Your Own Name

[wolfbane.livejournal.com]

What's your name?

What were some other names your parents considered naming you? If you were born the opposite gender, what would your name have been? (If you don't know, that's okay!)

Do you like your name or any of the names you almost were given?

My name is Ashley Jane Cecilia (two middle names), and I like it a lot. It was a pain when I was growing up because I was born in 1987 and so were thousands of other Ashleys (imagine, my parents were trying to give me a unique name!) so I was always referred to by my first name and last initial. Now that the Ashley craze is dying down, I like my name a lot more. I also like having two middle names, it's kind of cool.

If I was a boy, I was going to be named Jared Gregory, which I don't like at all. Other names my parents considered were Heather and Mandy (not Amanda - just Mandy). I wouldn't have minded Mandy, but I'm not super fond of Heather.

Comments

[cremepuff.livejournal.com]

My mom didn't have any names picked out for me other than Kathleen Marie. I was named after an Irish folk song and got the 80's filler name du jour tacked onto it.

My brother was almost Gavin, and then he was almost Kevin Keith. Unfortunately our last name starts with a K, so the initials KKK were out of the question--they went with Kevin William, William after my grandfather. Had my brother been a girl instead, I don't know what he would have been named. That was 1988, so probably Megan, Ashley, Stephanie, or Jessica!

[http://users.livejournal.com/___heyvanity/]

My name is Jennifer. My middle name is Neva.

I think my mom considered Rose, Ruth and Caitlin. My middle name was never up for debate. If I was a boy my name would have been Thomas, no doubt, and my middle name probably would have been Edward.

I wish my mom would have named me Rose! I like Thomas Edward too. I don't HATE Jennifer but my mom went "trendy" because I grew up with like 5 other Jennifer's in my class.

[hwar.livejournal.com]

If I had been a boy, I would have been named Avery. I love that name. :) It sounds kind of awful with my last name though (think Thomas Thompson).

[joereaves.livejournal.com]

My father wanted me to be Amanda Belinda so my initials would have been ABC. Fortunately my mother prevailed because while those are both lovely names in their own right (although I'd have been the third Amanda in my year at school if they had picked that) those two together are one heck of a mouthful IMO.

[bloomingtulip.livejournal.com]

My middle name is Belinda! (see comment below yours) It is a mouthful for me too. Thankfully I never really needed to use it. No one at school even knew what it was until 8th grade "graduation" when they used our full names.

[bloomingtulip.livejournal.com]

Celestia Belinda. The original plan was for me to be Belinda Jean and be called BJ. Thank goodness that didn't happen.

I have no idea what I would have been named if I was a boy. My brother is Christopher and he would have been Christine if he'd been a girl but there aren't any easily identifiable boy versions of either Belinda or Celestia, so who knows.

[wistfuljen.livejournal.com]

I'm a Jennifer Leigh. My mom wanted to name me Javelin, thankfully my dad vetoed that one. My mom only knew one Jennifer when she was growing up, she swears she had no idea the name would explode like it did (I was born in 1978). If I were a boy, my name would have been Shane Ryan.

I don't dislike my name, I could do without it being so common, but eh, it doesn't bother me that much anymore. At least it's not Javelin, haha. I go mostly by Jen, but family calls me Jenny or Ginger.

My sisters are Cheryl Ann (1981) and Valerie Cecilia (1984)

[anamericanchild.livejournal.com]

My name is Jamie Lynn. My dad liked the name Jamie a lot and Lynn is a distant family name on my mother's side. Growing up, for the most part, I hated Jamie. It was different. And it was "a boy's name!" But it really isn't... and the more I've come to terms with that the more I started to like it. The fact my dad picked it out really makes me love it all the more too. When I got old enough to care, I hated Lynn because it had a connection to my mother's family. But I've learned to completely separate that and now I like it.

The other name I believe my mother wanted to name me was Gail. I'm SO glad I'm not a Gail. My dad also considered Amanda because he loved the song by Don Williams. It's a decent name(better song) but I would've been surrounded by many other Amandas- and it's just not me. So, I love my name now. And I'm especially happy it's not Gail or Amanda.
They didn't have boy's names picked out that I know of.

[cherryboomstick.livejournal.com]

Ashley Rae.

I don't really like it. Ashley seems like a very modern and over-used name, and I don't like the fact that it's now being used on males. If I could I would change it, and I probably will when I have more money.

My parents thought of naming me Alexandria, Nina, Aly, and Samantha. I can't think of anymore. Out of all of the names they had in mind I wish they would've chosen Nina. It's my favorite out of those. :P

I don't know what my name was going to be if I was a boy.

[bloomingtulip.livejournal.com]

FYI: It was a male name before it was a female name.

[sparklesnort.livejournal.com]

My name is Leslie Elaine and I really, really strongly dislike Leslie. I was going to be Meghan, but my dad vetoed it. If I had been a boy they were going to name me Michael Edmund.

[satunian.livejournal.com]

my name is Diana Rae. I used to hate my middle name, and I still kinda don't like it where it is although I have grown to like it on its own. I was the first born and my mother always planned on naming her first daughter Diana, so that was my destined name, though I would have been Michael, which is good because I am now dating a Michael. Plus, everyone and their mother is named Michael. (and so is my brother!)
Though even though Diana hasn't been in the top 50 (like ever) there were still always a couple Dianas in my class. There were more Dianas growing up around me than Ashleys, Jennifers, Heathers, Amandas, etc... so I was always Diana E

I love my first name, btw. Almost wish it wasn't mine so I could use it for my kids :P

[sunshinefleur.livejournal.com]

I'm Samantha Trudy Jean (two middle names; Trudy is my maternal grandmother's middle name and Jean was my paternal grandmother's first name).

my father wanted to name me Jennifer. my mom said hell no. other names they considered were Faith, Anastasia, and Victoria. when I was little I was constantly wishing my name was Anastasia because I thought it was so pretty and I thought it would have been cool to have the same name as a dead Russian princess. (I was a weird kid.) I don't mind Faith, and hate Victoria. (both of my brothers would have been named Victoria if they had been girls, actually.)

if I was a boy my name would have been Cole, after the character in Days of Thunder. my parents watched that movie three days before I was born and were like, "well, Cole's a nice name. and we need a boy's name because the baby's due next week. why not this one?" (they were pretty convinced I was a girl without being told, lol). I happen to love that name and it's definitely on my list to use if I have more than one boy.

[renishas.livejournal.com]

My name is Michelle Adilfa. My mom loved the name Michelle because she'd never really heard it before. It was 8 on the top ten list the year I was born but she's from Venezuela and the name is French so I can't really blame her for not knowing it's popularity. Adilfa is my mother's name, I'm convinced my grandmother made it up. My sister is Shantelle Marie and my brother is Brian Alexander.

I have no idea what we'd have been named for opposite genders. We do like to tell my brother that he'd have been named Bhula May if he were a girl because my grandfather suggests it anytime anyone has a baby.

[lethe-cat.livejournal.com]

My name is Amy Marie and I've always loved it all through school because it was the shortest of anyone's, and when we had to queue alphabetically I was always first in line. I've also had classmates tell me it sounds like a "friendly and happy" name.

I love it's meaning, and I love how common my middle name is in my village; 3 of my friends, 2 of my teacher and a few of my aunts and cousins all have the same middle name Marie. It made me feel connected.

I also like how my entire name, including my last name is all French. It flows well.

Since I've started to surf naming sites, the comments about how old and popular the name is has started to get to me. :(

If I was a boy I would've been named Charlie after my dad. Hopeful I would not have been called "Junior". Due to the culture where I live its pretty common for girls to be called by their father's names as a nickname, so I answer to Charlie anyway. XD

[lethe-cat.livejournal.com]

Oh, also my parents never considered any other name for me. Mom heard it on the radio and liked it.

My sister's name in Lindsey Elise, and Mom heard it on tv and wanted to have Elise as her first name but it was considered to be "too much" by her mother. My sister dislikes her name because she babysat a boy named Lindsay and now complains about how androgenous her name is (she wants a clearly girlish name).

[harinakshi.livejournal.com]

My name is Savanah Wavie Marie. (two middle names as well)
My mom almost named me Francesca.
Had I been a boy I believe I would have been named either James or Michael; something like that.

I used to hate my name. Growing up NO ONE had my name, I felt it was a very weird name because of that. Plus, it has no nicknames so my family called me Nana and others would be, like, "like the dog from Peter Pan?" or "like a grandma?" Which made me hate it more. Even worse was the school/friend nickname: Savanah Banana. But, after a long while I learned to like it. I don't think it's particularly pretty or nice or anything but it suites me well and I couldn't see any other name on me, and while it has grown in popularity, that actually kind of excites me now, yet I'm also happy it's still not that popular.

[farawaysong.livejournal.com]

My name is Angela Christine. My parents were considering Kevin (eh) and Kimberley Dawn. I am not a Kimberley at all, so I'm pretty happy my dad picked Angela.

I liked Christine the best when I was younger, but Angela really does fit me. I love it now.

[adamantplatypus.livejournal.com]

Desiree Danielle. If I were a boy, I would have been Benjamin (my father has an obsession with Benjamin Franklin).

[lovablemess.livejournal.com]

My name is Leah Tess. My parents had no idea what I would be named if I were a boy. I remember my parents once told me that they considered Jessica Rose, but it was too common for my generation (mid 80's).

It took a while, but I really do love my name.

[lovetokate.livejournal.com]

I really love Leah Tess!

[mia-verita.livejournal.com]

My name is Kellie Taylor. I like my name. I'm glad my parents used the "ie" spelling. :) I was born in the mid 80s as well. My parents considered Whitney and Rachel. If I was a boy they had considered Matthew, Brian, Richard.

[lovetokate.livejournal.com]

I'm Katherine Jill but the intent was always for me to go by Kate. My mom only did Katherine because I couldn't be baptized Catholic as just Kate. She also considered Kathleen. When I was younger I wished she'd spelled it Kathryn, which is her middle name, but I rarely go by my full name anyway so it's no biggie.

If I were a boy I would have been Nicholas John. John is my dad's name and I love it, considering using it if I ever have a boy. Can't stand Nicholas, though.

[taraemily.livejournal.com]

I'm Tara Emily and I was almost a Sarah (I was born in '85). Thank goodness my parents chose Tara. I love my name, I think it's perfect.

[requiem-morrow.livejournal.com]

I'm Lori Anne. My mother says she never considered another girl's name. I would have been a Matthew Ryan if I'd been a Boy (and have a younger cousin named Ryan Matthew lol). Brother is Brian Allan and sister is Stephanie Nicole.

I think my name is what has caused my name obsession lol! Never really cared for it (middle name is after my great grandmother, which I love). Funny enough, I was talking to a client's grandmother yesterday and she asked me if my name was really Lori...apparently it doesn't suite my personality LOL! Too quiet and sweet...I'm, well, loud and crazy!

[emilybrianne.livejournal.com]

I'm Briana Ceceilia. I'm also 36 years old, so I beat the "Briana" trend by 20 years or so. Not sure why I have the extra vowels in my middle name, the Ceceilia came from my mom's best friend at the time. I guess that's what she spelled it.

My brother is Graham Nathaniel - a name I love so much that if I'd had a boy, I'd have wished I could have used it on him.

[velkoria.livejournal.com]

I am named Monica Eloisa. I was named after my mother and grandmother and it just so happens my mother's middle name is very similar to mine (Monica Elena) so it's confusing on the phone sometimes but I honestly love my name. I think my full name fits my personality perfect and I have met more girls in my life named Genesis than Monicas, which is nuts to me but it also makes me unique. I have never one to school with another Monica either (I was born in '87 in Venezuela but did all elementary school in the US).

Mom originally wanted to name me Kimberly or Desiree, after my older sister who died a few days after birth. Luckily both names were decided against and I was named Monica, the middle name was always going to be Eloisa, mom apparently had a dream with her mom(who had died when she was 16) and she told her to name her next baby that, please. I think it's a cute story ^.^

If I had been a boy my dad wanted to name me Edgar, which I hate... and it's also my half brother's name... so I'd probably been named Eduardo as a compromise for my mom. I hate both names... they are greatly tied to my dad's family and I have enough to be tied to my dad with my last name. My dad and the rest of the family don't exactly get along.

[gregs-wife1201.livejournal.com]

My name is Erica Lynn. My parents were dead set on Erica for years. In fact, it was the only name they ever decided on...their first daughter would be Erica. I have a brother who is 3 years old than I am. And even then the only name they had picked out was Erica. He didn't have a name for a day or two while they chose a name for him.

[quitmyscene.livejournal.com]

Jessica Lynne because they "liked the way it sounded."

There were maybe 7 houses in my neighborhood that had children.. 3 of them (mine included) had a Jessica Lynn(e) in the family. However, aside from that, I was always the only Jessica until high school, and even then, we were easy to tell apart (Jess vs Jessica vs some other nickname I can't remember..).

Despite it being probably the most common combination of the 80s/90s, or at least one of them, I like it. My boyfriend is a Daniel, and his two best friends are named Dan, as well as his brother's best friend (so.. my boyfriend's nephew has two uncle Dan's, though one's a fake uncle). That said, I kind of like that because we both know how easy it is to live with a super common name and know it's nothing to worry about if one of our favorite names gets popular :) And, I have no idea what else my parents were considering. I know I'd have been Patrick as a boy.

[thejoysofjess.livejournal.com]

I'm a Jessica (Leigh) and it's such a relief to actually meet another Jessica who doesn't hate that it was a common name. Usually other Jessicas are complaining about it.

I'm the same way as you. A common name is No Big Deal and if the name I like gets common, oh well. Plus, if you actually look at the SSA website, in 1985 the #1 name of Jessica resulted in almost 50k girls named Jessica. Now, the #1 name for 2008, Emma, only resulted in 18k girls being named Emma. It's really not a big deal now.