When I was little, the name Camila seemed particularly popular among parents in Perú. Did it resonate because it sounded pleasant to Spanish ears? Were they indeed drawn to its underlying meaning? Regardless of the reasons, the reality is that new parents in Perú have decided the name Camila is a good one. Hence, I have one of the most popular names for people in my home country (“Most Popular”). I don’t like having a common name. Certainly, it is easier for people to pronounce, so you avoid awkward corrections. Some studies even claim that people with common names are more socially accepted and more likely to be associated with positive connotations (Jarrett). Nevertheless, I always wanted to have a unique name. I wanted people to assume I was unique from the moment they heard my name. In my head, it was some sort of reassurance that I could do something special. After all, it has been proven that people with unique names usually have more creative professions and even have a sense of superiority (Schonberg and Murphy).

The truth is that except for a few peers in school, no one remarked on how common my name is, nor have they confused me with another Camila. With time I’ve become just Camila, no more Camila two or three, with time I’ve developed a strong enough identity to have people remember me because I was memorable and not because my name was. My embarrassment seemed unwarranted; I was the only one burdened by something that, in reality, didn’t matter.

Over the years, I learned to accept that there will always be others with the same name, especially back home. It’s just a fact of life. Yet, I’ve come to appreciate my name. In truth, the Camilas I have met have generally been exceptional people. Camilas, at least the ones I have met, are opinionated, principled, smart, kind, and terrible to mess with. So perhaps it's a common name, but it is also a powerful one. It’s possible that those parents who chose it were onto something, gifting their daughters not just with a name, but a legacy of strength.

Works Cited

Jarrett, Christian. “How Your Name Affects Your Personality.” BBC, 26 May 2021, www.bbc.com/future/article/20210525-how-your-name-affects-your-personality. Accessed 09 Feb. 2025.

Meehan, Alison. “Camila” 7 Feb. 2025, The Bump,thebump.com/b/camila-baby-name. Accessed 09 Feb. 2025.

“Most Popular Female Names Peru 2020 - BabyNames.ch.” Babynames.ch, 2020, www.babynames.ch/Info/Hitparade/poPe2020f?compHitparade=poPe2012f.  Accessed 15 Feb. 2025.

Schonberg, William B., and D. Michael Murphy. “The Relationship between the Uniqueness of a given Name and Personality.” The Journal of Social Psychology, vol. 93, no. 1, June 1974, pp. 147–148, doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1974.9923144. Accessed 08 Feb. 2025.

‌IA disclosure: UMChatGPT was used to make suggestions on how to improve the first draft. The following prompt was used: “Make suggestions to improve this essay about my name.”