Way, way back in November of 1981 my mom originally wanted to name me Natasha. I think that would have suited me, but the name was not approved by other family members and thus I became Tiffany Marie Fairbanks.
Tiffany
Growing up, all throughout my school years there were quite a bit of Tiffany's running around. I would say about 10 or more each year. Apparently this was a popular name. There are several ways to spell it I learned. A lot of them make no sense to me, but I guess everyone wants to be different.
Over the years I have come to learn that people that are 30 years or more older than me just adore the name Tiffany. I guess they think it is exotic, which blows my mind. Sometimes people tell me, "Oh! I just love that name. I have a poodle at home that I named Tiffany." I want to laugh. I have heard that numerous times. Of course people like to tell me if they chose the name for their daughter or they have a grandchild with the name and it's sweet.
At about 14 the song "Breakfast at Tiffany's" came out. I got serenaded a lot that year. I spent the summer with my Uncle in Panama City and every time I went down to the pool 3 guys would sing this to me. Recently my 12 year old brother Caleb told me he had heard the song. The gift keeps on giving! I would be lying if I said I don't love the movie of the same title and I might have a promotional poster (or two) featuring Holly Golightly.
Marie
Marie seems like a go-to middle name. So many people share my middle name. My mom chose it because her mother and my father's mother both have Mary as a first name and Marie is a pretty good spin-off of Mary. The thing I love the most about my middle name is a memory it created between my Papaw and me. He always called me Tiffany Anne. Eventually I asked why he called me this when it wasn't my middle name. He told me he was calling me Tiffany Anne because of Marie Antoinette. At such a young age I had no idea who this person was. He explained that she had been royalty and that her husband had ordered her beheading. That made me take pause. I'm still confused by this, but it cracks me up nonetheless.
Fairbanks
All I know about my last name is a story that I heard that has neither been confirmed or denied. Apparently I had a great-great-great grandfather somewhere along the lines that was some kind of outlaw. His wife was English and in order to evade the law he took her name.
I am pretty fond of my last name. I like the ring of my first and last name together to the point that I don't know if I ever want to change it. I know keeping your maiden name makes things difficult if you have kids and other adult things that I have yet to do but I guess I am selfish for wanting to keep Fairbanks.
My favorite thing about my last name???? When customer service reps ask: "How do you spell that?" Really? But then again I have also been asked how to spell Tomball. Maybe conjunctions baffle people.
