A Name Is A Name Is A Name.

What’s in a name? That famous quote by Shakespeare. I googled ‘famous quotes about names’ and a few stuck out — not sure if I qualify them as famous persay.

“Names are powerful things. They act as an identity marker and a kind of map, locating you in time and geography. More than that, they can be a compass”  – Bookroo

“There’s power in naming yourself, in proclaiming to the world that this is who you are” – Brainyquote [i question this source, but will save that for another time.

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom” –Aristotle.

A cliche one for good measure “Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken” – Oscar Wilde.

There is a common saying that feels ingrained in my head from my younger years “Make a name for yourself” it always felt so intimidating and permanent — until it didn’t. Sure it is still intimidating, but it did not take long for me to realize that a name is not permanent, neither is a reputation. I have changed my name legally 3 times. I just straight up made up a new name when I was 12 and told people at camp that my name was Fiona — I carried that name with me through my high school years at boarding school. I went back to Laura in college, but again, we were in a new place, so I made up my own nickname “Bo” and Laura Bo has stuck with me ever since.

To be continued…