"A rose by any other name....."

 There was a time, years ago, when my children were about to provide me with grandchildren, that I made the statement, "Be careful, when you choose a name. Make sure it won't cause playground trouble." Eventually, I quit saying it, because, no one paid attention, to moi, the seasoned playground monitor. None of my children seemed to care about the things, that grandma worried about.

The popularity of first names, is trendy. My friends were all named Sandy, Susie, Judy, Julie and Linda. None of those names are used on today's babies. Bob, Joe, Bill, Rick and Eddie, aren't popular either. Although, most of those boys' names are currently gender fluid, which is certainly a popular trend.

Which brings me to my name, Nancy. Why was I named Nancy? I'm not quite sure, but, here is my theory. My 6 year old sister wanted to name me Jane. Not after Jane Austen, the author, but after Jane, in the Dick and Jane primer series, popular at the time with first graders. My parents must have nixed that idea. You know "Plain Jane", and all that. My mother professed, that she was enamored by the way a distant cousin, with a southern accent, pronounced Nancy, using four or five syllables. Maybe that's true. My dad, probably didn't care, he was hoping for a boy!

And, they wouldn't have followed my "playground" warning, either. I became Fancy Nancy. Nancy rhymes with Pantsy, Schmancy, and Antsy. Not fun. Then there are the alliterations.....Nasty Nancy, Naughty Nancy, and so on.

However, are you aware of an old, old song, with the name Nancy, in the title? (Obscure song lyrics are my thing, you know.)  Frank (another passé name choice) Sinatra, had a hit song, "Nancy with the Laughing Face". It was written in 1942, four years, before I came along. It's not a classic. I haven't heard it in years. The lyrics, written by Phil Silvers (later Sgt. Bilko?????), compare Nancy, could have been Frank's first wife or his eldest daughter (both named Nancy), to Garbo, Grable and Turner. Those aren't names, easily recognized by anyone breathing today. The song will never make anyone's "Hit Parade", but I like it. What Nancy wouldn't?

Great and all powerful God. You have made each of us unique and special in Your eyes. Show us how to appreciate each other. Make us loving, kind and understanding.

                                          It's Nancy, the baby with the Laughing Face!