That's not my name!

The name on my birth certificate is James. Growing up people called me Jimmy at first. Then, when I was about 6 or 7, I came downstairs one night and proclaimed to my family that I was now "Jimm-I-E" after seeing it spelled that way on a cast list on the back of a Sesame Street album I had been listening to. I grew into Jim for most of the rest of my school days.

My Junior year of high school, I took "James" as my moniker. I was very interested in business and it just seemed more professional and appropriate -- that, and it differentiated me from my then crush's current boyfriend who went by "Jim."

I've gone by James since then. There are still some really old friends that call me Jim, and a few relatives I allow to continue with that (Hi Mamaw!), but when I introduce myself, either in person, or via email, or on the phone, or in any other fashion you can think of, I always use "James." Most people are good about it and call me James, but some people need a polite reminder or two. Then I give up.

I don't know what it is, but when someone responds to an email, or calls me on the phone and just feels empowered to call me by the more diminutive "Jim," it kinda ticks me off! I have to restrain myself from responding to them with some name their granny might call them as she pinched their cheek.

When my wife and I named our kids, we actually took this into account. We gave them names that they could grow with --for my daughter, two names that could stand alone, or together, or take nicknames for each of them, or just use initials. She could find something fitting as a high-powered corporate lawyer, a teacher, a crafter, a mother, a politician, a wife, an actress, a friend. For now, she goes mostly by a diminutive combination of her two names. It fits her for now.

For my middle child, the same thing. Initials would be OK. Full proper name on a business card handed out to fellow professionals would look classy. Playing around with his buddies, now or 40 years from now, a name variation would work. As introduced by his own child on "Take your parent to school day." Still OK. For this one, we threw in an extra middle name with some history that will give him some interesting tales to tell one day.

And for our youngest, yet again. Plenty of options. We use many variations of his names already when we call him, or talk to him. It depends on how playful we're being, or how much trouble he's in. We through in an extra middle name for him as well. My wife never had a middle name until we got married, so we were making up for it. :-)

I don't know what power or familiarity some people think that they have that they can just make up names to call someone. If I am introduced to Robert. I'll call him Robert until and unless he corrects me and offers that I can call him Bob. It's a sign of respect. Don't assume...