Do you like your name? I hate mine .I'm always getting called Imani or Armani. But the one plus is that not many people have my name, the year I was born only 858 girls in the world where given my name. I have one of those names where you know the race of the person before ever laying eyes on them. I all ways knew it had to do with the 7 days of Kwanzaabut never truly knew what it meant till this year. It’s one of those words people use to describe Christmas time ,peace and harmony.

My name was supposed to be Elijah till I came out a girl and my mom and dad had to quickly think of a name that I would have to carry proudly for the rest of my life. So my mom came up with the name Imani which is one of the 7 Kwanzaa principles. Imani is Swahili for faith, by believing with all our hearts in God, our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. Wanting me and my brother to have the same initial my mom just changed the I to an A, not realizing at the time that Amir is my brothers nickname and that his real name is Donnell. Years later I became one of those crazy- wide- eyed –drooling- obsessed- kids .But I wasn’t obsessed over some dumb boy bad as girls today are, oh no I was obsessed with MOKEIES! Which was why I was given the nick name monkey.

Most people tend to act as if the A ran away from home and is never coming back and just call me Mani. Even teachers and my boss who you think would call you by your full name. But being called Mani doesn’t bother me I kind of like it. I don’t thi8nk any one call me Amani except when my mom is yelling at me or when I’m meeting someone for the first time. Most people look at me weird when I get called monkey in public, as if they never heard of someone having a nickname.

I may not like my name but I am proud of the meaning behind it.  I just rather my middle name be my first name. I love the name Donielle it’s a very unique name I would never meet another person with the same name. I just like the sound of Donielle Amani Holland much better than Amani Donielle Holland. My mom tells we all the time I should which it and how she wishes she would have made Donielle my first name from the start. Do you like your name? I hate mine