What's in a Name?

 In this day and age it can be so easy to lie and put your name as something different on every website you land on. My name is not Niki Navarro. This shouldn’t come as a shock. But there is a reason for my going by a different name. Whether or not it is a good one I’ll leave up to your own opinion.

For me and for others, we can feel safe and secure behind this facade, knowing that internet stalkers have to try that much harder to find out who you are (maybe I’m being overly cautious or cowardly or something, but I’m happier this way, nonetheless). For other people, a “fake name” is a chance to be someone else entirely. Like an actor or actress, you can alter your being to see what it’s like to be anyone other than yourself. And still others just prefer to go by some nickname or pseudonym.

But then, what does that make your real name? Is it just something you don’t want to touch with a meter long stick or is it something you hold dear? Maybe it is even somewhere in between?

Those in the first group, people who scorn their given name, sadden me. You were given that name for a reason, and it defines you just as much as your choices. Your name may not have been your own choice, but it was your parent’s decision; a reflection of what they see in you, for the future, and of their own hopes for you. Maybe the name is a family one; you should be proud to take on your family heritage. Maybe it is one your parents just thought sounded nice. Regardless of how personal or thought out your name was, it is yours. If you dislike it, you should make it your own. Your name is one thing that makes you unique from all the others, even if it is as common as Katie or John. It is one thing that you can truly call your own.

I don’t mean to say that you have to like your name; everyone goes through periods in which they dislike or even hate it (I know I have, however briefly).  But despite all of the teasing that might come from it, or the horrible mispronunciations, it is still yours and yours alone. Don’t let that teasing phase you (after all, what do those bullies know anyways), and the mispronunciations can easily be taken with a laugh or smile rather than a scowl. I can think of many instances where my name has provided a good story or a laugh or two for these reasons.

 It is very important to me, and I hope it is important to you as well. After all, names can teach you so much about your ancestors as well. Being able to trace my dad’s side so far back just with one name has led to many stories about struggles they faced before, each of them fascinating. On my mom’s side, however, we can’t trace it very far back at all because of suspected shenanigans to get into the country or something. Maybe someday we’ll recover what happened to those brave (well maybe brave, how can we know? I don’t even know who they are)immigrants, but it doesn’t look that way now, and that lost heritage is something my family regrets and wishes we could have back.

 So please, don’t ever dismiss yours or someone else's name as stupid, silly, or awful. It means so much, whether you realize it yet or not.

                                       “Be true to who you are and the family name you bear”