Many names, one me

Today I found out via my friend Becky that Ling is another word for the Heather plant. She has then asserted that means I should now be known as Ling. So I was curious about what other names could be related to mine. First off the girl's name Heather \he(a)-ther\ is pronounced HEH-ther. It is of Middle English origin. Flower name: an evergreen flowering plant that thrives on peaty barren lands, as in Scotland. Has an upper-class aura. Actress Heather Locklear. Heather has 2 variant forms: Heath and Hether.

Now there are three other names that also mean Heather that I didn't know about. The girl's name Hadley \ha(d)-ley\, also used as boy's name Hadley, is pronounced HAD-lee. It is of Old English origin, and its meaning is "heather meadow". Name of Ernest Hemingway's first wife. Hadley has 8 variant forms: Hadlea, Hadleigh, Hadly, Hedlea, Hedleigh, Hedley, Hedlie and Hedly.

The girl's name Erica \e-ri-ca\ is pronounced AIR-a-ka. It is of Old Norse origin, and its meaning is "forever or alone, ruler". Feminine form of Eric. Scandinavian name revived in the 19th century. The Latin word "erica" means "the heather plant". Writer Erica Jong; singer Rickie Lee Jones; actresses Ricki Lake, Erika Christensen; singer Erykah Badu. Erica has 28 variant forms: Aerica, Aericka, Airica, Airicka, Airika, Arica, Arika, Enrica, Enrika, Eraca, Ericka, Erika, Erike, Erricka, Erikka, Eryca, Erycka, Eryka, Eyrica, Rickee, Ricki, Rickie, Ricky, Rikke, Rikki, Rikky, Sherica and Terica.

The girl's name Brier \b-rier\ is of French origin, and its meaning is "heather". Uncommon botanical name. The English word also describes a wild rose with small, prickly thorns. Brier has 1 variant form: Briar.

Hmmm. Brier, Erica, Hadley...maybe those will be the names of my children. Or my cats. I’m vain that way.