A Michigan mother, Britney Donley, has gained public attention for naming her seven children after the days of the week: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. According to Donley, each child was born on the day that corresponds to their name, a tradition she began after naming her eldest daughter, Sunday, upon a nurse’s suggestion in the delivery room.
The Origin of the Calendar Naming Tradition
The naming convention started by coincidence. Donley, who was 20 at the time of her first birth, told TODAY.com that she was exhausted following labor and asked her nurse for the day of the week. When the nurse replied “Sunday,” Donley chose that as her daughter’s name. The subsequent children—Monday (16), Tuesday (10), Wednesday (5), Thursday (4), Friday (2), and Saturday (17 months)—were all born on their respective namesake days.
Britney Donley grew up in a family of eight children. She stated that her motivation for the unique naming scheme was to create a lasting, thematic bond between her children, who have different fathers.
Impact on Family Identity and Public Perception
While the names initially caused social friction, the children have largely embraced them. Donley noted that her son, Monday, initially disliked his name and preferred to be addressed by his surname at school. However, that changed once the family began sharing their lives on social media. According to Donley, the positive feedback from online viewers helped her children view their names as “special” rather than a burden.
The names frequently attract attention in public. Donley reported that strangers often turn their heads when she calls out to her children by their day-of-the-week names. Despite the public scrutiny, she maintains that the names were never intended to garner attention, but rather to foster a sense of unity among siblings.
Future Naming Trends and Expansion
Donley has indicated she does not intend to have more biological children but remains open to foster care or adoption. When asked how she would handle naming additional children, she told TODAY.com that she would continue the temporal theme by using the names of the months.
Comparing Thematic Naming Trends
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are all seven children named after the day they were born? Yes, according to Britney Donley, each child was born on the day of the week that serves as their name.
- How many children does Britney Donley have? She has seven children, all named after the days of the week.
- Does she plan to continue the naming theme? Donley stated she would name future foster or adopted children after the months of the year.
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