They call me Dana.
I’ve always liked my name; it is easy to say and easy to spell. I never wanted to change it, but there were some times when I didn’t love it so much.
Like in middle school, when my name wasn’t on the class list for P.E. I started to panic, and then I heard the laughter coming from the boys’ class on the other side of the gym. I didn’t know that Dana was also a boy’s name, and that it was my name and not my flat chest that earned me a spot on the boys’ gym roster.
I feel like a Dana. I like that it can’t be shortened to a nickname I don’t want, although I don’t mind when friends or family call me Dane. One college professor couldn’t pronounce my name and called me Daner. My parents called me Dana-Banana (changing the second “a” to a long “a” so it rhymes). Sometimes Matt just calls me D. And putting “Aunt” in front of my name makes me love it even more.
They call me Aunt Dana, and it’s one of my favorite names to be called.
I grew up with no aunts, uncles, or cousins. My parents are both only children, and it wasn’t until I was about nine years old that their close friends became my honorary aunt and uncle. But other than Aunt Sue and Uncle Lou and my “cousins” Debbie and Wendy, I had no close extended family outside of my two living grandparents.
I didn’t miss what I did not know, so I was unprepared for how much I would love being an aunt. My sister became one first, a single young woman completely in love with her new niece. By the time it was my turn, I was thirty years old and the mother of two, including a ten-month-old. I was harried, exhausted, and not at all focused on becoming an aunt to another child.
I became Aunt Dana to my nephew, and then my niece, and then nephew, niece, nephew, nephew. And then a bonus nephew. The kiddos on my husband’s side are closer with their mothers’ siblings than they are with me, which I expect is not uncommon. My sister’s kids, however, are closest with me. I’ve always loved spending time with them, but now, at 12 and almost 15, they are some of my favorite people.
An old photo, but one of my faves.
I love that I only have a Snapchat streak with two people: my 18 year-old daughter and my 12 year-old niece. Jenna is on Snapchat all the time, so sending her aunt a quick pic once or twice a day is no big deal for her. It keeps us connected, even if our daily communication is a photo of a thumbs up or our dogs.
I love seeing my nephew up on stage in musical theater; it is a shared love although he possesses the talent I lack. I applaud with pride, fully relaxed because I was not the one driving him back and forth to rehearsal.
I get to enjoy the company of two great kids who I love, without the responsibility of raising them.
They call me blessed.
Oh, this is so sweet! The first Dana I ever knew was a boy in my kindergarten class, and then my sister was born several months in. I would tell him all the time I knew how to spell his name (I think it got annoying after awhile). My sister loves that Eve calls her Danie, which I know is not one of your nicknames 😉
That’s so cute!! I too have a few nieces and nephews now but they’re all spread across the country so I don’t get to see them very often!
Sorry to be MIA for so long! Just getting back into routine!
It’s so good to hear from you Roshni! I’ve been a bit MIA myself, but I always love to keep in touch with my blogging pals.
I always wanted a cool aunt; your nephews and nieces are lucky 🙂
Can you please remind them of that when they forget?
…And we are blessed by your gratitude, perspective, kindness, and words,
sweet Dana. x
Aw, thank you so much, Kim.
Love this (can totally relate the flat chested gym class joy 🙂 Happy Mother’s Day!
A belated happy Mother’s Day to you too, Amy!
I’m not an auntie by blood (my brother doesn’t have any kids), but I’m Auntie Alison now to many of my cousins’ kids and my friend’s kids. The first time someone called me Auntie Alison, I felt like they were aging me but now, I love it. I guess I’ve grown into the role!
Oh, I love Auntie Alison – that just rolls off the tongue!
It really is a name that suits you! I always loved the name Dana. I knew a few in high school.
I assume they were all girls in the correct P.E. class? I hope so.
I think your name is awesome and it suits you perfectly. I am so happy with how much you love being an aunty. It’s a really special thing. I have an amazing aunty and…I am trying my best to be one.
You are an amazing aunty, Lizzi – that is clear from your writing, and how much you adore those kids. Miss you my friend!
I do. Though they can be TRYINGGGGGG!
I miss you. I miss me. I am nowhere with words at the moment 🙁
OMG!! This pseudo-cousin is ultra pumped to be mentioned in this blog… I agree whole heartedly, the Aunt thing is “totally awesome”… Love my Fraunt Lynne and Fruncle Mike.. and all my, Frousins, Frieces and Frephews! Miss you all… xoxoxo “Cousin” Debbie 😛 BTW, snapchat is exhausting… I’ve been unable to keep a successful streak!
Ha – it is exhausting. I feel so lucky to have my frousins – and that you embraced Amy and me as cousins even though you had “real” ones too. Love you too! xoxo
Dana, I am an only child, and I therefore have “honorary aunts and uncles and cousins” for my kids. 😉 My husband is the youngest of three, so my kids also have “blood” relatives too. How wonderful that you have such a great relationship with your sister’s kids! Since I don’t have siblings, I’m not sure how that would feel. Sometimes, I feel closer to my friends kids than my in-law nieces and nephews. Isn’t it nice that we have a bunch of different ways to connect to each other, family or friends.
I still don’t have snap chat, but maybe I need it when my son goes to college next year? Why can’t he just text me pictures? Please explain the necessity of this app. 😉
Snapchat is quick and fun – there are filters, and the photos disappears after 10 seconds. But if he doesn’t use it, photos in texts are just as good. I’m doubtful that my son will care about keeping a streak with me – I’ll be happy if I get a text with more than one word in it!
In our family, the generation to which my kids and nephews belong ranges in age from 35 to 10. Because it is so spread out (with my kids being the oldest) I have been able to really enjoy watching my nephews grow up and being a fun, involved aunt – even if not a young one!
Wow, that’s a big spread! Ours is 11 to 18, and my kids are the oldest. And I’m not the oldest aunt- woohoo! 😉
I’m kinda sad that Tux is an only child after reading this although he does have his cousins and he LOVES LOVES them. I hope that’s always the case. By the time I was an aunt, I lived far away. I love being Aunt Kristi but it’s better when you’re nearby, I think… also do you say ant or auuunt?
I say ant. I’m sure in many ways cousins are even better than siblings! Less annoying, at least – if you ask most kids.
I’d never thought about the benefits of having a name that people wouldn’t feel they had to shorten, usually into something you wish they hadn’t. That’s a definite plus. I went to school with a boy named Dana Rose. I’m sure he probably ended up on the wrong list a few times in life too. My kids are both grown, and my niece is over 40 but she has always been like one of my own. In fact we have a joke between us that things got mixed up at the hospital and she was really supposed to be my daughter, because in many ways we are alike. It was a pleasure to come and read this, and your “About” page as well, I’ll be back for future posts!
It’s nice to meet you, Josie! I hope my close relationship with my niece and nephew continues into their adulthood.
Being an aunt is great! When I first became one, we were separated by miles and my first child came shortly after, so I was caught up in the craziness of babies and, eventually, toddlers, too. Now, I have little nieces and a nephew – 3, 1, and 10 months. I get to spoil them and cuddle them – but I’m not the one up with them in the middle of the night! 🙂
Oh – that must be so nice to have some little ones to cuddle and then give back!
Dana, I think you have the perfect name: 2 syllables, easy to pronounce, easy to spell, and not able to be shortened. Those are my perfect name criteria! As a Catherine, I’ve been called everything from Cathy, Kate, Cat, C or worse…Katherine with a K! Haha!
True – your name has infinite possibilities! I notice your son’s name has the same characteristics as mine. 😉
Sweet! Yes a “show”, game etc is so much enjoyable if you’re not the mom. I’m not an aunt but I can feel what you mean. I was curious to know if your college professor was Austrailan. They tend to put an er on words/names that end in A. Some of the older relatives of my husbands Louisiana family do that also – kind of like Madea trying to be proper and putting “er” on words.
No, he wasn’t Australian, but he was from the south, I think. Maybe Louisiana? Who knows, but it always made me laugh.
They call me “Aunt Tammy” – all six of them! And there will be more than six soon, but you didn’t hear that from me.
And no one stops them! And I sort of love it!
Love Aunt Tammy – easy for little ones to say! And my lips are sealed.;)
I think Dana suits you, too! Can’t imagine you with any other name. Other than Aunt Dana of course. My nieces and nephews and children of close friends call me either Auntie Kel or Ahwee. The latter was gifted to me by my twin nieces when they were 2. I was away in New Zealand and my sister showed them a photo of me and asked them who was in the pic. They both said “Ahwee” out of the blue and it stuck. They’re 35 now and still call me that.
Did you ever get “Danny”?
Ahwee – how cute! I never got Danny, but I do get called Donna by restaurant hostesses and Starbucks baristas. I am totally not a Donna!
I love your post! My sister is a fabulous aunt to my daughter and this reminds me so much of them. It is good and yes, a blessing, to have special people in our lives.
Glad your kids have a fabulous aunt! I’m loving the fact that I will still have Jenna at home once I’m an empty nester, if she’ll still want to spend time with me!
I’m not an Aunt, never will be😥. Makes me sad. But I have been annoited as Aunt Allie many times, and that’s cool.
It is, Allie. And my aunt and uncle were just as real to me as blood relatives would have been. You have kids who choose to call you Aunt Allie, and not just because they have to.
I have the complete opposite experience when it comes to my name and I tried desperately not to pass it onto my kids but even sort of failed at that! My real name is Alexandrea, my nickname is Allie and there are about 100 different ways to spell it and I have seen them all! People get very confused by Vaughn’s name and I’ve heard “Ron” and “Fawn.” However, my niece and nephew never get my name wrong and it’s such a gift! Loved this post 🙂
Thanks Allie! I don’t think I knew that you were Alexandra – I assumed Allison. Which I’m sure you’ve heard before. Fawn, lol. Ron I understand, but Fawn?
The only thing better than being me, Kerry, is being Auntie Kerry. You are right. Best thing there is.
Isn’t it? I wasn’t prepared for how much I would love it.
Also, am an aunt to 8 nieces and nephews now and like you I love the relationship I have with them for the most part, which is different than that of being mom to my own two, but still special in its own right.
Exactly! Enjoying them without having to be responsible for them.