Mean

Lola asked me what I thought was the all-time worst girls’ name.

Upon reflection I went with Cheryl.

Her choice was Gertrude.

I pointed out that all the Gertrudes that I could think of were strong and intelligent women.

She noted that this didn’t influence her thinking on the subject one bit.

She asked me if I still liked the name Lola.

I said it has grown on me but I reminded her that I had nothing at all to do with it.

Indeed my choice would have been Wilhelmina.

Lola said the problem with this choice is that it would have been shortened to Will, a boys name.

I said no, in Holland it is shortened to ‘Mien’.

She said that wouldn’t work because she isn’t mean

This dissolved into a discussion of all the meanings of mean.

And eventually we agreed that English is weird.