What`s in a Name?

As we were cleaning out our parents home, my sister Paula has been going through a huge box of old photos we retrieved from their basement. Paula has been sharing the photos, via text and email, with all of my siblings. A few nights ago she sent a picture of our maternal Grandfather. His name was Frank and he died about 52 years ago.

Grandpa Frank in the 1950s. Love the
doily on the chair.                                  

As the picture was passes around, we were talking about how young our parents were when they lost their fathers.  Our Mom lost her father (Frank) when she was 37, and my Dad lost his father (Ross) when he was just 21. As we were texting back and forth, I mentioned that our Mom got pregnant, with our brother Don, a few months after her father passed, and that Don would have most likely been named Frank if our oldest brother didn`t already have that honor. My parents did not seem to have an original idea when it came to naming their children. Everyone seems to be named after a relative or close family friend. It all stated with my oldest sister who was named after my Mom`s pen pal from England during WWII. That is a whole other blog.

Parents: Laberta and Paul in 1993

My Dad has had several kids and grandchildren named after him using either his first name Paul, or middle name Victor. My Mom on the other hand will not be so lucky. I just do not see the name Laberta being a big hit in the baby naming process for the next generation.

The Genevieves! I was 16 and Grandma was in
 her late 70s. I sure wish I was that thin again.

 I was named after my maternal Grandmother Genevieve. My initials were G. G., so my parents called me Gigi. As a child I did not like my name Genevieve, at all. It was an odd name, long and hard to spell. Not to mention the fact that no one could pronounce it correctly (Gen-uh-veev). I was called, Geneva, or it was pronounced Zhahn-vee-ev (French version), many times I was called Guinevere. For some reason, and I never understood why, but people would call me Gidget. It may be because the movie was made just before I was born, or maybe it was because my husband`s name is Moondoggy. Just Kidding! You youngins will have to Google that.

I hated attendance in grade school. Every teacher would get to my name, pause, butcher it, the kids would laugh, and I was humiliated. Out of the ordinary names can be hard on kids. Just ask Moondoggy.

For over 40 years I had never met anyone, other than my Grandma, that had the name Genevieve. Then about 10 years ago I went to work in a school in Indiana. There was a lady named Genevieve working in the lunchroom, and I was so excited to meet another Genevieve. During the 7 years I worked at that school there were two students named Genevieve, and two Moms named Gigi. I was at a store in Texas a few weeks ago, paid the cashier with my credit card, and as I was walking away the lady next in line called out "Genevieve". I thought I forgot my card, and started to walk back to the desk, only to find out she was calling her teen aged daughter.  Then a few days ago I took my Grandson to daycare, lo and behold there is a little 18 month old Genevieve in his class.There are now at least three Genevieves in Texas.

As I have gotten older I realize that I will have to transition from being called Gigi, to the more mature Genevieve, and I am ready for that. It is a name I have grown to love.  (But I still need to spell it in my head when I am writing/signing my name. I cannot stop in the middle and pick it up again without starting over. Too many e`s and  v`s.) I would love for one of my children, nieces, or nephews to pass the name on to the next generation. Genevieve is showing signs of a revival, in the US in 1916 it was ranked 76th and it`s highest ranking. When I was born (year not included) it was ranked 603. Now in 2014 the name Genevieve is ranked 219, close to the 214 raking in 1936. I am happy that it is becoming "popular", we need more little Genevieves running around this world.