Alright, well I accidentally created a topic trying to message someone privately about a question they had…So let’s turn this into something.
What are the stories behind your names? I’m always curious to hear why people have the name they have, or why someone chose a name, so here are a couple questions for you, just for fun.
Why/How did your parents pick your name?
What are your opinions on it/do you think it matches your personality?
What do you normally go my, your full name, a nickname, your middle…etc.
If you could pick any name you wanted for yourself, what would you choose?
If you were realistically picking a name for a child, what name would you choose and why?
"My answers
I was given the first name Louise after my Paternal Grandmother, and also because it was a family name on my Mother’s side as well. My parents liked that it was classic and familiar but not popular, and that it had a soft sound with a strong meaning. I actually recently just found out that the reason my Grandma has the name Louise is because it was the name of a distant Aunt that helped her family come to the US from Norway!
My middle name, Octavia, was chosen because I am the eight grandchild on my father’s side, and because my parents liked the musical connection (octave.) eight has always been my lucky number (often appearing in strange circumstances) so I’ve always like that Octavia means eight!
I mostly go by Louise, and occasionally by Lou as a nickname. Sometimes people call my by my middle name for fun.
I think that it totally matches my personality, and am happy with it. Sometimes I think I would prefer to go by Octavia, but I like Louise better as a first then a middle, so I really have no complaints.
If I have a child, I might want to include either Louise or Octavia in their name, not because I want them to be an honour for my, but because they had meaning to my parents and I think it would be cool to pass that down (also Louise is an honour for my grandma.) I might also include a different family name like Josephine, Elizabeth, Emily, or an important honour name like Sara or Simone. Honours are really important to me so I would for sure include on in a name!
Looking forward to your answers
Special thank to @Kiriko and @tori101 for posting such a lovely responses when I had random notes about my name posted as a topic!
This is cool, because I also love making name stories for my characters! And you have a BEAUTIFUL name!
Summary
[name_f]My[/name_f] parents picked my first name, [name_f]Caitlin[/name_f], because it was the first name that they came across, and they loved the meaning (purity). [name_f]My[/name_f] dad became dead-set on this name, although my mom was still considering [name_f]Emily[/name_f] and [name_f]Chloe[/name_f]. I personally would have been okay with being an [name_f]Emily[/name_f] or [name_f]Chloe[/name_f], but my name now is fine too. [name_f]My[/name_f] mother finally gave up because my dad wasn’t agreeing with anything (she had also put out, [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], [name_f]Kaylee[/name_f], [name_f]Emma[/name_f], & Hayley), and named me [name_f]Caitlin[/name_f] because it was one name they agreed on that my dad didn’t reject (at least my mom still likes my name).
[name_f]My[/name_f] middle name, [name_f]Ann[/name_f], has been passed down through generations on my dad’s side of the family. I literally have, like, 10 relatives with this somewhere in their name.
I like my name now. I’ve gotten used to it, and the fact that I don’t have a unique, classic, or elegant name. It’s grown on me, although when I was younger I insisted people call me [name_f]Violet[/name_f] because I liked it better (now my dog is named [name_f]Violet[/name_f] so people don’t call me that anymore). I think that it’s definitely a downfall that my name was SUPER popular the year I was born (sophomore in HS rn, for context), so I’m used to not having the unique, one-of-a-kind ring to my name, but yeah, I like my name well enough.
I insist on going by [name_f]Caitlin[/name_f], but people have called me many other things. People at church have called me [name_f]Catherine[/name_f], [name_f]Catherina[/name_f], or [name_f]Catalina[/name_f] because that is my name’s form in their language. I have let people call me [name_f]Catie[/name_f] before because they thought it was cute, but it’s not exactly my first choice for a nn. [name_f]My[/name_f] (immature, 7th grade) brother calls me [name_f]Cat[/name_f], Cat-the-Bat (look at my username guys), and [name_u]Cali[/name_u] (because my initials are CAL) sometimes and it really annoys me, but it’s nothing a few shoves can’t handle.
I don’t think I’d ever change my name, but sometimes I do wonder what it would be like to have one of the names my mom suggested. What if I had been a [name_f]Chloe[/name_f] [name_f]Ann[/name_f], or a [name_f]Hayley[/name_f] [name_f]Ann[/name_f], or something like that? It’s cool to think about.
If I had a child, I would probably pass down the ‘Ann’ tradition, but in a different form, like [name_f]Anna[/name_f] or [name_f]Annabelle[/name_f] or something like that. I’m dead set on having a daughter named [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] [name_f]Grace[/name_f] and a son named [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u], so there’s that. But some other names I’d consider are [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_f]Caroline[/name_f], [name_f]Catherine[/name_f], [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], [name_f]Ella[/name_f], [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f], [name_f]Lila[/name_f], and [name_f]Victoria[/name_f] for girls, and [name_m]Andrew[/name_m], [name_u]Bryce[/name_u], [name_u]Charles[/name_u], [name_u]Jackson[/name_u], [name_u]Jameson[/name_u], [name_m]Matthew[/name_m], [name_u]Mason[/name_u], and [name_u]Noah[/name_u] for boys. Unisex names I like include [name_u]Morgan[/name_u], [name_u]Logan[/name_u], [name_u]Addison[/name_u], [name_u]Sydney[/name_u], and [name_u]Brooklyn[/name_u].
So cool! I love that you want to pass [name_f]Ann[/name_f] down! (And I think [name_f]Anna[/name_f] goes so well with Your top boy and girl name, if I may add.) [name_f]Caitlin[/name_f] is a lovely name, I’ve always thought it was so sweet. I actually only know one [name_f]Caitlin[/name_f] and she’s a dear. Thank for sharing your story!
[name_f]My[/name_f] parents, based on Jewish tradition had already picked my initials before deciding my name (in order to honor family members who had passed), so they knew my initials were going to be H.S.!! They chose my first name [name_f]Hannah[/name_f] because they wanted something rather common to pair with my more uncommon last name, and they chose my middle name [name_u]Sage[/name_u] because it ismy mom’s favorite color, and was the color of her bridesmaids’ dresses in my parents’ wedding!!
Personally, I never didn’t feel like my FN until I made the decision to go by my MN, and then I truly understood what it means to feel like your name!! I really do feel like going by my MN was the right choice for me, and everyone who meets me now is shocked to learn my actual FN, because they feel that my MN fits me so well!!
Honestly, I adore my middle, and probably would never pick a different name for myself. In naming a child, I don’t think I’d use my own name, but I would love to do a subtle tying honor name like Rosemary!!
Aw, I love the connection to the colour of your mom’s bridesmaids dress, that’s so special! Your middle is so sweet and quirky, it seems to fit you so well!
First name: was chosen last minute as the name I was going to have was used by two others on the maternity ward. It was the name of an old family friend that my mum had always liked and she decided it suited me
Middle name: was going to be my first - the name of someone my parents knew who was super optimistic, confident, cheerful and just a nice person
What are your opinions on it/do you think it matches your personality?
I like my middle; I find my first name a bit bland and meh, but it’s okay. The blandness does suit me, but the meaning does not
What do you normally go my, your full name, a nickname, your middle…etc.
Usually my full name. I have a home nickname that my mum calls me
If you could pick any name you wanted for yourself, what would you choose?
[name_f]Nell[/name_f] or [name_u]Scout[/name_u] atm
If you were realistically picking a name for a child, what name would you choose and why?
[name_f]Sarai[/name_f] [name_f]Matilda[/name_f] - because I love it, it’s balanced and ticks off everything I want from a name
Why/how did your parents pick your name?
I don’t think there’s a reason behind my first name, I guess my parents just liked it. I can imagine both my parents wanting something familiar but not popular/overdone by the time I was born; in the year I was born, my name ranked #20 in my state in Australia, but ranked #130 in the US! I’ve always thought that was pretty interesting (nb: my first name isn’t my screen name/username). [name_f]My[/name_f] middle name is my maternal grandmother’s middle name. It doesn’t have any history in my family before her.
What do you think of your name?
When I was a kid & in my teens I really disliked my first name. I thought it was too common and not interesting enough. I slowly migrated to a place of neutrality in regards to my name when I was about 18, but now I really like it! I’m not sure what changed, but I’m very happy with my name now and I think it suits me well. I’m still not a huge fan of my middle name, it’s a bit boring, but it does sound really nice with my first name.
What do you normally go by?
[name_f]My[/name_f] first name is only 4 letters & 2 syllables so I’ve always introduced myself as my full first name. I’ve gotten a few generic/intuitive nicknames that I’m pretty apathetic about. There’s one nickname I really like for myself, but it hasn’t yet caught on
If you could pick any name for yourself, what would you choose?
I don’t know! Definitely something more quirky than my given name, but I’ve never had the feeling that I belong to a different name. The first one that comes to mind is [name_f]Odette[/name_f] - I was obsessed with [name_u]Swan[/name_u] [name_u]Lake[/name_u] as a kid & the story has resonated with me throughout my whole life - but [name_f]Odette[/name_f] is also a front runner for my future kid. I can also imagine myself as a [name_f]Rosalie[/name_f].
What would you realistically name a child?
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m] for a boy in a heart beat. [name_f]My[/name_f] girls shortlist is not quite as short, but if it was solely my choice, I’d name a daughter [name_u]Esme[/name_u]. All my kids will have two middles, both family names.
Why/How did your parents pick your name?
My parents are deeply religious, so I always assumed I was named after the many biblical Marys, but my mum told me recently that’s not true - she was at a toddler gym class with my older sister, she heard a mum call Mary, and she just thought ‘wow that’s stunning on a little girl!’ My middle is a favourite of my dad’s that my mum didn’t like much What are your opinions on it/do you think it matches your personality?
I absolutely love my name now: it’s so classic and traditional and everyone can pronounce & spell it, but there really aren’t a lot of Marys my age, so it hits the sweet spot! Feedback is overwhelmingly positive, I absolutely think it suits me; my only annoyance is the meaning. That said I despised it as a child; I thought it was plain and boring (that was in my Rosabella stage) and I did get a bit of teasing - little lamb, quite contrary, etc. What do you normally go my, your full name, a nickname, your middle…etc.
I have a few weird family nicknames (rabbit, moodle, etc) and one of my friends calls me ‘Mare bears’ for some obscure reason, but normally I’m just Mary. If you could pick any name you wanted for yourself, what would you choose?
I have always thought I would make an excellent Kate - I knew someone who just called me Kate because I ‘just looked so much like a Kate!’ If you were realistically picking a name for a child, what name would you choose and why?
Rose has always been my girls ultimate favourite, although I’d hate saying goodbye to Anna, Caroline and the rest of my girl picks; I find boys much harder - right this second I might chose Milo or Thomas? Benjamin, Nathaniel, James, Matthew, Max and Felix are also on my boys list but none of them feel quite right!
[name_f]My[/name_f] mother chose my first name, [name_f]Diana[/name_f], out of a baby name book that interpreted the meaning as ‘a fountain of light’. I presume this is an interpretation of the name [name_f]Diana[/name_f] relating to the [name_f]Goddess[/name_f] of the [name_u]Moon[/name_u] in Greek legend.
[name_f]My[/name_f] [name_f]Nan[/name_f] picked my middle name, [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f]. At first she thought of [name_f]Caroline[/name_f], but it was agreed that [name_f]Carolyn[/name_f] had a softer sound. Over the years I have had a lot of positive responses to my middle name.
I love my name. It suits me, I think, and is neither too rare or too popular. I always have loved sharing my name with the late [name_f]Princess[/name_f] of [name_m]Wales[/name_m]. It gave it a regal air.
[name_f]My[/name_f] mum is a bit of a name nerd herself, I think. She didn’t honour anyone when naming me or my brothers. The reasoning for this was because she wanted us all to be individuals, without a tie to anyone else’s identity.
[name_f]My[/name_f] dad liked the most common names from the year I was born, so they settled on a compromise. Fortunately for me another family member used this name and so they had to rethink. This name would not have suited me and my partner and I would have had the same name!
They finally settled on another name and mum chose the alternative spelling of this, as she felt it looked prettier. I agree. [name_f]My[/name_f] middle name was just chosen as it flows nicely with my first name. I don’t mind my middle name, but I’d have preferred something else.
One of the names my mum wanted for me, but my dad vetoed was [name_f]Felicity[/name_f]. I always wanted this name growing up and my mum even bought me the [name_f]Felicity[/name_f] wishes books, which made me love it more. If it hadn’t become so popular I think I’d have used this on a future child.
Realistically, if I had a child now, I’d name them [name_f]Daphne[/name_f] or [name_u]Emrys[/name_u]. These are names I just love, there’s no special story behind them. Similarly with middle names, I’ve just chosen names I love and I think flow nicely.
first name: my parents wanted to give me a “common” name since we have an unusual surname, and were tossing up between [name_f]Abigail[/name_f] and [name_f]Emily[/name_f]. then when I was born they asked the midwife for her opinion and she said something along the lines of “she looks very dainty so I’d go with Emily” which they did
middle name: the anglicised version of my great aunt and great grandma, both called [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f]
→ [name_f]My[/name_f] parents chose the name, [name_f]Stella[/name_f]. I have a very similar surname to a famous [name_f]Stella[/name_f], and they found the resemblance funny. Also, my dad’s favourite book character was called [name_f]Estella[/name_f] - my mum insisted on [name_f]Stella[/name_f], to my dad’s disappointment!
→ Loooove my name! I get so many compliments on it, and I think it fits me perfectly. I went through a phase of hating it, but I grew out of it in my late teens.
→ I go by [name_f]Stella[/name_f]. Some people prefer to call me by my middle name, as I used to go by it in high school. I don’t mind either way.
→ I’d stick with my real name. But If I was forced to pick a new name, I’d pick [name_f]Leonie[/name_f].
→ [name_f]Dahlia[/name_f] for a girl, [name_u]Jasper[/name_u] for a boy! To be honest… I don’t have great reasoning. I just love the names, and their meanings! I’d choose honour middle names, though. [name_u]Alexis[/name_u] or [name_f]Christine[/name_f] for a girl, and [name_u]Kalani[/name_u] for a boy.
I was very nearly an [name_f]Emily[/name_f] [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f]! It was a tossup between [name_f]Emily[/name_f] [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] and [name_f]Stella[/name_f] Grace… Funny!
[name_f]My[/name_f] parents wanted to use [name_f]Sadie[/name_f] because it is a family name on both sides but both of those women were [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] nicknamed [name_f]Sadie[/name_f] and by the time I was born, my parents already had two nieces named [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] so they didn’t want to use it (neither of my cousins go by Sadie). They chose my full name because it was the only other name they could think of where they could get [name_f]Sadie[/name_f] as a nickname. Dad didn’t want my full name to be [name_f]Sadie[/name_f] because of the Beatles association. He didn’t think it was a great association for his infant daughter. He wanted me to have other nickname options if I wanted. I definitely think [name_f]Sadie[/name_f] fits me nicely. I’ve always felt slightly disconnected from my full name since I only ever use it in legal circumstances but it is a great party trick to pull out the old “well, my real name is …” Gets people every time. That being said, it is still my name and I think I would feel weird just being [name_f]Sadie[/name_f]. Also the flow of my first middle and last names goes nicely, [name_f]Sadie[/name_f] [middle name] [last name] does not flow nearly as nicely. I have always been called by [name_f]Sadie[/name_f]. [name_m]Even[/name_m] when my parents were mad, they only ever called me [name_f]Sadie[/name_f]. I don’t think I would want to be named differently.
I think the closest I would get to my own first name when naming a child would be a masculine name that starts with the same five letters as my first name. I would definitely use my middle name for a boy but my middle is my mother’s maiden name.
or [name_u]Scout[/name_u] atm
