Why I Regret Giving My Daughter A Unique Name
I don't want my daughter to be ashamed of her name.
tartanparty | Shutterstock By Cristina Margolis
When I was pregnant with my baby girl, I didn't look through any baby name books or search online for baby name inspiration.
I knew well before I was even pregnant that if I had a daughter someday, I would give her the most beautiful name I had ever heard: Giuliana (Pronounced "Joo-lee-ah-nah").
It had been a name I had picked out when I was a child, and I have been obsessed with it ever since.
My family is Italian, and we are very proud of our heritage. I could have spelled my daughter's name the American way (Juliana), but it was important to me to give my daughter a proper Italian name.
My mom did the same for me. Instead of spelling my name the American way (Christina), she gave me the Italian spelling (Cristina). So I suppose it's a family tradition, and I always wanted my daughter to think about her roots whenever she would see her name spelled out.
Of course, I didn't account for many people not being able to pronounce my daughter's name correctly (you'd be surprised at how often this happens).
At doctor appointments, it's very common to hear the nurse call out "Gweelyana." It makes me cringe! Teachers have also done it when reading the roster on the first day of school. This always produces giggles and name teasing from my daughter's classmates, making her feel embarrassed and ashamed about her name.
And that's the thing that breaks my heart: she didn't ask for this. It was my choice, and when she came home upset from school, I asked myself if I had chosen wrong.
And when we're at places like malls and amusement parks, my daughter is never able to pick out a keychain or bracelet with her name on it like her friends are easily able to do. This, of course, makes my daughter feel left out. Any items like that need to be customized and cost a lot more money than the premade ones. It also takes longer to get the item, and we all know how great children are at waiting. It hurts me to see her like this.
Hopefully, my daughter will grow up to appreciate her unique name and be proud of her Italian heritage, just like I am. I hope my daughter knows how much I've loved her name all my life and how she fulfilled my dream of having a beautiful and amazing daughter named Giuliana, she's the best thing that ever happened to me.
Cristina Margolis is a freelance writer and blogger. She has been featured on Scary Mommy, The Mighty, Blunt Moms, and more.