What's in a Name?

Seriously...What's in a name? 

Tristesse Lee
Okay, I admit for years...at least near 41, my name has been a constant topic of conversation.  As a child in elementary school I didn't grow up with people calling me by my 'given' name.  As long as I can remember have gone by Teece, or 'TC'.  I'm sure Mom will put her two cents in at the end of this, as she does with each supportive blog comment.  I grew up knowing what my name was/is, but the endearing part in my name was being called 'Teece' by those who love me.  Those who're close to me and family would call me 'Teece'.  I have always liked that.  It's a shortened version of my full first name.  I did go by Tesse, and people pronounced it as 'TC'...and 'Teece'.  But, there were those who pronounced it 'Tessie'..Since probably before birth I've despised 'Tessie'...I didn't even like the Sea Monster Tessie because of it, even if if that was the Loc Ness Monsters real name, it certainly wasn't mine.  Even in labor with my oldest child my doctor addressed me as 'Tess', I thought I was going to hurt him, I was so mad!  No likey!

When in second grade a remote controlled car came out I was called A-TC for a while.  When ET came out, I was asked if I could phone home, or if my heart light would light up on request.  Then Magnum PI came out, I was razzed about being a black man, and asked if I could fly a helicopter.  I would be asked what 'TC' stood for?  Was it Terribly Corrupted? (Asked by a teacher.) Was it Too Cute? Was it Theresa Catherine?...I'd go into the spiel and both adults and children would loose interest before I could even finish.  As I got older and computers were 'in'...I would be asked by a lot of people if my name was 'PC'...No, I'm not a personal computer, and I do try to be politically correct for the most part.  There have been times when I wished my name was something like half of my other good friends who grew up with a name like 'Amy'...I mean...Amy, how can you mess that up?  I don't know any Amy's with heart lights, or other meanings to their name.  They I know had personalized bicycle license plates!

Try to find one of those with Tristesse!  Let alone one that would fit 9 letters!  Well, this all said...I do love my name.  Jokingly I always say that I'm sure that my parents wanted a ballet dancer wearing pink ballet slippers, but instead got cleats and a softball player.  (I did try ballet-HATED IT!)  I know that my middle name Lee, has some back up.  This name I'm told came to belong to me, because my Dad affectionately called my Mom, 'Lee'.  Funny how the evolution of names come alive.  It was years later, I found out where my middle name came from....Thank Goodness he didn't call her something like, "Sex Kitten".  I'd then be called Tristesse Sex Kitten...think of what kids would have said then!

My name and new employment, at times I've tried to go by Tristesse.  Always a fail.  My name and meeting new friends or friends of friends-Always interesting.  My name and name tags...Really?  A conversation always ensues...with a name like sadness, melancholy, slight smile...I challenge my name.


Naming the Children
When I was pregnant with my first child, I was most certainly aware of the importance in a name.  I was the one who grew up having to explain the meaning, spelling, and anything else to do with my name.  My then husband grew up with the name Charlie Paul.  He was named after his father and wanted to keep the family tradition going.  I understood, but did put my input in, about how he didn't like getting all of his father's paperwork, and sometimes mixed up paperwork for important documents in his lifetime.  I lost.  And our son carried the family name, and became the III.  I have always loved writing his entire name out, and I call him by Charlie Paul.  It's rare when someone calls him by Charlie Paul, I can tell someone who's known him for a short while vs. a long while...just by what they call him by. 

If he were a girl...I had a bazillion girl names picked out.  I love names...and loved trying to select the perfect name that would go on in time and be a timeless name.  Thank goodness he wasn't a girl.  He'd of been Shelby Lynn.  Even though I loved names like, Elizabeth, Aleiya, Brianne, Anne, Bronwyn - Poor kid.  I bet he's glad he's Charlie Paul too! 

Then came my second child.  I was pregnant and seeking a name.  I wanted a strong name if the baby were to be a boy.  I mean how can you follow the III?  It would be difficult to follow an older brother who carried the family name-wouldn't it?  I searched, and read, and searched, and read...I ended up with Wyatt.  Both my then husband and I decided, Wyatt was it.  Wyatt means, brave, strong, hardy war, little warrior.  That's a strong name.  Wyatt McLeod it would be.  No girls names were chosen.  This little bundle was a kicker, was a fighter, was a football player...Nope, she was a girl.  A girl with no name....for a least a few days. The names chosen for our oldest weren't right for her.  Those were names selected for our oldest, and didn't fit her.  So, the search for her name began, and we decided it would be Lyndsee.  No, not the traditional Lindsey, even though it would be pronounced like Lindsey, from the Lindseed tree...She would have an unusual spelling.  I tried to buck that too, but she got the 'Lyn' part to be part of my Mom's name.  Her middle name is Elizabeth Rachael.  I adore her middle name, it is so dear to my heart.  Elizabeth is derived from a couple of Great Grandmother's names and carried on...and Rachael.  Well, Rachael was my bestest friend in the whole wide world at the time.  She had three boys, and was not having any more children-No girls were in her future.  My lil Lyndsee was her girl.  Rachael for those of you who don't know, also was battling cancer at the time also...and was one of my most treasured friendships that I have had my entire lifetime.  I am eternally grateful for her sharing her name with Lyndsee.  I can remember asking her permission, she was honored.  We had a special naming ceremony and Lyndsee was officially named Lyndsee Elizabeth Rachel...and I just love her name.

As the children continued to grow my heart, the size of our family indicated that names were even more important in our lives than I had ever known before.  My third child grew in my heart through adoption.  She came to my heart at age 2.5 years old.  She was/is a spitfire.  She at that age would give anyone a run for their money.  At 2.5 years old, she had already been given a name, and gone by that name, and knew her name.  As the adoption process moved forward, she has always been, and always will be a Kimberly.  What a strong sounding name for a strong child.  What a great adult name to have too.  If she had, had her way, her name would be Ariel (The Little Mermaid)...But, we stuck with her strong name of Kimberly.  She was given the middle name of my Mother and Sisters middle names put together Annmarie.  Oh how I always wanted an Annmarie.  I'm not sure why that name just opens my heart, but it does.  It seemed to fit perfectly for my beautiful spitfire that stood before me...Kimberly Annmarie it is...Kimberly Annmarie is perfect exactly the way she is...I got my Annmarie.

Then came numero 4...Michael Noah.  Michael Noah was 3 months old.  He had different circumstances to his name.  He was special and gifted us differently.  He needed us and we needed him.  He was also a fighter, but you'd never know.  He had a gentle soul, even as an infant.  He's always appeared to be an old soul inside a young boy...who will grow into an old soul in today's times.  I was allowed to name him, he was young enough to change his name if we wanted to.  I did wish to change his name for many personal reasons.  We had never called him by his birth name.  We called him Boobah, or Boo.  (Even to this day, I'll call him that.)  I brought the name I liked to the dinner table for topic of conversation.  What a different way to come about a name, for a child who was already born.  Even if we all called him Boobah.  So, it was announced, his name would be Parker.  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO the kids said!  What?  I had carefully chosen the name, and was so excited to share.  The oldest two said that Parker is a last name (they schooled with two children who had that as their last name.)  Okay, than you can each bring as many as 3 names tomorrow night to the dinner table, and we can try the names out then.  If one of those names are suitable, than we will consider it.  Let them be a part of the naming...and bringing in a sibling to their family dynamics. 
The next night they each came with names on sticky notes (which are now in Boobah's baby book).  Kimberly wanted names similar to Boobah.  Lyndsee wanted Boy Bratz Doll names like Cameron, Dylan, and Thad.  Charlie Paul wanted, Fredrick, Theodore, or William.  Each name was tried out on the bundle in the highchair...and the name that stuck was William.  They said, he looks like a Will.  William was perfect.  He got his name, and it was William McLeod.  Ooooo, I like it!

What? FIVE?  Yes, it's true number five came and I'll make it simple.  There was a reason number 4 was not named Parker.  Parker is number 5.  His name is a perfect fit.  Funny how names just work out.  Although he was a tiny one, and for months which have become years...he was called Peanut.  He sometimes with affection of course...is called Parker Peanut.  Just like Charlie Paul, you can tell how long someone has known each of the children...by which name they're called by. 


Name Game
The name game is always a good test to try...out a name.  Just saying....Think about it.  Try Tucker.


Conclusion
So, in conclusion...Your name means something besides the actual meaning...Your name comes from somewhere...it comes from your family.  It comes from tradition.  It comes from your birth family.  It comes from possibly a sibling.  It comes from the hearts of those who love you...So, the definition may not be sadness, melancholy, slight smile...It may be the girl who survived living with out a bicycle license plate and lived being loved by those around her.  The girl who loved dirt, playing outside, loves her family and friends...and most of all loves her ever growing family...continually....and although she likes riding bikes...She's never watched the full movie Bonjour Tristesse-only clips here and there-Because that's not who she is.

(Can't wait to hear B's version)

Love Deeply, Live your Dash, & Live Out Loud,
T



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