I take the naming of my children very seriously. I figured that if my daughters have to endure 20+ years of being an Egbert (I'm kidding, Steve and Paula) they might as well have a first name that does not evoke laughter. Tim and I play it safe and give our children classic, Biblically-based names: Anna Elisabeth, Lily Rebekah, Rachel Jean... and so it goes. They are strong names, full of meaning, and represented by some of the most remarkable women in history.
So you can imagine my initial reaction today when Anna ponderingly said to me in the car today: "Mom, I don't like my name". Pause. "You shouldn't have named me Anna." Pause again. I'm thinking: I can't believe I'm hearing this from my firstborn, the one to whom I gave the two top names on my list. Anna, widow for 84 years, one of the first to greet the infant Jesus in the temple; meaning gracious. She's not acting so gracious right now is she? Elisabeth, full of faith, mother of John the Baptist after years of barrenness, cousin to Mary, the mother of Jesus; meaning consecrated to God. Really, how much more meaningful can you get?
Rather than communicate my deep love for the names that I had chosen to bestow upon her, I enjoyed the moment a little longer, and said, "Okay, Anna, what do you wish I had named you?" Another pause. "I really like the name Cinderella."
3 comments:
Yeah, what were you thinking? Cinderella is a true classic.
What a punch line! Its a good thing you recorded that so you'll be able to pull it out of your memory when she starts having daughters.
Nathan said the Exact SAME THING TO ME the other day. He did get the long lecture about how meaningfully we chose his name. Sydney, on the other hand has decided that she should be called Marty Princess, after the male character in Back to the Future. The princess part is her addition. What can you do!
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