I was telling some friends about my Mom’s situation (currently in hospital), and they asked about her name (which is Allegra). When they asked me where the name came from, I didn’t know.
So today when I stopped by to visit Mom, I asked her if she knew how her parents chose her name. Mom said she believed it came from a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who had a daughter named Allegra.
From my study I see in the lamplight,
Descending the broad hall stair,
Grave Alice, and laughing Allegra,
And Edith with golden hair.
Mom told me she heard this story much later in life, from her sister. Apparently there is some question as to how true it is. Nevertheless, I thought it was an interesting story and worthy of posting here.
If you’d like to read the entire poem, here’s a link to The Children’s Hour by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
I have the exact same story with my sister Allegra who passed away a few years ago. I had heard the story, too, that our Dad got her name from a Longfellow poem. Would be interested to know if one of my nephews wrote this.
Unless my Mother had a long lost sister, that she kept hidden from my entire family, we’re not related. Here is her obituary with more detailed family info:
http://bloy.net/2008/03/22/allegra-lee-bloy-1929-2008/
It’s interesting that the name Allegra seems to be used more in the past few decades. I currently know of two Allegras: one college age, and another in her 30’s.