“A rose by any other name” so the saying goes.  And yet we really identify with our own names.  For many of us, our name is the name that our parents chose for us.  Sometimes we go by a middle name, or a nickname version of our given name, and in that way we make it more personal, more “ours.”  

Our name can change as we grow, and it may also reflect our growth.  It can change when we marry; it can change to “Mom” or “Dad” when we have kids.  It can change just because we want it to, for our own personal reasons.  Madonna has taken the name Esther because it is meaningful to her in her practice of Kabbalah.

When Freddy was born we chose the name Frederick Jack after his two Great Grandfathers.  Frederick was a popular name in the “olden days” but it’s a little more rare now.  Wouldn’t you know that we seem to attract Freds now wherever we go?  My sister married a Fred, and another Fred lives right across the street from me!  And when Freddy was little and wanted to change his name to Rafael, after the Ninja Turtle, we found The Fred Society.  He has loved his name ever since!  If you are a Fred, or know a Fred, you have to check out this site, it is wonderful!
http://www.fredsociety.com

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Lissa Coffey is an author, media personality, and the founder of CoffeyTalk.com (Reprinted with permission Copyright © Bamboo Entertainment, Inc.)