You named me what?
It’s not a big secret; just a little baby one. Huddle up. My name isn’t really Kari. I mean, it is Kari, but it’s really Carrie. I changed the spelling when I was 13 for no reason at all. It’s not my fault though. My dad started things off right by spelling it Carry on my birth certificate. Carry is a verb not a name, in case we aren’t clear on that. It’s fine though. One daughter out of six children and you make her a verb—no biggie. High five for the effort there dad.
My dad (who believes himself never to be wrong) claims he spelled it Carry on purpose so he could tell ask me to carry things for him. Good one, dad. I heard that joke about every two minutes growing up— “Carrie will you carry this” hardee, har, har. Of course my dad will deny all of this. I can hear him now– “I never said that!” Sure dad. I just hallucinated all the way through my childhood, that’s it.
Actually, when I heard “Carrie will you carry this” is the only time I ever heard myself called Carrie because my dad always just called me “girl.” I guess when you’re the only female running around it works but I still have a complex about it. My mom and my brothers just called me “sis” and still do. The boys (my brothers) were just “the boys”…although none of them were ever verbs. To level the playing field I would like to announce all their real names: Robert, William, Michael, Bradford, and Christopher. Shall we do middle names too? Yes, I think so: Robert Lee (the 2nd, mind you), William Eugene, Michael Harold, Bradford Neal, and Christopher Thomas. Bam. It’s on the internet. That’s what “the boys” get for not reading this—no say whatsoever when their full names are revealed on the ol internet. Wahahahaha <———————– Laugh of power and conniving. It’s okay, none of their real names are even that bad so we can all move on.
You mess with me, I mess with you
Changing the spelling of my name was fun until it was confusing. When I went to college, I had to list my legal name on everything but then when I turned in exams and such I would spell it the super awesome way with a K. Some of my teachers seriously started to question whether I even knew how to spell my name.
After college came work and marriage and the confusion continued. Everything legal has to have it spelled with a C. This always goes down the same way: I’m at the bank, new job, wherever filling out paperwork. I sign my name first with a K and then realize it doesn’t match my license and such and won’t fly. So I, blushing, try to explain that, oh actually, I spelled my name wrong on that…I’ll just ex that out and try again. This is of course not the best way to open a bank account or start a new job. The people at the bank always look at me like I’m a criminal trying to steal someone’s identity.
After I got married and changed my last time, I tried to legally change the spelling of my first name to end the confusion once and for all. They wouldn’t let me do it. Can you believe that? Geez. It’s my name isn’t it. Well, at least that’s what I told my parents in junior high when refusing to spell it the “right way” as they call it.
Oh, and to rub it in that I spell my name the “wrong way” my parents started spelling everything the wrong way. My dad spells daddy “dadi.” Are you kidding me? My parents have always called me Ladybug. I have no idea why. You would think if you had a nickname your whole life you would remember some story or reason as to why. Nope. No idea. Anyway, now my parents spell it Ladibug. Funny aren’t they? It wasn’t that bad until I started blogging and my mother decided to go ahead and call me Ladibug in all of her comments. Oh good, she’s using my childhood nickname…spelled wrong 8/
It’s okay. I get my vengeance by telling stories about them on the internet. Who knows what I’ll decide to talk about next. I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it though…it’s just your whole life spelled out on the World Wide Web :]
Call me Ladybug one more time…
Outside Air 
Loved this story. I always wished that my name was spelled differently too. I saw an article in the newspaper when I was about 12 and it said that Sherry could be spelled 10 ways! I thought the way my name was spelled was just boring and wanted to change it. I wanted to even before that because I had met a Sherri, and a Sheri—much better spellings!
Now, Carrie Ann was a great name in my book! I named my favorite doll that when I was 5. That could be because my sister listened to her 45’s in our bedroom ever since I can remember! Consequently, I know all of the late 50’s-60’s songs quite well. Carrie Ann was one of my favorites.
That got me thinking—I never asked my Mom why she named me Sherry. So, I called my Dad today and asked him—well, he isn’t sure. But, he knew that they didn’t know anyone else with that name at the time. Then I called my sister. (Mom had a story for her name) She is almost 10 years older than me, so, maybe she would know. After talking to her she is pretty sure it is because of listening to the radio back then and the song Sherry, by the 4 Seasons would have played since it came out a year before I was born! So, now when people randomly sing that to me–I can think there IS a connection. I am going to call an aunt soon and ask her what she thinks, since my Mom spent the last 2 months of her pregnancy with me at her house because they were near the hospital. So, Kari, thanks…you made me want to ask 🙂
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It is interesting finding out why our parents named us what they did. It’s funny too how often I hear that a name wasn’t used at all when the parents picked it and then it started getting popular soon after…weird. Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you find out exactly why you were named what you were :]
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My name is actually Samantha but in Jr. High I started spelling it Symanntha. It didn’t catch on so I gave up. But that is the time that I started writing poetry so I always sign my poetry “Symanntha”. I like having a pen name.
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I changed the spelling of my name for Jo real reason when I was about twelve. From Laura to Lora. I think I saw it in a book. Then legal stuff for confusing as you say, ao I went back to Laura. I was defeated. You have stuck to your guns, well done!
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I think that spelling it with a K is better than ‘Carry’, But I would seriously consider changing it back to ‘Carrie’. In any case, It’s a good idea to remember that you parents are different people from you, with their own reactions to parents and childhood, and everyone makes mistakes. Now that you’re grown up, you can repair some of the little mistakes easily. It is possible to legally change your name. If you have trouble with it, consult a lawyer.
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Hi Shimon, Thanks for reading and following my blog. I enjoy reading your blog as well. I’m fascinated by your life in Jerusalem and would love to visit Israel someday if at all possible.
I meant for this post to be entirely humorous and never meant for it to sound like I was criticizing my parents; I’m sorry if it came across as criticism. My mom actually went back and changed my name to “Carrie” (instead of Carry) on my birth certificate. I always say my dad was just too excited about having his first daughter to worry about the spelling of her name :] Even though I like my name better with a K, I think you make a good point about how my parents are different from me and have different reasons and reactions than I do. I’m now glad it didn’t work out when I tried to change the legal spelling of my name because I found out later my mom chose to spell it with a C because she wanted me to have the same initials as her (her name also starts with a C and we share the same middle name). Now that I know the significance behind the C I don’t want to change it. Maybe someday I’ll start spelling it with a C again—probably when I have children of my own and I don’t want them thinking about changing the names I give them :] Thanks again for reading!
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very cute! I changed the way I spell my name in junior high. I also replaced a ‘y’ for an ‘i’… but, being that my blog name is anonymous… I will not reveal much else… I did however, have the nickname snakehips from my mom… I was called that, because, like a snake, I did not have hips…. no one can say that about me now… great post.
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I like that your blog is anonymous. Sometimes I wish my blog was anonymous because I could be more open and honest but then I wouldn’t be able to share what I’m up to with my family in the same way.
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I know… I sometimes think that eventually I won’t be as reticent about posting photos and things as I love to see photos in blogs, but for now I am determined to post as few photos as possible to keep the illusion of being anonymous.
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ha so funny and i have a secret i don’t tell many at least not on the web…my real name is Carrie.
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Aww, I didn’t know we shared the same name. Thanks for telling me your secret :] Congrats on the new book too! If I had an e-reader of some kind I would buy it…but I don’t :]
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I didn’t know that either. I got the same jokes as you! Did you get called Care Bear? Thank you re book! I don’t have an e-reader either and i’m thinking i should get one to support some Authors on here! it can be downloaded into word, but i want to be spoiled with an e-reader…lol
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Carry, Carrie Kari….ummmm…I mean LADIBUG!!! It really could have been worse you know, you could have been one of a set of triplets which I would have named April, May and June. Wahahaha. Love you, mommabug.
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Oh ya, I forgot you were going to do that. You could have just named the three oldest boys April, May, and June. They deserve it, you know.
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Kari thanks for the memories
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No prob Gram :]
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I prefer “C” over “K” for most names (Catherine for example) but in your case, I actually much prefer “Kari” to “Carry”. I’m actually very impressed by your unique spelling 🙂
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Thanks, I like it with a K much better too :]
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