The name on my birth certificate is Oceana! Pronounced like Ocean with an ahhh on the end- I was told by my father I was named after a beautiful African woman with a jewel in her nose, who lived in their building in NYC. My mother changed my name to the Yiddish Shana (Shay-nuh) when I was 5.
Oh Grace! That’s so thoughtful of you to ask! At 52, I’m still trying to figure it out! It’s really layered. I do believe a name is so important- I’ve actually told people when they do or don’t look like their name. My father and the Perlmutter side of the family called me Seannie- and It feels strange if they introduce me or call me Shana. I actually came up with a Pen Name, at least a decade ago, Seannie Fong, which resonates with me- but I want to pay respect to my heritage- I have also been married and divorced twice and changed my name back to Shana Levine. I have two college aged daughters, Sadie Esther and my youngest I wanted to name Grace, but her 2 year old big sister would only agree to Josephine! So, Josephine Beatrice! Xoxo
The name on my birth certificate is Oceana! Pronounced like Ocean with an ahhh on the end- I was told by my father I was named after a beautiful African woman with a jewel in her nose, who lived in their building in NYC. My mother changed my name to the Yiddish Shana (Shay-nuh) when I was 5.
Oceana is pretty too!! Do you ever wish it was your name or is Shana (also lovely) more you?
Oh Grace! That’s so thoughtful of you to ask! At 52, I’m still trying to figure it out! It’s really layered. I do believe a name is so important- I’ve actually told people when they do or don’t look like their name. My father and the Perlmutter side of the family called me Seannie- and It feels strange if they introduce me or call me Shana. I actually came up with a Pen Name, at least a decade ago, Seannie Fong, which resonates with me- but I want to pay respect to my heritage- I have also been married and divorced twice and changed my name back to Shana Levine. I have two college aged daughters, Sadie Esther and my youngest I wanted to name Grace, but her 2 year old big sister would only agree to Josephine! So, Josephine Beatrice! Xoxo