Blog Schedule

I post on Monday with an occasional random blog thrown in for good measure. I do my best to answer all comments via email and visit around on the days I post.

Monday, April 12, 2010

B is for...

What else? Bish.

So I'm taking part in the A to Z Blog Challenge, though granted, I'm starting a bit late. It just seemed like a really neat thing to do.

Thus, today's letter is B and the word is Bish.

When people first meet me there can be one of several reactions.

"You're name is what?" As in they are shocked because they think they heard the word bitch.

"How is that spelled?" As in they think they heard the word bitch and they want to hear how it's spelled to make sure they didn't hear what they thought they heard.

To which I reply: It' s Bish, with a b, like dish or fish.

It's interesting to note that as a child, even into my twenties, my name was never associated with the b-word. It wasn't until the '80s that people started to question what they had heard.

Then there's: "Is that short for Bishop?" Absolutely not! Though I do seem to recall an Elvin Bishop album that had BISH splashed across the front.

"That's an unusual (pretty, beautiful) name. Is it foreign? Does it mean something?" I don't know. Over the years I've run across the syllable in Middle Eastern countries, such as Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan where there's been a civilian revolt. Someone once told me it means "welcome" but I can't remember in which language.

My Puerto Rican family and friends of Hispanic origin tend to call me Beech, because in Spanish the "i" is pronounce as a long "e" and the "sh" sound is well, like a soft "ch."

"Is it a nickname? Short for something?" No.

So just exactly where/how did I get the name Bish? This is a true story.

Unlike most babies whose first sounds are la-la or ma-ma or da-da my first syllabic out-flow was, "Bishbishbishbishbishbishbish." According to my parents I would lie around in my crib making the noise for hours. They thought it was cute. They thought I'd outgrow it. Obviously I didn't.

At six months I was already being called Bish.
I named myself.

23 comments:

  1. This is so cool :o)

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  2. Great story. I want to kiss those cheeks and that chin. I love roly-poly babies. I bet you were propped up with pillows in that picture.

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  3. Thanks Niki!

    Actually Vijaya I was sitting bolt upright completely on my own as another picture taken the same day attests.

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  4. I think your name is pretty cool, certainly very unique. I sometimes wish my name wasn't so common.

    Did your parents really wait until your first words to name you? That is equally cool.

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  5. Okay, that's too funny! People mispronounce my name too, even though it's short for Kristina. They have no problems saying Tina correctly, but add that S and disaster hits.

    Unfortunately my daughter didn't fair much better with her name, either.

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  6. Matthew, a wonderful Hebrew name meaning "gift." I do have a "legal" name given to me at birth, but I never use it.

    I can just hear Stina...with a long "i". LOL!

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  7. That is an amazing story!!! How many people can say they named themselves?!

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  8. That is a cute story. And impressive. I've never known another baby who could say 'bish'. Heck, most french french people still couldn't say it correctly....:)

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  9. Bish, you're right about Matthew. Most name books I've seen say it means "Gift from God" or something along those lines.

    So Bish isn't your legal name? Still doesn't make it any less cool IMO.

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  10. What a great story. And that picture: so cute, so serious!

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  11. What a wonderful story :-) As a tween and teen, I always thought my name was too plain- I don't have a middle name to go with it- so I resorted to spelling it in a more "unique" way G-A-Y-L, no E on the end. My family could never remember how to spell it so birthday checks or holiday checks would have an assortment of spellings! I had to look at the front of the check in order to endorse it at a bank, since I never knew how it would be spelled. Eventually, I just used my correct spelling- GAIL.

    I have an upright photo too. In fact, they had to work at keeping me sitting down, I always wanted to stand!

    Frequently see your name on comment lists, we follow some of the same wonderful people. Hope to see you over at my blog sometime!
    All the best,
    Gail (spelled anyway you want!)
    www.writefromthesoulvisualeyes.blogspot.com

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  12. Ha ha ha ha ha! Great story - I love it! :-)

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  13. That's brilliant - you named yourself!

    I think it's a super-cool name, too. Well done! :)

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  14. That is hilarious!! It's amazing... You were already using your imagination at such a young age to come up with something so fun and beautiful! I think it's brilliant that you named yourself! Babies are bright :)

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  15. Questions answered! I've been curious, because my maiden name is Bishop. :-)

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  16. Most charming. One of my daughter's first words was 'dirt.' Her name is Heather, a little more endearing.

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  17. What a great story! You're the first person I know to name yourself! : )

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  18. What a gorgeous baby picture - look at those cheeks!

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  19. hah! this is awesome!! great story, and adorable picture!!

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  20. Very cute photo of baby Bish! And interesting story about your name. B is also for "Beric". That's Husband's name and he gets much the same reaction you do! :)

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  21. I'm late in my blog rounds and what do I find??? What a great story this is. You are Bish and you knew it!

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  22. I always kinda wondered, because the name is unique. At least, I've never heard it anywhere before. And you DID have a birth name to start with. That question had occurred to me, too. :) Were you able to actually go with Bish straight from early childhood, to school and everything?

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