What is in a name?

I was chatting with my work colleagues recently about how assorted and varied are the names which we give  to our children.   The latest fashion influences  of celeb' names, be it Apple, Britney, Rumer or Kylie , Justin or Jayzee isn't a new thing by any means. I'm sure many babies were called Vera and Betty or Ronald and Fred in the 30's and 40's.  I wonder whether the area of the country or county where we were raised is a significant factor; Tracey (Emin) in Margate or Thomas (Beckett/ Cathedral) in Canterbury? 

Nicole Kidmans baby girl is named Sunday Rose, which actually quite surprisingly presses my buttons as  l think it pretty. It wasn't the day of the child's birth, as she was born on a Monday,  but it has everything to do with a Australian poet, apparently!!

But is this any 'better'  or 'worse' than say Satchel, Moon unit alpha or Chastity, although l like Apple (of the Paltrow/Martin union) and it's not unlike Cherry or Rose from the 40's & 50's or Daisy from the 60's or Poppy in 70's . And there are the monthly names; June, April, May, these were fashionable in the early 20th century, so really is anything NEW?

My name is Sara, which is French for Sarah and fairly 'common' here in UK now  though I admit incorrect spellings drive me nuts. But in 1950's, when my 'alien' father (French/Italian) went to register my birth, the snotty registrar explained, that if the planned name wasn't in his Book of Names, it wasn't permitted to register in  that name!! My father couldn't argue his point confidently, as his English wasn't yet fluent, so Sarah on the certificate it is, but l am  Sara but I respond to Sarah,  Sar, Saz, Sarita, Mum of course and Oi you, depending who l am with at the time!

My parents  planned to name me Francoise, but my mother  changed her mind on the day as she loved the name Sara from the book  A little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The book has been a firm favourite for all the girls in the family and l have several early prints, but no first editions as yet. 

Also my good pal,  with whom l went to school in upstate New York in '70s called her daughter Sara after me in 1986, indeed an honour!

My kids names aren't unusual, but they aren't run of the mill popular either. Here are the stories of the whys and where for's, as  one has to compromise, cos you and the other half have to agree sometimes ... don't we?

My daughter was going to be named Susannah or Mary, but we couldn't decide which, so when she was born, as she was big and so long, 8lbs 11oz and 23.5 inches long, we thought a bigger name would suit a big girl. So Susannah Mary. Our son Patrick was decided upon long before his birth also, it was husbands choice as I had really chosen our daughters names. Husbands great uncle Patrick was a celebrated football player in the early 1920's and 30's in Glasgow, Scotland, and played for Celtic, and was famously named 'the mighty atom'.... and so Patrick. (also the name of my cousin )

My father's family names are of French/Italian origin,  these include Antoinette,  Carmen, Sophia, Clothilde (oh how I love it), Rachele, Martial, Jean-Pierre, Chantal, Margo, Maguerite,Cecile, Louisa, all sound romantic and chic to my ear!

On my mothers side (MOANNIE) pretty names as in Georgina, Margaret, Eleanor, Iris, Lily, Molly, Anne, Helena, Cecil, Henry and Jack all strong solid men's Brit names.

So, I got to wondering if we bloggers' family or siblings names are normal everyday or extraordinary in any way?  Does anyone have any interesting stories to tell?

P.s, MOANNIE tells me my apostrophe use is appalling...'eats shoots and leaves' it may be, but sorry you'll have to show me where and what exactly....LOL... so apolgies if you are the 'tethcy on grammar' type as Mum obviously is!

Go Grannie Annie Go! A bit of a tribute actually...

I was reading David McMahon's Authorblog recent post about the oldest 'facebook' member of 100+ and it set me to thinking about my own good mother. It dawned on me that one apparently forgets what is on our own doorstep so to speak, strange isn't it?

My mother, who at 74 has recently graduated with a BA Hons in Humanties from the Open University, after several years of hard work, returning to study (quite successfully) after nearly 60 odd years. She has also 'mastered' a pc and the internet, even though l do use the term mastered loosely! Even so, she emails, scans and sends pics, and has been chatting on a web cam to her grandchildren, which can only be good thing (as we live 400 miles away).


She is a very good painter, who whilst we kids were growing up, she prolifically painted anything that moved and anything that didn't. I remember many of the paintings she did for my grandmother, who was house and wheelchair bound through severe MS. The paintings were of landscapes, family, sunsets, Amazonian Indians, Thai boats and much more from the pages of National Geographic. My Nana could no longer walk or move her arms but she could, from her room travel the world (and boy did that lovely lady have a story or ten to tell, I will blog about her dancing days here one day soon!)

Of course we were all painted often, from life and photos and I also recall Mum would receive much praise from her sand sculptures when we holidayed on the beach, she would spend hours carving mermaids and shapes from the hot sand, only to watch them wash away in moments at sunset.

She has just recently finished writing 'A Family History' which she has compiled over the past few years, following the end of her degree studies, and it is enhanced with rediscovered photographs. She is having it printed up for us for us for Christmas! I have read the drafts and I have been amazed by the adventures of my parents and their forebears' histories.


She wrote a book for us when we were younger, entitled 'Dilly', she wrote it in rhyme and she illustrated each verse on its own page. This one book became three and she later produced versions for my Dad, my siblings and last Christmas I received my very own Dilly! These are personalised stories based around events in each of our lives! What a loving gift to treasure!

An illustration from my Dilly book!

Some 30+ years ago these Dilly books were considered too expensive by childrens publishers to produce in all their colours and were probably considered too clever or sophisticated! Her historical romance novels were praised but rejected, although one agent told her it was almost publishable and needed another edit. But I believe the rejections and the trials and tribulations of juggling a young family and running their own business' wrought upon her to miss her moment.

I recently told my mother l thought she should have another go at getting them published or that l would try for her. So in the short term we compromised and we have put the first chapter of 'MEG:Book one' online on her own blog.

When l recently reread the manuscripts, they was so much more than I remembered, perhaps it has something to do we me being 35 years older and bringing more contextually to the book!

I would be grateful if you would pop by sometime and read it, I may be able to persuade her to post another chapter or even pursue the adventure of trying to get it read again. If she gets some positive feedback. I also think that Dilly deserves to be read by children, it is magical!

Of course l know I am biased, but missed moments appear more than once and I believe she deserves hers! My mother is currently editing one of her manuscripts. She doesn't yet know l have posted this, no doubt an email will be waiting for me in the morning!!

Thanks and any comments or advice will be much appreciated!!

Read My mothers views on her blog THE VIEW FROM THIS END