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A Good Cause
A Good Cause
by Riyah Alnsour
When my parents first saw me they knew that I was Riyah. Up until my birth, my parents had thought endlessly about my name. They poured over their options until at last they settled on the decision to pick a name when I was born. My name, Riyah (rye-yah), literally translates to ‘flag’ or ‘banner’ however, it was not intended to be so as it loses context (“Flag”). To understand my name, picture two groups of people: the people who do good and the wrongdoers. When they gather to fight, the people of the good gather under and rally to the riyah.
During my childhood, I did not receive many questions about my name. I grew up in a community of people from similar ethnic or cultural backgrounds to my own. While my name wasn’t commonplace, it was one of those things that everyone simply understood without speaking of it. I would introduce myself and recognition would flash easily in their eyes. The questions began when I transferred to a new school where Arabic names were much less common and there was a more popular use of nicknames. I wasn’t really given any serious or real nicknames growing up as my name is already fairly short and has an extensive meaning. After I transferred, I was asked if I had a nickname or if I could be given a nickname. I turned down the offer. Personally, I felt that to cut my name short would feel too awkward. People attempted to stumble over potential nicknames before giving up when the pieces didn’t fit. To me, to reduce my name would be a disservice to its meaning and the effort my parents put into choosing it with holistic and visual interpretation.
The spelling of my name would be a factor that set me apart quite clearly. It would lead to a lot of mispronunciation and it’s not a very common spelling. Oftentimes I’ve seen the more common spelling ‘Raya’ but it should be noted that the name Raya (ray-yah) is a different name entirely but people tend to use these spellings interchangeably from my experience. It is reported in the SSA name database that ‘Raya’ has climbed in popularity from 937th rank in 2020 to 402 in 2022 (“Popular”). Despite variations in spelling, and the many corrections that come from it, as I grow I hear the correct pronunciation of my name now more often than not. As I reflect on my experiences with my name, I am immensely proud and thankful for it. I am grateful to see myself grow from the countless corrections of pronunciation that would once make me squirm in discomfort now come easily when caught. I find myself now comfortable in the differences that set me apart; it’s an honor to be called a riyah.
“Popular Baby Names.” Social Security Administration, www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi. Accessed 11 Feb. 2024.
“Flag.” Cambridge Dictionary: Translations from English to Arabic, https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english-arabic/flag. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024.
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