Travis

Photo taken by Ari Feldberg

Understanding Myself

by Travis Nguyen

I am not a religious person, so I was surprised when I found out a monk was the one who gave me my name. The name Travis was a story that my father told me when I visited him. He told me that when it was discovered that I was to be a boy, my father immediately planned a trip to a Buddhist temple. My father was a devoted Buddhist. He prayed for my good health, and at one point, he asked a monk to bless him with a boy’s name. The monk blessed me with the “most holiest” of names, Travis.

I was surprised when I found out this was how I was named. I understand how important it is for my family. Both sides of my family are religious, and when they heard news of my name, everyone was relieved. I am to be blessed with good luck and health. My family really wanted me to do well and have a good life when I was born. I hope in the future I can return the favor when they ask.

My name Travis, originated from the French word traverse, meaning “to cross over” (Riley). It is symbolic that my name is somehow connected to how my family came to America. My family crossed the Atlanta Ocean to America and settled in Michigan, setting up shop with the utmost praise.

Holy or symbolic, my name is something that simply describes me. Don’t get me wrong, my name has some backstory to it. Even so, the name Travis is an identification; I would hold my name more significant if it had some sort of family backing. When you ask people about their names, there is always some sort of background that comes to it. I asked my mother about names one time, and she told me that if the monk didn’t give me a name, she and my father wanted me to have an American name. They wanted me to assimilate into American society. They came to America for a better opportunity, and they wanted me to fit in with society; what better way than naming yourself with a European-sounding name?

Because of my name, I never got made fun of for my name growing up. I heard stories about how Asian-sounding names made you stand out or how people always mispronounced your name. It is like if Nguyen was your first name, and you always have to correct others on how to say it (it's not New-guy-in, it's either new-win or just win). Because of my name, you don’t often find anyone else with Travis. Other than Travis Scott, it is a sort of name that you only know a couple has. I can put my name on a job resume, and I feel like my name stands out compared to others. It is a name that allows me to materialize something I can own. I appreciate my parents naming me Travis.

Works Cited

Riley, Lawrence. “Travis Name Meaning: Origin And Significance.” Name of the Year, www.nameoftheyear.com/travis-name-meaning/.

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