What's in a Name?

When I married my husband, I changed my last name to his last name. In the process I acquired a unique last name: Gormish. Due to a spelling change at immigration, Gormish became an original name. Now everyone with the Gormish last name is somehow related to those first immigrants.

Often names have an interesting story behind them. What are some of the funny, interesting and challenging stories about your name, a family member’s name, a pet’s name or even a friend’s name? Here are some ideas to get you started on some “name” themed layouts of your own:

Baby Names. All babies are named and often there is story behind it. Consider how you or your children got their names. Why was that name chosen? Was it a hard choice or an easy choice? Is it related to someone else in the family? How do you or your child feel about the name now? Would you name your child differently if you could do it again?

In this layout about my daughter, I considered her middle name, its meaning and how it fits her. I used blocks of journaling to highlight each aspect of her name. Additionally, I enlarged her middle name to make it more prominent.

Meaningful Names. Baby name books will provide a definition or “meaning” for most first names. They often refer back to an older language. What does your name mean? Journal about whether you agree with the meaning or not. Think about how you would define the meaning if you were writing a baby name book. What does your name mean to you?

Inherited Names. Does your last name have a long history? Is there a coat of arms or family crest for your name? Is it from a specific country of origin? Is there a tradition associated with a family name? Consider how your family name has evolved over the years.

Nicknames. My children both have shortened versions of their names, which we like to use for them. Do you have a shortened version or a nickname? Do you call someone else by a nickname? What is it and why do you use it? Reflect on the story behind the nickname.

Difficult Names. My maiden name created grief for me as a youngster so I couldn’t wait to get married! Has your name been a struggle for you throughout your life? Maybe it’s hard to pronounce. Maybe it gets misspelled. Were you ever teased about your name? These are all memorable things to journal about your name.

In this layout, I wrote about my daughter’s name and the struggles she has had with it. I used a tag with a quote about names to enhance the name theme.

Sharing Names. Your name is your name alone but often we “share” our first and/or last name with other people. Is there a famous entertainer, sports figure or politician who has the same first or last name as you? Write about the people that share your name. Do a “google” search on your last name and see who else has your name!

Pet Names. Our two dogs are named Arthur and Merlin so we have a theme going in our family. How about you? Why did you name your pets like you did? Was it an easy or hard decision? Who was involved in the decision? Does your pet have a nickname or a registered name?

There are many name-related items you could include on a layout. Here are some to get you started:

• A birth certificate or other document. If you don’t want to use the original document, scan it and copy it.
• Use large stickers or chipboard as a monogram initial.
• Add a handwritten signature showing the name.
• Feature additional information or quotes on tags or pockets.
• Include a copy of the coat of arms or family crest.
• Make a customized background paper featuring a name by stamping the name over and over again with VersaMark ink. Alternatively, type a name over and over again and print it out.

As you journal in your scrapbooks, remember to include your “name” stories. Every name has a story behind it so tell yours!

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