Marin Kimberley Herold.
No,
not Maria
or Marn
or Martin
or Marline
or Marvin
or even Marlin (you'd be surprised at how many times this happens).
Simply Marin.
My name is the sort that makes substitutes apologize in advance, baristas squirm, and employers stumble. The first reaction to it is usually, "I've never heard that before" or, "How unique" followed by a five-minute-later checkup, "What was your name again?"
At first it bothered me when people said it wrong or gave me silly nicknames to cover up for the fact that they did not want to spend the time learning how to pronounce my name. But as time went along, I realized that I was not defined by my name and that no matter what people called me, I was still who I was. I was my happy-go-lucky, talkative, goofy self no matter what name I was labeled as.
This realization; however, does not stop me from loving and relating to my name's meaning. According to www.behindthename.com, the name Marin comes from the French, Romanian, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, and Macedonian form of "Marinus", which is a Latin word meaning "of the sea". I have always loved going to the beach, but I think I relate more to the history of WHY I was named Marin as opposed to the actual definition of "Marin".
My parents met in Pacifica, California, which is about twenty minutes south of San Francisco. When they dated, they would spend much of their time mountain biking across the beautiful scenic trails of Marin County, CA (about an hour away from San Fran). After a four-hour biking trip, they would cool off at a local general store for some refreshments and live music. These afternoons of bliss in the hills of Marin County were times they found joy together. When they found out I was joining the fam, they wanted to provide a name that would pass down a life of bliss and satisfaction found in these hills of Marin County.
So here I am, blissful and satisfied Marin Kimberley Herold, ready to take on life. I will still always introduce myself as "Marin/whatever you want to call me...as long as you call me!", but I know that my name is special to me and given to me for a purpose.
As an individual, I am confident and proud of who I am and my name's personal history. As a fellow human being of this world, I know that a name is just a label, and that it is what you choose to do with your life that provides the definition of who you are. In my life, I strive to be a light for others.
I am "two".
I am a daughter to my parents.
And I am a friend to you.
I am Marin.
I'm not sure if this was intentional or not, but the fact that your blog background is a lantern really illustrated your hopes of being a "light for others". We don't really know each other all that well, but from the few interactions we have had, I can see how you embody that. You make my days so much brighter! (:
ReplyDeleteAww thanks Hailey! Back at ya!
DeletePerfect response- your "writer's voice" really came out! Thanks for sharing, Marin.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you have come to accept people's shortcomings when trying to pronounce your name. Instead, you've taken the high road and define yourself based on solely who you are as a person! Really admirable stuff right there, Marlin! Anywho, I also like the story about how you were named! It's so much cooler than being named after a random uncle from the 1800s...
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I feel you on no one knowing how to pronounce your name/asking you to repeat it all the time! I love the background of your name, not many people have a story to tell about the reason for being named what they were named. I enjoyed the way you portrayed personality in your writing, by short paragraphs and abbreviations like 'fam'. Although, I do think you could argue that your name/the meaning of your name shows through in your personality and thus, your name can impact who you are as an individual. You described Marin County as a light hearted place, a happy place. Then you said that you want to be a light...so I think those two things are similar! You are, in fact, super light hearted and friendly which reminds me of the way you described Marin County!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a perfect blog post if there ever was one. I definitely agree with you on how a name really doesn't have a meaning until you give it one- my name meaning "dark" doesn't really resonate with me either. I find it so interesting that your family named you so appropriately, as I'm sure everyone can agree that you are blissful, light-hearted and happy so way to go Momma and Daddy Herald! I think you very well reflect the feelings your parents felt in Marin County. I also loved your poem at the end and how you identify yourself as being a daughter and a friend. I think this fits you well because you treat everyone this way: either they are your parents, or they are your friend, no matter how old they are or how you know them. You have such a kind heart that you can't have any negative relationship it seems, and I really admire that in you.
ReplyDelete