My name is Elizabeth Marie Pounds and I live in South Jersey. I have had an interest in nomenclature since I was young, often wondering about the reason people received their names, especially the strange ones. I’ve always enjoyed my own name and know why my parents chose it. I am named for my mother, Isabella, which I find to be a lovely name and more frequently used in recent times. But because she had vivid memories of being ridiculed as a child about her name, she decided to give me the English equivalent of Isabella, which also paired better with our last name. My parents took time and thought in naming all four of their children, but I can imagine the weight of the responsibility because a name stays for life and influences a person’s life experience. It is also difficult to hit upon a name that fulfills many expectations, especially the third and fourth time around.

 

I am a natural researcher and lifelong learner, having had a ball studying for my BA in a unique major at Bryn Mawr College. I enjoyed a truly liberal (i.e. broad) education that encompassed archaeology, architectural history, anthropology, and foreign language literature. I have studied French and Italian, I am currently studying German, and I have a strong classical history and literature background, having studied Latin for 8 years. I would love the opportunity to assist people in discovering possible names for their baby and also narrowing what has seemingly become an even wider wide field. By using trusted resources and research techniques that go beyond an internet search engine, parents can join me on a meaningful journey discovering their child’s name.