Alter ego, confidante, bosom buddy, evil twin, ally, cohort, sidekick. Candace Jo didn’t have to be the “other me” if only Sandy Jo hadn’t caved…
It all started 50+ years ago when I was born a beautiful, six pound, blonde-haired bundle of joy to young parents, Buddy and Sandy Jo Miller. I was the second little girl; Rhea Dawn had showed up two years before and stolen the limelight as the first grandchild on both sides of each family. She was named after my mother’s sister who had passed away at just barely three weeks old.
Now remember, this is the early sixties and everyone has cute names like Kelly, Denise, Susan and Lisa Marie. My Mom is young and she is cool, not too long out of high school. She has a name all picked out for me and is really happy with it but it isn’t too long before she is pressured to change it and name me after her mother.
Now, I have never heard where the pressure came from…I adored my grandmother and cannot imagine she would have done such a thing to me. I have always thanked God and my Lucky Charms that they did not choose her first name, Glatis. No, I did not spell it incorrectly. It is Glatis with a T and a long A. Horrible, just horrible. So yes, I am thankful I did not get Glatis Nannette. I just chuckled, and shook, when I said it. So, on with the story.
Yes, Grandmother’s first name was Glatis and her middle name was Yvonne but her family called her EYE-VONE. That is a long O. Dear Lord in heaven. Glatis EYE-VONE. Thankfully most people when they saw it in print pronounced it Evonne, or Yvonne, which is how they pronounce my name, thankfully. Whew! Now, that was just the first name. It gets better.
She needed a middle name.
I had another grandmother!
Her name was Othella Kathleen. My mother spared me that night and I am not sure how it happened because actually Yvonne Kathleen might not have been too bad now that I think about it. But I dread to think what they would have done with Glatis and Othella together.
So where does Nannette come in? Well, Mom had a friend who had a French poodle…the poodle’s name? Nannette.
All four of us siblings were named after relatives. Rhea after our great aunt, me after my grandmother and then there were my brothers, J.D. and G.B. The first grandson to come along was named after my mother’s father, James Lloyd and my dad, Burlen Dean, ending up with the coolest name ever in 1963; James Dean.
My youngest brother wasn’t so lucky. He was named after my dad’s father, Glanferd Burlen, which was also my dad’s first name. Thankfully they went with the initials!
So that’s where I came from, but I have digressed from my alter ego. It wasn’t until about ten years or so ago that my mother told me the story of Candace Jo. She loved the name and wanted to give it to me so badly and she even loved the nickname “Candy Jo”. Since her middle name was Jo, she wanted to give me that, but felt badly because she had named Rhea after her sister and thought she should name me after her mother.
So Candace Jo was laid aside and I was burdened for the rest of my life with the two names that never went together at all…Yvonne Nannette.
When she told me the story, I just couldn’t believe I had missed out on such an adorable name! I had inherited my Grandma Yvonne’s ski slope nose and Grandma Othella’s extra-wide hips, why couldn’t I at least have ended up with a sexy name like Candace? I really made a big deal out of it and Mom and The Sweetheart started calling me Candace Jo every chance they got.
Every birthday that came along Mom addressed my card with the name I never had, making up for all of those years I had missed out. A name change seemed a little extreme at 50+ years of age so, instead, I started writing under the name occasionally on WordPress and she shows up sometimes whenever she takes a notion. It’s all in good fun.
We all have our unusual family names and quirks, but that’s what makes us unique. One day I’ll write about my great, great grandfather, Pleasant Green Meadows….you can’t make stuff like that up!
Thanks so much for visiting! I sure never thought Yvonne Nannette was sexy, maybe if I heard someone with a French accent say it…lol!
Mean Kathryn, ha, I have a few relatives like that! And I can see your mom with a furrowed brow tell you she didn’t like your name ☺️
Thanks for commenting, Chrystal! ♥️
This gave me a chuckle! I also started thinking about my grandmother’s names. Edith Cleo and Kathryn Marie. I like the name Kathryn and I might have used it except she was kind of mean. Then my mind wandered to the time my mom said, “I never really liked the name Tina. I’m not sure why I named you that.” Hmmm…She should have gone with the name my dad wanted, Chrystal.
So cute! I was smiling throughout while reading your post. It was so funny how the names came up and how you actually talked about it with such a wit. You have an interesting family may i add. And Yvonne Nannette is a very good name indeed, it sounds sexy. He-he
Ha ha! What a story! I’m so happy you stopped by and shared. I do love that name, just wish it was mine! Since I don’t have it legally I just steal it as a pen name. Blessings to you
From one Candace Jo(YES that IS my REAL name) to another, amazing story! My mother had originally planned to name me Brandy Jo (Jo is my grandmother’s middle name), however, I’ve been told that when I was born 10 short days before Christmas the hospital staff had put me in a giant stocking and stuck a bow on my head (this was back in 1984, Baytown Texas) and my mom said I looked like a little candy cane so she decided right then and there that she wanted to call me, You Guessed It, ‘Candy Jo’ and I was named Candace Jo so that she could do just that….It was a coincidence that I stumbled upon this story (just decided to Google myself) but I am so happy that I did! Thanks for sharing your story I really appreciated reading it.
P.S. OUR Name Rocks!
Gertrude Mabel Flossie…oh my!! I am glad they went with Elizabeth too. Lol. Blessings for sharing!
Elizabeth is a family name. I’m grateful for it. My great grandmother (the only great I ever met) was Gertrude Mabel Flossie. So glad they didn’t go down that line!!
Bliss! How gorgeous is that! Love your story about your beautiful daughter. Thank you for stopping by. So good to have you! ♥
That was interesting and funny! I always love to hear about people’s names, and what they name their children and why. I have a daughter named Bliss because I was so happy to finally have a baby in my arms. But I refused to reveal her name while I was pregnant because I did not want anybody to say they didn’t like it. I waited until she was born and then they couldn’t criticize her name without being rude! People actually love it, though. She gets compliments all the time. Thanks and I enjoy your blog…I have come over from linkups to read your posts several times.
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Usually most kids hate their names. I was teased so much with mine, but you did well to use the name that suited you best – – for the occasion. Such fun!
Candace Jo causes quite a bit of confusion around here 🙂 She is a show-off! Thank you Sarah, so kind of you to come by. I have so enjoyed your blog. You have a beautiful family!! ♥
What a neat story! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Good to hear, ha, and no more Pleasant Green Meadows for me! You are most welcome! 🙂
Glad to hear I spread some joy back at ya! For the record, the cousin that could’ve been and almost was Tallulah Maybelle ended up Jamie Elizabeth and Ollie ended up Olivia Lauren (still sorta close)…. But, yes, I agree there are some names that should be left in the past. At least I am relatively sure there will be no more Milford’s, Foy’s or Gladys’s for the men in my family! Thanks for the warm welcome!
Oh my word!! I am literally Laughing Out Loud!! You should write your own article!! Tallulah Maybelle?! That is awesome! And Ollie for a girl is actually kind of cute 🙂 kind of, ha. I just love that they are bringing back so many of the old names but PLEASE spare us the Tallulah’s and Othella’s! Thank you so much for sharing. So glad to have you as a part of Hope in the Healing! I love for my blog to be interactive so please make yourself at home!
I really, really love that you shared this with your readers. I can honestly say that my family has some of the same eccentric thoughts on passing down the wild names from the days of old. My maternal grandfather- thank heaven- never let his name be passed down. His mother- rest her soul- named him Gladys… which he shortened to Glad for obvious reasons. My paternal grandfather, however, proud of his birth name- Herman Milford- allowed his name to be passed to my my dad- Michael Herman, and my brother Andrew Milford (poor kid). My half brother also got cursed with Michael Foy (after his maternal grandfather). I am blessed that the women in my family have very common normal names like Katherine, Elizabeth, and Carol because they won out over the more creative names my family has offered up such as Tallulah Maybelle and Ollie (Yes! for a girl). Again, thanks for sharing this lovely article and giving me a giggle in the process! 🙂
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I think Nannette sounds pretty urban. But then what do I know?! Thanks for nominating me friend and sister 😉 will write an acceptance speech as soon as I can. Thanks again!
Ha, I never thought of it as elegant but I guess it is French, ooh la la! So good to hear from you, a wonderful blast from my past! You better be careful, if my memory ever lets me go back far enough I might remember the two of us getting in trouble at Smithville 🙂
We love them all too Katrina, wouldn’t trade our names for anything! Thanks for coming by the blog!! Love you!
I’m amazed! I’ve known you my whole life and never knew you came from a family of such unusual names. I’ve always thought Nannette was a beautiful, elegant name. I am also going to enjoying reading your memories of your childhood!
GB as a little girl I remember the night you were born and they came home and told me they had named you after my Dad. I actually cried for you but now I am proud that you were given the name of one of the greatest men who ever lived, Glanferd Burlen Miller – my DAD.
Dexter you are right about the spelling, there were 2 other variations Glanford and Glenford but the spelling his mother used was Glanferd. Great story Candy Jo!!! Love Aunt Katrina
Ha, ha, I will get to working on that one!! Thanks for stopping by and following the blog Linda!! Love you!
Oh! Do It Candace Jo! This is getting more fun all the time:0)
I don’t know G.B. I think Mom said it best, they might be odd to other people but they help us remember those who are gone and they were special to her. But I hope they remember us too! I could tell a lot of stories on you and J.D….. 🙂
I never knew this story, i think you and I got the short end of the stick when it comes to names:) I always tell everyone my brother got the movie star name and I got stuck with Glanferd.
Oh, oh, Mother is on WordPress! Now all of my stories will have to be true! Ha! Thank you, I actually thought Pleasant Greene was on the other Meadows side! Should we tell our readers that both my mother and father were Meadows’? That should make for an interesting story! Yes we are blessed with names that we treasure and we wouldn’t trade them for anything either RG 🙂
Love the picture Candace Jo! I realize I am so blessed to have 4 beautiful children. So you all were “blessed” with odd names to other people. Buy to family you will carry on the names of others who are now gone and very much missed. I love you all and wouldn’t trade those names for anything.
Oh and before you tell the story of Pleasant Greene Meadows remember he is your great great grandfather. He was Grandma Hayes dad.
Yes, Glanferd is spelled with an “e”! I might have gotten Sandy wrong but Glanferd is correct, ha. And seriously I did have an uncle named Pleasant Green Meadows!! Trust me, I am lucky when I say I could have ended up with Glatis Othella! Thanks so much for reading and commenting!
Interesting story, Candy. I never realized Glanferd was spelled with an “e” and I can’t wait to hear more about “Pleasant Green Meadows.”