Where'd You Get Your Name?

This week, I listened to an Extreme Genes podcast with an interview of Judy Russell, "The Legal Genealogist." She made the point that family stories are usually lost within three generations.

Let's not lose our stories!

I am starting a weekly theme called "Our Stories." These are the stories of not only ourselves, but also our more recent family. If they are still living, you can ask! If not, maybe you can remember!

The first week's question is this:

Where'd You Get Your Name?
Do you know how you were named? Who named you? Also, did you have any nicknames as a child?

Here's my story (& I had to call my mom to remind me!):

My sister was not quite one and her best friend was named Dana. My mom loved that name. My parents moved a few months before I was born and they named me Dana! (I think it'd have been weird if they still were living next door to each other.) They chose my middle name because they liked the way the names sounded together. (I do, too!)

My nickname was "Smiley"

I talked to my mother & mother-in-law and got lots of stories of names & nicknames.

The most interesting name story? My mom; her first name was a name on the tag of my grandmother's gown!

Some nicknames (I'm keeping their real names private!):

• Hootie - no idea why... her dad gave her the nickname
• Radar - had big ears 
• Bean Pole - was really skinny
• Dodo - by an older brother... kids can be so cruel!

If you'd like to join me, just leave a comment! I'll come visit your blog and read how you got your name! Let's preserve these memories before they are lost forever!

"Our Stories" will post weekly on Wednesdays so we can actually do 52 posts for the year.

Next week's theme: Your childhood home or describe how or why you moved around a lot as a child

P.S. Thanks to Ol' Myrt's tutorial for teaching me how to make the "Our Stories" graphic!

Do we share common ancestors? I'd love to talk! Please write me at drleeds@sbcglobal.net