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What’s In A Name?
By: Alison Nicole Fleming
Marge, Susan, Toni, Jasmine, Evelyn, and Linda are names of girls I have met through various Tri-Ess activities, but how and why were these names chosen. Hopefully they were chosen to reflect the inner self we all possess. What process did they use for this most important selection? Was it by happenstance? Is the name a derivation of their male sir name, or perhaps a friend or relative gave the name to them? Perhaps the name was chosen by thoughtful reflection relating to the person they become when dressed.
I believe the truth of the matter is that all four choices are used at one time or another by all of us. Age may be a factor in the selection of a name. In youth, a name may be selected that reflects the admiration for a female acquaintance, a girl from school, or a movie star or character from a book. Usually these names are kept to private and are hardly ever shared with anyone. Names of our youth usually only rose to the surface when we wore the panties and bra of our sisters or cousins or the nightgowns of our mothers when they were away. As we matured, these names dropped to the wayside in favor of others in most cases.
Many cross dressers use a derivation of their given male name. James becomes Janet, Samuel becomes Samantha, and Peter becomes Patricia for example. This method of selection is usually used in late adolescence or young adulthood. It has been my experience that names selected in this manner tend to be lasting. There are pluses and minuses in using this method. One plus is if you use your sir name with the female first name, the initials are the same. Sometimes this makes it easier when shopping and using the credit cards or writing a check. A down side is, too close of an association with your male name and persona.
Thoughtful refection of the name choice, in this author’s opinion, is the best method to use. Your name should be a reflection of your true inner person, reflecting your feelings, mannerisms, and traits. In my case, I was given my first name when I was a young child by my aunt and mother when I was four. They didn’t give me the name in a threatening or teasing manner at all. It was a name that fit my persona when dressed even at four. I found this out years later when having dinner with my aunt and mother.
Choosing my last name was a thought out exercise of research and reflection. Fleming was selected after studying the genealogy of my family. I had a picture of my great-great-grandmother taken in Ireland during the 1870’s. Catherine was such a beautiful woman. After reading accounts of her life I knew that I would use her maiden last name since a little bit of her spirit and personality is a part of Alison as well.
For years I didn’t have a middle name. I finally chose Nicole, by pure happenstance, because it sounded nice with Alison!
There is an interesting sight on the web entitled ‘Baby Names’ http://babynames.com/V5/index.php. What makes this sight so interesting to me is you can see the your first and middle names’ origin, meaning, and the sex they are usually associated with. Alison, for instance, is Germanic in origin, it means of noble birth, and it is a female name. On the other hand, Nicole is French in origin, it means victory of the people and it is a female name.
In conclusion, no matter what method you used or will use in your name selection, let that name be a reflection of your inner self. Let it be a name or names with which you and your femme side can be comfortable for a lifetime!
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