Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Nickname


For some reason, New Yorkers LOVE to shorten my name.  At least, about 75% of them do.   It’s so interesting.

And, coincidently, they all call me the same name… Liz. 

Liz?

I’ve never been a Libby or Liza.  Not a Beth or a Bess.  And, no, I’ve never been a Liz.  In fact, I’ve never had a nickname.  My dad wouldn’t let me.  He said that Elizabeth is too beautiful to be shortened.  Yeah, you read that right.  My name is too beau-ti-ful.

Still, introductory conversations in New York often go like this…

“Hi.”

“Hi”

“What’s your name?”

“Elizabeth.”

“Hi, Liz.”

“Oh, no, no.  (Laughing politely.)  It’s E-liz-a-beth.”

“Ha, sorry about that.  No problem, Liz.”

Shoulders deflate.  I surrender and from then on respond to “Liz”.

Like everything in New York, Liz is shorter, faster.  More efficient.  I guess that time is of the essence.

1 comment:

JTNOFFSINGER said...

I think it's a Northern thing, not necessarily a NY thing. Every friend I have that was born north of the Mason-Dixon line calls me Jenn. Always. And the odd thing is that it sounds natural. When my KY friends try to call me Jenn it sounds awkward and forced. Freaky.