What's In a Name?
It's been so long since I've taken a Buzzfeed quiz (I guess that's a perk of being on hiatus from Facebook) that when I saw the latest one that a friend took, What is Your Old Person Name? I knew I had to do it. Had to. Simply because I wanted to waste the two minutes it took to answer the questions and click on the buttons? I don't know, really. I just felt compelled. It might be because a few friends of mine and I talk about this topic often -- the name we'll take when we're old and rocking on the porch of the old folks' home.
With great anticipation I took the quiz. I thought I answered each question to the best of my ability, and that maybe this time, I'd find out something about myself that I never knew. (Yeah, right. Best way to do that is with a Buzzfeed quiz?!? Didn't I already say this same thing in some other post?) So when the result popped up on the screen, I squinted at the words with excitement. Gladys, the quiz told me. Gladys. Huh. Nice, but what does the name Gladys mean? So I looked around the internet and found a lovely description at Behind the Name:
And now, I've lost you. I know that. Well, let me fill you in on something you may not know. Once upon a time and quite possibly long ago (depending on your perspective), my mom revealed to me something very interesting. That she had wanted to name me Claudia, but "just couldn't" she said. And why couldn't she? Because she didn't like the meaning. That's right, Mom decided not to name me Claudia because, when she looked it up, she discovered two things. 1. That Claudia is the feminine form of Claudius (she knew this already), which is not a favorite of hers . And 2. That Claudia means "lame, or crippled." Yep, my mother didn't want to possibly curse her second-born daughter with a name that held a negative connotation. Something about a self-fulfilling prophecy and all that jazz.
Instead, Mom chose Christina, a decision for which I am eternally grateful. (No offense to any Claudias out there, but I much prefer my given name.) But I think I'll call my mom tomorrow and tell her the big news. I'll let her know that really, she should have just gone ahead with her first choice of moniker, because down the line, I'll be Claudia anyway, by way of Gladys. Which, according to Buzzfeed, is one really awesome name.
With great anticipation I took the quiz. I thought I answered each question to the best of my ability, and that maybe this time, I'd find out something about myself that I never knew. (Yeah, right. Best way to do that is with a Buzzfeed quiz?!? Didn't I already say this same thing in some other post?) So when the result popped up on the screen, I squinted at the words with excitement. Gladys, the quiz told me. Gladys. Huh. Nice, but what does the name Gladys mean? So I looked around the internet and found a lovely description at Behind the Name:
From the old Welsh name Gwladus, possibly derived from gwlad "country." It has historically been used as a Welsh form of CLAUDIA. This name became popular outside of Wales after it was used in Ouida's novel 'Puck' (1870).Oh great. (Insert sarcasm here. And here.) Gladys is a form of Claudia? How am I not surprised? I should have known, I tell you! Should. Have. Known.
And now, I've lost you. I know that. Well, let me fill you in on something you may not know. Once upon a time and quite possibly long ago (depending on your perspective), my mom revealed to me something very interesting. That she had wanted to name me Claudia, but "just couldn't" she said. And why couldn't she? Because she didn't like the meaning. That's right, Mom decided not to name me Claudia because, when she looked it up, she discovered two things. 1. That Claudia is the feminine form of Claudius (she knew this already), which is not a favorite of hers . And 2. That Claudia means "lame, or crippled." Yep, my mother didn't want to possibly curse her second-born daughter with a name that held a negative connotation. Something about a self-fulfilling prophecy and all that jazz.
Instead, Mom chose Christina, a decision for which I am eternally grateful. (No offense to any Claudias out there, but I much prefer my given name.) But I think I'll call my mom tomorrow and tell her the big news. I'll let her know that really, she should have just gone ahead with her first choice of moniker, because down the line, I'll be Claudia anyway, by way of Gladys. Which, according to Buzzfeed, is one really awesome name.
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