Whatcha Gonna Name the Baby?

Jane Jenkins Herlong

May 8, 2021

If I had a quarter for every time I was asked this question, I could have paid for my child’s college education.

Names are interesting. Southerners love to unearth the family Bible and hunt for names or find old church cemeteries and read tombstones.

Charleston people like to use street names; I can make fun of Charlestonians since I am one. Meet my son Ashley Tradd Beufain Smith. Our daughter’s name will be Calhoun Vandeshorst Lockwood Ravenel.

My high school bud, Dr. George Gratzick has a great suggestion for twin boys. He said to name one twin Heyward and the other Ulysses. Just yell “hey, you” when you forget which twin is which.

I heard the story of a man who was named James. He wanted to continue his name with his children, all of whom just happened to be boys. Here are their names: James, James, Jr., Jimmy, and Jimmy Jr.

I met a woman several years ago whose first name was April and her last name was June. I guess you are wondering about her middle name. Yep, it was Mae.

I asked my Facebook buds to chime in. Here are a few classics.

“In my law practice the most interesting client names I remember (and these are not made-up) were Stormy Knight, Anita Pickle, and Wauna B. Ritch.”

~ Luther Beauchamp

“I have weird family names. My granny’s name was spelled Helen, but she said it was pronounced He-lan. Everybody’s name matches in my family, Sandra Kay, Linda Sue, Glenda Rose, Judy Faye, but mine was Barbara Marie. Go figure. Other weird family names are Irenie, Rainee, Olla Fay, and Aunt Ater.”

~ Barbara Fail Richardson

“My husband’s grandmother’s name was Patricia Hermene. She was Pat to friends but Mene (pronounced like mean) to family.”

~ Amanda Parris

“I had a friend named Snowdon McFall. She married a fellow named Spencer Whiting. You can’t make these things up.”

~ Robin Warren

“My grandmother from Crane Hill, Alabama, had 3 cousins named Eula, Beula, and Lula. The funniest part though was that their names were actually pronounced (with the deepest of rural southern accents) Euler, Beuler, and Luler.”

~ Linda Larsen

Got some fun and interesting names to share? Send me an email at [email protected].

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Jane Jenkins Herlong

Jane Jenkins Herlong is a Southern humorist, Sirius XM comedian, member of the Speaker Hall of Fame, and the best-selling author of four books. Jane travels the country sharing her sweet tea wisdom and Southern fried humor. For information on how to contact Jane for speaking engagements or to purchase her books, CD’s or MP3’s, visit www.janeherlong.com

Jane Jenkins Herlong

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