Hola, IsabelOctober 17th, 2007 @ 7:01 am
The first day of sixth grade Spanish class started with each member of the class choosing a “Spanish name” that they would go by for the rest of their Spanish class career. A list of authentic names was passed around for us to choose from. By the time it got to me there weren’t many options left.
I chose “Beatrice”.
I knew it didn’t sound like a very authentic Spanish name, and some of the other students reminded me of that fact. My mom had just finished nursing school, where she had met a fellow nursing student who was from Mexico. And was named Beatrice. So I knew it was authentic. And that’s all the mattered to me.
Even though I was happy being refereed to as Beatrice in Spanish class, it wasn’t my first pick of names. My first pick was Isabel, but that named was snatched up before I got to it. Of course it was, it’s a good name.
Isabel was the name my mother had when she took Spanish a million years before I did. She often said the only Spanish she ever learned was the phrase she heard the most in class, “Hola, Isabel”. Whenever my mom needed to use Spanish, she would say, “Hola, Isabel”.
It became sort of an inside joke in our family and we’d laugh anytime someone said it.
When the urge to start my own blog could no longer be suppressed, I logged into blogger and went through the steps to set up my very own blog. Right from the start I knew what I wanted to call it. That part was easy.
It would be Hola, Isabel and it would be great. Or at least I’d want it to be great.
And that, my friends, is how I came up with the name for this blog.
I often wonder how other bloggers came up with the names for their blogs. Of course, there are quite a few bloggers where I know how they came up with their names. And still there are others where it is quite obvious. And even more where I have no idea how they came up with their name.
So tell me, how did you come up with the name for your blog?! And, now that you’ve been blogging for a while, are you happy with the name?
It’s been over two years for me, and I’m still happy with mine.
——
Don’t forget to check out my other blog all about TV! Come to find out about the latest shows and stay to chat. The more the merrier.
Back in the Day · Blog Addiction · They're just my family
Janssen
said,
October 17, 2007 at 3:56 pm
I wanted something to do with reading or books, because, well I’m a bookaholic. And I really really love those “Everyday Food” magazines that Martha Stewart puts out. That’s where I really learned to cook. If it was good enough for Martha, it’s good enough for me.
Janssen
said,
October 17, 2007 at 3:59 pm
By the way, when I took Spanish II, my Spanish name was Vieja. I knew it meant “old woman” when I picked it, but I thought it was pretty anyway. And my first choice, Catalina, was already taken.
Marilyn
said,
October 17, 2007 at 4:04 pm
I think mine falls under the “fairly obvious” category.
My blog did used to be called “Inconceivable”, however and I got that not just from all the infertility and loss stuff, but from “The Princess Bride”.
Steph
said,
October 17, 2007 at 4:10 pm
When I was in college, our research group decided we needed a name. We finally came up with the Chem Geeks. Well, it then turned into a discussion of how you would put that on a license plate, etc. CHEMGK is what we came up with. Being that I am too cheap to pay for vanity plates, this was my alternative usage.
super des
said,
October 17, 2007 at 4:14 pm
When I was in Argenita, my “foster mom”’s name was Beatriz.
My blog name, the wonderful world of des, I feel is descriptive. It’s all about me, dammit. However, it is too long for the url, so that became diggitydes. That is often mispronounced and nobody understands it, but I like the way it sounds (dig-itty-des).
Sometimes I think of changing, but I’m far too lazy for all the work that would entail, including telling everyone to change their links.
All in all, it works for me.
Nic
said,
October 17, 2007 at 4:19 pm
Bridehood Revisited was named by a friend
Not Perfect was going to be Imperfect, but that was taken. Reason I was picking that? I wanted a misspelled on letterpress kinda feel.
Sadie
said,
October 17, 2007 at 4:24 pm
“Sadie, Sadie, Married Lady” is a song from “Funny Girl” sung by Barbra Streisand. When I got married, my best friend started calling me “Sadie,” cause I was a married lady. So. There you go.
Carrie
said,
October 17, 2007 at 4:35 pm
My Spanish class name was Beti.
And I chose my blog name because when I started, about 2 years ago - Katie was almost 2 and being the third child, not very charming! I dunno, it seemed like it made sense!
Adios, Beti!
Audrey
said,
October 17, 2007 at 4:48 pm
I think mine is one of those that is fairly obvious — I love sangria. But the selection process was not quick and easy. Tim and I spent hours discussing possible blog names. I knew I wanted something that would reference the summer I spent in Spain (although, for some reason, I almost never blog about that summer) and originally was looking for a spanish word. My first choice was “Besos!” (literally: kisses) because that is the best affectionate way to sign letters/emails/text messages to friends ever and I used it all the time in Spain. But, of course, besos.com was taken. I also tried “hola, guapa” (also taken, by a porn site, I think), which is what all the old men on the sidewalk call to pretty college girls in Spain. And what my sweet old host “grandpa” said to me every time I came home from class. But, after much discussion and Tim convincing me that it would be better to go with something that my non-spanish-speaking readers would understand, SangriaLover popped into my head. And it was love at first thought.
Just over a year later, I still totally dig it. I don’t even really mind that a lot of pervs end up at my site by googling something inappropriate paired with the word “lover.” I mean, that is kinda creepy, but not creepy enough that I wish I had a different blog name.
Audrey
said,
October 17, 2007 at 4:49 pm
p.s. I always wondered why you named your blog Hola, Isabel. Thanks for filling us in. I love the story!
Carrisa
said,
October 17, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Yes thank you for finally telling us this story. I’m ashamed to say I didn’t know it.
My Spanish name was Cecilia. And I picked it because it was as close to my real name as I could get.
As for my blog name? Yeah well putting blog at the end of my real name is about as uncreative as one can get. But http://www.carrisa.com was already taken.
If I could go back I would be a bit more incognito. I’m not sure what I would pick though.
anna
said,
October 17, 2007 at 5:21 pm
I was one of the few whose name was already authentic sounding. No new name for me.
My blog was named by my youngest daughter. One day she was telling us about how she was going to “run with the fishes”. The name stuck around.
Stephanie
said,
October 17, 2007 at 5:23 pm
My spanish name was isabel, so prehaps a part of the reason I love your blog so much, the rest is basically cause your awesome. But every time I read your blog I say Izz-a-bel bc it is the spanish way to say it.
My blog name orginally was because I worked in the newspaper industry ( think hot off the presses)and my address which has furnace in it. But now, since I work in fundraising for a big old university I feel like it could have more to do with my love of cooking, so more like hot from the oven. Okay. Fine, it is totally random.
Bunny
said,
October 17, 2007 at 5:28 pm
Ooh, I love this topic. I chose “Mother Bunny” because my husband calls me Bunny. That is his “pet” name for me. I wanted to write about my kids and I kept plugging things into Blogger and Mother Bunny was not taken, so that is who I became.
dee
said,
October 17, 2007 at 5:43 pm
My Spanish name was Manuela, because by the time the teacher got around to me that was about the only choice left.
I tend to turn to song lyrics when I name things and my blog was no exception. When I was trying to decide on a name, one of my favorite songs from my friends’ band kept popping into my head, specifically the line that said, “voices in my mind, the voices I can’t hide”. At the time I was sort of coming out of hiding with my blog, going from an anonymous free-hosted blog to my own site and it just felt right.
janet
said,
October 17, 2007 at 5:53 pm
My French name was Claire. I still adore that name and it’s on my short list for future babies.
Love is Blonde….it honestly just came to me one moment, and I bought the domain right away. It was a gut feeling. I was planning my wedding, hence the love. I am blonde (duh). And it sounded good. And it’s a little bit of a pun.
The weird thing is that one day after I bought the domain, I got an email from a band who wanted to buy it from me. They were one day late in getting it themselves!
Great thread idea, by the way. I always wondered about hola isabel.
Christar
said,
October 17, 2007 at 6:00 pm
That’s an awesome story!
Yep, mine is probably one of the most obvious, lol. But since I didn’t start my blog (Shaun did it for me) I didn’t have much options for a name. I wanted something to go along with the address of my blog. I’m obviously not very creative at naming blogs, so I just said “Christar’s World”. Kinda stupid, but all I could think of, lol.
Liza
said,
October 17, 2007 at 6:42 pm
My Spanish name WAS Isabel.
If I had it to do over, I think I might pick something more random and obscure, but overall, I like my blogname.
Rachel
said,
October 17, 2007 at 6:51 pm
I think my blog name kinda speaks for itself. I am crazy, therefore, I do crazy things.
I’ve been blogging for just over a year and I still like the name. Mostly because I am still crazy.
Ron Burgundy
said,
October 17, 2007 at 7:14 pm
Mine is the “phrase” that the Mrs. and I came up with for us performing our marital duty. I’m not sure I love the name yet (it’s only been 6 months) - but it works for now.
Laurel
said,
October 17, 2007 at 7:23 pm
L-Sass / Sass Attack is my “street name” from the monthly game night I used to have with friends a few years ago. What can I say… it made us feel cooler playing board games on Friday night if we had alter egos.
jamie
said,
October 17, 2007 at 7:26 pm
my blog name just kind of came to me in the midst of 100 million other names that i was considering. so far, i still love it.
i took russian in high school, but we didn’t get to pick russian names. i think i would have chosen katya.
ali
said,
October 17, 2007 at 7:33 pm
i’m pretty sure that “cheaper than therapy” really needs no explanation…:)
Art Nerd
said,
October 17, 2007 at 7:46 pm
My blog’s name is Professor Art Nerd, for reasons that are fairly obvious, I guess. I changed it from the url lauren the art nerd @ blogpot because I became a professor and wanted to show off
And I like the relative anonymity. The old title was Ramblings of an Art Nerd, but there are so many Ramblings of … blogs. (Thank you NaBloPoMo for making me realize this!)
I was Loreta in Spanish class. My teacher just told us the Spanish equivalents for our real names, though.
SJ
said,
October 17, 2007 at 7:54 pm
And All The Jones Men. It came about because I’m surronded by Jones Men! Literally. Wayyy outnumbered in my house.
And for some reason it was to the tune of “Humpty Dumpty”. I have kids, what can I say.
More specifically…and all the kings men…couldn’t put humpty together again.
Operation Pink Herring
said,
October 17, 2007 at 8:29 pm
I’ll never tell.
alyndabear
said,
October 17, 2007 at 8:38 pm
I don’t have a Spanish name. Is sad.
And Alyndabear.. is just me.
anne nahm
said,
October 17, 2007 at 9:11 pm
I think ‘hola, isabel’ is a great blog name. Your tagline always makes me smile.
Danielle
said,
October 17, 2007 at 9:15 pm
I too had wondered how you came up with hola, isabel. So thanks for the story!
Well, technically my blog is up, but I haven’t actually started posting! Brand new blog baby here. But here is the story anyway:
The idea for on the down low came about last weekend when I was talking with my cousin about starting a blog. She said I could do something with d-elle in the name (for my name is Danielle), but I heard it as D.L. (as in down low). It just fits perfectly, and the next day a blog was born!
Marriage-101
said,
October 17, 2007 at 9:51 pm
So is your real name not Isabel? My spanish name was Isabel. It only made sense because my “English” name is Elizabeth.
One of the first blogs I started reading was Mom-101.I liked her tagline “I don’t know what I’m doing either” so as a newly married gal, I saw how that applied to me in my marriage and just went with Marriage-101. I have a different tagline, because I can’t be a complete thief, but that’s where I got it.
Keri
said,
October 17, 2007 at 10:58 pm
My spanish name was “Carmen” since I dont have a blog, but I’ve emailed w/you on that, maybe I should copy & be “HOla Carmen” then maybe alot of readers would visit my site b/c they read yours?
Keri
said,
October 17, 2007 at 10:58 pm
sorry, I hit submit too soon, I meant that b/c of my fear of blogging that no one would read…
Not the Queen
said,
October 18, 2007 at 12:48 am
Great story! Thanks for sharing!
I think my blog name is self-explanatory. I live amongst my princesses, but I’m not the queen. Sometimes, during “pretend,” I get to be the bad stepmother* (from Cinderella), and sometimes I get to be the prince; but I never get to be the queen.
*They are my biological children, so I’m not sure why I’m the stepmother.
My French name was Veronique; it wasn’t even on the list. I really wanted Genevieve, but it was taken long before my turn. I finally got Genevieve my junior year, but then someone else wanted it, too, so there were two of us. I was so mad! I’d waited 2 years for that name, then I had to share it!
metalia
said,
October 18, 2007 at 12:55 am
Since you already know why my blog is called what it’s called, I’ll share my French class name with you: Lisette. Ooh, la la!
Durga
said,
October 18, 2007 at 2:40 am
MONDUGI =
MO (husband’s initials)
N (and)
DUGI (my nick name)
now u know! yay!
I miss u lotsssss!
gorillabuns
said,
October 18, 2007 at 2:48 am
because my children are hairy and very primal.
the name is memorable but at times, i wish i had thought more about it before hitting submit.
Zoot
said,
October 18, 2007 at 4:55 am
“Zoot” was a name given to me by some friends b/c it was a variation of “BoZoot” which my parents called me. Evidently the name Kimberly gets turned into Kimbo which gets turned into Bozie which gets turned into BoZoot. At least that transition is normal if you’re MY parents. Heh.
Glad to hear YOUR story now!
Ally
said,
October 18, 2007 at 11:40 am
my japanenese name was Ari-San, or Arison-San which sounded way groovier.
yeah, not too impressed with my totally unoriginal blog name, and when do i determine that I am not a new mum anymore? is there a cut-off? can i still blog when my son is 36?
not very sightful on my part - my bad
Amy W
said,
October 18, 2007 at 2:35 pm
The name of mine is actually pretty pathetic. I am so uncreative….
Stefanie
said,
October 18, 2007 at 3:06 pm
I have wondered where you got “Hola Isabel” from, so thanks for sharing.
My blog’s name is the name of a Velvet Underground song–the only song I’ve ever heard with my name in it. The first time I heard it was in a scene in The Royal Tennenbaums. I gasped and turned to my then-boyfriend and said, “There’s a song with my name in it!” I had to look it up immediately when I got home, of course.
As for whether I still like the name… well, I’ve often thought I should have been using an alias all along; my blog is entirely too easy for people I don’t want to find it to find it. But I figure it’s too late to change it now.
Heather
said,
October 18, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Mine’s a combination of the Family Circus cartoon where the kid goes the long way to get to something that is very near to him and the fact that our house is often like a circus.
I like the name, although it is a little lengthy at times.
Sara
said,
October 19, 2007 at 12:37 pm
Mine is my birthdate. Haha, not my first blog though, that was Simply Sara.
heidikins
said,
October 19, 2007 at 3:53 pm
When I was in Spanish class our teacher wanted us to pick a name that started with the same letter as our “American” name… which was horrible for me because “H” is mostly silent in Spanish. So I chose Mercedes, and loved it!
heidikins is my German nickname for “little heidi” and my family still calls me that all the time. :o) Good post!
Parenting Sites 411 » Blog Archive » You Need to Read - October 19
said,
October 19, 2007 at 4:02 pm
[...] “Hola, Isabel” by hola, isabel. Isabel (not her real name, as detailed in this fascinating entry) describe exactly where the idea for her blog title came from and invites her readers to do the same. She has an amazing narrative voice and it is entries like these that I look forward to reading from her. [...]
Laura
said,
October 21, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Around the time I started the blog, I had just spent too much money on a Love this Life (that’s the brand) tank top. I HAD to have it, because it seemed to sum me up perfectly. I love life, how full of blessings it is, how many things to be thankful for, how many experiences to be had . . and I love it because for me, Jesus is life
*My very first post was about that tank top.
velocibadgergirl
said,
October 25, 2007 at 4:19 am
My blog URL came from a combination of the online user name I always use, badgergirl, and a nickname that my husband gave me that involved velociraptors.
The title, Pardon the Egg Salad, comes from my very favorite Billy Collins poem (which is in my sidebar if you want to read it). I read the poem in college, and the last stanza had been kicking around in my head for years. When I started thinking about setting up my own blog, I instantly knew that I wanted to call it “Pardon the Egg Salad.” The URL was already taken by someone who hadn’t posted in at least a year (GRR), so I compromised and created my velocibadgergirl ID and then used the title I wanted.
Two years later, I’m glad it worked out the way it did, and I love my title just as much as I did when I chose it.
And my Spanish name was Raquel. I wanted the Spanish version of my sister’s name, but it was taken by a girl in my class with the same real-life name as my sister. Through my three years of Spanish, I had classmates who went by Taco, Muertes, and Diego Chimichanga.