What's in a Name
My name is Genevieve. It's long. It has a lot of "e"s. But it is not hard to say. And I happen to be quite fond of it.
I don't understand why people feel the need to shorten my name. Saturday, Erika and I went to an Aimee Mann show. Erika's friend Donna was supposed to come too, but she was sick, so she gave her ticket to a friend. Who, despite being introduced to me as Genevieve, kept calling me Gen. The whole night.
This guy was nice enough; he even bought my and Erika's drinks. Just the whole "Gen" thing really annoyed me! And I had a hard time getting past it.
My sisters sometimes call me Gen. I have some friends who sometimes call me Gen, or who sometimes write Gen in emails. I don't really mind this, if the person knows me pretty well. I just don't like it to be automatic.
I've had some people, when they first meet me, ask if they can call me Gen. I always say no. Come on. If I wanted to be called Gen, I'm pretty sure I would have introduced myself as Gen, not Genevieve.
The other problem with Gen? It sounds just like Jen. And there are so many Jen/Jenn/Jenny/Jennifers in the world that I have just learned to tune it out. So if you call out Gen, I probably won't even realize you're talking to me, and I won't turn around.
At least I'm not my cousin Anne Yvette, who has to constantly tell people her name's not Anne, it's Anne Yvette, and no, you may not call her Corvette. (what?!)
Libellés : Ma Vie
8 Comments:
Seeing as how my name is Clara - not Claire/Clare or Carla - I feel your pain. As does my friend Evamaria - not Eva, not Maria, not Evemarie.
: )
ps: hope your Dad is improving.
Having Spent the bulk of my life fighting against the Beckyification of my name, I completely understand. I'm not fond of Rebeccah, but I am way less fond of Becky. Becca isn't bad, but it doesn't feel like me, either.
Rebeccah
Names are funny, huh? Few people shorten my name in the way I do myself, even if I introduce myself in that way!
And I have a cousin - Margaret Mary - who spent the last fifty odd years repeating that her name really is the full thing!
As I say, funny things names...
I'm glad you three understand!
PS Rebeccah I like your name!
My name doesn't get shortened really but people go 'But it's a Boy's name!' most of the time. Hardly anyone here I know has the same name as me and so far, i haven't met one with the same spelling. And the problem doesn't end there. My father and I spell our family name differently (because of the chinese phonetics so his is lee and i'm li) but it's really the same character. I get ticked off when people spell my last name the same way they do for my dad's even though I have already printed the correct one for them.
My name is spelt funny - kae , but it's pronounced just like the letter "k" yet everyone insists on calling me Kim. There's no winning no matter how long or short your name is.
PS. I hope your dad is doing better. :) Big hugs!
Hmmm...you must really hate me calling you Vieve. But you know what? I don't care. Your my good buddy and I want a name that only I get to call you. And that's Vieve.
;)
funny, alt, because your name in America is generally considered a girl's name... I have known boys with that name (without the extra "ne" of course) and they always hear "but that's a girl's name."
kae, interesting! I was reading your name as "k" so I'm glad I have mad reading skillz. and thanks for the ps :-)
Amy, you can call me whatever you like. you fall into the "good friend exception" rule.
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