I don't know if she was starting a meme or not, but finniscs posted a list of all the names she is called, and I got a kick out of it. Here is my list:

I'm Melissa: at work & to my husband, who thinks "Missie" is diminutive or something. My mother called me Missie most of my life, but switched to "Melissa" during the last 5 years or so of her life when she realized I went by that name at work and thought it meant I didn't like my old nickname (not true, just not too professional).

I'm Missie: almost everywhere else. Family and most friends call me Missie, albeit with different spellings. It was Missy until I was 11 and my grandmother died. In her honor, I changed the spelling (you can do that w/ nicknames) to the current formation, since that's how she spelled it. But my brother and some of my friends stick with the "y" ending. For an awful 18 months, I had to use the name at work because my idiot boss couldn't remember "Melissa." He announced on the radio that I'd taken the job, but called me "Michelle*."

I'm Mel: with my coworkers in Brazil (their idea), for almost 5 years now. I used "Mel" in college for awhile, but it didn't stick. Because of the "crazycatladymel" thing, I use Mel online sometimes.

I'm Michelle: to several people, and I still don't understand it. A guy I dated called me Michelle once. I get called Michelle all the time. Usually, I just ignore the person. When they ask why I ignored them, I tell them that they were talking to Michelle, and since that's not my name, I didn't respond. Sigh. This one I could do without.

I'm Elinor or El: to friends from faire. Since I rarely go to faire, most have switched to one of the others, but it doesn't bug me. Some have stuck to it because their spouse/SO knows me by that name and adding a new person to the mix is too much. It took one friend's husband many months to make the transition, so his wife referred to me as Missie/Elinor.

Other than the Michelle part, I don't really have a preference. I don't like "Missie" at work, but otherwise, I don't have a problem with it.

Oddly enough, I never had a regular nickname, except for the fairly common Missie. My maternal grandmother called all girls "Tillie." When I was in high school, I really really wanted a cool (positive) nickname**, but they really have to evolve.

*Imagine that phonecall: CEO's assistant calls up and asks if it's okay if boss man (and everyone else) refers to me as Missie, since he can't remember Melissa and gets it too confused with another staff member called Michelle. I think it was my second day on the job. Should have known that this was a portent.

**I don't count the "Messy Melissa" run of 1971. My 1st grade teacher didn't mean to be mean.