I was named Jennifer to match my Dad's initials. He knew that since I was adopted, all he could give me was his name, so he we James Myron, I'm Jennifer Marie. I guess there was a tv show on at the time that was called "Heart to Heart", and a girl on it was Jennifer. She was bubbly and cute, and so there I was named.
Yes, I was named the most popular girl's name of the years before and after I was born... In third grade there was three Jennifer's in my class.
Sometime in high school, my Mom and Dad had a list of 'chores' that they needed my brother and I to do.
They were titled "Ben's List", and "Jen's List".
Being the overly ornery teenager I was.... I did nothing on the list. My reasoning "I'm sorry Mom, I didn't know that the list was for me, because I spell my name with 2 n's"....
So- that's how it's started. Needless to say, I don't think I got away with that, but it's stuck. I'm Jenn, not Jen.
And can I say, that it's something that really bugs me, if it's not right. I get that most people will do Jen, and if I only deal with you ever so often, that's fine ( like on the top of sub plans "Jen, so glad you're here today...", but for those that use it a lot, like close friends and family, I often correct them, and try to do it as nice as possible, just stating that I spell it with two n's. And if after several reminders, they still do it, I get irritated. It would be like spelling my husbands name Travys. (yes as a sub, I've seen his name spelled like that!).
So, oh well. If you know me, it's Jenn with two n's.... and if you didn't know before. Now you do!
:) Yes, I know that it's not common, but anyone who knows me realizes I'm a bit different (subborn even?).
(side note, my husband always calls me Jenn, the only time I hear Jennifer is if he's really serious, or upset.... his 'Jennifer', has the same connotation of when my parents yelled "Jennifer Marie!" It happens so infrequently that I hear my whole first name!!! I even get Christmas and birthday cards addressed to Jenn!)
Guilty!! I know I have left comments here before spelling it as "Jen"
ReplyDeleteSorry :(
Jennifer is such a popular name - there are 6 on my FB! Jen, Jenn, Jenny...I try to be mindful about the spelling/abbreviation since it really bugs me when my name, as simple as it should be, is spelled incorrectly.
ReplyDeleteMy MIL and I share a name, and she has a hard time remembering that our names aren't spelled the same, so I consistently get things from her spelled incorrectly. I'm not sure if I should take it as an insult or just one more evidence of her ADD-ness.
Name spelling is one of my pet peeves. Get it right! :-)
ReplyDeleteIf I am lucky enough to get a baby out of this IVF and it's a boy, he will have my initials, too. I think it's a great way to "share" a name.
I think it's cool that you use the less common spelling, and I actually thing Jenn looks a little better in print than Jen (no offense to any Jen's out there). I totally get you on being picky about the spelling, too, and correcting people, and all that. :-)
ReplyDeleteI've all but given up, I'm Michele with one "L", but I know what you mean. My father thought it would be easier to remember and easier for me to learn as a kid if it were with one "L". (Turns out it's not easier for people to remember) So he wrote it that way on my birth certificate against my mother's wishes.
ReplyDeleteIt only bothers me when someone who should know and has to write it over and over again and I've already told them what it's supposed to be (such as at work).
I love that story! I learned two things about you...2 n's and you were adopted :) As for the spelling of the name, try making sure people spell Maura right!
ReplyDeleteI have the same with my full name - my family only uses it if they're not happy with me so I've never really liked it. But at least the spelling is easy. :)
ReplyDelete- andrea, an A to Z participant