My name: Joseph William Henry Harvey ….. I started going by Joseph recently because I like the sound of the word Joseph in French ….. the J is pronounced much softer in French than the hard “JAY” in English
Ok …… so what is this story all about …… what’s the big deal! Imagine learning at the age of 13 that you do not really know your name ….. LOL ….. let alone who you are!!!
For me the name thing became more of an irritant than a big deal ….. and after all the trouble it caused me ….. believe it or not …… I then chose to do the same to my son by naming him Joseph Ryan Rhys Harvey!! Sorry Ryan!!!!
Ok so where does this story take root? ….. in Quebec, Canada, where I was born …… where I am living as I write this.
I Quebec there was a tradition of naming your son Joseph and your daughter Mary. It is unclear how but the tradition is connected to the Catholic Church …… appears to be a Quebec Catholic thing rather than the Church thing ….. I grew up Catholic …… born in Quebec but raised in Northern Ontario …. still very much Catholic!
So in thinking about this story I took a look at some of the online references to Joseph. Here are some thoughts …. https://www.biography.com/religious-figure/saint-joseph Biography.com states “Everything we know about Saint Joseph, the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus, comes from the Bible, and mentions of him are underwhelming. The 13 New Testament books written by Paul (the epistles) make no reference to him at all, nor does the Gospel of Mark, the first of the Gospels. Joseph first appears in the Bible in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, one of which (Matthew) traces Joseph’s lineage back to King David.
To add to the problem of not knowing enough about Joseph, some apocryphal writings — such as the second-century Protevangelium of James and the fourth-century History of Joseph the Carpenter — muddy the historical waters further, presenting him as a widower with children when he met Mary and claiming that he lived to the age of 111. These claims, however, are spurious and are not accepted by the church.“
So ….. that’s all good ….. so why did this tradition take hold in Quebec? Well Quebec has an interesting history in that England and France each wanted the territories and resources of what is very roughly Canada today. So after a number of wars, what would become the “Canadian territory” was negotiated between these two countries and documented in the “British North America Act of 1774” or the “Quebec Act” http://British North America (Quebec) Act 1774, That Act granted new rights to the Catholic Church and a large base of French speaking citizenry ….. the history of Quebec diverged from much of the rest of Canada and North America because the Church and the presiding government (read The Church again) chose to use French law (from France) as the basis for their legal system. To this day the power of the Catholic Church at that time is evident in everything Quebecois. The naming and baptizing of your children was a part of that cultural evolution. According to The French Canadian Geneologist https://www.tfcg.ca/top-12-boys-names-new-france naming your children Joseph, even the girls, was common well into the mid 1900s
“Joseph: the origins of the name Joseph date back to biblical times. In the Old Testament, Joseph was one of the twelve sons of Jacob, who went on to become the viceroy of Egypt. In the New Testament, Joseph was a carpenter in Bethlehem, husband of the Virgin Mary and father of Jesus. Despite this historical importance, Joseph did not become a common name amongst Catholic families until the 17th century. In New France, its popularity was cemented when Joseph was named patron saint in 1624. Joseph’s female equivalent, Marie Josèphe, was the most popular name in New France. The 20th century, however, signalled the beginning of the end for the name Joseph. By the middle of that century, it had all but disappeared.“
OK …… so I guess I was at the tail end of that tradition or process and got stuck in what was a tradition in my family. My father, my grandfather, my great grandfather ….. who knows how far back it goes.
So the tradition works “sorta” like this ……. you give your first son (some say all of your sons) the name JOSEPH followed by names that you want the child to have like …… your grandfather’s name (my grandfather – Joseph) or maybe your father’s name (my father – Joseph) ….. then maybe a preferred name (in my case – William) ….. then maybe your godfather’s name (in my case – Henry) …… so you get the picture! …… for me …… JOSEPH it is!! ….. even though I grew up being called Bill (short for William) ….. what???? …… wait a minute ….. what about Joseph? …… read on ……
My Mom, Margaret, was English from London England https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London . She met my Dad ….. Ernie (Joseph Ernest Roland Harvey) while he was stationed in South London during World War II. She came to Canada as a war bride. She came across on the Liberty Ship Scythia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Scythia and landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halifax,_Nova_Scotia …… Her arrival here in Canada is a whole story in and of itself (will add a link if I write that one).
My Dad’s family was French Canadian living in Quebec and Northern Ontario ….. my three eldest sisters were born in Kirkland Lake Ontario (I believe – we don’t talk much these days) My father at some point got a job in Sherbrooke, Quebec which is where I came into this world https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherbrooke So Dad and his young family are in Quebec for the first time ….. and here comes their “First son” (me) and the “Joseph William Henry Harvey” journey begins.
I was born September 14, 1952 and baptized in the Catholic Church …… started grade school in Quebec City ….. then we moved back to Kirkland Lake, Ontario …… then to North Bay Ontario, where I claim to have grown up (as much as I have grown up) ….. Dad was following the work he could get.
In 1965 I was about to start High School in North Bay …….. at Chippewa Secondary School https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chippewa_Secondary_School and for the first time I was allowed to fill out my own application form ….. this one to enter High School …. I recall feeling very “grown-up” doing this “all on my own”. One of the requirements was to present one’s birth certificate …… so my Mom pulls the certificate, hands it to me and I use the information on that certificate to begin the application …… WHAT????????????
For the first time ever I learn that my first name is “JOSEPH” …… what the heck?? ….. that can’t be true …… my name is Bill …… or at the most William ……. here I am 13 years old and learn for the first time that my name is Joseph William Henry Harvey …… huummmmm!!!! …… what does a 13 year old do with that? How should I fill out the application form? ….. so I decided “on my own” to use the names as shown on my birth certificate …… no problem!! Right?? …… wrooonnnggg!!!
It is June of 1965, the High School application is sent in to the school …… I finish my summer vacation not thinking at all about what is to come ….. September rolls around and …… its time …… time for High School!
I walk to school ….. every step …… I am excited ….. I am nervous ….. to be clear ….. in my head I realize I am different from all these other 13 year olds ….. never been to an English school ….. I am scared ….. nervous ….. I am the perennial 90 pound, skinny, awkward little boy …… like really nervous!!!!
A skinny, self conscious kid who had always been in French school and …… I think I had got to 4 or 5 classes and was getting into this High School thing ….. when the role was called Joseph Harvey ….. I acknowledged ….. told the teacher I went by Bill and …… no problem! Until my Science class!!!
The 9th grade Science teacher’s name was Mr. Hunt …… he was half science teacher and half gym teacher …… the gym teacher part is relevant because Mr. Hunt was the epitome of the perfect gorgeous male specimen ….. blond hair, muscular, good looking …… and now its time for the first of the year roll call …… distractions in the science lab everywhere …… Mr. Hunt begins …….
My last name Harvey somewhat down the list …… when he gets to me I am lost space …… he calls “Joseph” …… and I don’t realize he is calling my name ….. he then repeats “Joseph Harvey” …. and OH!!!! …… it is me …… “ah Yes here” …… “and Mr. Hunt I go by Bill” …… Mr. Hunt looks at me and gives me a little smirk and says “Ok that’s fine Joseph” ……. and for the rest of my high school ….. 5 years ….. 5 whole years ….. Mr. Hunt was the first and only person that would call me Joseph …… in science class …… in gym class ….. it was embarrassing for sure that first day …… but I did get used to it and thought nothing more!!!!
Over time I came to fill out forms with my name as J.W. (Bill) Harvey. It allowed for the presence of my legal name Joseph William and presented my given name BILL as the name to be used in everyday life …… at least theoretically ….. but I still get the “is that your real name” look !!!! LOL
Depending on the forms that are being filled out it is a constant challenge to feel that you are doing it right …… some ask for first name, middle name, last name ……. some not …… when you show someone your ID …… there is always this difference …… when someone I know knows me by Bill ….. then sees me fill out a legal document Joseph …… there is always that little hiccup or laugh …… “yes Joseph is my legal name” ….. that accompanies the distinction.
I suppose the bottom line is that it isn’t THAT big a deal ….. except in those moments ……
Parents …… keep it simple ….. call your children the names that you give them ……. Please ….. LOL!! (PS Sorry Ryan …… What the heck were we thinking!!!!!)
