I don't know my name

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3 years ago

For someone given just two names at birth, having multiple names at this age seems quite surprising. My friend came to visit yesterday and told my mum he needs to see "Valour" urgently. My mum directed him to where I was and after we talked and he left, my mum called me and with a smile asked me when she named me valour, for that's what everyone who came visiting calls me.

I come from the southwestern part of Nigeria. And it's a norm here to see a Child being given Ten names and above. My siblings all have at least five names each. The reason why most kids do end up with so many names is that both the paternal and maternal grand parents give the child a name. The father gives him/her a name, likewise the mother. Don't be surprised when you see someone with the name cain also bearing Abel. lol

The reason why I wasn't given as many names as my siblings is still unknown to me. Maybe because they were expecting a girl child. But I decided to come as a man. Lol. So I was given Adedamola Gideon ( Adedamola- The crown mixes with wealth. While Gideon is known to you all). I gave myself Valour for one reason or the other and there are some other nicknames I never planned on having.

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Funny Moments with the clash of names

I) High school

I attended the same school as my neighbour's children back then. One of her daughters happens to be my classmate. We call her Ajoke at home but in school, she asked everyone to call her "Abigail". It was really hard for me to adapt to this new name. I seldom call her Ajoke instead of Abigail. With time people got to know this.

One day our Yoruba teacher was teaching us the importance of having a Native name and she cited so many examples in her class back when she was in school. She said it hurt her to see people change their names when they get to school. Someone shouted "Like Abigail" and everyone started laughing. The teacher asked him to explain what he meant by that statement and he explained that Abigail is known as Ajoke at home.

Abigail looked at me with accusing eyes and raised her hands. She said, "Gideon has a name we call him at home too". I was shocked because back then i haven't even myself the name Valour. So what could she be saying? "Maybe Damola" (Adedamola). The teacher asked her to tell the class the name I answer to at home and she replied-

"Òkò mi" (my husband)

Everyone started laughing, myself included. And the teacher asked amidst laughter what she meant. She said my mum do call me òkò mi (my husband ) at home. Here to make a child run an errand quickly, parents do praise them or call them one pet name or the other, they call them names just to make them happy and eager. "Òkò mi" was what my mum loved using for us all.

II) Attendance in class

This time I've started answering the name Valour. Even my birth name sounds foreign to me. The lecturer was calling the names of those in class and was marking their names on the attendance. He decided to call first names only. It got to my Number and he shouted "Adedamola". I kept on looking at him. If he had called "Gideon" I would have answered him straight away but even my own name sounded new and unknown to me.

I joined the class in looking around for who bears the name "Adedamola". Suddenly, I noticed all eyes were on me and my brain quickly jolted back to life. I shouted "Sir, I am the one" and everyone laughed to their fill, even the lecturer joined, not knowing the reason the class was laughing.

III) Gideon, Valour, Damola, HappyBoy

This happened about a month or two back ,before we were forced to vacate the hostels. We were having a class and the lecturer was admonishing us to read our books over and over till we understand them fully. He said "Repetition is the king of mastery" that is, when you repeat an event, you become a master at it.

He decided to use someone's name as an example. I knew that was his intention but few people didn't know. He was trying to prove that, everyone in class calls a certain person by a/his name because we've repeatedly called him that. But he made the wrong choice by pointing to me.

He asked me to stand and asked a female friend of mine for my name.

She replied "Valour"

He then asked another. But this person he asked calls me Damola, unlike others. She is quite stubborn and refuses to call me Valour or Gideon.

So she replied "Damola"

He was surprised but tried to hide it. He looked at some ladies talking while the lecture was on and asked one of them for my name.

She replied "Gideon"

At this stage, he couldn't hide his shock again. He shouted "what! How can the same person be answering three different names?". Not one to give up, he pointed to a guy, but the whole class has gotten the hint of what was going on and were laughing.

The guy replied "HappyBoy " he did it intentionally to further confused the man. Everyone started laughing again.

Since then, he started calling me "The boy with many names". I don't know how convenient that is for him, but whenever he says that it reminds us all of the events that birth it.

Side note

Do you also have multiple names?. Is there any situation when you forgot your name?...share the experience with us and let's laugh together 😂

Thanks for reading!🤗💚🤗

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3 years ago

Comments

In my family, we are 6 siblings, including me, but unlike your many names, my siblings only have one name, the only one who has two names is me. I really enjoyed reading your article, I like to know the culture of other countries. But in the end, we are always alike, in our feelings and emotions. Greetings.

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3 years ago

That's a lot of names lol! I have been called many names back in school din not the name calling to tease you or bully you but just a nickname but nothing stuck.

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3 years ago

I can't stop myself from laughing. I have experienced this one too being called with different names. 🤣 anyhow, I like the name Valour.

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3 years ago

I only have one name is Eliana. But many nicknames and one especially from childhood Cocola. Everyone calls me that. When I was a kid, many friends of my parents didn't even know my real name. Once we were going to go to a nearby island on vacation with some friends and one of my father's friends was in charge of booking the tickets for the plane. He couldn't book mine at first because he didn't know my real name. LOL. I was only called by my name at school and then in college.

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3 years ago

That's funny😂 thank God he didn't book the ticket. It would have led to unplanned extra expenses.

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3 years ago

Every stage of the childhood will have new nicknames. Now I am above nicknames as I created a brand 😆 🤣 😂

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3 years ago

I hope to someday create a brand too😀

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3 years ago

I could remember one of such incidence....the lecturer did mention that in class, i was among those who was laughing. I don't really have cool nicknames just Gozie will do😄...your teachers experience was so funny.

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3 years ago

Gozie and Odogwu 😉

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3 years ago

That "Oko Mi" part got me laughing 😄😄😄 the girl didn't know anything then. Lol

I don't have much nickname but this one which is Buzhay and I do love people calling me Princessbusayo 😉

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3 years ago

Why so many names? Haha. I prefer to only have one to two names. Coz during the exam, it would be to hassle for students lol

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3 years ago

In exam i think only 3 is allowed . The surname and 2 other names.

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3 years ago

I have such an experience with my friend. I don't like the name my parents gave. So in my 100level, I told my friend that I have changed my name to Flourish and she began mocking me. Towards my final year, I called myself Grace and now I have given myself the name WEALTH...Lol

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3 years ago

That makes it 3 nicknames and 1 real name😂. I'm with you comrade

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3 years ago

Hahaha. One person has a different name. If I were you, it will drive me crazy. Lucky me, I only have one name and one nickname. I didn't experience having a hard time.

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3 years ago

I definitely had my fill of laughter 🤣😂😆 Don't worry about having multiple names you aren't alone, I am with you in line, similar experiences. when you have a name you don't want to explain why you are called that, you tend to have multiple names .but the good thing is, when I hear a particular name, I know where person from a certain area and sector is calling me.

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3 years ago

Nope, I only have one name but my name has been used by so many people. I have the same name as like 100 people in my country.

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3 years ago

That last story got me lmao. In my family, we have our birth name, baptist name, chinese name, and house name so yeah pretty much four. In addition, I used the same IGN for all my games, and this new identity for writing, so a total of 6. Luckily, most friends and relatives only know my birth name and game name so they don't cause confusion like you did hehe

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3 years ago

I enjoyed this post. On my birth certificate, I had only one name, a combination of the letters of my father and mother's names. When they had me baptized, the priest said I had to have a religious name, so they added one. But later on, since my birth certificate did not reflect the second name, I had to revert to a single name in all my legal documents. At home and among relatives, I do have a nickname. And so far, no one has been confused as to who I am.

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3 years ago

I love names like that. Combination of both parents' name. It makes it easy to remember😂

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3 years ago

I loved reading this. Very interesting read. Can't say I've got similar experiences to yours cause I've got just 2 names. Hilarious read though

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3 years ago

Lucky you😔

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3 years ago

I have three names but most or generally, people called me, John. Yours was way difficult because your instructor doesn't know how to address you. Hehe

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3 years ago

😂😂... Anytime my mum wants to send on an errand, she'll just start smiling and call me 'onyibaby'.. At that point, you just have to go😂

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3 years ago

Having more than one name can be rich to begin with, but confusing for later. No, there are no other steps. When I was born, my father's father named me and I continue with him. I never thought of the idea of naming myself.

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3 years ago

And i was thinking you from Philippines and it's surprising to see multiple names i came to know your valour name from noise cash

Though I'm lucky in this case i only have one name but sometimes when a friend call me with nickname he create by itself it hurts

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3 years ago

Yeah, so many people took me as a filipino when i joined. Probably because i interact with them more. They are friendly and nice people

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3 years ago

Happy boy 😂😂..nicknames never really stuck on me I just have a few - leviking , obaleevi and levilo 😂😂😂

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3 years ago

But i can imagine the way people pronounce it😂

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3 years ago

Hehe.. he has a lot of names. Different experiences happened each of his name. ☺️ What is the feeling if I have a lot of names too?☺️

Take care alway HappyBoy...🙏

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3 years ago

Since you were into modelling once and your beauty, if you were to be a Nigerian, you will have multiple names. Most likely "Ewa" (Beauty) will be one of those

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3 years ago

Hehe. Wow! So cute Ewa.🥰 Hehe thank you HappyBoy..☺️

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3 years ago

Hahaha ang cute naman. Madami kang pwedeng itawag sa kanya. Haha.ako den matading names.eh kaya pag nag natawag sa name ko nalingon ako kahit di naman ako yung tinatawag.🤣

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3 years ago

That's interesting! I may have different names to other people that I am not aware of, lol!

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3 years ago

Farmboy's baby will be one of it😉🤗

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3 years ago

Hahaha, that sounds good :D :D :D

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3 years ago

Hahahaha The guy has many names.

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3 years ago

You just inspited to write something similar. I was given weird names in high school as well, and changed my name when I got to senior high. In university they called me "christogrammail" some called me "prof" due to my intelligence. I'd write about this pretty soon.

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3 years ago

Will be expecting it "Prof"🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

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3 years ago

Yes sire.... 😁

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3 years ago

Nice write up the guy with Many names😅. I have many names but I seem not to remember all. I just prefer people calling me the name they know me has. The day one of my lecturers called my other name from the attendance booklet, I was shocked but people were looking around trying to look for who was bearing that name. I was shy at first but I answered Presence.

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3 years ago

I can imagine the scene😂

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3 years ago

I have so many names Joshua Thywill Ayorinde Promise Fayati But my name has been very hard for people to pronounce "Thywill"

Whenn most people ask for my name I just tell them "Joshua" or "Ayo". They always get the pronunciation of my name very wrong. Leemao

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3 years ago

You're right, same way people mix Damola,Demola,Damilola together

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3 years ago

I'm hijacking this comment box, lol! Your name's too long sis!

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3 years ago

You haven't seen a longer one?😂 Here in Nigeria we have people with Ten names, one of it alone is as long as mississippi 😂

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3 years ago

10 names, wow! That would require a lot of space to write on! And that would also mean you can be called any of the 10! Just wow!

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3 years ago

I'm actually a guy LMAO

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3 years ago

Ouch! Sorry, my bad! Geez! I just saw your handle @JayTee02 and my brain automatically placed you as my girl friend here, with that same handle (hers was actually @JayTee)

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3 years ago