A to Z Challenge – N is for Names

There are lots of interesting things to ponder about names. Does the name our parents give us have any bearing on how we develop as we grow up?  Does our first name have an effect on the first impression we make when meeting someone? Is there any advantage or disadvantage to having an unusual first name – or unusual spelling of a common first name?

My maternal grandparents gave most of their children Polish names – that’s how they appear in church baptism records. Here they are in order of birth

Baptismal Name	Common Name
Alexandria	Alice	Did “Alex” as a nickname become Alice?
Bronislawa	Bernice
Pelagia	Pauline
Stanislawa	Stella
Joseph	Joseph
Stanislaus	Stanley
Martha	Martha
Julia	Julia
Czeslaw	Chester
Emilia	Emily
Frank	Frank	Not “Francis” but the English version of Franz.

My own parents gave their three children middle names after the saints on whose feast day we were born.  I was born on the feast of St. Catherine. My next brother was born on the feast of St. Raymond.  But my folks had their limits. The next brother was born on the feast of St. Jehosaphat. His middle name is Joseph.

In Roman Catholic grade school, I was one Mary among many including the teachers who were all Sister Mary ………  How I longed to have an unusual name.  I envied Rita Hayworth’s daughter Yasmin.