Monday, October 18, 2010

What's in a name?

I've always liked my name.  I thought it was neat that I was named after my mom's BYU roommate.  And it's just different enough that I never had to add my last initial to my name for someone to know who I was--unlike all the Jennifer's and Amy's in elementary school.  I had only ever met a few Jeanine's in my life.  That is until I moved here.  A few years after we moved here so did Jeannine... and then Janine moved in a little while after that.  Three of us all in the same ward!  We all agreed it was weird.... but fun at the same time.  My name was once announced over the pulpit to release me of a calling I didn't have... they meant to say Jeannine.  To me the distinction (in writing) is simple because we all spell our name differently...  so still no need for last initials. But that's assuming that everyone remembers how each Jeanine spells her name.  Jeannine has since moved... so now we are down to just two.  However, in the past week I have been "mistaken" for Janine.  It doesn't help that Janine replaced me as Young Women's President.  One of the mom's of some young women in the ward approached me about an idea for Young Women.  It took me a second to realize that she forgot which Jeanine she was talking to.  And then this afternoon I got a call from one of the Stake Young Women leaders with a question... and I had to point her in Janine's direction. 

5 comments:

  1. That is funny Jeanine.

    And while my name is Gennifer and there were 9 Jennifer's in my 7th grade algebra class, I was the only one who spelled it with a G so to me, there was no one else with my name too. :)

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  2. In Denver, the YW Pres was Kerry, the 1st counselor was Carrie (me) and the 2nd counselor was Kari... CONFUSING!

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  3. That is crazy about so many people with your name (different spellings.) Before we moved a lady who did my hair was named Jeanine -- with the same spelling as your name.

    When I was Primary president the first time, both of my counselors were named Judy. That was confusing.

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  4. That's hilarious. Sounds like my ward in Cali where 3 of us serving in the YW's together were all Sis. Jones.

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  5. Welcome to my life! Although, I suppose since Heather is so common, people got used to distinguishing us by our last names.

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