Show and Tell Tuesday: What's your name?

Today's Show and Tell Tuesday theme with Andrea is What's in a Name, or rather what does your name mean.  I know a lot of people linking-up will be talking about their kids names and why they chose them.  Well, Dan and I do not have any kids yet but if we are ever to be blessed with a little girl we have already picked and agreed on her name.  It's a secret for now.

Since we have no kids and no pets (except the stuffed buddies) I thought it might be fun to share about the significance of our names.

My name is Stephanie Elspeth.  The name has zero significance.  My parents picked Stephanie because they liked it and Elspeth was the name of my mom's favorite character in a British mini-series while she was pregnant.  Sentimental right?  I was always so mad as a kid because both my older sister and my twin sister are named after relatives and I felt slighted that I didn't have a family name.  I'm over it now and I do like the middle name Elspeth because it is unusual.  Also, fun fact, I was named Amanda for the first few hours of my life.  Apparently my parents picked the first twin "baby A" to be named Amanda so that was my name but then my Dad decided that "the little one" (meaning baby B and the smaller one at birth) looked more like a Mandy so they switched the names.

Also, I have a lot of nicknames.  When I was in elementary school I went exclusively by Steph but since middle school everyone mostly calls me Stephanie.  My sisters still call me Stepy.  My mom has called me Stephalefagus, Punky Brewster, and most commonly, Bug.  Mandy also calls me Sister long legs, Square face, and Dog Breath.  Dan calls me Sweetie and my dear friend Amber calls me Poopy-leg.  I have others but I'll leave it there. 

Dan's name is Daniel Joseph.   His mom chose the name because she wanted something strong in case he ever became President.  She also liked Biblical names.   She almost went with Joseph Daniel but I'm glad she chose Daniel Joseph, it just flows nicely.  Everyone in his family calls him Daniel but everyone here in New York calls him Dan.  While the cousins were here I got used to hearing him called Daniel so I started calling him Daniel Tiger but I mostly call him Buddy.  I really do not like the formal connotation of using "husband" or "wife."  It creeps me out to be called wife and it feels soooo formal compared to the comfy relationship that Dan and I have.  Of course I know he is my husband and I am his wife but we don't refer to each other by that title.   

So that's it.  The meaning, or lack of meaning, of our names.  Embrace it!

Also, if you're curious about why I chose to change my last name in marriage, check-out that post here.