Everyone who grew up with a not-so-common name at some point in their lives has wished that they had a common name. But let me tell you, growing up with a common name was not all it is cracked up to be.
Have you ever been walking down the street and heard someone trying to get your attention? That's happens a lot right? Have you ever had that happen and you don't even know the person? That happens many, many times a day if you have a common name.
I also went to a rather large high school, so I’m pretty sure I graduated with about five other Rachels. Different spellings, yes, but still the name, “Rachel.” This is actually probably the main reason why I’ve become so desensitized to my own name. Pretty sad, right?
Because I have a common name, I can probably find the random key chains at the novelty stores, but it may not have the correct spelling. This is yet another reason why a common name can be frustrating. Common names are so popular that parents wanted to make names stand out a bit.
Let’s look at my name. There’s the way I spell it: Rachel. But, there’s also Racheal, Rachael, Raecheal, Raechael, and Raechel. My parents almost used that last spelling for me. And this is only the beginning of a very long adventure. For every common name, there are at least three different spellings.
Did you think you would be done spelling out your name for people if you had a normal one? Think again. No matter what, I still have to spell out my first name for an appointment because the receptionist usually spells it wrong on the first try.
Then there’s the problem of people never remembering your name because it is so common. I’ve been called Sarah, Jessica, Raven, Rebecca, Bethany, Brittney, Ashley, Nicole and so many more that I can’t remember them all. It’s gotten to the point where I respond to pretty much any name.
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There was a point in time I wanted to go by my middle name simply because it is not nearly as common. (It’s Eileen, by the way. Not common in the U.S. for my age group at all.)
After about a week, though, I realized how much I love my common name. For all the grief it gives me, it suits me and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
So, for all of you who might be thinking of changing your name, remember: your name was given to you and it’s something that not many can take away. You’ve grown up with it and maybe you don’t see how much you actually do love it. Try looking up the meaning some time. You might learn something interesting you never knew.
