NAMES

...beyond identity and registrations

I know I have come again with my weird ass titles but we always make it work right? Its better for me to come again than for you and my Instagram followers to think that names are just for calling and for filling forms. I thought about it and I think the names we bear are us personified, hold up, I don't mean your name is your personality, I mean your name is a concept on its own; a concept that has been pinned on you from birth.

When I was younger, I had always thought my name was too common and unnecessarily long. My first name has ten letters! Haba! Wetin be that? And one in ten little girls would definitely be my namesake. I was confused as to why that name was that long and funnily people found it difficult to pronounce it because it was a mouthful. So I recoiled into my shell and shortened the name for people; no intonation, no meaning, just vibes. I knew the meaning of the name, I knew what my name entailed but I just didn't want people to have a problem pronouncing my name; my very first mistake!

“What's your English name?” A question I grew up hearing from everyone. You'd probably think why was I so bothered about the question? I didn't have an English name, scratch that- I don't have an English name; another problem that made me feel like my name was a burden. Oh such childishness.

“What's your English name?”

- Every Tom, Dick and Harry I encountered 😂

Now I am older and maybe wiser, I understand why it is necessary to embrace the concept which is your name. My first name was decided by my Mother long before I was born but now I don't think she thought about the gravity of the concept she pinned on me. The whole concept is a good and great one but it took me too long to understand it. In finding my way I almost lost my way.

Your name is beyond what you need to be called or what you fill in the space of “First name” whenever you come across a form. Your name is you, your name is a life long concept that exists as you.

Make the most of your name, bask in it's euphoria, let it speak to you and if there ever comes a time you have a conviction that the name you have now isn't doing it for you, there's no rule against you changing your name to one that works for you; a new relevant concept.

Nicknames are nice and fancy, some even have deeper meanings than your name but never think that your nickname can avidly replace your name.

Till next time,

All my love ❤️

Adétọ́lá