how difficult my name was until I got into grade school
Four syllables and seven letters, yet, my name is not a name that you hear every day. My parents probably thought giving me a distinctive name would set me apart from everyone else and gives me a quirky edge and. Instead, it has led a whole set of struggles throughout my life. However, when it comes to my name, I am ambivalent of given such a name. In which I have my godmother to thank for that; she was the one who gave me my name. She combined her middle name and my father’s first name to provide me with my unique name.
I never notice how difficult my name was until I got into grade school. When the instructors had a hard time pronouncing my name, then, I knew for a fact that my name is not original and similar to my peers. I feel the weight of others passing their inability to learn my name onto me like a heavy stone. Imagine the fear and tense I felt when I know the teacher is going to announce my name in attendance. I can always tell by the look of anxiety the teacher has on their face. Which at times, it made me cringe; however, I will interrupt them midway and save us both for embarrassment.
Fun and disturbing fact, if people cannot pronounce my given name, they will make up their own. In twelfth grade, my English instructor gave me her version of my name and announced it at my graduation ceremony. She bypassed the note that I had given her to help pronounce my name, and yet, she said a name that is not even mine. Some people will say a name that not mines with confidence. They do not also take the time and try to learn my name.
Any personalized products with my name on it, I can forget about that. Therefore, become a tourist and customization will be your new best friend. I cannot go to another state and see my name as a souvenir on a keychain. I cannot go to a gas station and share a coke with my name on it. I probably will never have the opportunity to go anywhere and see my name or any product or display, without me customizing it.
Please do not mistake the struggles of my name for me hating it. I am proud to have a unique name. I love that it is different from a lot of others. Thanks to social media, I discovered that I and five others share the same first name. I do not wish to or have in mind to change my name. In my opinion, my name gives me my personality.