M and I are pleased to introduce our new last name as husband and wife. Through much contemplation, angst, and prayer, we have chosen a completely new name. Our name is (drum roll please!)…
Vermeer
The usual reaction is bewilderment at why and how we chose an original last name, as in “How did you actually go about this?” To be truthful, it was an arduous process, which included the following:
- Priorities:The ultimate priority that led us to this decision was that we wanted to have the same last name as two made one. Beyond that, we assessed our linguistic and logistical priorities, such as the name’s ethnic origin, literal meaning, ability to be pronounced, and number of syllables.
- Capital "V" = Both M and I have unique last names with capital Vs. In order to honor that uniqueness, we prioritized having a onelastname with this letter.
- Dutch origin = As M is 100% Dutch (very unique, as well, in this day and age), we chose to honor that heritage and special meaning.
- Literal meaning = In Dutch, Vermeer means "from the lake," which holds particular significance for M since he and his family cherish time in summers at their cottage on the lake. In Russian, the root of Vermeer, meer means "shalom" or "peace" in the fullest sense. It is a holy and whole peace, which also reflects our priorities and values as a couple.
2. Process: When the time came to find our name, we looked at a few options:
- Composite name, i.e. LoVries or DeVallo
- Letters rearranged
- Buried family name, i.e. Colangelo
- Location of origin of ancestors, i.e. Dokkum (Netherlands)
- Completely new name
3. Prayer: Day and morning, M and I would pray together specifically about our name. We trusted in God that if this was something that He wanted us to do, then He would help us achieve it. When I saw our name in print one morning, it hit me: this is it. Afterwards, I told M about it and we prayed. After a few days, we talked about it again. M told me, “I think this is it.”
We are so excited to share this journey with you as we seek oneness as husband and wife. If you have any questions or comments, we welcome them! And if you simply are confused as to what we will be called, here it is for Christmas and birthday cards, introductions, and the like:
Mr. & Ms. Michael & Danielle Vermeer
Please note: It was important to both us and our families that we did not completely "lose" our last names upon marriage; therefore, both Mike and I are keeping our names of origin as part of our names: Mike effectively will have two last names, and I will drop my middle name and use my former last name as a middle name. However, in keeping with our priority of being "The Onelastname Family," we will most often be "The Vermeers."
