A - Z Challenge "J" is for ME!

A – Z challenge for today is “J”

Easy peasey. “J” is for Jill and Jilly.

“J” is not for Gillian.

Names are funny things aren't they? I am fascinated by names both first names and surnames. I love to learn the origins of surnames and also the reasons behind why people are given certain names.

I am sure most of us know the origins of common surnames such as Baker and Smith etc. but it is not always so obvious where first names have come from.

Of course often it is family tradition. EG. Our first born is called Samuel James after 2 of his Great Grandparents.

Many of us will know the story of how Brooklyn Beckham got his name! Quite where Gwyneth Paltrow came up with Apple for her daughter is anyone’s guess.

The best name I have found in my family history research is Happy. I love that! She was a little girl born in 1846 if I remember correctly and the 13^th child so I wonder how happy her mother really was? Perhaps they hoped if they gave her that name then she would always be happy. Who knows​?

Anyway, Back to me. My given name was Gillian. I don't know why my parents chose that name. No one else in the family has it. I assume they just liked it. In that case why was I never actually called it? They always called me Jill. My Mum also called me Louby Lou and Dolly Day Dream I was called Jill at school.

Oddly, I have always spelt Jill with a “J” and yet as I am a Gillian you would have perhaps expected me to spell Jill as Gill. I wonder why that is. Who first spelt it as Jill?

Then I met Simon who has always called me Jilly and through my adult years most of my friends have called me Jilly. I am still called Jill by some very old friends and some family members.

It is just as well as I don’t like Gillian. Strangely though if I have to sign my name or initials I will sign Gillian or GGS. Odd isn't it.

I am also intrigued as to why people change their names. I know quite a few people who call themselves by their second names. I don’t have a second name but for me I would find it some how disrespectful to my parents to not use the name they chose for me. I know I would feel quite miffed if any of my children chose to change their names.

Sometimes it seems to me a bit pretentious too. In Simon’s family 2 of his siblings have chosen different names for themselves. His brother Andrew morphed into Felix some years ago and even longer ago before I knew them, his sister Claire changed into Francessca.

Is your name your real name? Do you have a nickname? I'd love to know.

Jilly