Angel

my name is Angela. It's an English name and it was derived from the word Angel. I like my name so much that I don't want to change it. Some people don't value or appreciate their names, but I do. Other names don't have a tangible meaning , others meaning  too are horrible .Names can have a particular effects on individuals. For instance, when a name means tiger, ideally that person might be a very brave or wild person.

             I was not named after anyone but rather named after the adventure of how I came into the world. I'm the first born in my family, so my parents were so excited that they were expecting me on the due date. Unfortunately   passed  the due date,but they were so anxious to meet me. The history or the story behind my name was that, I passed the expected delivery date.

        In addition, instead of nine months expected delivery, I came out  one week to the tenth month. After that, my  father  said I came out like an Angel, they named me Angela. According to my parents i have being an angel and a blessing to them. Anytime someone mention my name I feel so proud and happy about it. The rational behind my name is good and it deserves it. If I am able live Angelic life in this world, things will be the best for me. I know some peoples lives have been devastated all  because of their names. In this world  names have great impact on peoples lives 

 

 

The Uncommon Name

     My name is not the name of my people. In Benin, where I came from, people’s names are Moussa, Vinagnon, and Bignon. These names have a link and take root in the history of my fallen people.

My name is uncommon where I came from. Nobody in the forest of Congo, in savanna of Kenya or around the lake of Oueme will respond to that name.

My name is uncommon in my country, but born at place where my people tears started. My name was born after years of slavery on cotton plantations in America. Maybe it was the name of the owner of a ranch that had hundreds of slaves.

My dad told me:

I needed a name beginning with ‘’L’’ and ending with ‘’Y’’.

He started to search like a slave searching peace in his forced work.

He searched! He found!

During a dark night my parents said: You will be ‘’LARRY’’. That will be your name.

You will make bright the destiny of your people. You will change the tears of your country in glory!

Because this name is uncommon here, you will be the only one. The one! The hope of people and will win where everybody lost.

The vodoun of your ancestor are with you and in your exile you will never lose.

RING RING RING

RING RING RING

In China, some people are named according to genealogy while others just create a new name. For example, my name is a creative name from my mom that wasn’t inherited from anyone. However, in order to build a relationship between my younger sister and me, we have the same character 雁 in our names. Every time I was asked to explain the deep meaning behind my name, I felt crazy because my parents have never explained it to me.

Year after year, my parents have taught me valuable life lessons which include to show kindness to strangers, to be thoughtful, to be willing to lend a helping hand. I finally realized that the character LING means try to feel the beautiful world and to be a better person.

However, when I think about my name, the word bell comes to my mind. Because LING in Chinese is similar to RING, that’s what a bell does.

Finally, it reminds me the story of my name. In China, everyone’s name includes an element. Mine is the fire element, which means 火in Chinese. That’s where my last character LING, which means 灵 in Chinese comes from.

there are two graduation certificates of my sister and me, you can see the same character 雁 in our names.

Strong Like a Stone

My name is important in the Christian religion, and sometimes I ask myself if I have Honored it. Pietro was one of the four apostles. Moreover, he was the closest to Jesus. My mother chose this name because when I was born, I was tiny and underweight because my mother gave birth to me at only eight months. Pietro means strong, rock, and because those are strong, my mother was thinking if my name came from the bible, it would help me to be healthy. Every time I ask my mother why she chose my name, she replied with a famous sentence. "Pietro is strong like a stone, and on this stone we will build our church". However, my father has a different opinion, and I know it was only a joke, but he always told me " I called you Pietro because I know you were stubborn like your mother". I like hearing the story about my name, despite when I ask about my middle name, and the answer doesn't make any sense to me. They told me a friend of my father, who was late to my baptism, ran over to my father and told him to add his name too, as sign of their friendship. My father was nervous and didn't think to much. He didn't want to upset his friend and called me Pietro Michele. I never liked it when I was a little boy, but now I'm fine with that, and the pronunciation of Michele in English sounds much better than the Italian pronunciation. I will never change my name because it is like my character, strong like a stone. Moreover, I respect the origin because my parents chose it for me with love.

The Real Ikuko

           

           My name is Ikuko. It means sweet-smelling something like flower in Japanese. It also means civilization, culture, or prosperous. It sounds like an exaggerated name for me. I am the first child, and my father was very excited about my birth. Before I was born, my father worked for a politician who advised my father with my name. I heard later that my mother wanted a modern and lovely name for her sweet daughter, but she could not complain to my father’s boss then she decided to accept it. I still remember when I argued with her, she said, “your name sounds like a strong and saucy person! That’s why your personality became the same as it.” My mother lamented sadly. I said it in my head, “In addition, my birth year sign is a tiger!! I am not like a princess at all.” In the meantime, “Mother, I am funny, but I am very shy, I want to say I am so sorry face-to-face right away. The real Ikuko is gentle and laid-back. She likes smiling all the time.”

Ikuko is a very traditional old-school name. Also, it is not a common or popular name. Therefore, I only have one friend who has the same name as me. She is a small, but she is very strong. She is a little older than me, but she is a hard worker and very smart. She is always calm and smiling like a flower bouquet. She treats me well, and I feel she is my old sister although we have the same name. On the other hand, I am a genius clumsy and kooky (Cookie). Then I always think she is more the real Ikuko behind name diligently smart and aromatic. However, I like my name and I always appreciate the person who remembers my name correctly and calls me Ikuko.

Living with Jose

            Do I like my name? The answer will change depending on how I feel, but most of the time my answer would be no. I do have some reasons of why I do not feel comfortable with my name. However, I wouldn’t change my name because that’s how people know me. I have learned how to accept it.  It seems to hard to see myself with a different name.

First, one of the reasons why I do not enjoy my name is because it is too common in Venezuela. In fact, the name that was given to me by my grandparent was from part of the list of The most common names in Venezuela. Due to that, I know too many people with the same name.

Second, my name was transferred from my grandfather’s brother, and not my mother. He wanted to pay tribute to his dead brother. Jose Devis was my grandfather’s brother, and he passed way at the age of 28th. When my mother told me this, my perspective changed. It seems hard to like a name that was owned by somebody that I never met.

            Finally, I would change it if I had the opportunity, but I feel that by making this it could affect my family. They know me as Jose. Even though, I didn’t choose it, I appreciate and have learned how to like my name with my ups and downs.