At an odd evening hour on the 25^th day of June (back before the year started with a 2), a baby was born into the world and named Alexandria Avery. Little did she know she would be having to spell her name out to everyone who needs to write it and being called “Alexandra.” Alex-and-ria. Like the booming city in Egypt. Ever heard of Alexandria, Virginia? It’s Alexandra, but with an i in there and it’s not silent.

To my family, I am Alex. While attending daycare as a toddler, the nickname “Alley” was brought up as the more girlie version of Alex—it obviously stuck. I get questioned, “What is Alley short for?” Before you begin guessing, no my real name is not Allison. Nor Allyson, Alison, Alleyson(?). None of the above. I usually get an odd look when I say my whole first name is Alexandria. Alley is a stretched derivative of Alexandria. So, to friends and others, I am Alley.

My name is Alley. A-L-L-E-Y, like a bowling alley or an alley cat. I had contemplated starting to go by Ria in college, but could you imagine the mess that would’ve made? “Hi, I’m Ria! On legal documentation my name is Alexandria. My mom calls me Alex when we’re on the phone together, and all my social media platforms have my name as Alley. I commonly go Alley Kat, with a K, to really close friends and family. But, you can call me Ria.”

I still laugh when I tell someone my first and last name together and they say “Oh! A first name for a last name.” Yes, I have been told before. But, where do you get that Avery is more common as a first name? There were two Avery families in the town I grew up in. I didn’t know anyone with the first name Avery until I moved from southern to northern Ohio. Oddly enough, I grew up knowing a family with the last name Alley. So, in that sense I have a last name as a first name AND a first name as a last name. Funny, and versatile, situation!

This is just a peep into the life of having such a unique name. I will continuously have to spell my name out when telling the barista my name. Every time I see a keychain with “Alexandria” on it it’s an instant buy, because those are rare! My head always turns for names Alexandria, Alley, Alex, Alley Kat, and Al.