My full name is Rebecca Isabelle Fadler. Who knew that three words could come in so many different variations that all mean different things to me? It's not like I have multiple names, but really, it feels like I do because the differences between my full name, my nickname, and the way my name is pronounced all invoke different connotations to me.
The majority of my friends and family call me Becca and I really like that. I don't know how my parents picked such a fitting name but they did. Becca is a happy name and I'm a happy person. I also really like that there are not many other Beccas in the world. It makes my name feel more special. Here's were my name starts to get intricate, no one besides my family called me Becca
until I was in high school and my friends met my sister who uses my nickname. Up until that point, when people asked me what my name was I told them "Rebecca" because well, that isn't a false statement. It never occurred to baby Becca to tell anyone I had a nickname. No, I do not have a better reason. As a result, my childhood friends still call me Rebecca, so
hearing that name has a certain sentimental and safe quality to it.
Not only do my childhood friends still call me Rebecca, but my grandparents, two of the most influential people in my life called me Rebecca. The name Rebecca will always be special to me because of this. They also pronounced it in a way that only
they did. Instead of Ra-bec-ah, they always said Ree-bec-uh. My grandparents were both musicians with sing-songy voices. I think my love of voices began with the love of music they instilled in me. They say the first thing you forget about someone is their voice and because their voices have always been so special to me I was really scared that I would forget, but their voices are still very intact in my memory. Specifically the way they said my name and "I love you."
The way I write my name is also important to me as I am a "writer." When I turn in assignments, I always write my name as Rebecca Fadler, regardless of what my professor calls me. Additionally, I only write my name as Rebecca Isabelle Fadler when I publish something. Every piece of my writing is under my entire name so that they are all connected.
My name is the one of the important things that can never be taken from me and the different variations of my name all mean very different and very beautiful things to me. My nickname is fun and friendly, my first name is safe and warm, my first and last name are professional, and my full name is my potential to make something of my life.
