What's in a name?

[pen_grunt]

A co-worker asked me today if I liked my name. I honestly hadn't thought about it since childhood (where I think everyone hated their name at least a little bit).

Truth be told, I've never liked my name. My parents made the nickname "Missy" stick by calling me that from the day they brought me home from the hospital. I've found that many dogs are named Missy, and I often get called Mitzy or Misty (also animal names) by the hard-of-hearing geriatric set. People still think it's funny to scold by saying, "listen here Missy" and then giggling uncontrollably.

I could go by my "real" name--Melissa--(and I did try that for a while in college to be more "grown up") but I never respond to that name. Nor do I identify with Melissa.

The thing is, I can't really think of another name that I would want. I can think of names for future kids (who doesn't do this?) or for other people, but it's hard to identify one that would fit for me.

Cassie? Maggie? Melanie? Allie?

Does it even matter now that I'm an adult? It seems like I've sort of come to grips with it, but it's strange not really liking my own name.

Comments

[tabby-of-doom.livejournal.com]

Mmm. I think Missy is a nice name, and every Missy I've known has been smart and pretty. People have been saying stupid things about people's names for eons, and my friend Misty (who is smart and pretty as well) is pretty sick of people saying to her, "Play 'Misty' for me."

I'm a Valerie, and besides the fact that I'm often called Valeria and my name has been misspelled 1,394,710,338 times, I have to remember that my grandmother saved my life by insisting I be named Valerie and not what my mother wanted to call me. Kenny.

It could always be worse. :)

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

You're absolutely right that it could be worse--I do know my fair share of people whose parents decided to get "creative" (I know a Prairie and a Learned [yes, that's Learn'ed]).

I'm glad you like Missy--and for what it's worth, I've always liked Valerie (though to be fair, it's a deep-seeded affection stemming from my childhood crush on Davy Jones of the Monkees--and I'm sure you get that a lot).

And Kenny? For a girl? Really?

[blissfuls0ul.livejournal.com]

hey there..
i ahve a question for you
you said on MN weddings you had ur wedding/reception at the
Harriet Island Pavilion in St. Paul
i was wondering if you could show me pictures of how it looked at ur wedding?
Thanks alot!
if u need my email its
alcma00@yahoo.com
Again THANK YOU!

[pen-grunt.livejournal.com]

Sure thing, I'll shoot you an email with a few pics (they're huge) of the reception site.