Dee, I love your story. What an inspiration. I'd love to chat by phone to see if there is any way I can help spread the word about your work and site. Maybe next week? 1-877-bboomer.

I've been away a few days and then came back to all the great explanations for names! What a great question to have asked!

I chose Lily for a couple of reasons. My name is actually Linda, and there are about a million of us around my age. I have gone through a lot of changes in the past 3 or 4 years (I'm 48) and feel like quite a different person so I guess I was looking for an alter ego. I love flowers and lilies come in many varieties/colors, are lovely but hearty, and bloom at a certain time, which I feel I did. I also thought that the name Lilian suited my Spanish connections and had a different feel to it than Lily or Lil, so I could have various alter egos! Of course, I'm not going to get my friends to call me Lily--that would be too weird--but I use it for new things in my life such as this. And when I order a bagel or a coffee, I give them the name Lily just to amuse myself!

Lily, I am 47 and also going through lots of changes. I love the reason for your screen names. MInd telling us what some of your life changes have been?

Thrillermiller, I see this is your only post. Please stick around and share in some of the other forums. Hopefully you are readin gour posts and will jump in again soon.

I chose Dee...uh...it's my name and I have no imagination when it comes to things like that...Actually, Darlene is my name (very southern) and my other name is Edna...God, Edna...I've never been able to handle that name...my mother says she named me that because it was her name...I think she did it just to piss me off...I must have put her through some really bad labor paines...Out of all the names in this world, why Edna? Why not Rebecca Darlene...or Jennifer Darlene...or Madison Darlene...or anything but Edna...(I apologize now to the Edna's who love their names...actually, I think you're lying, but am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt).

Dee, my real name is Dorothea. I'm named after my mom which I like. I just wish her name wasn't Dorothea.

Wasn't there an Aunt Edna in the Vacation movies? ISn't she the one who got tied to the roof? Sorry, but I loved that movie...and her name.

Glad you're here.

I just watched that movie (again) last week end. I love it. "Honky Lips" on the side of their car just cracked me up.

Some strange names from friends I've had:

Twig Branch

Joseph Peter Beader (what were his parents thinking?).

Dick Holder

Kathy Yaffe

Just a sampling.

Dotsie,
Yeah, those Holiday movies are a hoot...I love the visiting brother and his family...hey, we could start a new forum about southern names...normally there's always two...my husband's family...his name is larry wayne...his son is grady wayne and larry wayne jr...his daugher is named Judy Wayne (Just kidding). It seems here in the south no one knows you just by your first name only...it must be followed by a second...like Bob...or Don...or Ray... normally the first name is Billy...see? Billy Bob, Billy Don, Billy Ray...Billy Wayne. In the small town where I live when one person calls out Billy Ray, half the town answers.

I thank my mom for naming me Charleen because my father and his entire family were trying to get my mother to call me Charlamaine. That reminds me of toilet tissue. Thank you mommy!!!

Dee,

I have a name for you that I think is absolutely absurd. My brother-in-law's name is simply JD. Does not stand for anything at all. Can't believe my mother-in-law did that. However, he has a cousin that was names CG, so go figure.

Thank God that by the time my hubby came along she found at least a name instead of initials. It's Lonnie. But the middle name is Ray. So, Lonnie Ray it is and of course they are from northern Arkansas.

Why not!
Sandpiper

some traditions will not be broken, sandpiper, especially in the southern states. When I was in the Air Force I had to use my first name on all my documents...it was LAST name; FIRST name; middle initial...so Edna had to be used, despite the fact that I protested loudly...they promised that the next time I acted like a nut they'd shoot me in the foot. Soooooo, I put up with it for 10 very, very, very, veryyyyyyyyyyyyyy long years...We have a JT in the family...have no idea what that stands for...maybe they use the initials for people who cannot spell. What do you think?