Names can be pretty significant at times. When I was born, my parents were surprised to get a baby girl instead of the baby boy, they THOUGHT, they were getting. So they started toying around with girl names. I guess I was nearly "Gayleen Begay" ! Instead, they decided to name me Joleen after my Dad. They had decided that a baby boy would be a Joe Jr, why not just make a feminine form of "Joe", and they ended up with Joleen Say'on'itso Begay.
But I think about what would of happen if they had decided on naming me Gayleen. Seriously, that name might of been common place and cool back in the 70's. But the word Gay, went from meaning Happy to Homosexual really fast. How would the name of Gayleen Begay changed how people reacted to me. And who would those reactions effect my personality? Or would it of effected me at all?
I think it would of. But I guess we will never know. I can tell you, how one name change effected me. Most of my Teenage, college age, and adult life. I went by the Nickname "Jo" . When I met new people I would introduce myself as, Joleen. But they would end up calling me Jo. I had no idea how attached I was to that name until I married my husband, Joseph. People are constantly shortening his name to, Joe. So, for my married life people started calling me my full name, Joleen. Man, this took alot of getting use too. I missed being called my nickname, and I had to learn to identify myself by my given name. Sounds silly, the change in name really was something I had to mentally, get over and use too. I was got a bit bit envious, when people asked for Jo, and I found out they wanted JOE not Jo. :(.
Since then I have another name, MOM. This name has also had an effect on me. It melts my heart when my husband uses it around my little one. Makes me feel important, and loved. This name has been very easy to get use too.
Anyway, I think Names do say alot about us, and in a small way shape our personalities. Even a nickname can give you insight to who you are or who people perceive you as.
So what about your name.. How did you get it? Do you like it? Do you go by a different name? What were some of your nicknames? How did you decide what to name your child? How did you feel about changing your name when you got married? (pain in the butt, huh! and hard to get use too. But it was all worth it for me). I'm nosey, indulge me. :)