So I’ll get this out of the way right up front – Yes, I was born on a Tuesday – it was the 60s and ultrasound hadn’t been invented yet – at least not to determine the sex of a baby – so my parents picked out only a boy’s name in a fit of optimism. They were going to call me ‘Anthony’. I have no idea why. But surprise surprise – it’s a girl!
I’ve been told a few stories. the first story I heard was that they were both so joyful that they wanted to mark the day; then it was that I was named after an actress, Tuesday Weld.
Then, possibly because she was mad at me, I heard the real story from my mum- they wanted a boy – he was going to be Anthony – my parents had a disagreement and I think one of them was like – ‘OK, then I’ll name her ‘Tuesday-Ann” (NEVER call me that!) and the other one stubbornly said “Fine!”. It’s funny – my only response when she told me that’s how I got my name was “Why didn’t you name me Tony? Tony is a perfectly acceptable girl’s name! (you know, from the original Anthoy).
The offense of my name was compounded by the fact that my mum couldn’t stand to live in any one place for more than a year or so. I went to a different school every year, sometimes more than one in a year. I like to live in my own head and being called out by everyone because I’m new was miserable.
So, now that’s out of the way – here’s some stuff about my name:
I grew up with the little rhyme:
- Monday’s child is fair of face.
- Tuesday’s child is full of grace.
- Wednesday’s child is full of woe.
- Thursday’s child has far to go.
- Friday’s child is loving and giving.
- Saturday’s child works hard for a living.
- The child that is born on Sabbath day is bonny and blithe, good and gay.
(I was never graceful – I was a tom-boy and spent as much time in trees as I was allowed)
And the song from the rolling stones – “Ruby Tuesday”: which I learned later wasn’t about someone named Tuesday – I think her name was Linda? It defined my teenage years!
Tuesday isn’t a name of course – it’s a day of the week – after Mars, the god of War. In French it’s ‘Mardi’; in Spanish, ‘Martes’; in Portuguese, ‘terça-feira’; and in Swahili its ‘Jumanne’.
I grew up hating it. I lived for the day when I turned 18 and could change it. There were many choices: Tony, Tiffany, Elizabeth, Catherine, Isabella, Mia, the list could go on.
However, by the time I fit in my own body (18ish). It started to be an asset. I even started to like it a little. It was unique. So I hung on to it a while longer. Then I started encountering people who actually liked it – and as time went on the snickers faded and here, I am um years later and it’s ok. Also, it’s less unique that it used to be. I still haven’t met another Tuesday – but I hear from them all the time. I was able to find ten of them in Seattle on Facebook.
People, there’s so much in a name! Please think about your child in grade school BEFORE you name them. 🙂
Tuesday Kuykendall 