pen_grunt | What's in a name?

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.