Home > Summer in the City > Archives > 2008 > June > 19 > Entry
My parents aren’t hippies!!!
My name is Summer Shine. Yes, that’s my real name. No, my parents aren’t hippies. I don’t have a sister named Autumn and I wasn’t born in the summertime. These debates have been going on all my life. As a child I was tormented by my name. I have had to grow into it. As an adult it really works to my advantage. I mean, who forgets the interview you had with Summer Shine!!!
I know there are others who are afflicted with the same struggles as I am. Like the girl you went to school with named Heaven Lee. Or your good old friend Liberty Bell. My search today is for those of you who have befriended these folks. Who do you know or what was the legendary namesake of your town? I want to see how outrageous these names get, just to make me feel better and to prove once and for all that I’m not alone.
Comments
By Jerry's Kid
June 19, 2008 12:48 PM | Link to this
I have a friend back home named Mike Mike. That’s Michael Mike. Obviously, everybody just calls hime Mike Mike.
His parents did it because they thought it would be funny, and he’s surprisingly well-adjusted. In fact, he latched onto it at an early age and is one of the funniest people around— and joking about his name has long since passed the funny stage. In fact, we now laugh about the people who first meet him and try to come up with something original to tease him about his name.
By Lorie
June 19, 2008 1:52 PM | Link to this
We have a friend in the family whose name is Happy. I’m sure she got teased as a child but it later changed. Yes her parents were hippies. She is a awesome person and mother and wife. I wish her the best.
By Scott Baker
June 19, 2008 3:39 PM | Link to this
Boy do I have a story for you… about a relative… but not one that I want to admit to, so it’ll have to be in person. Will you be at Third Thursday tonight?
By Summer
June 19, 2008 10:38 PM | Link to this
Scott, I love you, silly!!! I actually have prior engagments, but I will be searching you out for that story!
By Ronnie
June 19, 2008 10:51 PM | Link to this
That was a cool blog. Summer is full of personality. She really does SHINE. I couldn’t imagine her with any other name.
By M2
June 20, 2008 8:03 AM | Link to this
How about Ginger Snapp….. or Penny Nichols….
By mur
June 20, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this
I grew up in Waco back in the 1950’s. Back then, the talk of the town (or at least my mom’s beauty shop) was about the infant daughter of the Lett family - named Toy. Toy Lett. Nowadays I’m fairly certain it was a silly urban legend, but we all believed it at the time.
By Starr Fogle
June 20, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this
Hi Summer, my name is Starr! Its a great name and I’ve had lots of fun with it over the years, like you my parents are not hippies, far from it, I’m a baby boomer, so the and 60’s and early 70’s were my time not theirs. I also have friends with different names like, Tiny Butts (that is no joke), & Ginger Snapp, and Carrie Parrie.
By Gary
June 20, 2008 11:40 AM | Link to this
In Austin when I was attending the University there were twins named Sugar and Spice…… luckily they were females!!!! I also have some friends, yes they were and still are hippies, who named their son Zeus.
By Tovah
June 20, 2008 9:41 PM | Link to this
My first name is Tovah. There have been many reactions to my name, most of which fall into the “were your parent’s hippies” question. When my husband told people about me when we first started dating, the first question they would always ask is “is she white or black.” I’ve also been asked if my parent’s where on crack when they had me. I can definitely identify with having to grow into your name. But like Summer Shine, how many Tovah’s do you know?!
By AlyMon
June 21, 2008 12:03 PM | Link to this
HI Summer…like you I have an odd name. Until now, only my family was aware. The story of a girl named BRUCE. My paternal grandmother was born 1890, the last of 13 children. One of her older sisters was ‘in love’ with a boy named Bruce, and she changed the babies name in the family bible to Mattie Bruce. My grandmother chose to be called Bruce all of her 86 years, and laughed at many of the comments. I was born just after WWII, and named after my two grandmothers. Alice Bruce Evans. Now you (and all of your readers) know my secret!!
By yoder
June 23, 2008 8:14 PM | Link to this
I think yoder is funny!
By Summer
June 25, 2008 8:22 PM | Link to this
Yoder…what you failed to mention is the funniest thing about your name! With your first name being Ian, if you take your last and transpose it with your first you get Yoderian!!!