What’s In a Name?

Cait was doing her homework at the kitchen table while I was getting dinner ready.

Out of nowhere, she started, “Mom, Shanley is a funny name. It’s kind of hard and soft sounding at the same time. And I always have to spell it because no one ever gets it right.”

“I don’t even wait for people to ask me to spell it anymore, I just automatically do now,” I said in agreement.

“And I always end up toward the back of all the lines at school.”

“Yeah, I did too,” I commiserated (though my maiden name fell in the 2nd half of the alphabet, it was mercifully common enough that I never had to spell it).

“What do you think about ‘Dawnly’?” Cait continued.

“Dawnly?!” I said, wondering where Cait was going with this..

“Yeah, then I’d be at the front of the line instead of the back.”

“That’s too hard to say. What about ‘Dudley’?” I offered.

“No. Then the kids at school would call me ‘Dumbly’.”

Andrew finally chimed in, “Why not Anderson, then, if you want to be at the front of the line?”

Just like a guy to cut to the chase and end the fun of coming up with new names…

So, dear reader, have you ever wished you had a different name? What did you pick?