When my parents started thinking about having kids, they picked up 3500 Names for Baby (brought to you by the fine folks at A & D Ointment) for 25 cents at the grocery store. I read through the book a lot as a kid, enjoying the different origins and meaning of names. I often used it to name dolls and Barbies, and occasionally myself, as I went through a phase during which I found my given name unacceptable and instructed others to call me Allison, Julie or Lori.
Since the office baby was born yesterday, and we finally learned the mysterious secret name, and I spent the weekend trying to trick my brother and his wife into telling me Sprout's name, I started thinking about my own name. Ashley means "dweller in the ash tree meadow." I used to think I was gypped when I was a kid, since Anna's name means "full of grace, mercy and prayer" and Justin means "the just one." Such noble names, while I'm out frolicking in the trees. But as I got older, it seemed to fit.
I'm prone to spacing out - which my family has dubbed "going to Ashleyland." But maybe that's an ash tree meadow. The truth is, I'm the most scattered of the three of us - the most creative and left-brained. And there's some element of my loner quality in the ash tree meadow - me, out there by myself, totally happy among the trees.
Just for kicks last night, I put my name into Wikipedia. I'd heard a lot of the lore about my name, but I'd never heard the following on its origin:
The origins of the name come from an ancient Anglo-Saxon legend wherein a lovely young woman was kidnapped by an ogre and imprisoned in an ash tree. Over the years, the tree took on the form of the woman. Her name long since forgotten, she is now only remembered as "Ashley". The fabled tree is located in Devonshire, UK.
I may not be full of grace or justice, but at least I was once kidnapped by an ogre. That's pretty awesome.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
An Ash by Any Other Name
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5 cat calls:
"Dweller in the ash tree meadow". . . I think your name suits you perfectly! I'm glad the ogre kidnapping is behind you, though.
So what's the office baby's name??
I went through a weird phase when I was little where I insisted on being called Francis. They called me Franny for years. I blame Lillian and Russell Hoban for this grave error in judgment.
I think one day a trip to Devonshire is in order to visit your namesake tree. very cool story.
I've always loved names, too, and having to choose one for your child is pretty exhilerating and overwhelming knowing the impact you will have for the rest of her life. Until she grows up and wants to change it to Franny.
The office baby's name is Taylor Lane. And she is BEAUTIFUL! A head full of black hair and such a pretty little face.
I think maybe everyone wishes for a different name at some point. It's like that Dave Matthews Band song that says "Sometimes it's easy to be myself. Sometimes I'm better off as somebody else."
What does it mean to be a dweller in the ash tree meadow? What is an ash tree meadow?
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