Just call me Jenny.

My name is not hard to pronounce. I know that because my 3-year-old niece, who can't say 'birthday,' can say my name with out a hiccup. Even still, people are constantly fumbling over my name. The most common flub, and the most understandable, is Foh-Lay-Oh. It's as if there is a mental block when I tell someone my name. I say Foh-Lie-Oh and they say Foh-Lay-Oh; this goes on until I express that it's "Layo, like eye-oh," to which they usually respond "Oh...Foh-LAY-Oh," at this point I tend to concede. At one point a girl even argued with me over the meaning of my name; she was convinced that it was Greek for 'love.' Even after I explained to her that my name was not Phileo, we left the conversation agreeing to disagree.

I must say that as annoying as "Foh-Lay-Oh" is, I get it. People are trying to assimilate with something they've already heard. That makes sense. That I can forgive. What I cannot forgive are the people who must really think that my parents were on an acid trip when they named me. These are the people who say things like..."As Folappi was saying" or "Hey, Falafel (today's offense)." It's important to note, that they're not kidding by the way. The one that will forever stand out in my mind is years ago I met a girl (who has since become a very dear friend of mine) that was embarrassed to say my name because she honestly believed it to be Fellatio. What kind of sick parents would name their kid Fellatio?!?! I mean come on people, if you're not sure just ask!

When I was younger there were certainly times when I wished my name were Kelly, or Stacey, or Jessica, but now I couldn't imagine having any other name. I love my name. It's part of me; it's part of what makes me me...all of those conversations, and explanations, and awkward pauses during role call; my life wouldn't be the same without this name. I've grown into it, and appreciate its beauty and uniqueness, and the fact that when my parents saw me they knew that it was me.

So while I suppose life would've been simpler if my name were Jennifer; my name is Folayo.