windemere | What's in a Name?

I have a funny and little known story to tell. It's funny now, by which I mean it's been funny since 'The Eleventh Hour' first aired.

My mother wanted to name me Amelia. My great-great-grandmother was Amelia McDonald (who had a daughter named Flora, but that's another story). My family has always believed in traditional names passed down through the generations. Both of my parents were names after ancestors. So my mother wanted 'Amelia'. It's a nice name; Latin - originally - and meaning in its original form beloved. Not to be confused by the French 'Amee' or 'Amie', meaning friend.

My father wanted to name me Amy. He hates 'Amelia'. He won't tell me why, but 'Amy' - apparently - is different enough. Never mind that, having been named 'Amelia', I would have been called Amy anyways.

When I was a little girl I wanted to be Amelia. I thought it was a grand name, followed by a very long and English sounding last name, and that princesses had names like 'Amelia'. And I, like all little girls, wanted to be a princess in a fairy tale. I thought 'Amy' was a very plain name. I knew a lot of Amy's when I was little. But then I grew up and became the only 'Amy' around, and 'Amelia' became too traditional. Too little girlish. But everything comes full circle, and unlike Amy Pond, when I tried to reinvent myself at the start of university, I wanted to be Amelia again. But I understand wanting to be someone different; that need to reinvent yourself and start again. And changing your name is one of the few things people can actually do beyond acting differently. It's still that little bit of control, and it's all Amy really had at the time.

On a completely unrelated note: watched the DT parts of the new St. Trinnian's movie. He's gray and anti-feminist. And snooty. It's frakking bit more hilarious than it should be. Also, Colin Firth. And the tops? The final scene filmed in The Globe with a butchered version of Romeo and Juliet (Firth as Romeo) and DT standing in the commoners section berating the acting talent. Between that and Vampires of Venice I've just about died today.