The origin of my name comes from the bible. King Saul was the first king of Israel, first introduced in the Old Testament. He eventually becomes one of the loyal disciples of Jesus Christ, changing his name to Apostle Paul. The name itself means “asked for,” which is derived from the Hebrew verb שאל (sha'al), to ask or ask for (“The Amazing”).

The actual meaning of the name does not affect how I feel about it, it is the experiences that I have had that influence the meaning of Saul. Although it does not seem like it would be that difficult to pronounce, many fail to do so. To avoid these problems my parents told me to tell people my name is pronounced like the American version, however more recently, some new people have started to call me by my birth name. Now that I go by both names, I dread the situations in which I have to introduce myself to others. Although I do not mind being called by the “American” name, the pressure of not knowing what to say when someone asks for my name causes a conflict to arise in me. It always catches people off-guard when they ask for my name. After all, I just stare at them without saying anything because I just do not know what to say. To make the situation easier, I tell everyone my “American name” unless I am with someone who already knows me by my birth name. 

Besides telling people my name, I actually love having it. When I was younger, I wished for a different name due to the problems that came with it. Apart from the bothersome interactions I had with meeting new people, the bullies at my school would insult my name. I felt like my name was weird, which caused me to hate the name. Now that I have matured, I realize that a name is more about the meaning and the emotions that are tied to it. My dad picked the name because his middle name is Saul as well. He said that he wanted to bless me with the name he always wanted. Ever since he passed away, I have cherished the name more than anything. It feels like I carry a part of him with me everywhere I go. 

I have had my ups and downs with my name, however, I believe that my appreciation of the name can only grow from here. Luckily, ever since “Better Call Saul” became popular, it has been easier to just correlate my name to the show when I introduce myself by my “American name”. Many people have even told me that they remembered my name because of the show. 

Works Cited

“The Amazing Name Saul: Meaning and Etymology.” Abarim Publications, 

https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Saul.html. Accessed 12 Feb. 2024.