Sharing Names

Lisa Alzo of The Accidental Genealogist has put together a great list of writing prompts for Women’s History Month.

The prompt for today  asks if you share a first name with one of your female ancestors?

I was named after my maternal Aunt Theresa. Growing up, she answered to Terri and other nicknames. My Mom told me that when I was born, they did not have a name picked out for me. So, they asked my Aunt Terri if she would mind if they named me after her. Her reply was “only if you do not call her Theresa, I do not like the name.” So they named me Terri.

Growing up as a Terri, I was often referred to as Theresa. I recall in High School a gym teacher insisting my name was Theresa. She refused to call me Terri!  One day, I had enough and told her “my name is Terri, not Theresa, please do not call me that!” She was not pleased at my statement and proceeded to argue that my full name must be Theresa. I told her I would bring in my birth certificate if she did not believe me.

A funny tidbit, when I visit my Aunt and answer her phone, if a cousin calls and says “Terri” and I reply yes, it gets quiet. Then I have to say its the little one so they know who they are talking to. Even last night, I commented on a cousin’s Facebook page. Afterwards he messaged me privately because he thought I was my Aunt.

The funny thing is, I like the name Theresa. It is a family name that started before my Aunt. She had been named after her Aunt as well. I hope one day, my kids will pass the name on to their children.

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  1. Pingback: Parish Records (UK) | Trace Your Ancestors

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