When you’re young, the simplest thing can cause a great deal of angst. For me, it was my family name. It’s quite unremarkable in the scheme of things but it took me a while to figure that out and even longer to embrace it.
As my mother used to tell it, when I was little, whenever I met anyone, I’d always tell them my full name. As if that wasn’t enough, I’d spell my last name, emphasizing the ‘y’ and the ‘e.’ I didn’t want anyone getting my Mayne wrong.
Then I started going to school with Thomases, Browns, Smiths, etc., and as the only Mayne, I was teased relentlessly (main road, horse mane, you get the picture). My then uncommon name, the name I had been so proud of, began to feel like a weight I didn’t want to carry. (When you’re little, you want to be special. Then comes that awkward time, when you just want to be regular.)
I was not quite 6 when my mom, a school teacher, moved to a new school and took me with her. There I heard about a student, Jasmine Baskiratic (I’ve spelled it phonetically), whose name sounded weirder than mine. Almost all the kids called her ‘Basket Racket.’ I never did. I was just relieved not to be the object of everyone’s ridicule.
Moving to Canada, so many names were unusual (to me) that mine didn’t even raise an eyebrow. From time to time, though, I’d get asked if I were related to a Mayne the person knew.
I was taken aback the first time I was asked. The attendant at the gym on campus, another student, asked if I were Robert Mayne’s sister. I chucked, out of relief (I’m not the only one) and because of another story my mother used to tell. When she was pregnant, my grandfather was so sure I would be a boy that he named me Robert and called me Bobby Mayne until the day he found out that I was a girl. (I like Bobby Mayne.)
Over the years, I’ve come to accept the uniqueness of my name. People have remarked on its musicality, the way it flows easily off the tongue. Someone even said that it sounded like a stage name.
All of this helped me get comfortable with my name. And since it’s taken me so long to accept, I vowed never to change it.
I stopped in my tracks one day in my favorite liquor store when I noticed a bottle of Bordeaux with my name on it. My head swelled! I was so stoked, I ordered a couple cases and sent a bottle to family members. I also included a note telling them that it had been such a good harvest that year and demand was strong. Unfortunately, it meant that they could get only a bottle.
Just before my aunt returned to the U.K., I presented her with a few bottles. The look on her face when she saw the label is forever etched in my memory.
When friends came over, I’d put a few bottles out without making an announcement. It was fun to watch as the first person noticed the name. I still get a kick out of doing that.
I had hoped to visit the Chateau Grand Mayne on my trip to France but I ran out of time.
As if having a vineyard and wines with my name weren’t enough, one night I stumbled upon a place called Mayne Island. Named after Royal navy lieutenant, Richard Charles Mayne, Mayne Island is 21 kilometers square and home to about 900 permanent residents. It is located off the coast of British Columbia and north of Washington state’s San Juan Islands.
Now I’m definitely on the map! How many people can say that?
I’d never Googled my name until I started writing this piece and was surprised to find it in the urbandictionary (I didn’t even knew one existed!). The Urbandictionary attributes its meaning to, among other things, a corruption of the word ‘man’ as in the movie Scarface and its use in the South. Of course, that makes absolutely no sense to me.
But I found two people with the same names as my uncles, Cuthbert and Seymour. Cuthbert, 1544-1577, was an English Roman Catholic priest and martyr (it took guts to be a Roman Catholic in England at that time), and Seymour, is a Canadian poet and literary translator. (I have some impressive shoes to fill!)
Mayne is said to be a derivation from the Latin magnus and the French magne which mean great, large, rich, powerful.
I’ve heard that there are Maynes in Spain, Australia, Canada, Venezuela, the US and Ghana. My family’s still unsure whether Mayne came to us through Scotland or Ireland — we’ve heard both. But following my journey of acceptance, it doesn’t matter much now where it came from. What matters is how I wear it.
To the Maynes everywhere!
Wait… so that means I was pronouncing it wrong then. What exactly are the phonetics for your name? I loved having a super common last name, I think it’s pretty ironic though: Uncommon first name, super common last name. The only bad thing about my last name is that it’s more popular with Mexicans. So people always assume I’m Mexican, when I’m actually Puerto Rican (there’s a big difference). Wish I could say I had my name on a cool product…
I do get a lot of flak for my first name though (pronounced “oh-zai-is”), everybody always says “Ho-zai-is” or “Oh-zai-ya”. I’ve become immune to the laughing though, I’ve seen everything when it comes to my name, so i don’t even care anymore.
In 8th grade, there was a classmate with the last name “Ikibuchi” everybody just called him “Itchy-booty” though. I felt so bad for him.
My name’s pronounced like main, mane, Maine. The only diff between my Mayne and Maine is the y/i substitution.
I wouldn’t have thought Sanchez was Mexican — hmmm. I know what you mean by big difference. That’s like when people mistake Jamaicans for one of the other islands, like Trinidad.
You’re the first Ozias I know. It’s a pretty cool name. I like it. Hahaha, thank goodness my name isn’t Ikibuchi!
Thanks, Sherry! It took a little while for me to realize it wasn’t so bad after all.
Yes, it’s a pretty simple pronunciation — it’s like Wayne (I get called that sometimes because people are more used to seeing that) with an M.
How interesting! I’m glad you embraced your name. I know what you mean about the teasing, as I think we were all teased based on our names when we we younger in one form or another. But we move pass it and learn to love what is ours; at least I did. The good news is that I’ve been pronouncing your name correctly all along 🙂
You’ve found some good history associated with your name. Girl, you know what my maiden name was? Green. The color. No accents or anything. Well, Fomby’s unique and while the ex wanted me to change my name back on account of him getting remarried, I guess? I opted to keep it ’cause it’s memorable. Now, should I ever remarry and my new hubby’s name is plain, I’m gonna have to think on that change 🙂 I know it’s selfish but it’s really something I’ve thought about. But then, actually, the way it’s going, that may not be an issue 🙂
What’s wrong with Green??? I know some Greens. I know some Totsys too — actually, only one. Totsy Fomby is a beautiful name.
I’ve often wondered what women do when they keep their husband’s name after the divorce then get famous or well known if they ever feel like they should have kept their original name. Or like in your case…how would your husband feel, what would he think if you said, well, hon, I’m gonna keep the other guy’s name. Now that I’m thinking about it, a friend of mine did just that. She’s on her 3rd and decided to keep the 2nd’s name. — hmm, don’t say that. You just never know!
Green is so plain. I mean, it would simplify my life in some regard. Like, I wouldn’t have to spell my entire name. Though, I used to always get asked, :Is that with an e or without?” It got on my nerves. I just started saying, “It doesn’t matter.” But my first name was always pronounced wrong. Now, when people mess up, I don’t even correct them it they come close. I don’t have that kinda time or interest anymore, really.
And you’re right, I don’t know what will happen down the road with my name. Maybe there’s somebody who’ll put up with Totsy ’cause she gets on my nerves sometimes 🙂
I love your name. Sounds like a nom de plume or a name for an actress. Starring Marcia Maynes. MM has a lovely ring to it. Which is why I like my name, Monica Medina. 😉
Hahahaha, that’s funny. Totsy gets on your nerve…
I always correct people when they say my name incorrectly and make sure they get the spelling right — I’m a stickler for such things.
For example, in America, everyone says Marsha but I pronounce it Mar-ci-ah with the emphasis on the first syllable. Funny how people naturally say Garcia and then say Marsha, or Houston (house-ton) and (huseton).
When you find someone who’ll accept your name, don’t wait. Marry him!
Awlll, now I really appreciated this post. Reminded me of this book; Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas… and don’t even get me started on all the names she was teased with, but as I wrote in the review I did on this book, name-teasing is stapled in American customs. I don’t know of anyone NOT teased about their name. And on that note, I won’t dare amuse your audience on what one of my surnames used to be and how unmercifully I was teased about it. But I was teased about my maiden name too. What can be said but sometimes people don’t have enough to laugh at.
By the way, your name holds a nice tune. I like it.
Thanks, Monica! And they have the same number of letters and syllables — I hadn’t noticed that before. It makes your name sound very strong and powerful. Monica Medina. Yours too could be the name of an actress, Monica Medina. I love it!
I actually have 3Ms — like the brand 3M. All 3 of my names start with “Ma.” My first two also begin with “Mar” and have “i” in them. I asked my mom once and she said she never realized.
Thanks for visiting,
Marcia
Thanks, RYCJ.
As I’m reading your comment, I’m wondering what it is about teasing. I wasn’t born here either so it’s not just American. It’s a universal kid thing. I will have to do some reading to find out what it’s about.
Sounds like Firoozeh changed her last name, Dumas. I used to work with some Iranians — almost everyone I met changed their first names to English names. They found something that had the same first letter so Daryoush became David.
So what was your last name?
Thanks for the visit,
Marcia
Yeah, teasing is pretty universal though I was referring to teasing about peoples names being American… at least in so far as according to Iranian values… and others I’ve heard about along the way, naming is considered a sacred process. Firoozeh’s parents, as you pointed out, I believe did change her first name after moving to America however.
…And Nooo, all teasing stops here;-) That surname is history! Not going there today. LoL!!!
Hahahaha, well I told you mine!!!!
I think your name is beautiful. Glad you have come to embrace it. The wine must be fun to pull out!
That’s as a result of so many languages being intermixed into one. In the TESOL, class I’m now taking to teach non-English speakers English, they run into these complications and that’s why our language is so difficult for non-natives.
Thanks, Annie. It was either that or marry someone with a name I liked. And since that didn’t happen — I guess I could have changed it? but I never really had an idea what to change it to — I had to learn to embrace it.
Thanks for visiting,
Marcia
Heck, it’s difficult for a lot of us native speakers!!!
Oh, you should have had my name as a kid…
I got, and still do …
Natalie, Naomi, Naz, Nazza, Nassy, Nelly, Rel, Noni, Muriel, Nasal (as in ‘nose’), Noel (as in the Christmas Noel).At Christmas, other kids used to sing “Narelle, Narelle, the first Narelle”
One of my aunts called me Relle Belle, which my brothers changed to Rebel.
And worst of all, a comedy show here in the 70’s called Kingswood Country had a sheep named Narelle.
Working with kids, they find it tough to say. Mostly the call me Donna which is the name of one of my colleagues.
When people forget my name, I say “it’s alright, I answer to anything”.
I love being a Smith. Yes, I used to get “Smithy” as well.
Marcia Mayne is lovely!
Those are funny!
People never seem to know what to do with unusual names. I like Relle Belle, it sounds charming. Having a sheep called Narelle must have been hard. It’s a pretty name — I’ve like it since I first saw it. And kids can find humor in everything. How did they go from Noel to Narelle?
Friends I made at university call me Marce — I never had a pet name – so I thought it was cute. One friend calls me Mac.
I used to think Smithy was only for men, ditto Scotty. Then I worked with a female Scotty who loves being called that.
Thanks, Narelle. I realize now that it is a lovely name. And I forgot to add: there are 6 or 7 of us on Facebook, including, and this is spooky, one who was born a day before me – same month, same year, same name, one day apart.
I’ll update my post to add that interesting tidbit.