When I was first born, my given name was Melissa Nicole. My dad wasn't present for my birth, and it's my understanding that once he got to the hospital, he wanted to name me Teale Louise instead. He knew of the name "Teal" from someone he had previously met, and he liked the name, and decided to add an E on the end "for class" as he used to say (thus giving me a lifetime of people mispronouncing my name and callin me "Tealie"). The Louise comes from my grandmother's middle name. And a fun fact for those that may not know, not only is teal a color, but it's also a wild duck!