I laugh when people think I'm corny when it comes to the things I hold near and dear to my heart. I laugh because it's true -- I'm corny. There, I said it.
Some of the things I hold near and dear to my heart are things anyone would, like my family's last name, a surname, the names of my children or a specific etymology of a name that runs in a family's history. Then there are other things that are near and dear to me that others just laugh about. My high school, Royal Oak Kimball High School, is one of those things, and it's not even around anymore. So is our former college nickname of Hurons. In a rush to PC judgment in the 1990-91 academic calander, Eastern Michigan University dropped the unique name Hurons for the generic Eagles. Yes, they dumped their ties to the a great lakes indian tribe and replaced it with the most sacred symbol of native americans, the eagle, and turned it into a cartoon caricature. Good move.
Today I stumbled upon a site that dissects etymology (the origins and meanings of first names) in user-friendly format. It's called Behind The Name and it's available from almost any server. It's something Nancy Cameron (my mother), who published a book about our family's geneology before she passed, would have enjoyed thoroughly. It can be read at Detroit's Burton Public Library branch.
Most of the referees, umpires, coaches and administrators I work with are surprised to learn my name is Todd, not T.C. as I'm more commonly referred to (among other, shall we say, unprintable names). The heritage of Todd is of a surname originating from the middle english todde and means 'fox'. I could not agree with that more (grin). My middle name is Curtis, officially derived from a French word for 'courteous'. I was actually named Curtis for my grandmother, Eva Marie Curtis, who was born in Charlotte, Michigan, graduated from Charlotte High School and attended Michigan State Normal College from 1918-1922. Eva became a public school music and art teacher in Royal Oak, as were her three daughters. My grandmother married Royal Oak native Dwain Puvogel, who attended Royal Oak High School with George A. Dondero, and founded the Curtis Paint & Linoleum Shop, run out of business in the 1990's.
Yes, I was named, in part, for a paint can, and that's where I draw the 'T.C.' reference from, the proper name of Todd Curtis. My last name of Cameron is much more regal than a nickname or a paint can. Cameron is a Scottish surname for 'crooked nose' and also draws from some Gaelic meaning as well. The Camerons were one of the Highlands great clans.
Therefore, Todd Curtis Cameron is actually code for Fox Courteous Crooked Nose.
Today I do a healty bit of consulting for Cliff Keen Athletic in Ann Arbor, named for Oklahoma native and legendary University of Michigan wrestling coach Clifford Patrick Keen. The derivatives for Clifford are fairly simple, meaning 'ford by a cliff' in Old English. Patrick is a Roman derivative meaning 'nobleman'. Keen is a short form version of the Old English term meaning 'wise, brave or proud'.
That makes Clifford Patrick Keen become Clifford Nobleman Proud..or Brave..or Wise.
Would it surprise anyone to learn that Keen was Michigan's all-time winningest wrestling coach and one of two legends in the wrestling community who hail from Michigan's Washtenaw County? I couldn't pass on the opportunity to mention Eastern Michigan University's Dean Rockwell, who should have the university arena named for him on the Ypsilanti campus (named for Greek General Demetrius Ypsilanti). Imagine saying EMU plays at 'The Rock', or, 'Welcome To The Rock'. But I digress...
Some of the other things I researched I found very ironic, the most being the well-rooted name of my high school. Royal Oak Kimball is actually a name that makes prefect sence for a city named Royal Oak and a school nicknamed the Knights. Royal is a derivitive of the english word King. Oak is an obvious reference to Michigan Governor Lewis Cass proclaiming a tree found in the village proper a 'royal oak'. Yes, that's actually how Royal Oak got it's name. Kimball is a Welsh word for 'war chief and an english word for 'royal boldness'.
Royal Oak Kimball's teams were known as the Knights. While the term has lost much of its meaning from the fuedal days, Knight is genarally accepted to be term conferred by the king upon noble men and mounted soldiers who have served him well. Yes, I will always be proud to be a Royal Oak Kimball Knight.
That renames the former Royal Oak Kimball HS as King Oak Royal Boldness HS. I think Royal Oak High School was a better pick. I know, it's corny, but fun!
I wonder what Dearborn Fordson means?
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