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Photo credit: Sarah Huber
My Two-Letter Name
My Two-Letter Name
by CC Huber
My final grade in seventh grade English class was 0.3% below the cutoff for an A, and it’s 100% the fault of my name. I’ve gone by “CC” my entire life, and it’s so ingrained in my head that when my teacher referred to me as “Catherine,” my legal name, I never responded. I lost plenty of participation points, and the only thing to blame is obviously my name.
Despite discussing the profound meaning of my full name over many family dinners, my parents have never, ever, called me by my real name. I’ve heard countless times how “Catherine” means pure, but I’ve never heard them call me anything other than “C”, “Ceece”, “Chi”, and of course, “CC” (“Catherine”).
I’ve grown to love these two letters that I call my name, but I can’t help noticing their faults. People often ask if I’ll use “Catherine” when applying for jobs or even in college, and I’m definitely aware that “CC” doesn't exactly scream professionalism or poise.
“CC” doesn’t look great on paper, either. The two letters stand rigid and lonely no matter how sparkly or lively the color of my pen is. For years now, I’ve tried to find the perfect signature, watching my grandma and older sister scribble their signatures in pristine fonts, the syllables flaunting elegant cursives. As for me, “CC” looks too stubby, and every time I write out “Catherine Clare” it looks a foreign language I’ve never seen before. Regardless of my birth certificate, “Catherine” just isn’t my name.
In many senses, “CC” doesn’t flow with grace or exhibit sophistication. The letters stare at me with glaring, unblinking eyes, but there’s also something stunning about its simplicity and boldness. My name proves that I’m more than two words on a birth certificate or a teacher’s class roster. “CC” is comfortable to me, and it’s not something that I have to pretend to relate to. “CC” suits me while I’m winning state titles or losing GPA points, and its beauty is in its versatility. My name never fails to embody me and is constantly growing alongside me, which precisely is why I’d never change it.
Works Cited
“Catherine.” Catherine - Baby Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity, www.thebump.com/b/catherine-baby-name. Accessed 11 Feb. 2024.
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