It took Jason and me a while to decide on a name for our daughter. Eventually, we agreed on a first name, but the middle name had us stumped. We pulled out a book of baby names that an English friend of mine had lent us for inspiration. It had all sorts of traditional British names that we had fun making fun of. In fact, Loveday was one of the names we made fun of when we first heard it. Once we read the meaning of the name, though, we started changing our minds about it. We read that the name originates from Cornwall, which is where a part of Jason's family is from. We were intrigued.
The name itself refers to a medieval custom. If there were two groups who were quarreling, the people of their village would enact a loveday in order to negotiate a reconciliation. The two parties would parade into the center of the town, where a facilitator would help them sort out their differences. In celebration of the event, there would often be a child named in honor of the day. Eventually, the name Loveday became more common and was also used as a surname. Today, Loveday is really only seen as a first name in Cornwall, but it is still not uncommon to hear it as a last name.
Jason and I were surprised that we both agreed on the name almost immediately, but Loveday just felt right. Now, getting to know our sweet daughter, it is definitely a good fit. It is a name that takes a bit of explaining, but we don't mind. Hopefully, Charlotte Loveday won't mind either!
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