on being named Jo

Sometimes I like to pretend like I was named after the character Jo in Little Women. She's brilliant and talented and fiery and witty.
Or perhaps Joanna from the Bible, who was one of the women to come to Jesus' tomb on the morning of His resurrection. I imagine her to be poised and elegant and loyal and sweet.
In reality though, my mother just liked the name. She had a friend in highschool named Joanna who I've never met or heard anything about. I think she informed me of her as more of an aside than a source of name genesis.
I've never actually gone by Joanna. I've been Jo for as long as I can remember. I sometimes forget that my full name is Joanna. I think the only people who call me that are my mother and my brothers, though my brothers didn't call me that when we were kids. No, when we were kids they called me "G.I Jo" or "Sumo Jo" or any name they could think of that started with the letter "R" because I couldn't say my "aws" for yeaws and yeaws. :)

But names are interesting. When I was a little girl and would play make-believe, I always named myself Sally, after the most beautiful woman I ever met as a little girl. She was a botanist at the state botanical gardens. I went to the gardens all the time with my father and now years later I realize it was probably no coincidence that my divorced father always happened to take me to the gardens when Sally was working. Its funny to look back on situations as an adult and realize what was really going on.

Anyway, I've determined that when I have children all of their names will have real meaning and be a real source of strength to them and their identity. They'll be named after beloved relatives and friends and admirable historical figures. Doesn't that sound like a good plan?

Now I just have to figure out how to work Sojourner Truth into a middle name without my husband raising his eyebrows...


Have a good weekend all! I'll be working on my thesis and wishing I was doing all the fun things you guys are going to be doing... (sigh longingly) :)

...77 days...