Write about your first name: Are you named after someone or something? Are there any stories or associations attached to it? If you had the choice, would you rename yourself?

I don’t believe I am named after anyone in particular. My first name, the given one, is Andrew. Generally speaking I have certain rules about the preferred use of my given name. Anyone can use my shortened given name freely, but only my parents are allowed to use my full given name. I don’t know exactly where this rule comes from as it’s rather irrational but it is there. I sort of ran over it as I was growing up and it’s a part of me so I just accepted it, put it in the voile of a rule and there we go.

It’s biblical and sainted and I certainly like having this name. I’ve toyed around with the only other variation which is “Drew” but that really doesn’t work. It offends the ear for some reason.

Would I rename myself? No. Absolutely not. In this I am mildly fatalistic, that I was meant to have this name, as my parents were meant to select it for me and give it to me. Any other name would merely be a pseudonym, and while that sometimes is useful in awkward social situations (or when you want to protect your true name, which has a certain undeniable power) what I am called is what I will always be called. It’s been years since I’ve run across another person with my given name, as odd as that seems, Andy just isn’t that popular around here. Of course, with any pronouncement like that, the world loves to screw you up. For a time I had a system support specialist at work who not only shared my given name but also had identical middle and last initials. Since then, I’ve gone back to not really knowing any other Andrews. I’m quite okay with that, I’m unique and being the only Andrew around helps reinforce that specialness.

That first names are given out is another little bit that I’ve thought about for a time. I’ve read in some science fiction stories about alien cultures where the young have to earn their name. I find that compelling, likely unworkable in human cultures, but it does make your name more important if you have to earn it versus simply being given it after birth. Huh.