What's in a Name

Names are curious things. Someone comes up with your name at birth, and unless you are like Prince, you stick with it all your life. (I think Prince is now known as Metta World Peace, or something along that line...really?) Anyway, my mom named me. My dad wanted a boy and he wanted to name him Hank. When a girl showed up instead, he suggested Hankeline (hank-a-leen). No kidding. So, I am thankful to my mom for naming me Teri. Of course, I was named after her first boyfriend, which I'm sure she was reconsidering after the name Hankeline was suggested!

There are other oddities with my name, one r in Teri. No e in Mari. Why? Because my maiden name, Bufmeyer has 8 letters and so do my first and middle names. Plus, my mom felt that Bufmeyer should have 2 F's - since my last name was missing a letter, both of my other names should be missing one, too. And you thought only my dad had issues.

But I digress.

I considered each of my children's names carefully. I gave them long names that could be shortened. I always wanted to be able to shorten my name, but Ter never really caught on!

I asked yesterday what they would change their name to if given the chance. Kimberly said she would go with Rachel. Katherine would go with Alissa. Rebekah didn't have an answer. I don't have one either. I think in the last 48 years, I've grown used to Teri with one r.

All this pondering about names came about because of the name of an organization that keeps being advertised on my Facebook. Triangle Women Against MS. It bothers me. Are there Triangle Women for MS? Can you really be against a disease? Every time I see it, I have these thoughts. I know, I know, it is a strange thing to obsess over, but it really bothers me. I've thought maybe they could be Triangle Women Fighting Against MS. Maybe I'll write to them. Or maybe I'll just bristle when I see it. Yeah, that is probably the better course of action.

So, tell me, what would you change your name to and why?

Teri Mari Bufmeyer - Age 1