In Arabic, my name means “The attainer, the achiever and the successful one.” To the woman at the bus stop, it means pretty. It’s a rare gem an explorer can’t help but take a second peak at. The color yellow, sticking out noticeably within the vivid rainbow decorating the sky. But to me, my name means special. Something I treasure and protect with every breath I let free.

When I was old enough to understand, my parents explained how my name was chosen. One late night, my father and pregnant mother snuggled down to watch Temptation Island. A girl appeared on screen as the panel switched. Her name was displayed on screen and it stood out to them. It had nothing to do with how the girl looked, but everything to do with how uncommon the name was: Nayla. That’s when it struck them. What a gorgeous baby girl name it would make.

The uniqueness of my name can be a blessing and a curse. More of the negative when it comes to meeting new people. It’s also easy to misinterpret the pronunciation based on spelling. To my peers, they’d argue how it begins with a nay sound. The cry of a protesting horse. The ‘l’ and ‘A’ follow behind and are precariously squashed against the first syllable. Neigh-la.  An ugly sound. When I hear it my fury boils, threatening to spill over.

In truth, my name is spoken in a much softer tone. The nay actually takes on the sound nigh and the la gently press onto the end, finishing it off with a bright la sound; a tune you’d sing while skipping through cheerful meadows. That’s why I’d rather stick with the name I have. Nayla. It is what I prefer to respond to compared to my ugly fake name. Neigh-la.

Something my parents once told me was how they never wanted my name shortened. They never wanted my name to be a simplified version of the one I would be granted at birth. I didn’t understand for many years what they meant. For a long time, I longed for a name with a guaranteed nickname. But now with the years, I have collected, I can see why my parents didn’t want this for me.

When someone's name is shortened, that person has taken on a whole new title. They are no longer using the name which sits on top of their birth certificate. I like to believe names are the keys behind who we are. If they take a new form, something simple like a nickname, the person is taking on a new personality.

So, because of this, I will keep my name untouched. Nayla, illuminating an already bright room. Nayla, represented by a feather twirling in the spring breeze. Nayla, sporting blue to signify depth of my spirit. It’s like no other and I’m honored every time I share it with the world.