"The Fred" : A Name Genesis

Many of you have asked me how I came to refer to my daughter as "The Fred." It is really a very simple story, but since so many of you have asked, I thought I should elaborate...

When The Fred was born, her paternal grandmother began to refer to her as "Freddy Frog." From what I have been told, The Fred's aunt was referred to by the same name when she was little. I have never been one for long names, and every pet I have ever had has been referred to by an alternate nickname in addition to their "given name." For some reason, I felt the need to carry on this tradition with my children. I eventually shortened "Freddy Frog" to "Fred Frog" then to simply, "Fred."

Since I am a huge fan of Steve McQueen (I know that some of you are sitting there saying...who is Steve McQueen), I decided her name should be formalized to "The Fred"...just like "The Steve." I know...crazy, random story, but it should offer an explanation for my unlikely choice of a nickname for my first-born. If I have another girl, I plan to refer to her by something equally masculine like Moe, Bob, or Larry...just to make The Fred feel good.