Names

From the very beginning of being a parent, Drew and I had people asking us what we were going to call our oldest, William.  Um....William.  "Oh, really?"  Was the usual answer. "Yes, William." Not Will. Not Willie. Not Bill. Not Billy.  William!!! (One funny conversation was with a guy by the name of Bill...whose legal name was William...it was like even HE didn't want to use the name! He kept asking and asking! I finally said, "Well, some times I call him Baby Love."  "I'll stick with William", was his reply. Thank you!)

He's always been William to us...and in many ways he is or has grown into his name. He's a quite and serious person (at least around others! He can be very loud here at the house!!)

For the most part people - teachers, friends, - have called him that. Oh, there's been a few...but they usually change when I pointedly say, 'William'.  Now, his friends in Guam did get to the point to call him "Will".  By then he was a teen, and I felt if it bothered him, then he would say something.

But he never did.  Of course, him saying something would mean he would have to start a conversation...something he really doesn't like to do!

Here in North Louisiana it seems that EVERYONE calls William "Will".  Like they automatically think a name should be shorten or totally discount how someone is introduced to them or.

The other night we were in a car full of people and one was talking about "Will". I could tell Drew  had no clue who the person was talking about. So, I leaned over and said, "Will. As in our son, William!"

"OOOOHH!! Yes, Will! Got it!"

Thankfully, everyone laughed.

The funny thing is we have just about always shorten Benjamin's name to 'Ben'. From the very beginning about half the time we would call him 'Ben'. Or Ben-Ben. Or B. Or BB. (But NEVER BJ or Benji!!). And Melissa has had nicknames as well: Lissie. Lissie-Lou. Lou-Lou. But William?

Never.   Funny how some names just stick to a person.