Week 1
[name_f]Rosmerta[/name_f] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f]
Rosmerta
[name_f]Goddess[/name_f] of abundance, “the Great Provider,” feels very fitting for a child coming in to complete a family. She was considered very powerful in her own right, associated with abundance derived from the land, which equate in turn financial prosperity (she is commonly associated with the butter churner and cornucopia). In the [name_m]Roman[/name_m] sense, she was called Rosmerta [name_f]Felicitas[/name_f], a nice subtle connection to H’s middle name.
Often when I look at goddess names, I’m left wondering how appropriative it is to consider them. I have no idea what my ancestors beyond a few generations would have believed. But [name_f]Rosmerta[/name_f] was a popular goddess in all of Gaul and parts of [name_m]Britain[/name_m], and to a lesser extent accepted by the Celts. So SOMEBODY in my family tree must’ve been praying to [name_f]Rosmerta[/name_f]… That right there encompasses all of my ancestry (I’m [name_f]English[/name_f], Scottish, Irish, [name_u]Saxon[/name_u] ([name_m]German[/name_m]), Swiss and [name_u]French[/name_u]), and 50% of my biological childrens’ (the other half being Chinese).
I’m well aware that many others don’t like the sound of [name_f]Rosmerta[/name_f], but I like the sounds. They are clunky cool to me. I think it really fits well with my boys’ names.
The biggest problem is that my husband isn’t a huge fan. He likes the name OK, but isn’t in love with it. I do want him to really love what we choose.
Marigold
Marigolds are beautiful. One of the flowers I can actually manage to grow reliably. They are sunny and cheerful.
I like the [name_m]Winston[/name_m] [name_m]Churchill[/name_m] connection (See The Crown [name_f]Season[/name_f] 1 for more information and a poignant representation).
No name can replicate the pure magic of [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f] to me, but I like the idea that where H might have been [name_f]Chrysanthemum[/name_f], this babe might be [name_f]Marigold[/name_f], and that both flowers retain many similar qualities.
Lastly, I have no Mexican heritage whatsoever, but marigolds do REMIND me of the cempazuchitl of [name_f]Dia[/name_f] de los muertos. As @jonquils has pointed out before, H0rat1o sees [name_m]Hamlet[/name_m]'s ghost, An@$ta$io is about resurrection from death, so part of me does want some sort of underworldly death-defying connection with my third’s name, but that’s just a bonus and not a necessity.
The only problem I have with [name_f]Marigold[/name_f] is that at times it does pale in comparison to some of my bolder choices. But I do love it so and feel her strengths mostly outweigh the sometimes perception of weakness.
Rosmerta Marigold
RosmerTA [name_f]Marigold[/name_f] includes the TAM component I’m hoping for. Though it is very subtle, I think my MIL would be touched.
Together, this combo hearkens my matrilineal mitochondrial side. The furthest back I have gotten on my maternal line is my 5th great-grandmother, [name_f]Mary[/name_f] [name_m]Harvey[/name_m]. Here is my maternal line:
5thGG [name_f]Mary[/name_f]
4th GG [name_f]Mary[/name_f]
3rd GG [name_f]Rosanna[/name_f]
2nd GG [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] “[name_u]Jule[/name_u]”
GG [name_f]Helen[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
G [name_f]Margot[/name_f]
[name_f]Marigold[/name_f] for [name_f]Mary[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosmerta[/name_f] for [name_f]Rosanna[/name_f]
[name_f]Marigold[/name_f] for [name_f]Margot[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosmerta[/name_f] for [name_f]Helen[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f]
Yes, I have considered [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] to achieve the same end, but [name_f]Rosemary[/name_f] never feels ME enough.
[name_f]Genevieve[/name_f], the ancestor I would probably most want to honor individually, is not included here, nor my mother. But otherwise, that’s my whole matrilineal heritage, and together they both feel very much full of honor for that side.
I am the only child of the only daughter of the only daughter of the only daughter of [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f] (one of 8 daughters). So if I have a daughter, and she would be the only one… she is getting this lineage. If I don’t, then my female line is dead and you have to go pretty far up the tree to find the common threads for [name_f]Rosanna[/name_f] and [name_f]Mary[/name_f].
I like the flow of [name_f]Rosmerta[/name_f] [name_f]Marigold[/name_f] a lot. I like the flow of [name_f]Rosmerta[/name_f] K__g. But I do sometimes question the g in [name_f]Marigold[/name_f] with the K and g (even though the final g is so soft).
K love the way it looks written down. So solid.
That’s what I can think of now… I’ll come back later if I have more thoughts, but I’d love to hear yours either way!