Mormon Names, I Think I Know The Answer

How can life just more busy! My journal entry was a week ago and I haven't had time to just publish on my Google Blog. The days are flying by and I'm thankful I'm not alone and involved in many activities. I know there are so many people that are lonely and each of every day seems to drag-on for them.

I was going to write about my collections. So, I will, just to get it out-of-my-head and I can bring my blog up-to-date later. Too much is going on around here. It's lambing time.

The collection that is the most precious and of course, most important, and love, really love is my family first. Then, also my genealogy falls right into family. I collect names. Real people that are connected to me. I have found lots and lots of journals, documents, pictures, letters, and first-hand knowledge given to me about my ancestors. I'm not going to blog about my ancestors. I have the most interesting stories and histories. I get caught-up in the experiences and forget that I'm collecting names, not stories.

My children have been given first names that were, at the time, the 1970's and 80's, unusual. They are Tressa Alene, Dustin McKean, Marnie Dune, Bree Ann, Larin Luree, and Kiely Jean. I am teased the most by Larin's name as Larin Luree Lazenby. It turns out to be such a fun song. I'm also glad that Larin is okay with her name.

Latter-day Saints or Mormons have strange names. I don't even live in Utah and I was a convert to the Church 40 years ago. I had no idea that Utah was, and is very famous for their originality with names. Some names are just downright strange and weird. They are given to the children from parents that are members of the Church. I think the only way I can describe it is that I think I know what's going on to give their children identity to their family. My grandfather, Joseph Foster Wellman was the son of William Wellman of Barnesville, Minnesota and his father, Benjamin F. Wellman of Eyota, Minnesota had a sister named Al Zetta or as my grandfather wrote, "Aunt El Zetta." So she was El Zetta Wellman and then El or Al Zetta Cook of Minot, N. D. This isn't a long story just the facts. She looks like me and every single time I looked in the family's old album, there is Grandpa Joe's great aunt. He always said I should have been El Zetta because I look just like her. Maybe Zetta, but forget the "El" I'm so grateful for my popular 1950's name of Susan. Thanks Mom. Below is some pictures where you can actually see similar facial characteristics. Check-out the slanted-eyes, fat lips, small nose, and almost frizzy hair (I straighten mine) We even both have a predominate chin.



Would you like a cool LDS name? Here's the place. The Baby Namer! I've read most of the articles and it is so funny, I'm not sure funny...is the right word. Wow! Some of the names children have to live with their whole lives. The naming a baby is such an important investment to their identity and self-esteem. I think the whole idea of the unusual names is either to set us apart as a people, and also join names together or use last names for first names for genealogy purposes, I hope. Many of us have this important link to our ancestors. I know so many women and girls that have no middle name and use their maiden name as a middle name. That is really smart because later, the link to our ancestors is there.

I don't believe that our family goes for celebrity names at all, like so many young mothers seem to do these days. I really wanted Dustin to name one of his children Moroni Lazenby, he was a great patriarch and lived in Manti, Utah. I wrote the name down and realized Moroni, in California is just one letter added on to the slang and shameful adjective to describe someone as a Moron. I never mentioned it to Dustin, but he wanted to name one of his boys, Porter. He just loved the story of Porter Rockwell and was going to name his boy Porter McKean Lazenby. McKean is a family name on my side. It was nixed--ALL I SAID WAS, "Ya' think someone will call him porta' potty."

My Bree broke from the name maker thing and named her little girl, Jane Kay (Kay, is after my middle name, COOL!) But it is unique with her very obvious, Arkansas accent. "Jaaaaane" Bree's little boy doesn't seem to have an unusual name, Charlie. But actually it is: Charles Milton Watson, the FIFTH. How's that for a connection.

My Larin gave her one son a normal Dean name but there is a link to a former last name of Parker. Dean Parker just like his dad, David Parker Knapp. And then there's Jaxon Douglas and Finlee Luree. Oh my heck! Are we there yet? I love their names. The names are hooked to Steve's dad and Larin's middle name.

Tressa went for Bible names, with Hanna Alene and Jacob Fletcher again there's the attachment to Tressa's middle name for Hanna and Mike's Middle name and family name. The Biblical Names were greatly devoted to the Lord as well as Jacob in the Book of Mormon.

We have a Tanner McKean, Corbin J, Tatum Rose, and Eirely Elizabeth... Lazenby kids. All have connections to either our family or their mother. They also say a lot about our national origin.

My Marnie Dune. Her name came from a cousin of Steve's and Steve's mother's given name Dune. Marnie's children have cute names, too and they are popular. Adree Ann, J Dallin, Kennadee Grace and Preslee Marie. The Marie came from Steve's mom Dune Marie and then there's a version of Adrian, my mother with Adree Ann. The J is from my Steve's dad's first name and my Steve has the J for his middle name. Not an initial, just a J. It's a very confusing name because everyone wants to put a dot or parentheses around the J. Our little Kenna's middle name is from her dad's side and Presee's middle name is from three different lines. Just for reference, when I say "my Steve" There are lots of Steve's in our family.

Only today did I figure-out this connection. All my own children gave their children names from their family line. I don't think all my children know that they all did this. Even my unmarried daughter Kiely, has a feminine form of my dad's name, Gene and my best friend's name, Jeanie.

In Proverbs: “a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold” (Proverbs 22:1). We are reminded in Malachi 4:5–6 “the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers”“And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers.

L. Tom Perry delivered this devotional talk and article in the Church magazine The New Era, titled: "The Value of A Good Name." Elder Perry begins his talk by saying, "Your good name connects you with your past family history. Your righteous living, your example, your teachings, and your worthwhile service will bless numerous people with your vision."


"Hearts Bound Together

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"Elder Henry B. Eyring is another great talk on honoring your name. Actually, El Zetta aka...Zetta sounds real good right by my last name, instead of Susan it would be: Zetta Lazenby.

Please don't "think" on a name at the moment of birth. Please plan in advance.

Our daughter's doctor, Dr. Geer said she worked as an intern at a hospital in New York in the Bronx. The mother had a very hard labor and was getting very close to the delivery of the baby and Dr. Greer said, "Meconium." She said it because there was meconium coming out with the baby, which takes extra care because if it gets in the lungs, the almost fecal matter can really cause a baby problems, even though it's sterile. Okay, back to the mother. She was screaming as the baby was being delivered, "Meconium! Meconium! My baby, Merconium!" No matter how much Dr. Geer tried to tell her what she was calling her baby, she wouldn't listen. The mother thought that her Doctor...and such a sweetheart, she is was inspired by God to give her baby that name. This is a true event, but Dr. Geer is sure it wasn't an inspired name for the baby!

I understand that tattoo artists talk to people about justifying that the tattoo they are receiving will be the only personal belonging going with a person as they pass-away. Oh, and there is a personal significance to the name or symbol of the tattoo. I think our bodies don't last too long and tattoos, don't last. What is the personal significance to our given and surnames. Our name is forever and what we do with our name is remembered. That, in itself, makes me want to be so much more than I am now.

I am also thinking of Larin and Dave and when Dave wanted to name one of his kids, Nicholas. Dave was so serious. Whew! I'm glad baby Finlee was a girl or we would have had a "Nick Knapp!"