What's in a name?
During Mrs. Anderson's 9th grade English literature class at Baraboo Junior High School (9th grade back then was not part of the high school like it is now) we had to memorize lines from Romeo and Juliet. I recall the the following:
"Tis but thy name that is my enemy. What's in a name? That which we will call a rose. By any other word would smell as sweet."
People have been asking us lately if we have thought of names for the baby. I guess we have a few that we like, but I do think that the whole process can be complicated. I have a hard time believing that you can name something without seeing "it." first. I have never had a problem with my name. My parents really never gave me an reason of how they came up with the name Jeffrey, they both said that they just liked it. In some name books I have been reading it says that every group of friends has a Jeff and that Jeff was a 1960's surfer name. I am almost positive that my parents were not surfing in Northern Wisconsin. My middle name Allen was my great grandmother's maiden name and my Grandpa Snyder and Dad's middle name.
The thing with Jeffrey is that it does not translate into Spanish. Although many of my gringo friends have called me Jefe (boss). My Spanish speaking friends usually say Yaffrey or Heff. Jeffrey is the form of Godfrey and in Spanish Godfrey translates to Geofredo -- now that is awful.
My Grandma and her sister's are/were: Hilda Helen, Grace Bernice, and Mrytle May. Talk about old school! Although I do think that those names are classics.
So, friends, we have not decided on a name yet, I think I really need to see this kid in person before "naming it."
"Tis but thy name that is my enemy. What's in a name? That which we will call a rose. By any other word would smell as sweet."
People have been asking us lately if we have thought of names for the baby. I guess we have a few that we like, but I do think that the whole process can be complicated. I have a hard time believing that you can name something without seeing "it." first. I have never had a problem with my name. My parents really never gave me an reason of how they came up with the name Jeffrey, they both said that they just liked it. In some name books I have been reading it says that every group of friends has a Jeff and that Jeff was a 1960's surfer name. I am almost positive that my parents were not surfing in Northern Wisconsin. My middle name Allen was my great grandmother's maiden name and my Grandpa Snyder and Dad's middle name.
The thing with Jeffrey is that it does not translate into Spanish. Although many of my gringo friends have called me Jefe (boss). My Spanish speaking friends usually say Yaffrey or Heff. Jeffrey is the form of Godfrey and in Spanish Godfrey translates to Geofredo -- now that is awful.
My Grandma and her sister's are/were: Hilda Helen, Grace Bernice, and Mrytle May. Talk about old school! Although I do think that those names are classics.
So, friends, we have not decided on a name yet, I think I really need to see this kid in person before "naming it."
posted by South Philly Dad at 10:04 AM
2 Comments:
I agree--you almost have to see "it" before you can name it. What if you pick out a name and then decide "it" doesn't look like the name you picked out? I personally like the old school girl names--they are classy.
Jeff, I didn't know your middle name was Allen. My mother's maiden name is Allen. Maybe we are related. Does that make me Aunt Necie to the new little Snyder to be?
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