Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Happy 20th Birthday Sacha

Felix the Cat

                    Felixthecat

Is there a story behind your name? I was named after a woman who had a dance-exercise show in the 50s. My Mother liked to dance.

French Husband has a very typical name from Bretagne. Until recently, in France, first names were by region. Acceptable names of the region were listed at the City Hall. That is why the French have such classic, traditional French names, they were controlled. Names such as: Pierre, Stephan, Jean, Michelle, Francoise, Nicole…

It is highly unusual to know a French person older than twenty named something like: Cherry, or Paris, or Corey, or Zane…

With our first child, French Husband let me pick out the name. Chelsea is a very hard name to say in French. It is butchered and sounds like Jelsee. Though as I did not speak French well at that time I had no idea what a challenge Chelsea's name would be. French Husband had to go to the city hall and request permission to name our daughter Chelsea. Since I was a foreigner, the name Chelsea was accepted.

When I was pregnant with our second child I asked French Husband if he had a boy's name that he liked. He did. He opened his wallet and took out a small piece of paper which had six names written on it.

The French names were:

1) Albert, after his great-Grandfather. I balked…and said, "Honey, even though your family's silver and linens have "A" for Albert on them, I don't think I could call my baby Albert."

2) Alfred. A poet or something. I thought "Alfie is cute for a baby but when he grows older how will Alfie sound?" Though French Husband shook his head saying, "Alfie, who said Alfie? Alfred is the name."

I cringed.

3) Morgane. I liked that one. But in France it is consider taboo to name a baby with a name that is already in the family. I had a cousin named Morgan. So French Husband scratched the name off the list.

4) Quentin. I tried to say it, honestly I did, and instead said a bad word. Worse than merde. French Husband accused me of saying it badly on purpose. But I couldn't get it right. "Q" and "U" are hard sounds to say in French. Finally, after a great debate French Husband realized that our child would probably grow up with a complex, because his American family would be saying a swear word starting with "F" for his child's name.

5) Arthur. Which is pronounced like the Star War character, "R2 D2." Honestly, it sounds just like that. R2 D2.

6) The last name on his list was Felix

"Like the cat?" I yelled. French Husband said he was certain that nobody thought of a cat when they heard the name Felix, and that I was exaggerating. I exaggerate it is true, but everyone thinks of Felix as a cat.

Chelsea named our son Sacha, and that is another story for another day.

What is the story of your name?

Happy Birthday Sacha!! 

 

Comments

50 responses to “Happy 20th Birthday Sacha”

  1. Penny

    Penelope. I was named after my paternal grandmother, whom I adored. It is a very old Grecian name, of course, and I often will say I was named so, like the long suffering Penelope . . . Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, my name was often, usually butchered. Pen-el-ope (like antelope) Pen-o-poly (like monopoly). Penlop. Grade school wasn’t so bad, but high school. How I would cringe in each new class as we were seated in alphabetical order. Still, I love my name and am grateful to Penelope Cruse, for now everyone can pronounce it – well, at the least the men can. tee hee
    I am called Penny.

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  2. Kit

    I quite like the name Felix, but I never had the association with a cat!
    My parents wanted to call me Kit, but thought I ought to be christened something grander, in case I grew out of the short name. Nobody has ever called me Katerina, but that is what is on my birth certificate, just in case I ever grow too elegant or grand for my real name!

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  3. Cherise

    Love the story!
    We had a long debate about our son’s (2nd child) name. Even before the first (a girl) was born, he liked Lenaïc. We live in the US, I dislike the name “Lenny” and knew he’d be called that. On to pregnancy #2, and even after our son was born, we hadn’t decided on a name, but I had agreed to short list which include Lenaïc. Eventually, after about 24 hours, I decided it was a nice name, and though he’d forever have to spell it/correct pronunciation, which is what I have to do with my name, it would be ok.
    So, Lenaïc it is. Most American kids, especially younger kids, get it on the first or second try. Adults struggle forever. I figure if people end up calling him Lenny, he can decide if he likes that or not, and I’ll try not to cringe. But I like the name now, and can’t imagine him as anything else.

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  4. BabsM

    I was named Barbara so I could be called Babs, after the character my mother played in her senior play. I have the script she saved.

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  5. Ruth

    one of my names is Amada (named after an aunt that committed suicide after being prohibited to speak to the man she loved….. uhm yeah it was 60+ years ago)and it was the name I went by as a child and during my elementary school years a popular song in spanish was ‘Amada Amante’ – roughly translates to ‘Loved Lover’ and oh did I ever get teased with that now lovely song….. my mom did sneak in a first name which my father did not find out about until he saw it on my immigration papers and he thought it was a mistake!….. lol
    My mother was a sneaky one…..

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  6. Meredith

    I am named after Tom Brokaw’s wife Meredith. She and my dad washed dishes together in college in South Dakota. I always wonder if my dad didn’t have a secret crush on her…

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  7. Lorene

    I had to laugh at this story as it reminds me of my husband and I trying to name our two children. He always liked the name Emily. Which was his great-grandmothers name. Every name I came up with he shot it down. So finally I said fine but the middle name will be Marie after my both of my Grandmothers. And every boy name I came up with was the same thing. That name reminds me of some guy in school and so on. I was so frustrated. We picked a boy name while I was in labor.
    When we had our second child the same thing happened but I fought for the girl name. He conceded. Well we didn’t have a boy name. We were in labor again and he said how about Donald. His uncle had just died, I was like no! I know what you are doing but I will not have my child named that. So we ended up using the name we had picked out the last time. I was so convinced it was a girl. We had a boy and I wouldn’t change it for anything.
    As far as my name goes. My Mom says there was a family that had a daughter with that name so that is who I was named after. She liked the name. And of course it gets butchered when people try to pronounce my name and write it. Sometimes you just get tired of correcting people!

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  8. Jenna

    Happy happy birthday Sacha, hope it’s a good one.

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  9. Lana Kloch

    oh corey, isn’t it obvious where my name came from? my father served in wwll and he loved the movie stars. i was named after lana turner… it was fun when i was younger. now, it reveal just how old i am…omg

    Reply
  10. Pearl Cobarrubias

    My grandmother liked the saying Perla del Mar…Pearl of the Sea, my mother went along with it and Pearl I became.

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  11. Paulita

    Corey, Funny story. What a pickle when mixing cultures and naming children. Even without mixing cultures, we struggled.
    I had three girls’ names picked out and my husband insisted he would shorten them to boy nicknames, like Franky for Francesca. So we ended up with Grace — my grandmother’s name and my middle name.

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  12. Anjanette

    Love Love Love that story and your friend’s stories above. I was named after an actress in the TV Guide as my mom lay pregnant on the couch. Anjanette is suppose to mean “angel” in french; someone I met with the same name said her grandmother told her that.
    When Dean & I married, I claimed Madeline for a girl, we had 3 boys. Dean named all the boys, but I chose all the middle names, though Robert was easy for Greggory since it is the name of both our fathers. (Though his 1st choice, Rasmus or Felix, I vetoed right away. Come to find out, Dean’s dad tried to name one of his son’s those names and Doris said no way ~ this made me feel better)

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  13. Chris M.

    Happy Birthday Sacha! My birthday is today too. I honestly don’t know the story of my name. My parents are gone so I have no one to ask. I loved reading your story.

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  14. Evelyn

    Happy Birthday, Sacha!!! No matter how you got your name, it’s a wonderful one, and I hope your birthday is a very special day!! Corey, I loved this story! Choosing names for our children is such a heavy responsibility! My names are what I consider very old fashioned: Evelyn Lorene (the Lorene after my mother), and I complained about both of them as I was growing up. However…when I studied French later and heard them pronounced “en français,” all was forgiven! Such a beautiful language!
    Looking forward to your next tale…
    Evelyn in the Midwest

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  15. Nicole

    I was named Nicole and my sister was named Pamela. Boh French names chosen because we were America girls born in Verdun, France.

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  16. Zosia

    It’s funny how names have different connotations in different cultures. When I lived in Canada, my Polish friends named their Canadian-born baby boy Hubert, after the maternal grandfather. The Canadian friends asked “don’t you like your son?” and burst out laughing. When they stopped howling, they said the name conjured up images of a nerd with his pants up to his neck and glasses taped with elastoplast on his nose. Go figure.
    I wrote a similar post about naming babies in Poland (some fun stuff in there too) http://polonicahomeagain.blogspot.com/2011/05/name-day-imieniny.html .
    I am named after my Mom (I am the youngest child in the family). The oldest child, my brother, is named after my father. It is not the rule in Poland, it’s just like that in our family.

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  17. jackie

    Happy Birthday Sacha! Corey, please also tell the story of how Sacha got his name, I love that story. I am Jackie, which is because Jackie Kennedy was just beginning to be famous at the time and because my dad’s name is John (but everyone called him Jack) and I was the 4th child, 4th girl. I think they thought “It looks like she’s only going to have girls, we better name this one after Jack.” My mom went on to have 4 more kids, all boys!

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  18. Zosia

    Oh, and Happy Birthday, Sacha!
    Bonne fête!
    Sto lat!

    Reply
  19. Sue

    My mom had it narrowed down to Leslie Ann, Kathy Ann, and Sue Ann (sort of after her sister, Suzanne, who goes by Sue). My siblings (all 10-15 years older than me) chose Sue Ann. I have always thought my name was terribly boring, but when it became clear that I was going to live in Japan long term I was glad for the absence of L and TH. :o)
    Once in a while I get mistaken for a Japanese old lady and called “Su-eh”. It’s a very old fashioned name, indeed, and means “youngest child” – which actually works for me!
    I really like to be called by my full name, but it sounds horrible in Japanese, to my ears anyway, so I usually go by just Sue.

    Reply
  20. Deborah

    My name is a dead give-way to my age. My mother was apparently very fond of Debbie Reynolds, but at least gave me the full version-Deborah- but for years I was Debbie and still am to some of my family. I think it’s a nickname you outgrow by 10!
    I go by Deb now, except for my husband who calls me the full version. maybe some women can pull it off, but I felt silly being called such a little girl’s name. But what do I know? it still works for Debbie Reynolds!

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  21. martina

    After my Grandma! Except she spelled her name with an e instead of an a at the end. Tres classy, non?

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  22. Maria

    I am named after my mothers maternal grandmother, Maria, who passed away while my mother was expecting me. What is funny is that everyone called her Manana ( rhymes with banana) after my aunt had trouble pronouncing Nonna Maria when she was a toddler.. ( It came out Manana.) any way I never liked my name because when I was little in the 1960s people always thought of 2 songs– “how do you solve a problem like Maria ” from the sound of music, and “Maria” from West Side Story ( I just met a girl maned Maria…) and they would invariably start singing it to me….enough already!! …:)

    Reply
  23. Maria

    My mother wanted to name my sister Lenora, which was my fathers sisters name( she just liked the name.) Her mother declared, ” Fine. I’ll just call her “Baby.” — because she really wanted a baby named after her. My mom ended up naming Her Loretta. …;)

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  24. Annette

    The Dionne quintuplets were a sensation in 1943, when I was born. One of them was named Annette, a unique name at the time, and my mother chose that name. Nothing like dating myself. Oh well. French was my college major, so I named my daughter Suzanne, because I thought it sounded “French”. Everyone calls her Suzie.

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  25. Marilyn

    I don’t know the story of my name. Now I wish I knew it. All I know is there was a boy’s name picked out of Richard, but no girl’s name until I was born. I love the name you ended up for your children.

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  26. cathi

    Happy Birthday Sacha! I so wanted to name my daughter Chelsea but at the time our neighbors dogs name was Chelsea, so everyone was horrified that I would want to name her after a dog…haha…Her name is Stephanie Elizabeth. I was watching the US Open when I was pregnant and Steffi Graf was playing and I loved the nickname Steffi, that is how Stephanie got her name. Wonderful story Corey!

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  27. Kerri

    After I read your post I watched House Hunters International. There was a couple looking for a house in France and they had a son named Felix. I thought that was too funny.
    My mom got my name out of the newspaper.

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  28. Carol

    My grandfather and fathers name was Thomas so my mother wanted to name me e female version, Tomasina, as I was the first born. Her mother in law was horrified by the name and picked Carol, which my mother went with instead. Which always surprised me because she never listened to her about anything else !

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  29. Carol

    Hppy Birthday Sacha !

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  30. momof5

    I love everyone’s stories of their names. Happy birthday to Sacha. My name is Michelle, chosen by my father whose first language was French. My husband and I chose Natalie as a favored girls name but when our 1st daughter was born she looked nothing like a Natalie we both agreed. Her name is Katherine and we call her Kate. We let our son name the dog so when our third child was born Kate thought it only fair that she got to name the baby. She chose the name Sarah.

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  31. Irina

    Happy Birthday to Sacha!
    Sacha is a very popular name in Russia and Ukraine, it’s short for Alexander. The English spelling would be Sasha though 🙂

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  32. Violet Cadburry

    Felix is a wonderful name for a cat with a magic bag of tricks, and also for Felix Unger – remember the Odd Couple, he was the OCD one who couldn’t stop cleaning. Happy Birthday Sacha — is it pronounced Sash-a or Sack-a? Either way, unique and utterly romantic. My husband and I could not agree on any names so we call our children No. 1, No. 2, etc. Just kidding! But I bought 8 name books and we literally went through every book and could only agree on Alexander if a boy and Alexandra if a girl. Ha, the next pregnancy was twins and we found out the sex first so I named Twin A – Julian and my husband named Twin B – Christopher. Or vice versa, it is all a blur now. My oldest will be 20 in September.

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  33. nancy

    I love the name Félix (sorry didn’t think of cat).
    Yes…Sasha is the short name for Alexander.
    Happy Birthday Sacha!!! xxn

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  34. Miriam

    Happy Birthday Sacha!!!!

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  35. jend’isère

    Happy Birthday Sacha! Does your sister tease you with a nickname, like Felix? A Russian friend has a daughter named Alexandra, whom she calls Sacha/Sasha depending if she is in France or Germany, but around the house it is Sashoo!

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  36. Linda G.

    Happy birthday, Sacha! Your name seems to suit you perfectly. My father’s family claimed that Jenny Lind, a singer known as “The Swedish Nightingale,” was a distant relative, so I was named after her. Maybe that’s why I love to sing (but only around the house!). Also — I was interested to read that Meredith said she was named after Tom Brokaw’s wife. My husband was a television broadcaster in Iowa years ago and worked with Tom before he became famous!

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  37. LindaLinda

    Linda. There was a popular song called “Hello, Linda” when I was born as well as the actress Linda Darnel. I was going to be Anita Eillen but an evil cousin used it first. When we moved to another city, I was renamed Penny (my last name was Pennington) as there were two other Linda’s in the class so went by that until we moved.

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  38. Alan

    Not only do I think of the cat when I hear the name Felix, that song starts running through my mind. Felix the cat, the wonderful, wonderful, cat. Whenever he gets in a fix he reaches into his bag of tricks.
    I wonder how long it will take to get that out of my head.

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  39. Karen C

    Happy birthday to Sacha, but Corey, you will have to do better than this.
    This is the third time you have posted this story but you are still to tell us why or how Chelsea came to give Sacha his name .
    Please, put me out of my misery and tell all, you little tease!
    All our sons names are because we just liked them.
    Joel
    Liam
    Xavier

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  40. Clare

    My name is Clare which is typically spelled with an “i” in the middle. I was named after my grandmother Clara. When I moved to France I was told that my name wasn’t pronounced like Claire at all, but rather rhymes with “far”. Now rather than correcting the way people spell my name, I’m correcting the way they pronounce it! I thought Sacha may have been named after the great French singer, Sacha Distel.

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  41. Peggy Braswell

    I was suppose to be a boy name Ernest John( after my father) but tada…I was a girl! they named me Peggy-(not Margaret)
    a family name-the middle name is Frances(after a uncle named francis). what an interesting blog post. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

    Reply
  42. Helene

    I was named after a character in War and Peace, Helene which my mother was reading while pregnant. I like the name but have to go to France to have it pronounced right. The name should have accents (grave and ague) over the “e”s but I can never find them on the typing devices, computer or the old typewriters. So the confusion of pronunciation of my name will continue for the rest of my life. The most fun derivation has been Hell-ee-ny.

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  43. Linda P.

    Happy Belated Birthday to Sacha!

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  44. peggy aplSEEDS

    happy birthday, Sacha! i enjoyed this post so much. so funny!

    Reply
  45. Karon

    Nothing exciting about my name, but I named my gorgeous daughter after the heroinne in a movie. Idgy (Imogen) in Fried Green Tomatoes At The Whistlestop Cafe. I loved the film and loved the character of the nature loving wild child. My Idgy is a nature loving wild child with a calm and loving nature who is arty, crafty and adores her friends.
    A pretty good choice on the name front I guess.
    K x

    Reply
  46. Nancy

    I was named Nancy by my father, who (being an artist) loved the comic strip character Nancy. As I always say, I am grateful I don’t have a brother named Sluggo.

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  47. Nancy

    Oh! Forgot to mention my youngest daughter’s name…I saw it on tv and fell in love with it..Tasia. People misprounce it all the time, but like I tell them, it’s “Asia with a T”. My older daughter is named Sandy Michelle, as I thought it would be cute to call her ‘Sandy Shell’. As it turns out, both of my daughters are deaf (same as my parents), so neither of them ever get to actually hear their names being said.

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  48. Marie-Noëlle

    I can’t wait to hear that “other story”, Corey, you’ve kept holding us with the promise but have never told us …
    Please… DO tell us !!!
    THANK YOU !

    Reply
  49. Ellen Felix

    Felix is my married name – it is German. Funny, when people ask me how to spell the name I always say Felix like the cat! Happy Birthday Sacha.

    Reply
  50. Chelsea

    I am a (rare) male Chelsea, named after the area in London. I grew up initially in France and so can relate to how difficult it is for them to pronounce the name Chelsea.

    Reply

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