Names, first names, are funny. They mean so much to us, they often establish our identiy and lineage. And it's very important we all take the time to learn how to pronounce names properly. I hate it when people call me Diane. It's Diana damn it.
In the mid 1960s Muhammad Ali, who (I believe is/was a saint or angel),beat Ernie Terrell miserably because in pre-fight interviews in the Houston Astrodome, Terrell refused to call Ali by his chosen name. Instead of Muhammad Ali he kept calling him Cassius Clay.
Maybe Ernie thought this would mess with Ali's head and help in in the fight. He was mistaken.
Earnie was the bigger man, Ali was smarter, quicker and the better fighter..... and Ali was really mad.
Ali was so pissed he beat Terrell round after round, for 15 round. He picked him apart like a mean little boy picking the legs off a cricket. Critics were upset: because it was obvious Ali could have finished easly at any point in the first or second round. But the Champ wanted to punish Ernie Terrell, and that's what he did, round after round after round, all the while, yelling or whispering in his hear when they clinched, "What's my name?" His name meant everything to Ali.
Honestly, I always thought it was kind of funny and Terrell deserved the beating. But the boxing community didn't see it that way.
In my family in Hot Springs, Arkansas names were a big deal in the 1960s. Everyone in my family circle, all my brothers and cousins, my parents and grandparents were named
after family members. That's just how it was done. My oldest brother Granger was named after my dad and grandfather on Dad's side. My other brother, Jack, was named after our grandfather, Jack Stell, on my mom's side. He was a surgeon.
When I had children, I did exactly the same thing, naming all four of our kids after family members, Alex's or mine.. It was important to us.
However, name, Diana, was inexplicable. Nobdoy had ever been named Diana in the family. I should have been Ann, Ruth, Edith or Camille. Where the hell did Diana come from?
Growing up, I was always told they wanted to name me Suzanne. But my parents dear friend, Ray Smith's daughter was born first and she got Suzanne. If I'd been a boy I would have been Beauregard Lee or Irven Granger Gertrudeo, both tracable in our family tree.
But Diana, where did that come from? My middle name is Ross, my grandmother's maiden name. so that made sense. Although my parents never anticipated the rise of the brilliant Diana Ross and the Supremes.. But that was just fine with me.
It wasn't until I was in my 50s that a young Architectual Historian for the State of Arkansas, Mason Toms, uncoverd a fascinating story.
In WWII my father, I Granger McDaniel, was an RAF Captian of a Short Stirling bomber and was shot down by the Germans over the North Sea. After three miserable and desperate days, my dad and his two remaining crewmembers were picked up by a Dutch fishing boat....... named "The Dania". Not the same but pretty damn close.
In a post from the 218 Gold Coast RAF, a historian wrote " After three days afloat the Danish fishing boat E 28 “Dania” out of Esbjerg chanced upon the crew at around 15:30 hours position 21 miles to the north west of Gasbøjen (the entrance to Esbjerg harbour). The Dania’s Skipper, Marinus Christensen, pulled alongside the dinghy and took aboard the three bedraggled airman who were by now starting to show signs of exposure, safely aboard the Dania headed to her home port."
So, it seems, maybe that's where my name came from. I'll never know 100 percent, But I feel the chances are pretty good.
When I was a little girl my dad told me I was supposed to be his "safe port" because I was the youngest, the only girl and I adored him. So maybe. But my entire family died when I was pretty young, they never told me so I will never really know.
Bottom line, take time to tell your children about their names. It does mean something, Infact it means a great deal. I would give just about anything if my dad, who died when I was 16, ever took time to tell me the story of my name. But he didn't.
Our oldest son Jack is named after my brother Jack who died when I was sixteen and my grandfather.
Our oldest daughter Mary was named after my ex husbands mean mother, Mary Allison.
Our youngest daughter Alexis Kristof is named after her dad, Alex, And Kristof was the last name of my husband's grandfather, who was a Hungarian soccer player.
And Sandor Granger, our youngest, well that's an easy one. Sandor is basically Alex in Hungarian and it was his grandfather and great grandfather's name. I scored some big grand parent points with that. And his middle name, Granger, goes back to my family. Sandor also roughly translates to "Defender of Mankind."
My folks didn't leave me much, butknowing the origins of my name would have been a magnificent gift. So, take time to talk to you kids, take time to tell them stories. It will mean so much, especially when you're gone.
They will carry that name longer than anything else you give them.
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