MDBCs 05 Mar 2024

On March 5, or Learn What Your Name Means Day, do some research to find out the out the origin and history of your name - first and last. Maybe you'll find a great tale behind your name!

The holiday is part of Celebrate Your Name Week created by American Jerry Hill in 1997. The purpose of the week is to encourage people to celebrate and appreciate their unique names.

Types of Names

A name is a word used to identify people, places, and things. A person is identified by their name or full name, and this usually consists of at least two words - the given name, which is also known as the first name, and the surname, which is also known as the family name or last name.

The purpose of the surname or family name is to indicate that the person belongs to a specific family or clan. In many cultures, people are identified by a single name.

Tracing History

Because of different naming conventions around the world, a person's name, while not unique, can tell a lot of the person's heritage and family history. For example, many societies in the world use patronymic names - at least one part of a person's name comes from the father's family.

By following the chain of shared names back, one can find, if records exist, a lot about one's ancestors. Similarly, some cultures follow a matronymic tradition where part of a person's name comes from the mother's side of the family.

How to Celebrate?

Talk to your parents or family members about your name. Ask them why they gave you your name and what it means. With a little bit of research you may be able to find out about the lives of your ancestors.
How about learning your name in Morse code?

Did You Know…

…that the study of the history, origin, and meaning of proper names is called onomatology?

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Cinco de Marcho Day

A play on Cinco de Mayo, Cinco de Marcho is an unofficial holiday celebrated annually on March 5. The made-up holiday encourages people to get ready for St. Patrick’s Day on March 17.

According to the official Cinco de Marcho website, the day was created in 2007 in the United States. It marks the beginning of a 12-day period when "people train their livers for drinking huge amounts of alcohol on St. Patrick’s Day."

A Celebration of Irish Culture

Also colloquially known as St. Paddy's Day, St. Patrick’s Day is an annual celebration of Irish culture. It commemorates St. Patrick, one of Ireland’s patron saints, who was responsible for spreading Christianity in Ireland during the 5th century.

Associated with Irish Beer

In recent years, with the spread of Irish immigrants around the world, St. Patrick's Day has become a holiday celebrated worldwide. In many parts of the world, people celebrate the day by drinking lots of Irish beer and participating in St. Patrick Day parades. Cinco de Marcho is a way to extend these celebrations to the previous weeks and encourage people to start consuming Irish beers days before the actual event.

How to Celebrate?

Host a party for your friends and organize drinking games.
Visit your favorite bars with your friends and spend the evening drinking your favorite adult beverages.
Do not drink? What about just getting together with friends and having a good time? Someone wise once did say that you don’t need alcohol to have fun.

Did You Know...

...that Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday celebrated every year on May 5? The holiday celebrates the anniversary of the defeat of the French army during the Battle of Puebla in Mexico on May 5, 1862.

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My mother, a meticulous housekeeper, often lectured my father about tracking dirt into the house. One day he came in to find her furiously scrubbing away at a spot on the floor and launching into a lecture. "I don't know what you've brought in," she said, "but I can't seem to get this out."

He studied the situation for a moment and, without a word, moved a figurine on the window-sill where the sun was streaming in. The spot immediately disappeared.

***

Over the years, my husband and I have usually managed to decode the cute but confusing gender signs they sometimes put on restroom doors in restaurants (Buoys & Gulls, Laddies & Lassies, etc.), but every so often we get stumped. Recently my husband, Dave, wandered off in search of the men’s room and found himself confronted by two marked doors. One was labeled 'Bronco' and the other was designated 'Cactus.'

Completely baffled, he stopped a restaurant employee passing by. "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom," Dave said. Gesturing toward the doors, he asked, "Which one should I use?"

"Actually, we would prefer you to go there," the employee said, pointing to a door down the hall marked 'Men.' "Bronco and Cactus are private dining rooms."

***

For years I had been telling my friend Pete that he ate too much fast food, but he always denied it. One day he admitted I was right.

"What changed your mind?"

"My grandson. When my daughter told him I was coming to visit, he asked, 'Grandpa from Florida, or Grandpa from Pizza Hut?' "

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We Uber drivers never know whom we’re going to end up with as a passenger.

One day, I was driving over a new bridge, the design of which was very confusing. Completely confounded, I muttered, “I’d love to meet the genius who designed this mess.”

With that, my passenger extended his hand in my direction and said, “Well, today is your lucky day. My name is Mike, I work for the county engineer’s office, and I’m the genius who designed this!”