how don't call me becky came to be

It was a momentous day at the library today because I ran into the person who inspired the name for my blog.

Picture me back in 1990...permed hair, big purple glasses, tight rolled jeans. You get the picture. My family started going to a new optometrist's office and the doctor's assistant, Annie, welcomed me at the start of my appointment.

Annie: Hi Rebekah. Do you go by Becky?

Me: Nope, just Rebekah

Annie: Okay, Becky

She continued to call me Becky throughout the appointment and introduced me to others in the office as Becky.

The following year at the optometrist's office

New receptionist: Hi Rebekah...

Annie: Oh, she goes by Becky

New receptionist: okay Becky, right this way

New receptionist now thinks my name is Becky

and the following year...

Optometrist: Hi Rebekah, do you go by Becky?

Me: No, just Rebekah

Annie: (jumping in) She actually goes by Becky

Optometrist now thinks my name is Becky.

Unfortunately, the optometrist's office was quite large and there were four doctors and countless receptionists and assistants on staff. Annie was very insistent that everyone in the office called me Becky, no matter how hard I tried to assure people that I really did go by Rebekah.

Annie was really sweet and always helped me pick out the cutest glasses and patiently taught me how to put in contacts for the first time, but she never caught on to my correct name. It's been about ten years since I've been to that particular office, so it caught me off guard to see Annie in a different environment at the library.

She's the only person that's ever called me Becky more than once. :)

Comments

[Kelly Ann]

my husbands name is Andrew, NOT Andy, NOT Drew...Andrew...he was an air traffic controller and the other controllers insisted on calling him Andy, when I came along I quickly set them straight...

[Angela]

Fun story! I can totally relate - I go by Angela, NOT Angie. I can pretty much pick out the people that will insist on calling me Angie, they're all the same.

[Beth]

Classic story of hearing something the way you want to hear it and not what was said. She assumed you would say yes and didn't hear the no!

[Stephanie]

I just assumed that you get called Becky a lot, but I prefer this story, too funny!

[Valerie]

Ha, that's pretty funny! Great to know the story behind the blog. :)

[Amy]

love it.

[Michelle]

That is a great story. You look like a Rebekah not a Becky!

[Shea]

I loved the reference to tight rolled jeans! I vividly remember where I was when I learned how to do that! It was 1990, too. Ah, memories.

[tammie]

ah the tight rolled jeans. so very very wrong. yet i did it.

this is a great story.

[melissa]

what a great story - it would make a good sitcom episode.

[Allie]

LOL - good story! If my name was Rebekah, I'd insist on using it in full too. I love your name.

[Amber]

Great story - I always wondered....

[Oiyi]

Hahahahaha....great story. Indeed it was a momentous day.

[Audrie]

Hehe! Too funny! I know 2 Rebeccas and one goes by Becky and the other, Becks.

My family calls me Dawn, which is part of my Chinese name and my dad to this day calls me Dawnie, even though I tell him I'm a grown woman and to please stop lol

[CitricSugar]

It's funny how people assign names that aren't yours to you... I don't get the traditional nickname - I get a whole new name...

I get Carla, Carol, Carolynn,CaroLINE, Callie, Cayla, Carrie, Cara, Carmen, Clare, Cathy, and my personal favourite - Scarlett. (??? yeah.. more than once!! - I think it's because those people asked my name and I said, "it'S CARly" and the rest just went to pot from there. But seriously, how does one screw up "Carly"??

There is nothing about you that says "Becky". I think that's due to the beautiful spelling of your name...

[Amy Seven-Stitches]

he he, I still have to double take when I see you name is Rebekah, what do you mean your name isn't "don't call me becky?"
I go by my middle name but occasionally, someone will find me on a list somewhere and use my first name by accident. One friend even went so far as to shorten my first name to Char before I got the nerve to correct them.

[Hannah at Chicken Willow]

Great story.

[Anne]

That's a cute story and I guess should make me appreciate having a short name - Anne. But, it is amazing how many people think Anne with an E on the end means they should call me Annie.

[Sew Create It - Jane Weston]

My daughter is a Rebekah too...same spelling as you and she doesn't like Becky either. We always shorten it to Becka and it throws me when someone calls her Becky!

[mb.]

my name is Marybeth. not Mary, not Beth (in my family - I am sorry to say- there is also MaryEllen, Mary Maureen & Maryanne, so you can see how just Mary would be confusing). If we are friends, you can call me mb.

In jr. high, I had a home room teacher who started the year calling me Mary because Marybeth was just too much to remember (her words). I started calling her Mrs. Kowalski because my previous homeroom teacher was Mrs. Kowalski. In the end the principal had to sort it out & everyone agreed to call each other by the names we preferred.

[Jodi]

Now we know....Thanks for explaining.

[jessica]

That story cracks me up. I have a very similar story about calling me 'Jessie'

[Trisha]

That is very funny! And funny that she remembered every year how important it was that you went by Becky. I get "Theresa" alot. I usually just play along.

[sew katie did]

I love the story. My husband's aunt never wants to be called Becky, but no one likes her so we always do behind her back.

[montague]

that's pretty funny! good to know the background of you blog name, i've always wondered about it!

[~Michelle~]

That's a really funny story! I've always been Michelle, no nicknames... although it seems more difficult to assume a Michelle might want to be a Shelly... My friend Joelle (Jo-el-eee) is always mispronounced as Jo-elle...I always feel bad about that!

[Claudia]

That's a great story, Rebekah. I've never had that problem with my name (Claudia) but my daugher's name is Elizabeth and she does NOT like it shortened in any way whatsoever!

[Ammie]

Hahahaha. Oh, ya gotta love it.

[randi]

I've wondered about your blog name. Thanks for sharing! :)

[rosamaria]

hahahaha you make me smile... sometimes i have that thing with my name... some people call me Rosa (and i hate it)... some calls me Rosy (must in my family)... others callme Rosita (you know the child name and the people don't see i'm grew up!)... and just a few people call me my real name: Rosa María... i know they are two names but isn't hard to try...

have a great day!

[AzAndee]

I completely understand...I am Angela and don't go by Angie....went so far as to invent another nickname (Andee) so as to get people to stop calling me Angie! I always listen to what people WANT to be called!

[cami]

This is too funny! I've always wondered. I have the opposite problem. Everyone always asks me what my name is short for. Nothing, its just Cami. Oh, not Camille, or Camilla, or Cameron, etc. Nope, just Cami. They act all disappointed like there should be some other name. It also really bugs me when people call me Cam. How hard is to to add the "e"? only my immediate family is allowed to call me Cam. People are funny.

[Beth]

Thanks for sharing...I was always soooo curious to know the history of your blog name.

[erica]

Ha! I always wondered how your blog got its name! I once had a customer who called me by the wrong name and I didn't have it in me to correct her. Next thing I know, a couple of years have passed and there is NO way I can tell her that my name is not Jill. Glad I don't work there anymore. :)

[increase vertical]

I just assumed that you get called Becky a lot, but I prefer this story, too funny!

[cmv]

too funny- it's like a Seinfeld episode

[amandajean]

i've always wondered about your blog name. now i know. :)

[kristyn]

I love this story!! I always enjoy learning about the stories behind the blog title and author. Reminds me of being called "Kris" instead of Kristyn. I only allowed my grandfather to call me that more than once. :)