Origin of the nickname "Hester Willa"
This is definitely an FAQ, and the backstory goes like this:
Over three years ago Petunia and I were talking baby names. Actually, I was talking baby names and Petunia was hoping to be anywhere else....
Clementine: You know what? If you want to name a girl after your closest family member we can call her Willa rather than Wilhelmina. Isn't Willa cute? I like it.*
Clementine: You know what name I always liked? Emmeline. What do you think of Emmeline?
Clementine: You know what I don't like? Filler middle names. Let's not give our child one of those, okay?
Petunia, to self: What can I say to make her quit talking about baby names? I know! I'll pretend I like a really horrible name to get her to be quiet.
Petunia, out loud: You know what name I really like a lot? It's a strong New England name with a proud tradition....
Clementine, v. eager to hear: What? What name do you like a lot?
Petunia, proudly: Hester! Isn't Hester a great name?
Clementine, stunned and shaken: What?!?! Hester? That's a terrible name! Like from The Scarlet Letter and everything. It's awful!
Petunia, defensive: What's wrong with Hester? I like it. It's got such character.
[Petunia cracks up and starts to laugh.]
Clementine, realizing she'd been had: Oh shit! I thought you really wanted to name our baby Hester. I was scared there for a minute!
Petunia, teasing: I think we should call our baby Hester Willa. Wouldn't that be a great name?
And so our imaginary child came to be called Hester Willa. And while Hester Willa won't make it to immortality on the baby's birth certificate, it will live on forever in the posts of this blog.
The end.
*frog, you and turtle are more than welcome to name one of your tadpoles Willa! That really is a funny coincidence, though. V. amusing, as you said. For the record, Petunia likes the name Willa too.
Over three years ago Petunia and I were talking baby names. Actually, I was talking baby names and Petunia was hoping to be anywhere else....
Clementine: You know what? If you want to name a girl after your closest family member we can call her Willa rather than Wilhelmina. Isn't Willa cute? I like it.*
Clementine: You know what name I always liked? Emmeline. What do you think of Emmeline?
Clementine: You know what I don't like? Filler middle names. Let's not give our child one of those, okay?
Petunia, to self: What can I say to make her quit talking about baby names? I know! I'll pretend I like a really horrible name to get her to be quiet.
Petunia, out loud: You know what name I really like a lot? It's a strong New England name with a proud tradition....
Clementine, v. eager to hear: What? What name do you like a lot?
Petunia, proudly: Hester! Isn't Hester a great name?
Clementine, stunned and shaken: What?!?! Hester? That's a terrible name! Like from The Scarlet Letter and everything. It's awful!
Petunia, defensive: What's wrong with Hester? I like it. It's got such character.
[Petunia cracks up and starts to laugh.]
Clementine, realizing she'd been had: Oh shit! I thought you really wanted to name our baby Hester. I was scared there for a minute!
Petunia, teasing: I think we should call our baby Hester Willa. Wouldn't that be a great name?
And so our imaginary child came to be called Hester Willa. And while Hester Willa won't make it to immortality on the baby's birth certificate, it will live on forever in the posts of this blog.
The end.
*frog, you and turtle are more than welcome to name one of your tadpoles Willa! That really is a funny coincidence, though. V. amusing, as you said. For the record, Petunia likes the name Willa too.
posted by Clementine at 12:58 AM
5 Comments:
That's too funny! Actually I like both names a lot & was sort of disappointed Hester Willa wasn't her other real name.
>insert pouty face<
I'd wondered if Willa wasn't maybe for Willa Cather. Hester could be a rockin' feminist reclamation name, too!
Is Miss Baby home with y'all yet? I missed it somehow if you've mentioned that already.
Hester Willa is a great blog name for her too!
Also, I love the story about your Aunt thinking it was really going to be her name.... ha ha!
I loved that story when I heard it (and still love it)...plus, I have to admit...Hester's really grown on me. I'm going to have a hard time calling her by her real name!
I hate to say it, but Hester's really grown on me, too. I even slipped and called the baby Hester yesterday.
LOL - You have no idea how relieved I am that that's not really her name. It is, however, a FABULOUS blog name. I really love the name Willa, too. Sending good thoughts and best wishes in the direction of the 3 of you.
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