I have my own wandering thoughts on my name.

I have a name that is a rarity in these areas -- Dagmar. I'm named for my Grandmother who is named for an Aunt whose parents came from Denmark, where the name is common. A child either gets used to comments on the unique nature of one's name rather quickly, or it torments one for the rest of one's life. I was one of the former. At some point during highschool I came up with the answer "it works" for all the people who asked me, "what's it like having the name Dagmar?"

I thought so little about my name that in the last one or two years when I did think of it I was, as Dave puts it, startled. I would play the name over my tongue...Dagmar....and it would seem so strange and beautiful, as if it should belong to someone very graceful and refined, with unusually thick, blond hair. In short, someone utterly unlike myself.

In fact, sometimes someone will say my name and I will sit dumbstruck thinking, "wow....that's what people have been calling me all these years".

For most of my life I went by the full, two-syllable name. But, my name changed somewhat about a year and a half ago, just a few months after I went on-line. I don't remember how it started, exactly, but the on-line folk began to refer to me as "Dags". It certianly was easier to write in chat, and I didn't think a thing of it. Slowly, however (and I'm not sure how this happened either), the nickname worked its way into my everyday life, and I'm pretty comfortablee with either one, although I never introduce myself as Dags.

It's funny to note also how person A at work hears person B call me "Dags", and person A is somewhat taken aback that they were not allowed, or asked, or whatever (I don't really understand it) to call me that as well, when in reality I never asked anyone to call me that, I just didn't complain when they did.

I myself am terrible with names, so whatever you say your name is in the first place better be right.

Regards,
Dagmar A.K.A. Tyler

p.s. David J. Parker is a very catchy name. Congratulations.