Every name has a story.

I think of my name as high class 1980’s because that was what my mother was when she named me.  Check out this picture of her about a year before I was born (that's my older sister). See? 1980's classy. They actually hung that picture in the photography place, and why wouldn't they? I won't show you her Glamour Shots only because I don't have them, but you would see how awesome looking she really was. Her smoldering facial expressions and the popped collar say it all. Sorry, mom, Glamour Shots are funny in retrospect no matter how beautiful and wonderful the person in them. 

Many women choose names they find both classy and not overly common, and this is what my mom's intention was. Unlike other women who think they are being different, but end up picking a name that is actually trending in that same time period (so how could they have known it would actually be common?), my name stayed a rare name.

In fact, one baby naming book my cousins and I glanced through for fun described the name Audrey as being "so far out it will always be out." Ouch. That was pretty hard to hear as a pre-teen. During my early years, I hated the name Audrey. I have a vague memory of asking my mom if I could go by "Marie" in middle school, and she said yes, probably realizing I'd feel weird and wouldn't go through with it. 

 

I hated that my name was so unique. I wanted pencils and coffee mugs from Six Flags with my name on it- if my name was Tiffany or Brittany, I would have the cool accessories those girls had in class. I ran to every key chain stand in stores, and if my name was on whatever cheap piece of plastic they were selling, I would gladly spend the money. Thankfully, it was a rare occurrence.

In middle and high school, Audrey Hepburn became a sort of chic person to like, a classier Marilyn Monroe, so I told people I was named after her. I wasn’t though. If I told you that in the past, I'm sorry. You were deceived. She did inspire me to like my name though, because she wore it so well. The only other Audrey's I met were about 80 years old, and she would have been, but it was her iconic young image that survived.

In high school I carried a purse with Audrey Hepburn's picture on it, maybe hoping people would connect me to that same classy face. As one of the only other people to share my name (besides the occasional "Oh! That's my great aunt's name!"), I took it upon myself to learn about her. I still have several books about her, and it turns out she was a great person for me to learn about as I was growing up. Mom wanted a name for me that was classy and feminine. She was. Looking at these quotes by her, you can see she wasn't the worse role model for a teenage girl such as myself:

Her inspiring words still sit with me today; I still resonate with themes of trying to see beauty not as outward but as inward, striving to care more about others, seeing sense of humor as an essential quality in myself and others.
 So, thanks, Audrey Hepburn, for helping me like my name.

I also liked that the name's meaning was "noble strength." I liked the idea of that. It made me think of  gentleness. We often think of strength as being a dominating quality, but coupled with wisdom and gentleness, you get a sort of noble strength. Doing the right thing when it doesn't feel easy. Helping other people. Speaking words of encouragement or hard words of truth, and holding your tongue when that is what is right. When my faith became my own around the age of 16, I wanted to fit my name even more. I still hope that I do.

To end on an awesome, silly note, I did find my mom's Glamour shots. I don't think you're ready for this:

*My mom is a trooper and I did get permission for this. Not only does she look awesome, but she has a pretty great sense of humor.