Thursday, April 10, 2008

Thirteen Thursday # 2 Things About My Name You May Or May Not Know

Thursday Thirteen #2
Here are 13 things about my name that you may or may not know:

13.) The dictionary says:
Echo - A repetition of sound produced by the reflection of soundwaves from a wall,mountain, or other obstructing surface.
Eve - evening or day preceding a special day, such as a holiday.

12.) Greek Mythology says:
Echo was a mountain nymph who loved her own voice. Zeus, the King of Olympians was known for his many love affairs. Sometimes the young and beautiful Nymph Echo would distract and amuse his wife Hera with long entertaining stories, while Zeus took advantage of the moment to ravish the other mountain nymphs. When Hera discovered the trickery she punished the talkative Echo by taking away her voice, except in foolish repetition of another's words. Thus, all Echo could do was repeat the voice of another.

11.) Mythology also says:
Echo was a nymph who was a great singer and dancer and scorned the love of any man. This angered Pan, a lecherous god, and he instructed his followers to kill her. Echo was torn to pieces and spread all over theEarth. The Titan goddess of the earth, Gaia, received the pieces of Echo, whose voice remains repeating the last words of others.

10.) When I was a little girl I hated the name Echo. People would yell ECHOOOOOO ECHOOOOOOO. I used to cry about this. I mean really cry with real tears and all.

9.) When I was in High School and in my early 20's I hated my name because I could never get away with anything. I mean I have never met another person named Echo. So, anytime anyone was talking about Echo there was no mistake that they were talking about me. In High School I never really did anything for anyone to talk about. However, in my early 20's I did lots of stupid things to get gossiped about.

8.) When I tell people my name they usually think it is a nick name or they don't believe it is my real name. I have had the following conversations to many times in my life.
Me - 'Hi my name is Echo'
Person - 'Hi my name is whatever'
Person - 'How did you get the nickname Echo'
Me- 'Oh it's not a nickname it is really my name'
Person - 'You mean Echo is really your name, name?'
Me - 'Yes Echo is really my name. It is on my birth certificate and everything.'

7.) The other thing that gets old is that when people meet me they just can't help themselves they start repeating my name again and again. They also try to make it sound like they are in a cave with an echo. When they do this I really think they think they are the first ones to have ever done this. I just want to smack them.

6.) Sometimes I get this. So were your parents Hippies? Why not just come right and say it your parents were on drugs when they decided to name you weren't they.

5.) They story I have always told about myself goes like this:
(not really sure about how accurate it is but anyway I've been telling in for 30 some years)
You know I was born in 1975. My parents were the last of the hippies.You know peace love and all that stuff. Anyway, I was supposed to be a son. They were supposed to name me James III. They had no name picked out for a girl. My Mother had done a crossword puzzle and Echo was a nymph in this crossword puzzle. The name Echo just sort of stuck with her. So, when I turned out to be a girl Dad didn't really care what name Mom picked. She said I really like Echo. Dad said whatever Echo it is. I sure am glad Goat, or Hera, or Lynx wasn't one of the names that just stuck with here.

4.) I use Echoeve for everything that has to do with the computer. Anytime I create an account of any kind they ask for a username and I always choose echoeve. Sometimes I am surprised that it may have already been used. However, in these cases I usually find out after I put my email address in it tells me that I already have an account with them.Da!

3.) When I was naming my children I wanted them to have nice normal everyday names. I really think Bethany, and Noah cannot get anymore normal. The only regret I have in naming my children is I wish I would have named Bethany Corin, Bethany Elizabeth. Get it my name is Echo and my first born would have been BETHany elizaBETH. Hee Hee. Beth Beth. Now I am starting to sound like those stupid people I wanted to smack.

2.) Echo Star Helstrom was a girlfriend to Bob Dylan in High School. She was his inspiration for a song called 'Girl of North County'. Anyway, Mom told me just a few and I mean few years ago that she read a bookabout Bob Dylan before I was born and that's were she first heard the name Echo. She said she just loved the name right away and that it always stuck with her. So when the crossword puzzle came she just knew that was going to be my name. I totally wish I would've know about that years ago. With my love of music to have been able to say something like 'well my Mom read a book about Bob Dylan and he had a girlfriend named Echo. Blah, blah, blah.

1) Now that I am a grown up I must say I absolutely without a doubt love my name. I think it totally fits me to a tee. I totally hope that it will be used again down the line somewhere. Maybe someone someday will say how did you get that name and they will say well 'my Mom's favorite aunt was' or 'My Dad's favorite Grandmother was' or 'I have a Great Aunt who lives in Georgia and she's the best.' Now that's what I call legacy.

5 comments:

Amanda said...

Echo, that was the best post you've ever done. I loved it. Let's see...which one was I?...I was the one who thought your parents must have been on drugs. Oops.
A special name for a special girl.
Well done.

gigi said...

Having Gigi for my name has led me to some of those same stupid people. I was named after my grandma Garnetta. Gigi was her nickname and became my real name. So I guess I'm really greatful that my name isn't Garnetta. Why didn't they call her Netta or Nettie. I'd have liked one of those, I think?

Anonymous said...

Okay Echo. I don't comment, you know that..I am known as your lurker except that I tell you when I see you. So this is a big deal for me. I just caught up on your blog - so I just read your Tuesday one too - especially loved that one about your life and this one about your name. I don't have a blog, ofcourse, because my life is not an open book. I will share a couple of things about my name that you probably don't know. My real name is Karen Roseanne Chisholm. I never liked my middle name...in fact, just before my dad walked me down the aisle he asked me what I was thinking and I responded, "that middle name is out of here!" The reason is because as a child I went through all of the teasing from Rosanna Rosanna Danna from SNL. Then that ridiculous love song came out -Ro..San....Nah...I....LOVE....you! - just what I needed. Then in middle school, those boys who only had one thing on their mind would call me Rosie and giggle...it was their nickname for "rosie palm". Icky!! Then, my least favorite comedian who grabbed her crotch while singing the National Anthem - yuck. I still don't love my name but I understand a little more about why it was special to my mom. Being a devout Catholic - she said she named me after a church feast in August (feast of Saint Rose - which I have never verified that this even exists) but I think it is really because she had to already name all six of my siblings before me and was really out of good ideas. My mom's name was Marianne - so she added the "Anne" to the "Rose". Out of all of her seven children, I am the ONLY one that is named after her. That is pretty cool - kind of. For my first name, well, my mom named all seven of us with the letter "K" - so Karen was just about all that was left. We have Kenneth, Kathryn, Kristine, Kelvin, Kerry, Karol, and me. My name was seldom used by my mom, she always called me "caboose" - not sure if I am spelling that right but I am trying to spell the end of a train. I was her baby and she always referred to me as that and as her caboose. No one has called me that since she passed, I miss her. I don't know how she did it, but each of us felt special to her in our own way. I love being around you, Echo, you remind me of her so much. Love you and see you Friday night.

Elizabeth said...

You know I knew a girl that played softball at BYU-H, she was in my major and her name was Echo too. I totally dig the name. I like names that you don't hear everyday!!
The Bethany Elizabeth thing made me laugh! LOL

Jordan Kay said...

I LOVE your name! I totally hated my name growing up too! Everyone always thought I was a boy. When it was time for apply for college, if mail came addressed to MR. Jordan Bain, I would throw it away! Not so smart, I know... but oh well, I'll take it! Love it all, especially #4 & 5!