Everything has a backstory. Each and every person has a history behind their name – whether it was chosen out of a hat, planned out for years, or thought up minutes before birth. Some people at Cannon Falls Middle School have very interesting names. The Torch staff has uncovered a few names with an interesting story to tell.

Xander August Weinreich, a sixth-grader, comments that his name is not a common name nor is the reasoning behind it. Although Alexander, his original given name, is  fairly well-known,  Xander is more than just a nickname.  Xander was the name of his great-uncle, and Alex was the name of another one of his great-uncles, so his parents just mashed the names together. “I got my last name, Weinreich, from my dad, obviously.” Xander was supposed to be born in August, so his middle name was a kind of compulsive decision. “I like my initials because they spell A.W., like the root beer.”

Sixth grader Vienna Rain Qualey tells a fairly interesting story about her name. Her first name isn’t derived from the Austrian capital; it’s a modified version of Sienna. It was changed because prior to her birth, the Toyota Sienna was created. Vienna’s middle name is Rain because on the day she was born, it was raining. According to Vienna,“My parents were going to name me Gavin if I was a boy”

Kaitlyn Skylar Wood comments, “My sister gave me my middle name. She loved it. My grandma, however, did not.”

Eighth-grader Emma Dalton added, “Emma was my great-grandma’s name, but my mom just liked the name.”

For every name, there’s a special story. And even if a name seems unappealing, or ill-fitting, one can always dig a little deeper and find a little story behind all the muck.