For some ridiculous and crazy reason, ever since I read the prompt, i can hear the Oscar Meyer song in my head… you know … my.bolonga has a first name, its O-S-C-A-R…. anyway….

My first name is Joni, its etymology is interesting and a bit heart stirring for me. I never really looked before, not sure why. JONI is primarily a diminutive of Joan, stemming from the Hebrew Yochanan, meaning “God is gracious” or “gift from God,” evolving from Old French into a popular, often feminine, nickname that became a standalone name, gaining significant use mid-20th century, popularized by Joni Mitchell, and is also used as a masculine name in cultures like Finland.

Now, my family named me Joni because…. I was the first born in the era where there was no warning of what was coming, boy or girl… I am  sure my daddy wanted a boy, most men do. I was named Joni, for John… after my daddy and Pawpaw Ellis, my middle name, Lynn, was for my maternal grandfather Leonard Reeves. I was named Joni Lynn. I was the obligatory boy, dad never got one. There were three of us girls… Joni, Jill, and Julie… yes the 3 J’s.