreciate the thought and the meaning behind my name, but still don't like it. I've never met another Harlene.
In naming my children, I wanted classic, but not unusual names. I wanted them to not be defined by their name, but get to define themselves. Boy, have they ever! Still, several of my kids have gone through a time when they hated their name and wanted to change it. Part of growing up I guess.
I forgot how jealous I was of all the girls named Jennifer. Funny, I just remembered that. I still don't like my name, but I enjoy the other things I'm known by. Mom, Sweetheart, Harley, Sister Beckstrand, Mrs Beckstrand, Seth's mom, Chris' Mom, Chandler's Mom, Annie's Mom, Geoff's Mom, the lady with the white dog, etc. Those are who I am and I am happy with that.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
What's in a name?
Posted by Harlene at Thursday, October 14, 2010
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4 comments:
I love your name! It's unique, probably why you hated it but it's different. I like different.
Who calls you Harley? I LOVE THAT!!! :)
My mom is a Wanda. My dad, a Ronald. My grandmother, before she passed away,told my mother that if she ever had a daughter she should put their two names together to make Ronda. (only they put the H in there, which I'm glad about) so I'm Rhonda. :) Isn't that cute? I mean, I know Rhonda is a regular ol' name too, but it was given to me by my grandma I never got to meet and contains part of each of my parents' names. I never cared for it as a kid but I love it now. :)
I loved this story. And I actually like the name Harlene as well. But I also like all the other names you get to be called. Thanks for sharing!
Me too...what they said about liking your name. I think it's unique but feminine. What an honor to bear your grandfather's name in a feminine form. And I like that nobody wonders who I'm talking about when I say your name. (Of course same thing when I say "Nels". Remember when we were young and used to link our names with boys' names and wonder if we'd gotten the right combo w/our future husband? I guarantee I NEVER did that with "Nels", ha ha!)
Harlene, you are so wonderfully unique it stands to reason that your name would be the same... but I never thought of it as a masculine name btw. I think you remember my whole name dilemma... I had a season where I hated my name, then I liked both names so much that I started going by my middle name and messed a whole lot of people up when they didn't know who was being referred to by Lenore... Names are obviously an important part of who we are otherwise Abram would never have been changed to Abraham, Sarai to Sarah, Saul to Paul etc. I think your name is great! But I think, that YOU by any other name is still as sweet, so take it for what it's worth, Lady with the BIG white dog! :)
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