It’s so interesting about names and identity . . . a couple of thoughts about them:

My name is extremely common among Latin-based cultures. If it is anglicized to Mary or other versions such as Miriam or Mia, it is even more common. For example, in the United States, Mary was the most common name for females from 1923 – 2022. I did not like my name when I was growing up, because it was so common in my Italian immigrant neighbourhood, but I have been at peace with it for a long time.

Also, my children call me Mother instead of Mom or Mommy. I can’t remember why it began, but my oldest started it when he was little. It was probably connected to a story he read. For many years, I felt that I had to defend it to others. I thought they would think that I have a very formal, distant relationship with my children and that it was my wish to be called Mother. Nothing could be further from the truth. Now, I love hearing Mother come out of their mouths because I know they love me. – Maria