Phoebe Anna Traquair’s illuminated copy of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s ‘Sonnets from the Portuguese’ - Sonnet 30

My middle name is from the name of the mother of John the baptizer, the cousin of Jesus Christ. It's Elizabeth. When I was very young, I did not like the name, because it was a name that many people shorten to something like Lizzie, or Lizard and the like.

I think many people would have chosen a different name if they had chosen a name for themselves. Some people of course even have their name legally changed, so at least mine is something that I don't have to hide.