Humor will not be tolerated!! -Portia

My name is a very common name, but I'm the only one I've ever met with my spelling of it.

In my family, I have an uncle named after my grandfather, who died when my mom (the oldest) was eleven, and had a very profound effect on the family. So I also have a brother and two cousins with that name. It has only caused mild confusion, and I think the homage to what kind of person he was is far more important. I also plan to name my first born son after myself, but out of no such self aggrandizement. (Incidentally, I'd also like to give him my father's name as his middle name, but we'll see how the spouse feels about that.)

My middle name, while less common, was chosen as it was the name of a prophet (also, my first name is after an apostle.) This makes me feel as though I've got big shoes to fill.

Name combinations can work out well, but it has to be carefully conceived. My oldest sister, I think, had it done well. My dad liked the name Lisa, and my mom liked the name Shelly, so she became Shelisa. And I think it works.

Marduk, I'd really like to know how one meets one's self.

I met myself as a young child, but only really grew to know myself later in life. Then I lost myself for a time, but later found myself. I was the last place I looked. Which was good, because I was worried if I couldn't find myself then I'd have some sort of identity crisis.

I do like to play magic tricks with myself, but then I get accused of self delusion. I once became Aztec, but was accused of being too self-sacrificing. So we took up meditation, but then we were too self centered. We got into used car sales, but then we were too self depreciating. So I took up a weight training program, but then I was too self-aggrandizing. So I went to bed, and had a dream I was a lobster, but I thought that that would be two shellfish.

After all of that confusion, I had to go into therapy. Once I introduced myself and myself to the therapist, he instantly pronounced me cured! He said that we were the only self-actualized people he had ever met.

Ah, that explains a lot. Thanks.

I really like the blogs Nancy's Baby Names and The Baby Name Wizard. Both have very useful advice about how to resolve naming conflicts (as well as delicious statistical analysis).