1. Name Origins Essay Research the origin of your name to discover where it may have come from, and what your name may mean. There are a variety of places you could go for researching your name. The easiest place to start is: www.houseofnames.com www.houseofnames.com Use the following table to include information about your names. First Name________________________________________ Middle Name ________________________________________ Last Name________________________________________ If you use a website other than houseofnames.com, please list it/them here.

2. You are going to construct an essay about the origin of your name. Essay Paragraph Expectations: Five Paragraphs Introduction How did your family decide to give you the first and middle names you have? What are your opinions of your name(s)? Are there any hassles or benefits to having this name? Three Body Paragraphs First Name Middle Name Last Name Conclusion Does any of your research connect to personal characteristics you feel you may have? Or, do you have strong disagreements with what you discovered? Were there any surprises you discovered about your name? PAPERS NOT TYPED WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED Your paper MUST be double spaced in size 12. It should be 1 ½ -2 pages in length. In the upper right hand corner you should have the following information: Your Name Teacher Name Name Origin Essay Each paragraph should be indented and have at least SIX sentences in it. All transition words need to be underlined. You are expected to correctly implement all of the ideas included in your writing mini-lessons from your 3-ring binder Your Name Teacher Name Name Origin Essay You are welcome to turn your essay in through Hastingsapps. A form will be posted in your google classroom with the information about this essay. Due Date ________________________________________

3. Sample Introduction I was born on Friday, March 16, the day before St. Patrick’s Day, late in the afternoon. At this time, my parents were torn between several names for me, trying to decide between many family names. They decided upon the name Kyle, which had no family ties at all. My parents thought this name would be somewhat unique, but little did they know that I would be one of several “Kyles” in my own class. I can’t say I dislike the name, but I wish, at times it didn’t also match the same letter of my last name “K”. Too many people automatically think bad thoughts when they hear the letters K and K together. What do you notice?

4. Sample Body Paragraph My first name, Kyle, has Gaelic and Celtic ties. This is fitting, because I was born the day before St. Patrick’s Day. My parents took this into account when deciding upon my name. The name Kyle means “handsome” and “combative.” I think my parents were hoping for these two connections when naming me, especially since my father was a college wrestler. Maybe combative was what he was hoping for? Either way, I think the meaning of my first name is pretty unique and cool. What do you notice?

5. Sample Body #2 Although my first name was decided upon by a holiday, my middle name was decided from a family connection. John is my middle name, which is also the same name as my dad’s father, whom they call “Jack.” He never liked the name John, so apparently I got stuck with it! Although I joke about this, John is actually hebrew for “god’s gracious gift,” so I guess I’m okay with this name! In retrospect, I am actually pretty happy that my parents chose this middle name, especially since they didn’t choose a middle name that started with the letter “K”. That would’ve been really awkward! What do you notice?

6. Sample Conclusion Overall, there are multiple reasons for the name my parents chose for me. I now understand that my first name has multiple meanings, one of which (combative) might represent my father’s interests. I also have a better understanding of why my parents chose my names: both family and holiday reasons. One last thing I learned about my name is that my last name was changed when they settled into the Midwestern area. The original spelling was too common, therefore a different spelling took shape. Each of us have a story to tell and our names are a big part of that story. For me, I learned a lot about my own story the more I researched. What do you notice?