Sammy. Sam. Samantha. Regardless of the variation, the spelling, or the context, this is the identity I’m assigned forever. Names are funny like that, aren’t they? Even as the person who has to be identified through that name for the rest of your life, you get zero input on what it should be. Of course, there are some people who change their names or choose to go by a nickname. But for the most part, how you are identified is predetermined to you even understanding the significance of it. 

My name was picked from a list. My parents passed around a piece of paper to my extended family hoping to be inspired. When they received the list back with dozens of name ideas, one in particular stood out: Sammi. Spelled with two Ms and an I with a heart replacing the dot, this idea persuaded them to label me as Samantha. Despite technically being a superficial label, “Samantha” has never felt like it truly fit. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate my name. I just wish it didn’t feel so girly. I just wish it wasn’t associated with “sweet Samantha”. Above all, I just wish I wasn’t always sharing it with someone else in the room and 13,632 other girls from the year I was born (Datayze). 

Having a common name is helpful in a coffee shop when the barista is trying to spell it on the cup, but it can make me feel plain, basic, and unoriginal. The name “Samantha” may be less common than names like “Olivia” or “Liam,” but it is a label that has endured over time for girls. From Samantha Stephens in the series “Bewitched” to Samantha Jones from “Sex in the City”, there has been a wide variety of “Samanthas” in the media to inspire mothers to name their daughters something with timeless popularity and a distinctly feminine feel (“What does”). 

When examining what a name truly means, I have found that it truly means nothing. You have no say in what your name is but that doesn’t mean you don’t have a say in the person you want to be. Your identity should be able to change even if your name doesn’t. Just because I have a common name doesn’t mean I have to be like the other “Samanthas”. Finding what makes me unique, like my actions and character, is what truly defines me. I’m not sure what that perfect name would be or if it even exists. Nevertheless, I intend to live the rest of my life intending to be known for my personality and accomplishments rather than an external tool for identification. 

Works Cited

Datayze. Baby Name Uniqueness Analyzer: Samantha. https://datayze.com/name-uniqueness-analyzer?name=samantha. Accessed 22 Sept. 2023.

“What‌ ‌Does‌ ‌the‌ ‌Name‌ ‌Samantha ‌Mean?‌.” Verywell Family, https://www.verywellfamily.com/samantha-name-meaning-origin-popularity-5212438. Accessed 22 Sept. 2023.