While the two syllables my future friends were introduced to on the playground didn’t give them much idea of my real name, its uniqueness is what really draws me to feel more connected to my nickname than my legal one. After all, when I was born, Christopher was the tenth most popular boy name, and sharing a name with 19,636 other American boys is a lot less personable than having a name that I could truly call my own (“Popularity of Name”). 

Add to that, Christopher can insight a jolt of stress down my back. My parents call me Curfie except when I’m in trouble, which growing up has admittedly resulted in an embarrassing tendency to panic during attendance when my full name was called. Even now, Christopher can feel oddly formal when used by a close friend, although it no longer feels like it would be followed by a scolding. Another aspect of my nickname that I feel may better represent me comes from the religious background of Christopher. The name means “bearer of Christ” (Azzolini). As someone who was raised Catholic and grew up to be atheist, I don’t relate to the biblical meaning behind my name. Still, I do appreciate my parents’ intentions. 

In all honesty, my preference of how people address me is pretty fluid, and while I don’t tend to mind any disconnections between myself and my full name when used by someone I’m less familiar with, I’ve always appreciated having a unique nickname that people close to me use.

Works Cited

Azzollini, Meena. “What Does Christopher Mean?” Christopher Name Meaning, Verywell Family, 28 July 2021, www.verywellfamily.com/christopher-name-meaning-origin-popularity-5186755#:~:text=People%20Named%20Christopher-,What%20Does%20Christopher%20Mean%3F,(to%20bear%2C%20carry). 

“Popularity of Name Christopher.” ssa.gov, Social Security Administration, www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi. Accessed 12 Feb. 2024.