What's your middle name? Is there a story or history behind it?
My middle name is Jennifer, and it's actually what my family and most everyone I know on the West Coast calls me. Jennifer is the name I used growing up...
But unfortunately, it was a name that a lot of girls in my town used growing up. There were at least 4 or 5 other Jennifers in my grade alone (not counting the whole school or school district), and it always bothered me! Jenny, Jennie, Jennifer, Jen, Jenn... so many around!
How's an angsty teen suppose to stand out and feel original?!?!
The teachers would refer to me as "Jennifer N." and that just doesn't sound cool. In fifth grade, we had so many Jennifers in our combined class of 60 that my two teachers called me by my last name, Nakaya, which is very unique, but to be called by your last name is pretty tomboy-ish.
I made up nicknames for myself all the time. But they all sounded so fake, and I only used them when I was doodling, or when my friends all had our nicknames stitched on matching hats at Disneyland.
My first name is Marion, but that was no escape when I was 14. That didn't sound like me... it didn't sound like a New York City magazine editor, or a globetrotting documentary photographer, or the great American novelist. It sounded like my Grandma, since that was also her name.
Late in college, around 1995, my friend Pam came up with chopping the Ma- off the front and calling me "Rion," (pronounced like "Ryan"). I liked it because it connected me with my Grandmother (who had become sick around that time). "Rion" sounded unusual and cool, but it was real... it was actually from my name.
It was sort of our in-joke, but over time, it became my stylish alter-ego, and Pam used it in sentences like, "Rion wouldn't put up with that." Or "I think Rion would wear that. You should buy it." Or "Jenn might not backpack Europe by herself... but Rion would."
Jenn was Peter Parker, but Rion could sling webs.
So when I returned to college from backpacking around Europe by myself for more than a month, I started classes with the name Rion. It just seemed to fit better than Jenn... and by the time I moved to NYC in '97, Rion was my name.
But Jennifer is, too.
I answer to both, and sign emails with an "R" or a "J," depending on who I'm writing to. I refuse to let my mother call me anything other than some version of Jennifer. I thoroughly confuse my NYC Flickr friends when my West Coast crew writes to "Jenn" in the comments. My husband has to remember who he's talking to so he can remember whom to refer to me as in proper context. (Poor guy!)
But above all, my nephews call out "Aunt Jenny!" with joy when they see me... I wouldn't change that for the world.
