What’s In A Name…. Monday, January 28, 2008

Yesterday was Justin Daniel’s Christening. Justin is Ian’s first nephew. The christening was a success! Everybody came home happy, and I know Justin would be too, had he been old enough to appreciate gifts

It’s such a happy occasion that I find myself thinking as far as baptismal for our own baby when we don’t even have one yet in the making, hehe. Having a baby, I’m sure, is wonderful. Other than the few pounds gain in her mid-section, Jane looks beautiful, motherhood sure becomes her.

I had a great time too and enjoyed the togertherness with Ian  -it was the first celebration we attended as husband and wife — makes me think of families and babies. Our future babies I’ve already decided on our baby’s name — a baby girl’s name, that is. Noticed I used the pronoun “I”? Christian is not crazy about the name   no matter, I’m sure he’ll come around He has his choice for a boy’s name too, and incidentally, it’s also Daniel

In any case, I want a short name for our child, having grown up all my life with a long name myself. Or perhaps a long one but not a strange-sounding name. And I want it to be unique (especially as we only have three letters for a surname, hehe) but not unusual they will suffer those same embarrasing moments I’ve had at school when my teachers couldn’t pronounce my name right. I went to school at the time when names were Jocelyn, Rowena or Janet or Maria Something. Really simple and easy to remember or spell names. All of my siblings have been given unusual names, too, by my Daddy. Our eldest was named Jezebel, then the next  Ephraim, both Bible names. Then came Jehan – at least hers isn’t mouthful. And my real name is Mercylase. And yes, you’re right, it sure came from something and there’s a story behind it – one I’ve told a hundredtimes for those curious people who’ve asked me about it.

I don’t know about my siblings, but it was only when I got older when I learned to appreciate my “unique” name. For the first time in my life, someone pronounced my name right the first time! And another and another and another! Soon, people who could’t pronounced it right became fewer, and they became the ones who were “unusual” if you know what I mean. I guess a lot of parents have become creative (or crazy!) in giving names that people are getting accustomed to nonstandard, sometimes peculiar names.

I used to have these names I wanted to give to my future kids. Names that I have collected in my mind even as a child. I realized “taste” applies to choice of name as well, as my choices for names have changed from one point of my life to the next. I wouldn’t dream of giving some of those names now to our kids. I’m simply not partial to saccharine sweet names anymore