I may have satisfied some curiosity by partially explaining the origin of Muff/Muffie, but the rest of the story is funny. When my husband and I were dating, my aunt bought me a new coat and hat as a gift. It was a fake fur that looked quite real. I’ve mentioned before that I’ve always been fairly short (five feet,) and slight (weighing in the low 100s.) Put a fluffy fur coat on such a frame and
top it with a matching hat and you get a mental picture of a little brown fur ball!
When my husband – then just boyfriend – picked me up for a
date, he saw me in this new outfit. He snickered a lot, then finally burst out
and said, “You look like a little muff!” Now, I don’t think he meant the kind
of muff one uses to keep her hands warm; nor do I believe he meant a muffin. It
was just a term he deemed appropriate to describe me. I think it was complimentary
[?]
Anyway, every time I wore that coat, he would say I was a little muff. When my family heard it, they picked it right up, and thereafter, I was Muff or Muffie. I liked it, so it was no problem – it was even a welcome respite from my real name, since I was a part of the Mary + any-other-name generation! It certainly was better than my dad’s nickname for me – Puddin’, shortened to Pudd. I have absolutely no idea how I was assigned that one, but it had been there since I was a baby! Funny that my sister and brothers had no nicknames other than the traditional shorten and add –ie. So I was the lucky one? At one time my brother tried to call me Missy, but it never stuck, and then he died and the name with it.
My own children had nicknames, but they were derivations of their given names. My grandboys have no nicknames – they go by their full first name. Lots of times, I even hear people called by names that have nothing to do with their real names. Two of my cousins went by their middle names, and their signatures just used their first initial and middle name. Dorothy Kay was Kay to us and D. Kay on letters. Grace Ellen was Ellen and G. Ellen. I think that was cool! A mom from my former school just passed away and I was surprised to see her real name. She always went by Libby, but her real name was Jean. My parents had a friend named Tim, but his
real name was Anthony.
I get fascinated with nicknames, and I’m sure you either
have a cute (or not so) nickname. Tell us, so can laugh enjoy!
Peace,
Muff
11 comments:
Well I like your nick name, and why wouldn't I. You've inspired to one day write about how I became Muffy!!!
My dad called me Skeezix. I never knew why, but I liked it.
Nicknames--names generally--that is just kind of a sore subject for me.
One of my nicknames is Muffy too. It started out as a joke when first meeting people in my fiance's congregation. He turned to me and whispered, "I'm gonna tell them your name is Muffy Buttercup." We laughed a lot and the name has stuck over the years.
My mother's family was originally Catholic (later evangelical), and all my mother's sisters were named Maria+ whoever was the female saint of the day. I never knew any of my aunts by their Maria name. Indeed,I never knew that was their official first name. Nor did I find out about my mother being a Maria until she died, and we had to fill out official papers, and, finding her birth certificate, I discovered her real first name was Maria. That was startling, to say the least. It is interesting what we do now know about each other and never think to ask.
I never got a middle name. Neither did my two siblings. I never asked why, though now I wish I had. For example, I never even asked why I was called Judith, a name which is not usually used by Hispanics, nor is it a Protestant tradition Biblical name (the usual source of names in their circle). So,it remains a mystery since my parents are both gone. I have since researched it and found her story in the Apochrypha, and she is someone I'm proud to have as a namesake; even if she wasn't really, by intention.
Anyway, this is a long comment which merely intends to say that I enjoyed your sharing your name's history.
My nickname is Susie. I prefer it to my given name of Susan. Recently another woman,named Susan, a few years older than I am, repeated "Susie" and rather haughtily told me that "she" hadn't called herself Susie since she was sixteen.". I bit my tongue to keep from telling her that was probably because she must have "always been old for her age".
My daughter and son in law call my little grandson "Bubby", how they got Bubby from his given name, Kingston, I do not know. Now when my grandson sees pictures of himself, he refers to himself as "Bubby". That wouldn't have been my choice of nicknames for him. I hope it doesn't morph into Bubba when he is older.
Being the tall, lumbering sort (and this was PRE-MS!!), in high school my very amusing friends called me Biff and Lurch. I especially enjoyed Lurch, as you can imagine.
Loved reading this on this snowy Sunday morning; made me think about something that's been on my mind for a while. My sister's name is Elise. Growing up my parents and I called her Lisa. When she became a grown up, she preferred Elise. I love the name Elise, but it just seems so formal! Her best friend calls her LeeLee. Sometimes I don't know what name to use and I just refer to her as "my sister". Funny how a rose by any other name would still be a rose!
Muffy, Yes! Write about it!!
Karen, I think Skeezix was a comic book character around our parents' time.
Olga, Now, you must explain! Please?
Annie, Another Muffy!! Welcome to our ranks!
Judy, Maria + would be the same as the Mary + I lived with. I'll bet it was a shocker to learn that about your mother. I know a lot of people with no middle name (I even know one who made up a middle name!!) Judith/Judy was a popular name when I was growing up, so maybe your parents got caught up in the culture of the times? They like Judy Garland? As far as Biblical, didn't she decapitate an enemy? Just sayin'...
Susie, Well, fessin' up, that's my real second name -- Susan/Sue. It was my aunt's name. I think, on his own, Bubby will get that name changed!
Ms CP, I love Lurch, but I'm sure it was said it the manner of funnin' with you!
Tammy, I knew an Elizabeth who became Lisé. I also knew an Elise -- named for her grandmother Elsie.
I love learning about all these names! Thanks for sharing!!
Peace,
Muff
This unusual to do, but I want to clarify a few things. I am not "proud" of my namesake's act of decapitation; only, that she heroically stood up for her people. Indeed, I cannot imagine my committing any such act! As for Judy Garland being a potential influence on my parents' choice of name, what is so remarkable is that, not only was Judith not a common Hispanic name, but my parents' religion prohibited their going to "worldly" movies. I doubt they even knew who Judy Garland was! Seriously, they were that removed. So, it remains a mystery.
It is just that Olga is a fairly unusual name, particularly in small town Vermont where Iended up through my school years. Kids called my Yogi. I hated it.
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