As we all know, I don’t do well with short answers… in honesty, they are no fun!
My memory pulls me back to my childhood, to a time when my Nana was alive. Nana was the only one to ever call me Antonia, most likely in protest over my parents laziness when I was born a girl. They expected a boy when they chose Toni Rae, but got me instead, and just stuck with the same name. But alas, this memory is too far back, nor was that name technically a nickname, so I will move ahead in time…
My children were sleeping, as well as my ex husband, so what does an overworked and underpaid mom do for fun, I took it upon myself to have a couple glasses of wine. The house was quiet, and I had the office to myself, so off I went to the World Wide Web. Alcohol does funny things to a person…
There I was, at two in the morning, heavily under the influence… don’t judge… Alcohol gives confidence and courage, but not always wise choices, so consider us all lucky that this is the only thing I got up to in the middle of the night!
So anyway, as I was perusing the internet, I came up with this hairbrained idea, to find a really cool game handle. I loved video games, especially the mmorpg ones, and everyone had awesome names for their in-game characters, or toons. I was in search of The One, if you will, game name wise…
Stumbling upon those name generating search engines, I began to look for a Native American word or name, that I could assign myself since nobody else ever wanted to do. Yes I think I am maybe Native American, and no, I did not make any valid name choice for this girl from the wilderness. Remember, wine was involved, so I make no valid claim to the name I settled on. I finally found a site that was pretty cool, in that it gave really decent explanations for the meaning and spelling/pronunciation. I came to this…
WIWOHKA – roaring, raging water…
In honesty, I cannot remember the rest of the definition, and highly doubt that it would do me any good now. For whatever the reason, the name stuck, and I have used it now for over 20 years…
Funny thing, my husband and I looked the name up once, and aside from the definition not being there anymore, we did discover a long lost Indian Tribe located somewhere near the great lakes, and they were called the Wiwohka Tribe… I can aspire!
Don’t pop my bubble by saying I am full of it… I know that I am, but where is the fun in having a really cool nickname, if there was not an amazing story behind it… I am proud of my name, even it only means that I talk a lot, and am such a cry baby that everybody gets wet when I am around! At least, maybe, you will remember me from either laughing or crying…
Here is your cookie…
P.S. Please share…
Journey With Me! 
Frankly speaking, the name Wiwokha amazed me for a while, when I saw it first. As I didn’t have any clue, kept my curiosity aside and started enjoying your blog. Today, you answered my curiosity, without even asking for it. I love the way you make your blog unalike and I got addicted to it and I guess you pour lot of alcohol to it, I’m a non drinker though…
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I do not partake any longer, for the most part… I like a good beer now and again, but that’s about it…
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That’s an awesome story! I chose Willow as my name also in the early hours of the morning (no wine involved). ^_^
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wonder what you would have picked 2 glasses of wine into the game… hehe
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I was punch drunk as it was. Ha! No wine needed. I was trying to write a paper due the next day and kept mistyping the word within as withing. So I decided to look up withing and it means “willow or willow branch”. I thought “Willow is a great name.” And the rest is history.
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that’s perfect
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Wiwohka.. U r unique
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Thank you so much
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Wiwohka is such an interesting and unique name. It is also interesting that in today’s prompt we both used the name Antonia. What are the odds!
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I know, so funny
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A wow!again very interesting and inspiring. Thanks and blessings.
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I love the name you chose, “Wiwonka” and giggled at your last comment, “I am proud of my name, even it only means that I talk a lot, and am such a cry baby that everybody gets wet when I am around!” I just remembered the name I gave my son when he was 2 years old and would run around the house without clothing or a diaper. I called him “Running Bare” and as he is part Cherokee, it stuck. As he grew up he found out his Cherokee name was indeed “Running Bear”. HA Who would have guessed! Now, friends call him “Tackle Box” due to his face and ear piercings. Funny how names stick. Thank you for the Name Journey!
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I think the story of how you found your name to be fascinating. It was sort of a dream quest.
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I always smile when I think back on it
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You are a content creator extraordinaire! Your work brings so much joy and laughter to my day. Keep shining bright with your incredible talent and continue to make us smile. You’re simply amazing!
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