A Dad’s Choice

My name is SEENA CANDY SWEET No, really, seriously, that’s my name. It’s on my birth certificate. It’s not made up. No, I’m not a stripper, either. It” not Tina, Deena, Sheena, or Zeena. It’s Seena. S-E-E-N-A.

My parents saw a film back in the 40s with an actress by the name of Seena King or Crown (my dad can’t remember). They loved that actress, so I was named after her. My middle name, CANDY. Yes, that’s what my Dad chose. No explanation.

SWEET is my father’s last name and his father’s before him. From where? Someplace in Belarus? Minsk? Kiev? Poland? who knows. Not England. Probably shortened from some longer “-sky” name. When I was younger, I used to dream of naming daughters of my own Barbara, Susan or Debbie. Now I think I’d give them exotic names. Maybe Gabriella. But definitely nothing silly.