eleanorfromthecommentbox: Names are important

Monday, July 11, 2011

Seven

The Beckhams named their baby Harper Seven. I understand Harper, OK, it's a bit of a trend at the moment. Everyone loves to love "To Kill A Mockingbird," you know, the author Harper Lee and then Scout is also making a showing. Not my cup of tea, but I can deal with Harper, and I'm even willing to look the other way and smile at Scout.

But Seven?

Please.

A number is not a name. I don't care if it's the number on the shirt of her really, really talented soccer-playing Daddy. I don't care if she was born at 7am on the the 7th of the 7th. Surely they must have accumulated a wonderful list of girls' names by now, surely they realise that girls' names are the most wonderful names to choose, so much more fun than choosing boys' names, really, especially after you've had three boys.

Seven? Seven is a movie starring Brad Pitt, with Gwyneth Paltrow's severed head in a box.

What has happened to the truly meaningful tradition of naming one's child after a dearly loved relative who has passed away? Call me an egoist but it gives me great joy to imagine that my great-great-great-granddaughter might be called Eleanor, in my memory.

Commentary box

It all started when I read a newspaper article about blogging which mentioned Catherine Newman, who mentioned Journeymama. Journeymama had a link to Blackbird. Blackbird basically linked to every single blogger in the entire blogosphere. I hung out in lots and lots of comment boxes as an “Anonymous”, but I had more and more to say every day and the comment boxes were soon far too small for me. I was toying with the idea of starting my own blog when I met Kim at the Growers’ Market; I introduced myself to her and she said “Oh, you’re Eleanor from my comment box?! You should start a blog.” So I did. After a few weeks, Blackbird mentioned me and Eurolush (2 new bloggers) in one of her posts. From that day onwards I met some of the most fabulous bloggers a gal could wish for, plus...Eurolush and I became blog-blood sisters. I got to know Mary, Suse, Badger, BabelBabe, Alice C, Tuli, Kmkat, RW, Jen, Trashalou and many many others. Mary introduced me to two extraordinary gardens, and it was via her comment box that I met dear Anna from Sweden (the very morning after I had watched a Swedish film and said to my husband “Wouldn’t it be great to find a Swedish blogger?”). Anna introduced me to Maria, and both now blog regularly in English, which is amazing. Anna also introduced me to Esti in Spain, whose art brings me so much happiness on a daily basis. Duyvken first showed up in my life when I read a comment she left in Kim’s box a mere 24 hours after giving birth to JW. Coffeelady showed up in Eurolush’s commentbox recently, making a very rude remark about my running ability, and therefore immediately winning a place in my heart. Julia visited my library all the way from Prague recently. So...I’ve been having a great deal of fun with my blog. But, remember, dear dear reader, it all started with me being an “Anonymous”, and therefore I must also mention (last but certainly not least) my favourite Anonymous, the one, the only...... LAURA. So...go on...what are you waiting for? Pick a blogger, click in a box and comment.