Have you ever wondered about name origins? I know for my blog, I thought about it for a long time but could never decide on just the right name, until one day my daughter told me I was a fabulous grandmother. Right then and there I had the name, Fabgrandma.
As for my given name, Karen, I have always wondered if I was named for someone or if my parents just picked that name out of book, or if they just liked the name. Karen is of Greek origin and means “pure” and “dear”. It can also be spelled Karin, Karyn, Karren, Carin, Caren, Caryn, and a myriad of other ways, but I think the way I spell it is the most common.
I have had a running joke with my grown children every time one of them has told me of an impending new grandchild, that they will have to name their child after me if it was a girl. I never really expected any of them to do that, but when my youngest granddaughter, Amelia, was born on my birthday in 2010, she was given my middle name, Gayle, for her “second” middle name. I was overcome with happiness when my son told me about that! Gayle is of English origin, and can be either a girls or boys name. It literally means “festive party”. Imagine that, I am a pure and festive party! hahaha!
My grandson, Michael, was given Zane as his middle name. He was born in Texas, and my son told me that he didn’t want to call him Tex, but did want him to have a name associated with the western United States, so he named him after Zane Grey, the author. And my youngest grandson, Owen James, was named for his mother’s family name, Owen, and Fabgrandpa’s first name, James.
And last but not least, a name story I tell often is this one: My son was two years old when his sister, Rebecca Jean, was born. When she was about two weeks old, we went grocery shopping with my mother. My sister and one of her friends were also in the car. My sister’s friend asked my son what his sister’s name was, and he replied “Rejecca Bean.” That name stuck, and she is still called by that nickname almost 39 years later.
What is the origin of your name? Do you have any name stories to share from your family?
