by Coral Roberts

Created on: July 20, 2010

It’s all in a name

I am not sure my mom was telling me the truth or not when she told me the story of my name. I believe it was a bit exaggerated but who knows. She is gone now so I will never know for sure.

 Here is the story she told me about how I got my name.

Mom said she was pregnant expecting me, her new baby to be born within days. She and my father were so sure they were going to have a boy they never gave a though to a girl’s name.

The day finally came and she was in labor ready to go to the hospital. As she left the house she saw a snake.  Unlike most women she was not repelled by the snake. She thought it was pretty and she decided later she would find out what kind of snake it was. Thinking no more about it she headed into the hospital ready for me to be born.

At midnight I was born.  She was so surprised when the doctor told her she had a girl! Now what she thought? She was thrilled it was a girl but had no clue what to name me.

She thought about a name and though about a it. She did like the name Candice, but no that was not right. She put the idea of the name on hold and enjoyed the visitors who came to see her.  She worked in the hospital where I was born as a surgical nurse and was very well liked so lots of nurses and doctors came to visit her and see her new baby. They would naturally ask her what you are going to name your baby. She said she didn't know. Then one day fateful day she had a visit from a good friend. They discussed the usual, and her friend asked her what she was going to name me. She again said she did not know and changed the subject of the snake she had seen when she was leaving for the hospital. She asked her friend if she knew what kind of snake she had seen. Mom described the snake and her friend told her it was a Coral snake. Mom though about it a decided it was a pretty name and decided to name me Coral.

The hospital was so pleased I was named Coral. After all it was Coral Gables Hospital, in Coral Gables, FL. The hospital was sure I was named after the hospital and put a plaque on the maternity corridor wall that I was the first baby to be named after the hospital!

When mom and I would argue she would say she let the hospital think what they wanted but the name came from the snake nothing else! I know she was just being mean but there was always the little niggling doubt that she was telling the truth when she got mad!

Logically I thought it was a combination of things that led to my name, yes the snake was part of it only because she liked the name but no one names their child after a snake do they? I have no way of asking her if it’s true because she is gone now and the story lives on.

I try to be philosophical about it. What if the snake had been a Rattle Snake or a Cobra? If I really was named after a snake would I have perhaps been called Rattler? Can you picture it? Your mom calling you to come home for dinner Rattler, come home Rattler!  I guess I was lucky to miss that bullet!

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