Why I wrote I Want a Nickname

My daughter has a unique name. One day she came home and asked me if she had a nickname. Of course, I gave her a list of family nicknames but those weren’t the names she was looking for. I asked her why she wanted a nickname and she said that she was tired of telling people how to say her name correctly. As someone who also has a unique name, I am no stranger to having my name mispronounced and having to correct people over and over, but I never thought about having a nickname to make it stop. She said that after she tells someone her name she is often asked if she has a nickname. We had a great conversation about her name and how nicknames are often created organically. After our conversation I began to think about the feelings that I went through as a child and the feelings that my daughter is probably going through right now and will continue to experience. The feelings of a teacher pausing while taking attendance, the anxiety of wondering if your name will be mispronounced at graduation and thinking if I should have another name to make it easier on someone else. I wrote I Want a Nickname for my daughter, I wrote it for me, and ultimately, I wrote it for everyone with a unique name. I want you to know that your name is worth learning. Your name is yours and only yours. It is who you are. It is your identity. If you love it, be proud of it and teach others how to say it and its meaning.