What's in a Name?

So, in medieval times, a person often was named for the family skill or trade - the name "Shoemaker" is an obvious one... Think of Brewer, Smith, Wordsworth, Tinker, Plummer, Singer, Miller, Wright, Goldsmith - all these are names passed from parent to child denoting career. However, where, oh where does one inherit these names: Savage, Black, Green, Sexsmith and here it is LOVELADY? My oh my, where does my husband's family fit in that career box? (No pun intended... well okay, maybe it was intended.) He wonders why women are looking at his butt in the grocery store, and when we were first pregnant, neighbour women came up to him to rub his arm for "good luck" getting pregnant... (I hope they know other anatomy is involved.) In the village of Wolverton he was known as the Impreganator... So I guess he came by his name honestly - and I'm glad I didn't get to meet his ancestors Big Dick Johnson Lovelady, Big John Stud Lovelady, and the others. Bet they were vikings, or maybe pro wrestlers...

I've had people hear the name Lovelady and react with surprise - and in their spontaneity some snicker, but a couple of times women have gotten all soft and said "What a beautiful name - the Lady of Love". Being a minister that is a wonderfully suitable name... Unfortunately my birth surname, which I still tag into the equation, reputedly means "war mongering horse thief". Thank goodness one wouldn't know that up front...

Brian thinks I only married him for his "attributes". I beg to differ... It might have been because he comes from a family of jewellers. Unfortunately they were all out of the business when I came along... After reading this to him he thinks I am incorrigible. I beg to differ again... I call a spade a spade, and well, you know...