So everyone around me seems to be having babies, adopting babies, etc. (Not sure what that "etc." would represent there, but anyway.) It brings to mind kids I knew when I was young with odd names--and since I spent a good deal of time last night ruminating on this important topic I thought I'd share.
First is Dusty Day, an aptly named boy with saggy jeans and, well, a dusty sort of look and always in need of a haircut (not unlike my youngest, come to think of it).
Moving on to a girl called Fashion, last name long forgotten. I remember she was fabulously popular and looked sort of like Bo Derek with a frizzy perm. I wonder about glamorous names like Fashion--a bit risky, isn't it? What if adorable baby Fashion turns out to be a bit dumpy and fond of overalls? Or what if your sweet little *Becky turns out to be a teenage malcontent with a closet full of Nine Inch Nails t-shirts?
Reminds me of two sisters I knew in 4-H called Happy and Jolly. I don't remember them as particularly cheery girls (the result of all that resentment toward their parents and hours of enforced cross stitch, no doubt.)
dh had childhood friends named Sergio (as in Valente) and Boozer (as in his father's favorite hobby).
But my favorite odd name of all time is a girl I knew in college called Valency. Her name may well have been a combination of grandparents' names or heaven knows what else but I always liked to think her mom was intensely devoted to chemistry and she had sisters named Argon and Molybdenum.
*might be autobiographical
5 comments:
Ha ha ha...Becky. My cousin recently wrote a song and posted it on FB about how much she hates her name at Christmastime...Holly. Her full name is Holly Brooke Knowles which has always sounded like a retirement community to me. I have another cousin named Christopher Robin...enough said.
This is great!! I had so many students with crazy names: Aquanetta, being my favorite one. I went to high school with a girl named Allison Allyson--no lie. I always felt a little sad for her.
Did you hear about that guy named Cougar at BYU--it was when we were there.
Since I sport an odd name -- maried-into style -- lots of people feel compelled to tell me the odd married names they've happened upon themselves (I've never actually MET anyone with an equally unfortuneate name, but they SAY they exist!). THe most recent is a woman known by some aquaintences of mine names Iletta. She married a man with the last name -- you guessed it... Pugh.
Incidentally, having posted an essay on my website that I wrote about my name, I got an email from ANOTHER Marcia Marshall! Poor lady also married into her name. fun fun...
I think the weirdest names I remember growing up were my neighbor Oliver Olivey and a guy in junior high named Slimen Slimen (pronounced slime-en, the last name was spelled differently but it all sounded the same, people would burst out laughing whenever he was called to the office over the intercom). The funniest name I have ever encountered was a student I taught named "Mister". :)
One of my favorite names is Ura Stump, she had an older brother named Russell but went by Rusty, yup Rusty Stump. :( SO many bad names!
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