A woman standing in front of a worn looking chalkboard calls out,

?Elaina??
In response, a slightly annoyed voice says,
?It?s Elena not Elaina.?
The woman glances up to look at the irritated girl who responded.
?What was that?? the woman says.

?My name,? the girl replies in a monotone and slightly annoyed voice,
?It?s pronounced Elena not Elaina.?



That girl would be me. That happens on a day-to-day basis. I can thank my dad for that. The mispronunciation wouldn?t bother me if there had been a good reason to be named Elena, such as if it was the name of my famous grandmother or even if it was my father?s favorite bunny?s name.

But alas those are not the reasons that I?m named Elena. It is because my name rhymes with my sister?s name, Canela. If only I was born first this would be different, a lot of things would be different.

Well according to the internet, my name means bright light. Yup, that?s me.
The Greeks messed up when they declared that Elena means bright light. I don?t really think of myself as a bright light. I actually don?t like the light, the dark is better, it doesn?t hurt my eyes.

It?s not that I hate the name Elena, it?s just that it gets annoying because no one can say it. I remember the first time some one pronounced my name wrong. I was in preschool. When I went to school I was Elena when I came home I was Elaina and my mom freaked out. She made my dad go to the school and coach them how to say my name. I think that?s why I get defensive about the correct pronunciation of my name.

Elena. It?s my name. It is what I am. It is who I am, who I was, and who I always will be.