Just like George Orwell, the author of “Animal Farm,” a powerful study of the use and abuse of political power, I also I’m not proud of my middle name.
He was named Erick Blair but chose to go by the above name. As for me, I don’t have a perfect substitute for my middle name, so, I have decided to use the remaining two, that is, Moses Auma, and only unleashes the middle one under compelling circumstances like when applying for a national ID or registering for exams.
I can’t tell when I last used that name, maybe I have forgotten what it is. Maybe I have unlearned it. Maybe I have uneducated myself of my own basic name! But have done so with a reason I can’t let you know until later. I struggled, by the help of my Mom, to overhaul my name and adopt something like Moses Kerry Auma (I formely wrote it Carry), so I thought it was a bit appealing or palatable, making me stand out among my peers who possessed names with certain uniqueness synonymous with those of professors or great people.
Listen to how these ones feel unique: Ayiecho Olweny, Anyang’ Nyong’o, Lonyangapuo, Kithure Kindiki, Peter Kagwanja, Jaindi Kisero, Mwashetani and finally Migush Migush. Basically, I wanted a modern thing. Two of my class six friends still call me “Carry” (with a rising and falling intonation) though my father stopped me from using it.
I have labored hard to give my two names some sort of significance since they are the only ones left at my disposal. I have always ensured that every of my addresses or passwords bare the two names. Regretfully, some folks have made it hard for me to apply the later name, anytime I pronounce out the name Auma, with all the enthusiasm of the one in charge, they change it into Ouma (ugh!). This further worsens my already bad situation.
They think Auma is only associated with girls, sorry, women. It’s a big disservice to manipulate someones name. Having used my name as an illustrious anecdote, I want you to learn something though connected to names. It will help your human relations.
Do you find it hard to remember people’s names. You are soon graduating, to build your career, you must join new organizations and meet and build relationships with new customers, suppliers and industry peers. As such, it is imperative to master one basic getting-to-know-you skill, remembering, pronouncing and writing people’s name.
Taking these steps can help you overcome this problem:- Repeat the name; Saying the name out loud right after you hear it helps lodge it in your short-term memory. Sometimes write down the person’s name, cease from trusting your memory, you may ask to be shown the correct spelling. Get time and go through the names you have recorded, try visualizing the faces of those people.
