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Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Ask Sara! Answer 3

Anonymous asked...


you once said there was a story behind Dovi's name, care to share?


Dovi's full Hebrew name is Chaim Dov, and his English name is Joseph.

Anyone who knows Hebrew is very confused right about now.

You see, the Hebrew of Joseph is NOT Chaim Dov. It's Yosef. But Dovi is Chaim Dov.

Here's the story. We had chosen Chaim Dov for Dovi's name. However, there is no real translation for Chaim or Dov. Hyman? Ummmm he was born in 1997, not 1957. We wanted him to have an English name so he'd have choices when he was an adult and in the business world, because neither Chaim nor Dov is easily read phonetically.

So we decided to choose an English name that we liked but did not particularly love the Hebrew version of. I apologize to all the lovers of the name Yosef out there...it's just not one of mine (different strokes for different folks!).

So we chose Joseph.

I love love love the name Joseph. In retrospect maybe it has something to do with Donny Osmand in the Broadway version of Joseph that I saw twice in high school? And the fact that when Dovi was born I was only two years removed from high school? Oy!

I figured we'd use his "legal" name once a year at the pediatrician, on his school forms, and his SAT forms. Ha.

Instead, I have a boy with FD who responds to not only Chaim, Dov, Dovi, Joseph, Joe, and Joey.

Lesson to be learned? Never allow a woman who is 24 hours postpartum to make any decisions of any importance. Many of you might recall my beast of a 15 passenger van that I drove for 2 years thanks to another immediately postpartum decision!

Bad, bad idea, the Joseph/Chaim Dov fiasco.

6 comments:

Shosh said...

hey! i want to know about the 15 passenger van!

DESJ and Company said...

Shosh-when ESJ were born, I drove a Honda Odyssey 7 seater. Nice, normal minivan (why I needed it when I only had 1 child I cannot tell you but go with it). Well my lease was running out 6 months after ESJ were born. I decided (mind you at that time I was sleeping 4 hours per night in 2 2hour naps) that our minivan was not big enough. And if you've learned anything about me, it's that I don't do anything halfway. So I decided I wanted a 12 passenger van. But we couldn't find a good deal on a 12 pass., but we DID find a great deal on a 15 pass. van. Big shocker there-who drives 15 pass. vans? So for 2 1/2 years I drove a 15 passenger van. With 4 children. Me, the churches, and Camp Oneg. Never, ever make decisions of that magnitude when you are functioning on 4 hours of sleep. :)

Kelly said...

This is a really stupid question, but how do you pronounce Dovi?

Anonymous said...

it is pronounces Doe-vee

chaviva said...

funny story/stories.

Shira said...

That 15-seater van thing is hilarious! BTW, Y's english name is Joseph too (but his actually makes sense). Joseph Abraham to be exact...can we get any more biblical?