I am Anna Robinson MacLean. Anna, for a great-great-grandmother on my mom's side, who, I am told, was elegant and gracious. Certainly from the pictures I have seen of her she fits this description, with her classic profile and hair perfectly tamed in typical turn-of-the-century fashion. I also like Anna because it's a palindrome, it starts with A (the first letter of the alphabet, the symbol for Alpha, the letter grade that I like to see on transcripts), because it is easy to bubble in on standardized tests, and for countless other reasons. Robinson is my dad's mom's maiden name. It has a dignified ring to it, but more than that it makes me think of the fictional character I created in seventh grade, Robin. I named her thus because she's a little bit like me, me the way I often wish I was, but in the end am glad I'm not. Robinson also connects me to my great-grandfather, who was Camden's first harbormaster as well as a well-liked lobsterman. I'm told that he was an important figure back in his day; there's a bench on the Camden waterfront honoring him. MacLean is my family's name. The MacLeans were a Scottish tribe back in the day; there's still a tribal castle in Scotland that my dad has visited; it has a guestbook that only MacLeans can sign. Someday I would love to go there. MacLean as a last name can occasionally a bit difficult, though; very few people know right off the bat how to spell it or pronounce it (it's MAC-LANE, not MC-LEEN, and it's M-A-C-capital L- not M-C-L or M-A-C-C). Put together, I'm ARM, which, as far as I'm concerned, is the most awesome set of initials ever, since it spells out a word and can actually be pronounced as a name in its own right. I like that, how the individual parts of my name are steeped in family history, but I've still got ARM all to myself.
Anna, this is really good. I love how you describe the family members from which your name originates. It gives so much more insight into who you are as well as your name. I also like how you connect Robinson to your fictional character, Robin. Again, it's really good context. I think when you are describing your last name, instead of saying "back in the day," you could say actually when your family inhabited the castle; I think that would create a really nice picture of your family history. I really like how you ended it though, saying that you like how your name connects you to your family but all put together, your name and initials are really unique. I think this is a really relatable topic; trying to navigate which parts of yourself are yours and which parts are your families. Really nice job, Anna.
The history of my name is fairly simple. My first and middle names, Brandon and Michael, stem from the fact that my parents, who both have really strange names (don’t get me started), wanted to give me a “normal” name, so that it wouldn’t get misspelled on everything, as their names do. My last name, Woo, comes from my father’s side. It has its advantages and disadvantages: it sounds cool and certainly is unique, but on the other token, any time anything happens in alphabetical order, I’m almost always last on the list. My initials are BMW, and sometimes I wish it was something more interesting than a car. So my name isn’t the most interesting. What you really want to hear about are my parents’ names, but that’s not going to happen, at least not yet.
Brandon, I really like your paragraph. It's short and too the point, but even in a short amount of time, you managed to give off many opinions and clever observations. It was funny too, especially in your 7th line. I also like how you end it; like a minor cliff hanger. Although you open your paragraph saying that the history of your name is simple, you make it out to be pretty interesting. And the implication that your last name always brings you last on the list is interesting and offers some insight into your thinking. Could you expand on that part? I think if you did, it would make this paragraph a lot stronger. Good job!
My full name is Haley Jo Cutrone. I don't actually have a middle name, which I kinda like now that I'm older. It sets me apart, makes me unique. A lot of people, upon hearing my name, ask if I'm from the south, where double names and the name "Jo" are pretty normal. I'm not. I don't want to say I'm a northerner, born and bred, because I was born in Colorado, and I'm very proud of that because again, in my family, it makes me unique. My family history is all here in the northeast, though. My mother and her siblings were born in Massachusetts, and so was my dad, actually, although he grew up in Pennsylvania. My brother was born in Maine. But going back even further, my family, or at least my mom's side, began here, where I live now, in Hollis. There's a graveyard down the street from us where all our ancestors are buried. Haley is a family name. It first came into the family as the surname of a woman named Susannah Haley. She married into my mom's family, Smith, and that's kind of as far back as we can trace it; we tried to find Isaac's (I think that's who she married) father, but no luck so far. Anyway, the name was handed down for generations, as the Smiths intertwined with the Hansons and the Warrens. I was named for a man named J. Haley Smith, one of our most well-known ancestors. He owned Tyler's Corner, which my brother is named for. I always go to visit his grave when I'm in the cemetery; it's very special to me. J. Haley's son died when he was only four months old. It makes me sad, so I visit them. Interestingly enough, the Smiths and the Hansons hated each other, and they fought over the land where I live a lot. The old farmhouse, across the street, is the Smith's old house. The road I live on, Hanson Lane, is named for the Hansons. And the farm I live on has been in our family for generations, although before my parents bought it back it was out of family hands for several years. I'm very proud of all my complicated ancestry. The second part of my name is much easier to explain. Jo comes from Joanne, my mother's best friend since eighth grade. My mother met Jo after she went skiing with Jenny Lamb, my mom's best friend at the time, and broke her leg. Jenny's family left my mom in the cabin to keep skiing while Mom's parents drove down to Vermont to get her. My grandparent's wouldn't speak to Jenny's family anymore after that, and that was the end of Mom's friendship with Jenny Lamb, although that's not what she wanted. Anyway, her first day back at school, she met Joanne, who had just moved there from the Midwest. Jo offered to carry Mom's books, and they've been friends ever since. She named me after her. In the end, my name is a composite of the past and the present, and although some people think my name is a little strange, I love it.
Now, “Emily” is a very common name. My mom chose my name a while before I was born because none of her students at the school worked at were named Emily. 1996 rolled around and for the late 1990s the name was at its peak - so much for “unique”. I like my name though, despite its popularity and the confusion of having three other Emily’s on the cross-country team. I like that when people say my name it sounds similar to the noise you make when you eat something delicious, followed by the natural smile your mouth makes when you say “ly”. Emily Nicole. That was the name of a crib my parents saw while shopping for baby furniture. I wish my middle name had more meaning but I guess not everyone can say they were named after a crib. As for “White” it seems to be used more for describing how incredibly pale I get in the winter than having some interesting background.
I like my name, Emmaline Reed Longnecker. It flows off the tongue nicely. It is very much a family name. Emmaline, pronounced Emma-line not Emma-lean, was my great great Aunt’s name. She liked horses and bought the house in Jackson, NH that became the gathering house in my family for several generation. She always made sure water troughs were filled in Jackson, because she didn’t want the horses to get thirsty. If you are ever there, look around and you will see old water spouts. She put them there. She was a good, kind person, and that is what my mom wanted for me. Reed is my uncle’s name. We have quite a few earthy names in my family, Reed, Parke, Clay, Hill, etc. Reed was another good person. I never knew him because he died before I was born, but I hear he became very kind, especially towards the end. Finally, the best out of the three, Longnecker. Never accepted by spell-check, and always a name no one can spell, Longnecker is a winner. I assume when we came through immigration, the person at Ellis Island couldn’t understand what they were saying and saw the long necks and that was that. They very easily could have had a long neck, because I have one too. I wonder if I will be able to take my husband’s name when I marry, because some names just don’t quite sound right. Emmaline Reed Jones, nope. Perhaps, Emmaline Longnecker Jones, that one doesn’t roll off the tongue either. I guess I will just have to cross that bridge when I come to it, but for now I like my name. Emmaline Reed Longnecker.
My name comes from no where in particular; my parents just really liked it. They considered naming me Josephine after my grandfather, Joseph, but they decided against it. When I tell people my name is Julianna I'm often met with a confused look and then "oh, I've never heard that before!" It's never spelled right either. Usually when I see it written one of the n's is absent. When pronounced, people question how the "anna" is said, going back and forth like the two versions of "aunt." This type of confusion and ambiguity might bother other people but it really has never been a pet peeve of mine. I've even come to kind of like it. My name is not a plain, obvious one like a Mary or Emma; it's more complicated and even seems a little overbearing at first. And when asked how to spell or pronounce it, I am even a little comforted in seeing that strangers, or even acquaintances, don't know everything about me at first look. It's only people that really know me that know the right spelling and even can correct it (two n's!) when it's spelled wrong.
When I was born, my parents had four names to choose from; Symone, Siham, Tasnim, or Muntaha. Honestly, I kind of wish they named me Tasnim; the name of a water fountain in heaven. The name just rolls of my tongue, it's so graceful and majestic. But, instead I was named Muntaha, an arabic name, which I've grown to love. Although people often mis-pronounce as Muntana, I really don't know how. But, my grandmother told me a long time ago, my name meant "good end". I didn't really know what that meant then. I still don't now. A good end to what? To the day? Does it mean, in the end, I'll get what I want? (I hope) Or, does it mean good end as in a good death? (Which is so entirely morbid and I apologize but I have thought it more than once). I just don't know. Although I did just google my name in an Arabic site and it said it means, "the utmost, highest degree," which just raised it higher than Tasnim in my list of favorite names.
This story is so sweet, and it sounds just like you. I like your honesty that you wish they had named you Tasnim but then at the end you have changed your mind. I can hear you laughing in these words and looking sideways through our glasses and smiling. I also like your questioning of what your Grandmother said. I feel like it is one of those things that one day you will understand but I like that you admit you don't get it now. I love how this is so you. Good job.
Unfortunately, my first name has a relatively lackluster story. It originated purely because my mom “absolutely loved the name.” My dad had no say in the matter, apparently my mom stuck to her guns and he didn’t put up much of a fight, as he loved the name too. My middle name, Margaret, came from my mom’s beloved grandmother. All I know of her is that she was constantly laughing, and the warmth of her laugh melted rooms. Apparently her eyes and mouth were laced with the wrinkles of a happy lifetime. Although I never met her, I am grateful to be the namesake of someone who my mom admires so much. My last name, Nelligan, comes from my dad’s family. My knowledge of the origins of this name are limited, but I do know that is an Irish name. I actually don’t identify at all with my Irish roots, but I am reminded of my ancestry during the summer when the freckles multiply across my nose and my pale skin burns until I have to confine myself to my room for days at a time.
My name is not interesting. Lauren Elsie Cressey. The only fun thing about that is the fact that my middle name is "Elsie" and my first and last initials are "LC". And that wasn't even planned. My first name was given to me only because my parents loved the name Lauren. No further story. My middle name, Elsie, comes from my great grandmother on my dads side. I think I met her when I was quite small, only a few months old. I have heard many stories of her. Nanny Bailey, a warm person with an infectious smile that could break anyone. My last name, Cressey, also from my dads side. I honestly have no idea where that nam came from. That is something that I would like to learn about at some point in the future, but for now, its origins will stay hidden.
I am Anna Robinson MacLean. Anna, for a great-great-grandmother on my mom's side, who, I am told, was elegant and gracious. Certainly from the pictures I have seen of her she fits this description, with her classic profile and hair perfectly tamed in typical turn-of-the-century fashion. I also like Anna because it's a palindrome, it starts with A (the first letter of the alphabet, the symbol for Alpha, the letter grade that I like to see on transcripts), because it is easy to bubble in on standardized tests, and for countless other reasons. Robinson is my dad's mom's maiden name. It has a dignified ring to it, but more than that it makes me think of the fictional character I created in seventh grade, Robin. I named her thus because she's a little bit like me, me the way I often wish I was, but in the end am glad I'm not. Robinson also connects me to my great-grandfather, who was Camden's first harbormaster as well as a well-liked lobsterman. I'm told that he was an important figure back in his day; there's a bench on the Camden waterfront honoring him. MacLean is my family's name. The MacLeans were a Scottish tribe back in the day; there's still a tribal castle in Scotland that my dad has visited; it has a guestbook that only MacLeans can sign. Someday I would love to go there. MacLean as a last name can occasionally a bit difficult, though; very few people know right off the bat how to spell it or pronounce it (it's MAC-LANE, not MC-LEEN, and it's M-A-C-capital L- not M-C-L or M-A-C-C).
ReplyDeletePut together, I'm ARM, which, as far as I'm concerned, is the most awesome set of initials ever, since it spells out a word and can actually be pronounced as a name in its own right. I like that, how the individual parts of my name are steeped in family history, but I've still got ARM all to myself.
Anna, this is really good. I love how you describe the family members from which your name originates. It gives so much more insight into who you are as well as your name. I also like how you connect Robinson to your fictional character, Robin. Again, it's really good context. I think when you are describing your last name, instead of saying "back in the day," you could say actually when your family inhabited the castle; I think that would create a really nice picture of your family history. I really like how you ended it though, saying that you like how your name connects you to your family but all put together, your name and initials are really unique. I think this is a really relatable topic; trying to navigate which parts of yourself are yours and which parts are your families. Really nice job, Anna.
DeleteThe history of my name is fairly simple. My first and middle names, Brandon and Michael, stem from the fact that my parents, who both have really strange names (don’t get me started), wanted to give me a “normal” name, so that it wouldn’t get misspelled on everything, as their names do. My last name, Woo, comes from my father’s side. It has its advantages and disadvantages: it sounds cool and certainly is unique, but on the other token, any time anything happens in alphabetical order, I’m almost always last on the list. My initials are BMW, and sometimes I wish it was something more interesting than a car. So my name isn’t the most interesting. What you really want to hear about are my parents’ names, but that’s not going to happen, at least not yet.
ReplyDeleteBrandon, I really like your paragraph. It's short and too the point, but even in a short amount of time, you managed to give off many opinions and clever observations. It was funny too, especially in your 7th line. I also like how you end it; like a minor cliff hanger. Although you open your paragraph saying that the history of your name is simple, you make it out to be pretty interesting. And the implication that your last name always brings you last on the list is interesting and offers some insight into your thinking. Could you expand on that part? I think if you did, it would make this paragraph a lot stronger. Good job!
DeleteMy full name is Haley Jo Cutrone. I don't actually have a middle name, which I kinda like now that I'm older. It sets me apart, makes me unique. A lot of people, upon hearing my name, ask if I'm from the south, where double names and the name "Jo" are pretty normal. I'm not. I don't want to say I'm a northerner, born and bred, because I was born in Colorado, and I'm very proud of that because again, in my family, it makes me unique. My family history is all here in the northeast, though. My mother and her siblings were born in Massachusetts, and so was my dad, actually, although he grew up in Pennsylvania. My brother was born in Maine. But going back even further, my family, or at least my mom's side, began here, where I live now, in Hollis. There's a graveyard down the street from us where all our ancestors are buried. Haley is a family name. It first came into the family as the surname of a woman named Susannah Haley. She married into my mom's family, Smith, and that's kind of as far back as we can trace it; we tried to find Isaac's (I think that's who she married) father, but no luck so far. Anyway, the name was handed down for generations, as the Smiths intertwined with the Hansons and the Warrens. I was named for a man named J. Haley Smith, one of our most well-known ancestors. He owned Tyler's Corner, which my brother is named for. I always go to visit his grave when I'm in the cemetery; it's very special to me. J. Haley's son died when he was only four months old. It makes me sad, so I visit them. Interestingly enough, the Smiths and the Hansons hated each other, and they fought over the land where I live a lot. The old farmhouse, across the street, is the Smith's old house. The road I live on, Hanson Lane, is named for the Hansons. And the farm I live on has been in our family for generations, although before my parents bought it back it was out of family hands for several years. I'm very proud of all my complicated ancestry.
ReplyDeleteThe second part of my name is much easier to explain. Jo comes from Joanne, my mother's best friend since eighth grade. My mother met Jo after she went skiing with Jenny Lamb, my mom's best friend at the time, and broke her leg. Jenny's family left my mom in the cabin to keep skiing while Mom's parents drove down to Vermont to get her. My grandparent's wouldn't speak to Jenny's family anymore after that, and that was the end of Mom's friendship with Jenny Lamb, although that's not what she wanted. Anyway, her first day back at school, she met Joanne, who had just moved there from the Midwest. Jo offered to carry Mom's books, and they've been friends ever since. She named me after her.
In the end, my name is a composite of the past and the present, and although some people think my name is a little strange, I love it.
Now, “Emily” is a very common name. My mom chose my name a while before I was born because none of her students at the school worked at were named Emily. 1996 rolled around and for the late 1990s the name was at its peak - so much for “unique”. I like my name though, despite its popularity and the confusion of having three other Emily’s on the cross-country team. I like that when people say my name it sounds similar to the noise you make when you eat something delicious, followed by the natural smile your mouth makes when you say “ly”. Emily Nicole. That was the name of a crib my parents saw while shopping for baby furniture. I wish my middle name had more meaning but I guess not everyone can say they were named after a crib. As for “White” it seems to be used more for describing how incredibly pale I get in the winter than having some interesting background.
ReplyDeleteI like my name, Emmaline Reed Longnecker. It flows off the tongue nicely. It is very much a family name. Emmaline, pronounced Emma-line not Emma-lean, was my great great Aunt’s name. She liked horses and bought the house in Jackson, NH that became the gathering house in my family for several generation. She always made sure water troughs were filled in Jackson, because she didn’t want the horses to get thirsty. If you are ever there, look around and you will see old water spouts. She put them there. She was a good, kind person, and that is what my mom wanted for me. Reed is my uncle’s name. We have quite a few earthy names in my family, Reed, Parke, Clay, Hill, etc. Reed was another good person. I never knew him because he died before I was born, but I hear he became very kind, especially towards the end. Finally, the best out of the three, Longnecker. Never accepted by spell-check, and always a name no one can spell, Longnecker is a winner. I assume when we came through immigration, the person at Ellis Island couldn’t understand what they were saying and saw the long necks and that was that. They very easily could have had a long neck, because I have one too. I wonder if I will be able to take my husband’s name when I marry, because some names just don’t quite sound right. Emmaline Reed Jones, nope. Perhaps, Emmaline Longnecker Jones, that one doesn’t roll off the tongue either. I guess I will just have to cross that bridge when I come to it, but for now I like my name. Emmaline Reed Longnecker.
ReplyDeleteMy name comes from no where in particular; my parents just really liked it. They considered naming me Josephine after my grandfather, Joseph, but they decided against it. When I tell people my name is Julianna I'm often met with a confused look and then "oh, I've never heard that before!" It's never spelled right either. Usually when I see it written one of the n's is absent. When pronounced, people question how the "anna" is said, going back and forth like the two versions of "aunt." This type of confusion and ambiguity might bother other people but it really has never been a pet peeve of mine. I've even come to kind of like it. My name is not a plain, obvious one like a Mary or Emma; it's more complicated and even seems a little overbearing at first. And when asked how to spell or pronounce it, I am even a little comforted in seeing that strangers, or even acquaintances, don't know everything about me at first look. It's only people that really know me that know the right spelling and even can correct it (two n's!) when it's spelled wrong.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was born, my parents had four names to choose from; Symone, Siham, Tasnim, or Muntaha. Honestly, I kind of wish they named me Tasnim; the name of a water fountain in heaven. The name just rolls of my tongue, it's so graceful and majestic. But, instead I was named Muntaha, an arabic name, which I've grown to love. Although people often mis-pronounce as Muntana, I really don't know how. But, my grandmother told me a long time ago, my name meant "good end". I didn't really know what that meant then. I still don't now. A good end to what? To the day? Does it mean, in the end, I'll get what I want? (I hope) Or, does it mean good end as in a good death? (Which is so entirely morbid and I apologize but I have thought it more than once). I just don't know. Although I did just google my name in an Arabic site and it said it means, "the utmost, highest degree," which just raised it higher than Tasnim in my list of favorite names.
ReplyDeleteThis story is so sweet, and it sounds just like you. I like your honesty that you wish they had named you Tasnim but then at the end you have changed your mind. I can hear you laughing in these words and looking sideways through our glasses and smiling. I also like your questioning of what your Grandmother said. I feel like it is one of those things that one day you will understand but I like that you admit you don't get it now. I love how this is so you. Good job.
DeleteUnfortunately, my first name has a relatively lackluster story. It originated purely because my mom “absolutely loved the name.” My dad had no say in the matter, apparently my mom stuck to her guns and he didn’t put up much of a fight, as he loved the name too. My middle name, Margaret, came from my mom’s beloved grandmother. All I know of her is that she was constantly laughing, and the warmth of her laugh melted rooms. Apparently her eyes and mouth were laced with the wrinkles of a happy lifetime. Although I never met her, I am grateful to be the namesake of someone who my mom admires so much. My last name, Nelligan, comes from my dad’s family. My knowledge of the origins of this name are limited, but I do know that is an Irish name. I actually don’t identify at all with my Irish roots, but I am reminded of my ancestry during the summer when the freckles multiply across my nose and my pale skin burns until I have to confine myself to my room for days at a time.
ReplyDeleteMy name is not interesting. Lauren Elsie Cressey. The only fun thing about that is the fact that my middle name is "Elsie" and my first and last initials are "LC". And that wasn't even planned. My first name was given to me only because my parents loved the name Lauren. No further story. My middle name, Elsie, comes from my great grandmother on my dads side. I think I met her when I was quite small, only a few months old. I have heard many stories of her. Nanny Bailey, a warm person with an infectious smile that could break anyone. My last name, Cressey, also from my dads side. I honestly have no idea where that nam came from. That is something that I would like to learn about at some point in the future, but for now, its origins will stay hidden.
ReplyDelete