When I was born my mother had already decided I was going to be called Elaine, for no reason other than she liked the name. She learned I was Elizabeth four days later when my dad presented her with my birth certificate after an unaccompanied visit to the Registry Office.
He told me years later that he always regretted not adding my mother's name (Jane) as a middle one for me. Whilst I've always quite liked the name Elizabeth, my original surname was similarly lengthy with 10 letters and 3 syllables, and saying my name when I was younger always seemed a bit of a gobful. I certainly didn't miss a middle name.
Although my mother's name was Jane, most people (but not my dad) called her Jennie. My dad was James Henry but, originally as a mark of respect for an uncle who was killed in the war shortly after he (my dad, that is) was born, he was Harry to everyone thereafter. Apart from the bloke in the garage where he bought all his cars and had them serviced who for some reason always called him Les. My dad never corrected him. He used to say he would answer to anything as long as it wasn't a swear word.
My name was shortened to Liz when I was at grammar school although my teachers never referred to me as anything other than Elizabeth. In the second year there we went through a phase in my group of friends of calling each other by our reverse names. (Did anyone else do the same or were we just daft?) This worked better for some, like my friend Irene who thus became, and remained, Eneri. Whenever she came to our house, though, my parents insisted on calling her Henry. Needless to say my own Htebazile didn't last long and I don't remember my mum and dad ever going along with it.
I morphed into Lizzy when I went to the local college of further education to do my A levels. It seemed to fit the image at the time and is the name the mister (whose own first name was his mother's maiden name) got to know me as. I was always Lizzy to my brother and I have friends from those days who still call me that. Now, I mostly switch between Liz and Elizabeth, answering to either. Occasionally, I decide which one I'm going to be. Like the other day when we had to introduce ourselves at an exam board. I just said "Today, I'm Elizabeth". Keeps people on their toes.
Choosing a name for our Girlie was no easy matter, even with the book, but we agreed on the Russian spelling of an ancient Greek name. When number two child was about to be born, I loved and championed the name Araminta but was overruled. It turned out to be no bad thing as baby turned out to be of the blue variety. We decided to give him a moniker with rather more festive connections.
If I had to choose a name for myself I'm not sure which one I'd pick.
I'd probably stick with the one I've got.
What about you? Given the choice, would you switch or stick?