What's in a Name?

Today is my birthday. March 2. The same birthday as Dr. Seuss, Desi Arnaz, and my late grandmother, Mama Kate. And one of the Osmond brothers, I think.

When I was born 25 years ago, my mother knew when I was going to be born. Because of my older sister's over-large head, she'd already had a C-section and so was going to just schedule one for her second child. And since I was due on Feb. 29, and she did not want a leap year baby, she had the doctors deliver me on her mother's birthday. (She was also a middle child born on her grandmother's birthday.)

But what she didn't plan was my name. Or rather, she planned a different name. My name was supposed to be Anna Hathorn Leslie. But 30 minutes before heading into the delivery room, my mom asked my dad if she could change my middle name to Eugenia and call me Genie, like her sister.

"Lucy, you know she's always going to have spell it for people and pronounce it constantly."

"I know," she said, "but I want a Genie!"

So here I am, and now that it's been 25 years, I have a few notes on my name, and answers to common questions:

• I specifically remember being in kindergarten and hating the question, "Will you grant me 3 wishes?"
• Someone should buy me a Lowrey Magic Genie 98 Organ w/ Leslie feature, just cause. 
• No, I do not spend most of my time singing Christina Aguilera's "Genie in a Bottle"
• No, I do not want you to sing "Genie in a Bottle" to me. You are not the first person to meet me and make this connection.
• Even if you aren't singing, do you really think it's appropriate, when first meeting someone, to ask, "Do I have to rub you the right way?"
• If you call me Jenny after I have clearly said Genie, I will judge you and think you're a poor listener. Or that you're dumb.
• Yes, my initials are AEL. No, my family and I have not made typos on my monogrammed towels.
• To my boyfriend: I know that from Eugenia you've come up with the nicknames Eugene, Eugene Levy, Gene Simmons, Richard Simmons (not sure if this mutated from Gene Simmons or if it's just a comment on my tendency to be dramatic) but sometimes Genie is nickname enough.
• To those of you over 40: Yes, I agree. Eugenia is a pretty name, with a nice old-fashioned sound to it.
• To those of you under 40: Yes, Eugenia is weird, it's a family name.
• To my favorite poetry teacher: No, I do not pronounce it the Latin way (Ay-you-hay-nee-ah), but now that you mention it, I might start.
• To the other Genie Leslie who used to pop up in Google searches: I hope Florida is nice and that you continue to publish books about flowers.

And finally, to my parents: This name has been an exhaustive test of my patience, one I've often failed, and I'm so glad that you gave it to me.