Monthly Archives: July 2023

National Diana Day

Who knew??

I find it interesting to check quite often to see what the “National” day is. And it’s even more fun when it’s something I can celebrate: Hug Your Cat Day, Selfie Day, National Kissing Day, etc.  Last night I found out that I missed celebrating National Cheesecake Day yesterday.  So sad.

BUT, I learned that today is National Diana Day.

My name is spelled with two N’s, because my Mom’s given name was Donnie, and she wanted my name to be similar to hers.

Mama and me by the front porch. We spent many hours in that swing.

My two sisters were teenagers when I was born, and the younger of the two, Rose, supposedly made the comment, soon after my birth, that Dianna was ‘too long’ a name for a baby, so she started calling me Dianne.  Through the years, other than by teachers and fellow students, I’ve been called Dianne.  That caused me to feel that Dianna just sounded ‘too official’.  Recently, though I’ve come to prefer that over Dianne. But I’ll answer to either, or Mom, or “DB”, which is what Motor Man has called me for years. My late cousin, Lona, began calling me Nan, when a little tot in the neighborhood said that instead of Dianne.

Here’s some info: the name Diana originated in Greece, and she was considered the Goddess of the Moon.

I also found this on the “National Day” web-site:  “As a baby name, ‘Diana’ emerged in the Indo-European region where it means ‘divine.’ In its Latin origin, Diana means ‘sky’ or ‘daylight.’ It’s also a metaphor for new beginnings, which is why it became a popular name for newborn girls.

The peak of Diana’s popularity as a baby’s name was in 1946, when it ranked number 42 as the most popular among newborn girls. It continued its surge throughout the decades after that but slowly dropped in the 1970s. By 1980, it ranked number 118, showing a decline in popularity. However, it spiked to number 62 by 1982 — the year Prince Charles married Princess Diana.

Perhaps the most popular ‘Diana’ in history is Diana, Princess of Wales herself. She represented royalty, poise, regality, and compassion. The name continued to be popular in the early to mid-1990s because of her Royal Highness. However, it showed a decline by 2000.

In 2014, a huge dip in the name’s popularity was seen as it ranked 298 in the baby’s names database. However, it slowly picked up its pace and ranked 244 in 2020.”

And now, for your listening pleasure, a song that, as a young child, I just knew Paul Anka sang just for me.  (Bless his heart, he didn’t know that my name is spelled with 2 N’s).

https://youtu.be/ar-zZ21iW9w 

So, how can I celebrate National Diana Day? I’m open for suggestions!

~These Days Of Mine~