It's all in the Name


True story. Aussie customer is calling. The phone rings. I'm thinking, here we go.

"Welcome to....... My name is Laurel, how can I help you?"

"What did you say your name was? Laura?"

"It's Laurel sir." I replied.

"Oh, Laurel! Well, what's your real name? What's your Filipino name?"

A dozen different expletives is already running through my mind, but I (try to) keep calm. 

I fake a laugh.

"My real name IS Laurel sir."

"Well Laura, here's what's going on......"





I hated my name/s. And it took years before I came to love them.

I have 2 names - Laurel Myrth. According to my mom, she got Laurel from a Mills & Boon Romance novel and Myrth from a high school friend with the same name. I also have a nickname - Lem. In elementary school only one teacher could pronounce my name right. None of my classmates ever did. 


In case you were curious Laurel pronounced as [lawr-uhl, lor-].



Both my names are unique for someone born in the Philippines. I have never encountered anyone called Laurel nor could I ever find either of my names on those souvenir name key chains. Ever since I could remember my classmates would tease me about being named after an herb that is always included in the dish Adobo. What they meant was the Bay Leaf, better known in my country as dahon ng laurel (Laurel Leaf). My teachers and classmates always pronounced it as [laoo-rel]. 

Only a few people ever acknowledged my second name. As frustrating it is that they can't pronounce my first name right, my second name completely baffles them. Basically it's just like the word Mirth except it's spelled with a Y. Come to think of it, only one teacher ever called me Myrth too. But I did have a school mate who had Myrth as a name too. She was a twin and their names were Myrth Joy and Myrtle Jane.


When my sister was born, I excitedly called my mom (I wasn't allowed to go to the hospital) to ask her what my sister name was. To my 7 year old ears it sounded like Vanessa. I wanted to complain. Why couldn't I get a regular name just like my sister? Turns our her name was actually Janezza (second name Rae). Not so regular either.

We dispensed off the formalities of full names in college. I was simply known as Lem to my teachers and school mates. During my time in the Red Cross I was always just Lem too. Then I started working for a call center and we had to use a phone name that was familiar to the ears of people who live in the US, Australia, Canada, and Europe. I couldn't pick any random name I could stick with. I was back to being Laurel.

I've been called countless names over the phone - Laura, Lori, Lauren. Even when I switched to sending customers email that had my signature on it, I was still called other names. But now, after hearing how I say my name, more people are actually able to pronounce it. I have never gotten my name spelled wrong by a coffee shop barista.

I've googled what my names meant multiple times over the years and here is what I found:

Laurel - signifying success and peace in ancient Rome/symbolic of honor and victory.
Myrth - Admirable, Wonderful, She who Must be Admired, Worthy of Admiration


Although I do use my second name more often in social media, my family, friends, and office mates know me as Laurel. It's such a novel to be the only one in the office to have that name. I don't envy the multiple Graces, the two Hyacinths, or the Male and Female Pau (Paulo and Paula).  My name has become synonymous to good work, and someone the newbies can rely on when it comes to learning the ropes. 

I've come a long way from being called an herb to embracing the fact that that herb means honor and victory. I've finally stood up and I'm trying to live up to my names. Aside from that, I know I've given a different meaning to my name too. A meaning that is all just me.



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