A name is more than a label assigned to a child at birth by their parents; it reflects aspects of an individual’s personality and sometimes holds a deep and often overlooked cultural meaning. When referring to peers with non-English names, many turn to easier-to-pronounce nicknames. However, it is important to pause and acknowledge the meaning and importance behind these names and the weight they hold in their native language.
Sophomore Joselynn Wisotzkey
Sophomore Joselynn Wisotzkey’s name has many different meanings but in Latin, it translates to “happy” or “joyful.”
“My name reflects happiness even in hard situations. I will still put a smile on my face ’cause those situations aren’t there forever,” Wisotzkey said.
Wisotzkey’s mom knew ever since she found out she was having a little girl, she would name her Joselynn.
“When she heard the name [Joselynn] she thought it was such a pretty name,” Wisotzkey said.
Sophomore Diya Shyam Anand
Sophomore Diya Shyam Anand’s name has a meaning that people often overlook. The name “Diya” comes from an oil lamp used during the Hindu celebration known as Diwali. The name originates from Sanskrit.
“Diyas are lit in the dark, so my dad often jokes that he chose this name because I’m the light of his life, as his name, Shyam, translates to ‘evening,’” Shyam Anand said.
Shyam Anand is fond of her forename and feels it metaphorically represents herself as a whole.
“Though the name translates to “light,” it would be more of a reflection of my personality to compare it to the sporadic flickering of a flame,” Diya said. “The metaphor of a flame also extends to how I am socially because I consider myself to be an ambivert. Nothing about me is constant, and I’m changing every day.”
English Teacher Thecla Prentiss
English teacher Thecla Prentiss’ first name is of Greek origin. It translates to the “glory of the Gods.” Her first name references the religious figure, Saint Thecla.
“My mom had a very good friend named Thecla and she loved the name,” Prentiss said. “So she essentially named me after her because she liked the name.”
Prentiss has faced some difficulties when it comes to people pronouncing her name. However, she has learned to be much more empathetic and tolerant of other people’s pronunciations of her name.
“I have always struggled with people pronouncing it wrong my whole life, so I think it has taught me to be a lot more understanding,” Prentiss said.
She connects the fact that she has to take the time to explain how her name is pronounced to her English teaching profession, as it has taught her to be patient with her students.
“I think that aligns very well with my career as a teacher,” Prentiss said. It has taught me patience and it has taught me that it’s okay to correct people.”
Senior Waad El-Hadi
Senior Waad El-Hadi has gone by Jude ever since she started high school because of her affinity for the name and its easy pronunciation. Meanwhile, her birth name, Waad, in Arabic translates to “promise,” which is mentioned in the Quran and other Islamic scriptures.
“I always appreciate what my parents had to go through to get to the point, the place where we are today, obviously to acclaim for a better life,” El-Hadi said.
To El-Hadi, her name is a promise, and promises aren’t always the same; some are used casually in conversation, while others weigh more heavily. Every promise always either hinders or builds someone’s relationship with another person, one bond of trust at a time.
“I just feel like every time that I’m taking a step towards something I want or something that I’m working for, I see my name as a reminder of what my parents have helped me through,” El-Hadi said. “I keep a promise to myself. I keep a promise to my family.”
The American pronunciation of her birth name sounds rigid as if saying the word “wad” to describe a bundle or tuft. Meanwhile, the Arabic pronunciation has a middle that is light and airy-sounding. El-Hadi connects the two pronunciations of her Arabic name to the idea of her two juxtaposing lifestyles: one in America and the other in Sudan.
“[My name] displays the polarity—the very distinctive characteristics that I portray when I’m in my home country versus when I’m in America. And I noticed that the pronunciation of my name is a reflection of that,” El-Hadi said.
She chose the first name “Jude” for her to go by because it would be easier for her to have to correct people every time. Though fond of her chosen English name, she is bittersweet about the decision because she still appreciates the weight her Arabic name holds.
“It was just a result of my insecurities with having an Arabic name and a name that’s difficult to pronounce, and now I realize that that’s a silly concern,” El-Hadi said. “I don’t really have a connection to the name Jude. I regret using Jude, but I appreciate the experience.”
