Message: "The origin of my first name"

The origin of my first name

by Chavela Gomez Johnson (guest)

12/29/2006, 2:26 PM

I am bi-racial, that is my mother was Mexican, ( Shirley Gomez),
my father was Irish and Navahoe indian. Johnson was the name of
my step-grandfather. He was my grandmothers' second husband, but
he was not my biological grandfather...
I was born and raised in Phoenix Arizona, by my grandparents.
There was a taboo concerning my mother because, she married my
father. I was told that she was forced to move back to Mexico when
I was a baby.
I was also told that she named me Chavela...
My question is what does Chavela mean?
Can you help me?

Replies

- Agata (ADT) +2

12/29/2006, 2:34 PM

Are you a male or a female?

- Haven (guest) +1

12/29/2006, 6:22 PM

LOL

We get the life story, but not the sex.

- Agata (ADT)

12/29/2006, 7:21 PM

I re-read the post about 3 times in case I missed it.

This message was edited 12/29/2006, 7:21 PM

- PVega +1

12/29/2006, 10:55 PM

As far as I'm aware, Chavela is a pet form of Isabel.

- molly

12/30/2006, 2:50 PM

Ditto. It's a pet form of Isabel. [m]

There's a famous Mexican ranchera singer named Chavela Vargas. She's pretty excellent.

- faerielights (neverland4962) +3

12/30/2006, 7:24 PM

Coming from being in Fiddler on the Roof...

I would say that it is a pet form of Chava, the Hebrew form of Eve. However, it seems a bit more likely that it is a pet form of Isabella, judging by your background.

- Caprice +2

12/31/2006, 10:07 AM

Hmmm, that's an interesting theory. I don't speak Yiddish, but I think Chavele could be a nick for Chava. Although I think Tevye calls his daughter Chavana (?)

- faerielights (neverland4962) +1

12/31/2006, 5:14 PM

Tevye sings a song about Chava...

And it's main line is "Little bird, little Chavala". So, it was evidently her pet name. It is a beautiful little song, and our Tevye did a fabulous job. : ) Sorry, that was OT.

It seems that adding the ending would make it a term of endearment sort of nn.

- Caprice

1/1/2007, 12:40 PM

Yeah, that's it! It's Chavala. I saw the musical several years ago, so my memory isn't that good. :)

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