How Antigone Became Anawanda

From The Buffalo (N.Y.) News:

What's in a name? A lot of confusion!

By ANNE MCCRORY

12/2/2005

[snip]

My original first name was chosen by my Greek godfather, and agreed upon by my parents. We were all Greek, but I was to be the only native-born American. My godfather's name was Aristotle, so I would be given a name suitable to my heritage, Antigone, which was pronounced Ahndeegwonee.

[snip]

We lived in a city of immigrants, I think. It must have been predominantly Polish, because in time, when I was old enough to have playmates, I answered to "Wanda."

[snip]

I suppose when my teacher examined the first-graders' records, she noted the discrepancy between that name and the one the registrar had written. Puzzled, she asked a colleague if that name was "Amanda" or "Anawanda."

[snip]

The older teacher looked very domineering and stern. Since she was to be my instructor, I used my Greek wisdom and chose her version: Anawanda.

[snip]

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