Names

In 2003 the most popular dog names for girls were Maggie and Molly, and according to my mom it is just a "coincidence" that me and my sister are named Maggie and Molly. Every time I ask "Why is Maggie my name?" I get the same response, "we just liked it". But deep down I have always known that I was named after a dog, wether it was consciously or subconsciously. This knowledge has haunted me since the day I saw the statist about dog names. Although Rose seems to be a wildly popular middle name for girls, my middle name has a significant meaning to me because it is my grandma name who sadly passed away of cancer when I was two.  I was not old enough to remember her but I have been told that we had a special bond and I was very comfortable around her which was unusual for me as a child. In all the pictures I have of the two of us we both look very happy. I have also been told by my grandpa that I am growing up to look a lot like her.

My last name was given to my grandpa by his adoptive parents so it technically does not have any meaning to my family history. But from what my grandpa was told from his adoptive parents and what he told my dad Nowak is a Polish Jewish name that is extremely popular. A lot of people pronounce it "Novak", but our family has always pronounced it "Nowak" I am not sure why. Some people say Novak is the more polish was to say it and Nowak is the German way to say it but my grandpa is not sure why we say Nowak.