Satyam Goyal

"Is it SAtyum?”, “Oh, uh its Suth-yum.” “Sathyum?” “Yeah, close enough.” I have always enjoyed class introductions. It's like a little game with the teacher or professor trying to pronounce my name correctly. My name shaped my American immigrant experience, I accepted that people would mispronounce my name and felt out of place to correct them. One of my most memorable moments was in tenth grade when my Spanish teacher looked at the role sheet and asked, “Satan?”. Sometimes I envy students with ethnic backgrounds who have "American names." I imagine their introductions must be much simpler. 

However, it's not that I don't like my name. I love the uniqueness of it and how it leaves a lasting impression on people. My name is derived from Sanskrit, and it means "truth" in English. The "m" was added to make it sound more masculine, according to my parents, who named me for religious reasons. The Hindu god Satyanarayan, associated with wealth, happiness, and honesty, serves as the inspiration for my name. (What is satyam? - definition from Yogapedia)

My name has had a profound impact on my life and how I've strived to live up to it. In my youth, I struggled with dishonesty, low self-esteem, and mediocrity in various aspects of my life. Much like the mispronunciations of my name, my life was filled with distortions and untruths. Honesty often felt like a double-edged sword, capable of hurting both myself and others. I took pride in receiving praise and admiration, even if it meant exaggerating or telling "white lies". As I grew older, I realized the expectations that my name had of me. I came to understand that I couldn't be proud of who I was if I didn't live my life with integrity. I discovered that honesty goes hand in hand with trustworthiness, and people come to rely on those who are truthful. It became more fulfilling to embody the qualities I professed rather than striving to be something I was not. To me, living up to my name isn't just about being honest; it's about embracing loyalty, reliability, and compassion.

Works Cited

“What Is Satyam? - Definition from Yogapedia.” Yogapedia.Com, www.yogapedia.com/definition/10641/satyam#:~:text=Satyam%20is%20a%20Sanskrit%20adverb,or%20%E2%80%9Cauthentic%E2%80%9D. Accessed 27 Oct. 2023.