Names

When I was working on Dad’s obituary and eulogy I got to thinking about middle names. Dad’s middle name is Sanford. His twin brother’s middle name was Manford – after Grandpa Edmonds – Manford Wayne. Dad was the oldest so you might think he would have Manford as his middle name… instead he got the rhyming first name to Grandpas’ middle.

I know Dad really liked his middle name. His signature always included his middle initial. My signature includes mine as well. Alexander (defender or helper of mankind) is a long middle name. Chad (warrior's town) has the same middle name as me. Julie (youth) and I liked the name Brandon, but Brandon Edmonds seems like too many “Ns” and your tongue tends to stick to the top of your mouth when you have too many Ns and several syllables.

Amanda’s middle name is my mother-in-law’s maiden name – Dupree. I say “Do-Pray” after the French pronunciation, but everyone else says “Do-Pree.” I like both. Amanda means “lovable, worthy to be loved.” Ain't that the truth!

Sometimes people combine long first names with short middle names or vice versa. A lot of thought goes into names. Some are hand-me-downs or have family meaning. People always buy baby books to find the “true meaning” of a name. Mine means “from the Crag” – it reminds me of the title of a Sci-Fi thriller – “From the Black Lagoon”.

Many people want their names to mean “love,” “strength,” or “gift of God.” Sanford means “negotiator.” How true of my dad!

I hate it when people combine two halves of two different names. Yes they are unique, and they can sound beautiful, but they are always hard to spell. You know what I mean.

- from the Crag