Sunny

What it Feels like to be Named after a Dead Relative

Sunny Massa may be thought to have been named after happy things, like the sun, but truth be told, there is a much deeper meaning behind her name.
“In the 1940’s, my aunt, who was then six, was at a neighbor’s house. My grandpa went and picked her up,” Sunny said. “They were driving on this long dirt road and for some reason, she opened the door and fell out.”
The doctors said she would be fine when she first arrived to the hospital, but later that night her grandparents received a call saying she had passed away.
“My mother wanted to name me after the sister she had never gotten the chance to meet,” she said, “and her name was Sunny.”
Compiled by Alli Huppert