By any other name...

Think about this: if you had to change your name tomorrow, would you still be you?

Of course. Simply because you're used to going by one name does not mean that you would cease to exist if you were given a new name. Likely by the witness protection agency. In which case your life would change so maybe you would cease to exist as is. But not because your name changed.

My name is Emily. My parents thought it was a great, rather unusual name.
Then they posted my birth announcement. In the same paper that two other sets of parents announced the birth of their Emilys. They'd thought the same thing.

And thus began the era of the Emily's. Sure, I was the only one in my class at school with the name.

But now? I can't wander into a store and pick up something on the shelf to look over without hearing every so often
"EMILY! Don't TOUCH!"
I'd jump and sheepishly begin to place the object back, whipping my head around to find the source of the voice.

Only, the voice was usually an aisle over, reprimanding little toddler Emily for attempting to touch shiny sparklies in the glasswares section.

Toddler Emilys abound, believe you me. The name was top of the charts for at least 5 years running, and hovered up there for many more than that. It's only just now sinking & being replaced by similar, but different, Emmas and Emilias. My cousin named her daughter Emmalee. I like that better. Much more original.

And certainly better than "Bella" which is sopping up attention by parents everywhere, unfortunately due to the Twilight drama these days.

But back to Emily. Do ya know how many different nicknames can stEM from the name?

Emily
Em
Emmy
Aunty Emmy (Serena version #1)
Aunty Emily (Serena version #2)
Aunty Em
Embily (High school memories...)
EmbilyB (...turned into an e-mail address.)
Ellamy (back when my nephew couldn't say it properly.)
Aunty Ellamy (when he learned to tag aunty on the front.)
Emberly
Emerson
Emster
Meem
Me-me (by myself, as a toddler.)
Emmer
Eminem (unfortunately.)
M
M&M's (ewwww.)
Ematree
Ematwee
Emerly
Emergency
And multiple others that I'm not thinking of at the moment.

I am well -loved.

But you know what? My favourite is simple "Em" - I always catch it the first time a new friend uses it. Sometimes I'm a little upset by people who use it too prematurely, but usually it's a thrill.

It's especially special when used by the people I love most of all.

Thank you, people.