PunkPrincessPhd
- Name
Rebecca Lynn
- About Me
Originally from a small town in Alberta, Canada, I spent 6 years in Belfast, Northern Ireland pursuing my undergraduate degree and doctorate (in Irish politics and history). I am currently a post-doctoral research fellow in Newfoundland. I am married to wonderful man who tolerates my obsession with (mainly Irish) names, and a 5-month old daughter, Sorcha Verity, who was named with the help of BNW members!
- My Favorite Names
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- My Recent Blog Comments
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Fantastic post - definitely an issue I've come up against throughout my life - with my own name (is that Rebecca or Rebekah?) and with my daughter's (for the small minority who are familiar with her name, the alternate/anglicized spelling "Sorka" is almost equally common).
Hi Anna S & Chimu! Now that I'm back, I realize how much I've missed the discussion and debate - such thoughtful conversation is a rarity in my new world of cloth diapers and organic squash puree... I've missed you all so much!
must share this - here in Newfoundland, a birth announcement for Ev1nrude, nn Rudy. Yes, as in the boat motors and the dragonfly from "the Rescuers" (who was, of course, named for the boat motors...). Also a wee boy with the middle names Carter and Cash - in that order :)
@hyz & zoerhenne Thanks for the feedback on the boys' side - I do think the exposure of Irish(y) boys' names has made even the unfamiliar ones seem more accessible. Most fit the 2-syllable, "an" formula, thanks to the Irish diminutive form. Plus, they're catching on in the UK, OZ, and here in Canada as well. Yes, Ruaidhri is essentially Rory, but is pronounced more like "ROO-a-ree". We might be tempted to use Rory (or the more streamlined Ruairi) as a nn for Riordan or even Ronan. Zoerhenne, we like Lochlann/Lachlan, as well as Lorcan (which does, again, have the "OR" sound). Heck, we could have a whole troupe: Sorcha, Cormac, Lorcan, and Orlaith! Or...not. Re: Azalea - I think it's totally charming. Just read about a persian name on Appellation Mountain: Arezu (ar-ZOO, or ARE-ray-zoo), which means wish or desire. Even more off-beat, but similar sounds. It also made me think of Fairuza and Azure, which have the same quirky z sound, but maybe lack the floral vintage-y feel of Azalea. On the other hand, Azalea also reminds me of a frillier Hazel - in a good way :)
@zoerhenne Sigh, letting go of the S's will be hard. We're already praying Sorcha won't develop a lisp! We'd say "Cess-ih-ly". So far, dh is still stuck on Callum for a boy. I still love our reasons behind it, but not loving the popularity quite as much. Other thoughts are Ronan, Riordan, Ruaidhri, Caisel/Cashel, Cormac, Bowen. The funny thing with hypothetical #2 is that we're now looking at how the name sounds in our group - not just on its own. That takes some getting used to!
@zoerhenne: yes, Sorcha's almost 8 months now! Alas, I've had the same thought about Saoirse, especially since quite a few people in my Irish Studies dept "hear" Saoirse instead of Sorcha when introduced to my daughter - just too close. That's part of our problem for girls - so many of the names we love start with S.So, many are automatically ruled out. Is it a big issue if they begin with different S sounds - a la Sinead? @Amy3: Shockingly, dh hasn't ruled out Aoibheann. I think some of the feedback we got on it after Sorcha's birth mellowed him on it. That said, he flip-flops more than the footwear of the same name... I, of course, would love to use it if we're lucky enough to have a second girl. But the smart side of my brain says to have some back-ups! Middle name would be Cecily, after G.Grampa Cecil (who actually goes by Doug...on topic). As to the topic at hand, when dh and I got married in Alberta, we both simply filled in our new surnames on the marriage cert (we both hyphenated) and used that to change driver's licence, passport, bank cards, etc. In Alberta, it's seen as 'assuming' not 'changing' the name - regardless of gender. So at least that was easy. @Beth the Original: I totally get you on the telemarketers - when I am asked for "Mrs McKay" or w/e, I always say, "That's my mother-in-law, and she doesn't live here!" My mom, bless her, sends all our mail to "Dr & Mr Grant-McKay" (eg). Loved your pool anecdote, btw!
@zoerhenne: Hi yourself! I've been lurking a bit when I've had free time (which, with a book to write, conference papers to give, and an active and inquisitive girl, is very infrequent!). Sorcha is doing well (see above) - she's a bright girl (very well suited to her name, which means clear and bright), and she's working towards getting mobile - she's pretty frustrated that she can't keep up with the bigger kids! BTW, all, we're pondering (in a VERY hypothetical way) the timing for TTC a second child in the next year. So, if you could all brush up on your Irish girls' names, or haul out the lists from last time (I was not logged in for most of the convo, so unfortunately they didn't save to my profile). I'd appreciate it ;p
@Parent-to-Be: I think Colette is lovely, and meshes well with Shirley - both are vintage-y unexpected, but still familiar. Suggestions similar to Colette: Cosette (if you happen to be fans of Les Miserables) Camille Cordelia/Cornelia Coraline COlleen (half-way between Colette and Kathleen) Celeste Eloise/Louise Adele Estelle I hope that helps with the naming process! BTW, a shout-out to Steph-wj, from a fellow Albertan!
Congrats, Lucky! Cypress (and Cy) is fabulous. Hope you are both recovering and that the family is doing well. @rocster: I'm going to guess Lulu is Lucia(na) or Liliana - seem to fit with the older girls' names. FOr number 4, perhaps Giovanna, Violetta, or Octavia?
Well, in terms of multiple or mis-pronunciations, I think I've finally given up on correcting people...because no matter how many times I say, "SORR-uh-kha", they will always repeat it back to me as "SOR-a", "Sor-HA", or "SORKA". Sometimes you gotta learn to let it go...but I don't have to be happy about it! Re: Sing or Singe - same short "i" for me. I'll agree with Amanda(er) and Blythe that it might be a Canuck-ism. But, the crucial question for me has to be: Synge?
congrats to Anne with an E and the lovely Eleanor Kathryn!
Congratulations to cabybake & wee Max, and also to hyz! Exciting news all around. I'm loving Noble, and Anthea if it turns out the scans are mistaken ;p @RebeccaE: it really is a generational thing: I'm also a Rebecca from 1982...
Re: "Banana" nicknames: Immediately made me think of Japanese novelist Banana Yoshimoto. Could totally be the next "Apple". Just a thought :)
@Zoerhenne: I know!!! Think of the horrific combos one could come up with (by which I'm implying dh...). Love him to bits but he objects to Aoibheann "because it sounds like a word", then promotes a name combo so that he can earn gamer cred. The irony of it is just too funny :) Still, given some of our discussions on this blog comparing male & female naming behaviours...I think it's illuminating.
Btw, the "initial" pun in the above post was intentional. I know...groan.
@Linnaeus: Yes, we're a hyphenated family. My initial
favourite of Aoibheann Razze11 would have at least given him "Argm". Sounds like a gamer-grunt to me...
@knp #184: Technically, the *correct* spelling is Finlay. But whatever would we do with such a complicated spelling???? :)
Update on the name drama: My husband has just realized that, by combining several of our favourite names, he can bestow our wee daughter with the initials F.R.A.G.M (as in, "Frag 'em!"). He is now actively campaigning. I have no words.
@Mirnada: If it helps, my cousin is called Simon Frederick, although in this case he was supposed to be named after both grandfathers, but my aunt just couldn't sanction Zsygmunt, so Simon he became.
@ Elizabeth T: Basically, I'm just recycling the social constructivist argument and applying it to naming (something Laura focuses on in many of her blogs as well). That is, even something as seemingly *personal* as "personal taste" is actually a complex of ideas, opinions, connotations, etc influenced by experience in society. You may not know *why* precisely you dislike the name Bella, but in this theory it could be linked to a combination of your upbringing, your social class, any encounters you've had with Bellas IRL, pop culture connotations, as well as sound, meaning, etc. So, all I'm saying is that it's hard to separate personal taste from the wider societal/political picture, when we are all influenced by society in ways we're not wholly aware of. Personal taste is unique to you, but not entirely personal, if that makes sense. It's like saying that "NMS" is as much a reflection of "nurture" as well as "nature". I don't think it's a deliberate way of distancing oneself in terms of the class/societal connotations of the name, but it has the same effect in the wider sense ( but so much nicer than snarky comments!)