My godson Michael has been joyfully expecting his first child but the controversy over the baby’s name has been raging for months. Michael is a real hockey fan and when he told his mother that he was going to name his son Stanley after the Cup all hell broke loose.
“Stanley? What do you mean, Stanley? That is an ugly name. It’s old fashioned. It’s an ugly name, you can’t name a baby Stanley.” My sister exclaimed. If you could only hear the tone she uses when she pronounces STAN-ley.
Since then Jeanette has discussed the name with her family and friends ad naseum and she is in deep despair over this name. In fact she was speaking to her god daughter’s mother about Stanley and made the comment that she hopes it will be a girl so they will forget about the name Stanley. Some weeks later Jeanette was babysitting Cassidy and met a friend while they were out somewhere and Jeanette mentioned that Michael and Audrey were expecting. Then very quietly Cassidy enters the conversation.
“We’re hoping for a girl because we don’t want a Stanley.”
You can never say anything in front of a child without it coming back to haunt you!
Meanwhile I was down in Ecuador enjoying various shopping expeditions and I happened to find this beautiful Ecuadorian shirt for a little boy which I ended up buying for my great nephew Scott. I mentioned it on Facebook. Next thing I know Jeanette is skyping me to ask if I will be getting something for Stanley. Well, I was feeling very guilty so I started looking around for something for a baby boy, telling my companions that I needed to find a present for Stanley.
“Whose Stanley?” they asked.
“Oh, that’s my great nephew who is due in March.”
Now that we have been talking about Stanley for six months I have sort of become accustomed to the name and I think when you say a name often enough it sort of grows on you. And in our respective circles Jeanette and I have made Stanley a celebrity of sorts.
To paraphrase Shakespeare “A rose by any other name is still a Stanley.”
So, welcome to the world Stanley!
My Teacher Associate's Eng 30-1s are studying "Streetcar Named Desire" and I couldn't help but laugh b/c that is the name of the antagonist who shouts "Stelllaaaa!" Let's hope he's as hot as Marlon Brando (in those days) and as classy as Clark Gable.
ReplyDeleteHow coincidental! I was thinking of that Stanley last night after I wrote the blog! Perhaps I should do a follow up of all the famous Stanley's --- I was looking at the images trying to find a Stanley picture but nothing seemed right!
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