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When Your Name Doesn’t Feel Like You

thecut.com · 1,041 words · saved by 1 readers

Find this story in your account’s ‘Saved for Later’ section. For years growing up, I was constantly frustrated by my name: It was constantly misspelled and mispronounced. It never appeared on any of those key chains or toothbrushes that Ashleys and Sarahs and regular Carries could buy at souvenir shops. And worst of all, it looked a lot like “Carl,” leading to a handful of humiliating moments involving substitute teachers taking attendance. None of it was Earth-shattering stuff, but when you’re a tween and everything is the worst, it was, well, the worst. As an adult, I’ve mostly made my peace with it (though the “Carl” thing still pops up in emails and on Starbucks cups, and it’s never not annoying). Cari’s fine. It works for me. Sometimes, though, people don’t grow into their names, but instead wear them around like ill-fitting clothes: always just a little uncomfortable with what they’re presenting to the rest of the world, and aware that it doesn’t quite seem natural or right. A Tw

Photo: Michael Cogliantry/Getty Images For years growing up, I was constantly frustrated by my name: It was constantly misspelled and mispronounced. It never appeared on any of those key chains or toothbrushes that Ashleys and Sarahs and regular Carries could buy at souvenir shops. And worst of all, it looked a lot like “Carl,” leading to a handful of humiliating moments involving substitute teachers taking attendance. None of it was Earth-shattering stuff, but when you’re a tween and everything is the worst, it was, well, the worst. As an adult, I’ve mostly made my peace with it (though the “

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