23 June 2008

What's In a Name?


According to the Social Security Administration, Jennifer was the number one girl's name for FIFTEEN consecutive years, between 1970 and 1984. There were 9 "Jennifer's" in my third grade class of approximately 50 girls. Freshman year in high school, my homeroom had four Jennifer's in it. And one casual trip through my cell phone directory will net you over 17 (yes, seventeen) Jennifer's. Thanks to it's commonality, I really am not fond of my first name. There's simply too many of us. Needless to say, originality was important to me when it came to naming my son, although I didn't want to curse him with too oddball of a forename . My love of Ireland, a branch of his genealogical roots, and the fact that his father and I were married in County Clare made my decision to name him Declan very easy.

Every once in a while, I get someone who has never heard the name, or needs help pronouncing it. But once they've heard it, they notice it...they remember it. It's a good solid name. It's a handsome name.

Today, on the way home in the car, he told me that he really would like to change his name to "Larry."

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