Julianna Louise.

I'm not really sure why I was named the way I am. I've heard mixed stories including that my family has a history of the name Julian (my family did not know I was a girl until days before my birth - my baby shower was for a boy, and for the first few months of my life I wore boys' clothes). Or even that the prettiest cocktail waitress my father ever met was named Julianna (classy, huh?)

Louise was my paternal Grandmother's name, I never really knew her...she died of a liver disease years and years before I was born. All I know is that she danced ballet professionally, wanted (and got) a pink Thunderbird to be driven around in (she did not drive out of a fear that she would hit a child), and loved mink coats.

I have gone by Julie for as long as I can remember, but since college started and I gave up on constantly having to correct professor after professor about my name, I have grown sort of a liking to my name. Sometimes I feel like Julianna is a name for all the mature aspects of myself, all the ambitions, insights, and culminating life lessons brought on from experience. Julie, on the other hand, would be my daydreamer, unending optimism, carefree and friendly.

Common name meanings for Julie is youthful and soft-haired; for Julianna it is beautiful and youthful.

You know, I'm not really sure where these thoughts came from.

Well...I do have soft hair?