WHO GIVES A SHIT: Do You Like Your Name?

Aren't names weird?

Your name is like this gigantic thing that sort of defines you, and leaves people with an immediate impression of you (good or bad), and you have it forever and ever. And yet you have NOTHING to do with choosing it.

And holy shit, you can't pick a more subjective topic than name choices. I may love a name that you hate and vice versa. The name Preston, for instance, makes me absolutely murder-y...for really no reason whatsoever. And also the name Alexis. I  mean, I hear that name and I just think "barf me out the door." But also, who gives a shit what I think!? If any Preston's or Alexis's are reading this, you can feel free to go tell me to fuck myself. And then you can tell me how stupid Erica is and that it reminds you of Erika Kane on All My Children who was just a gigantic slut harpie bitch.

And we'd all be right. Cause pretty much every single solitary person on the planet has their own opinions on this name stuff.

It is kind of interesting though, that in a moment your brain decides: BOOM, I love that name! Or BOOM, that name makes me want to kick a puppy. Like what is the algorithm that helps you decide this stuff? How do I know which names to like and which names to hate?

Interestingly enough, I was sort of named after Erica Kane. I mean, my mom wasn't trying to name me "after her," but in fact All My Children was where she first heard the name and she absolutely loved it. I'm not sure how much of a slut Erika Kane was back then, but clearly my mom didn't care.

Anyway, I guess I do kind of like my name. I mean, I wish it was a bit more interesting, however, I rarely run into other people who have the same name, and so it feels at least semi-unique. And the spelling with a "C" as opposed to a "K" is even more uncommon, so I like that too. My mom didn't want to go with a "K" cause she thought it sounded too Nordic.

I *did* want to change my name to Barbie briefly between my 8th and 9th birthdays. My parents told me that if I still felt that way by the time I was eighteen, I could do so with their full support.

I did not.

So, do you like your name?