So back in High School I had a major name crisis. It is kinda like an identity crisis, but not. My name as you can see from my blog is Carolyn Beth. I used to hate my first name. I mean who names their child Carolyn I used to think. It is such an Aunt name. Think about it, you without a doubt will know someone with an Aunt Carolyn. Now I am fine with that as we have already established I kick trash at being an Aunt. But not in High School. I hated it. I was sure that my Mom had made a huge mistake and I, being the smart, hormonal, nothing in the world is right, everyone hates me, life sucks mode took it upon myself to make a few minor changes to my name. I wasn’t crazy enough to outright change my name, I just tweaked it a little. I had convinced myself that Caroline Beth was much cooler, more elegant and pretty. Plus everyone called me that anyway because they thought that is what it was, so I figured I would just go with it. I would turn in my school papers with the name Caroline Beth on it, I would doodle it all day in my margins, I have even set up my e-mail accounts in that name! But to be fair I come by this name thing honestly.
When you grow up in a family like mine you had a nickname before you were born. And then once you were born you had 6-10 more and as you grew the names would evolve. It’s great, unless you are an in-law and you are trying to keep everyone straight because we all have tons of names and everyone calls each other something different.
Holy crap I have a brother named Clint, and he goes by Ralph. In fact I think he used to even sign his checks Ralph Erickson. Everyone in High School called him Ralph, I sometimes forget his name isn’t Ralph.
Nick goes by Norton, or just Nort. His wife even calls him that.
My little Terri has had just about as many nicknames as poor Rob. Terri answers to Chicken, Chicken lips, Chicken legs (she had a bad case of Chicken Pox, that is where those started from), T, Tnut, Tslut, Big Terr (she named herself that thanks), Teeny woman, Baby, Worm, and Tbag. I am sure I have left out tons.
My poor little brother Rob though, he has had more than anyone. Granted he made up most of them himself. He has answered and still answers to, Bunky, Bunky Nibbles, Bunk, Cowboy, Prince Phillip, Farmer, Cowpoke, Stick (Yeah we called the poor kid Stick, like all the time, and in public, we said it like it was normal, we called him STICK, what was wrong with us?!?)
Halie just goes by LuLu, LuLa, or Lu.
Randa doesn’t really have any, I’m not exactly sure what happened with that.
And since we are all friends here I will even tell you my nickname. Carla. Yup, Carla. And the sweet variations that go with my name are Carla Faye Tucker (the only woman executed in Texas for killing her husband with an ice pick) Carla Faye, Carlie (My mom calls me that) and then just Care, that is what my nieces and nephews call me, it is easier to say than Aunt Carolyn.
I call my Dad Texas. I have called him Texas since I was in High School and I still do. I have his number programed in my phone as Texas and when he answers I say Hi Tex, or Texas and he says Hi Carla. And sometimes to be funny we call each other by our real names and it makes us burst out laughing on the phone we think it’s so funny to say Rob and Carolyn. I love my Dad.
Also you were never truly accepted into the family without a nickname. All new inlaws gets at least one. And our friends always got nicknames. In fact I have one friend from High School and to this day I can’t say her name right because I keep trying to say the nickname my dad gave her. These were always curteousy of my Dad too. He is the King of nicknames.
And to be honest I have the nickname sickness too. I just want to give people nicknames. My cousin Shanna has a boy named Drew and I can’t just call him Drew, I have to call him Punky Drewster, or just Punky or Punk. I can’t help myself. All of my nieces and nephews have nicknames too. Nick’s gal is Ellga, one is Nermal, or Nermal Cat, or Nermga because it sounds good with Ellga. Peanut has been LaRue, and then Rue and then Faye LaRue. Randa has a Bubba, and and Alley Cat, and a Nona Lisa.
It is a sickness I tell you, a true sickness.
Anyone else want to share their nicknames? Come on don’t be scared.
Carolyn Beth 