What's in a Name? - Reading Always Anjali

What's in a name? We were recently out enjoying one of the last days of fall. We ordered food, and I quickly told the hostess the name on the order was Sam. I've always done this to avoid having to spell my name or spend an extra minute explaining. Poet and Flower immediately looked at me and said, "Mommy, that's not your name." And I thought, yes, they are exactly right.

As an Indian kid growing up in New Jersey, I was always sensitive to people pronouncing my name. Sameena or Suh-me-na. It is a beautiful Arabic name meaning fulfilled. Many people would do a double-take and then proceed to try to repeat it several times. As a kid, I would always wish that I had a more straightforward name. Ironically, I would be asked, do I go by Sam? I would always quickly respond, no, that is not my name.

My mom would collect keychains whenever we would travel. She loved to give the keychain stand a twirl and look for the perfect one. She had all sorts, solid metal ones - like a Canadian maple leaf and shiny glass ones with bright ones, like one from Florida. As a kid, I would look longingly at the keychains with names. I was always disappointed that my name was not a choice - there would be Sabrina, Sam, Samantha. I would always look but never find it.

Times have changed. There are many more Indian American kids now, and even when I was a kid, there were many kids who clearly felt the same way I did. G bought a lovely children's book, Always Anjali by Sheetal Sheth, which explores what's in a name. Anjali is a little girl who is teased about her name. She too, looks for a nameplate with her name on it but can't find it. Slowly she learns to celebrate her culture and identity. I love it because not only can we identify with her experience, but the kids can understand that there are many other kids just like them.