E is for....

E is for Elizabeth.


Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Promised by God

Elizabeth. Elsie. Ebby. Bess. Betty. Beth. Betsy. Ebby. Liz. Liza. Lizzy. Liz'Beth. Libby.

Elizabeth is a family name on my father's side. My Great Grandmother's middle name was Elizabeth. My Grandmother's name is Elizabeth. She goes by Betty. My Aunt's middle names is Elizabeth. She was the only daughter. I was the next female to come along on that side of the family.

My mother wanted to name me Jennifer. My father knew a Jennifer, and hated the name. And so it went. Back and forth. Every name that one liked, the other didn't. Hundreds of names. A hundred different reason's why they didn't like it. Elizabeth was mentioned, being a family name and all. My mother refused to name me after my grandmother, as much as she loved her. And so they settled on Beth. (Hebrew, House of God)

My whole life, I've had to explain to people that I'm Just. Plain. Beth. Not Bethany. Not Elizabeth. No, it isn't short for ANYTHING. Beth. Four letters. When I was growing up I hated my name. It was boring. It had no cute nicknames. (well, none that I got as a child). I was the only Beth in my school. Booooooooooooooring, did I mention boring? My friends all had great names. I had boring Beth.

My aunt had a baby when I was in Jr. High, and her middle name became Elizabeth. It was then I found out that it was a family name. And I heard the story of the hundreds of names I wasn't. And I secretly swore under my breath about stupid family traditions and blah blah blah.

When I was 23 I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She was born with gorgeous blue eyes and dark hair like her mother. She overcame a turmulous birth, and has grown up to be a stunning young girl with dirty blonde hair and those same gorgeous blue eyes. And did I mention those eyelashes, and the legs up to there? Her middle name is Elizabeth. And I tell her often how special it is to have a name that is a family tradition.