I love my name. It’s unique and has a story behind it – but it’s not always easy having a name that you constantly have to tell people how to spell and pronounce
Having a unique name can feel incredibly special – especially when it paints a picture of where you’re from. I’ve always been proud of my surname, but it hasn’t always been easy.
Sohrabi is a Persian surname which means the ‘descendant of Sohrab’, a heroic figure from Persian mythology. My Iranian grandfather decided to add the word Shiraz to it – as that is where he was from.
I’ve never been to Iran, but I love that my name paints a picture of my heritage – and I often get a smile when I tell people my surname is Shiraz. “Like the wine?” many ask. “Kind of,” I say. Although Iran had a tradition of wine-making before the Islamic revolution, the industry has since shut down.
My first name, Ariane, is a French name that comes from the Greek name Ariadne – the daughter of King Minos in Greek mythology. As many parents do, they saw it in a name of books and really liked it.
They hadn’t heard of anyone else with the name, and the only other time they saw the name Ariane after that was when the Ariane 5 rocket launched in 1996. I’ve still never met another Ariane, although I’ve seen variations.
Having a more rare first name definitely has its advantages. All these things are conversation starters, and many are genuinely interested about hearing where my names are from when I first meet them.
Also, in school I never had to go by the name Ariane S, as I was always the only one. It caused a lot less confusion than for some of my friends with more common names.
But when it comes to having a unique name, there are definitely some disadvantages. Firstly, people find it absolutely impossible to pronounce and spell – even my own family. I don’t know how many Christmas and birthday cards I’ve had with the name ‘Arianne’ on it.
When I introduce myself to new people and tell them my name is Ariane, I’ve lost count of how many times they’ve asked ‘Marianne?’. But when it comes to my surname, it’s a whole different subject.
Growing up I’d often get teased in a way I never would if my name was Smith or Jones, but that’s never really bothered me. What bothers me most, especially as an adult, is having to spell it. Every. Single. Time.
I just know that when I tell someone my surname, especially if it’s someone who needs to write it down, I’m going to see the panic in their eyes. I have never once not had to spell it. Now, I usually just spell it before they have a chance to give me the ‘look’. “Sohrabi-Shiraz, that’s S-o-h-r-a-b-i, and then Shiraz, S-h-i-r-a-z”. Sometimes I even drop the Shiraz bit, even though it’s my favourite part of it, just to make it a quicker interaction.
But pronunciation is even worse. It’s actually not that hard to pronounce – but for some reason people find it impossible to say Sohrabi rather than Shorabi. I think I’ve had every pronunciation variation under the sun.
One situation stands out as being really embarrassing at the time. I used to do rhythmic gymnastics, and when we would take part in competitions they would say our names over the tannoy. During one particular competition when I was younger I heard the big pause between ‘Ariane’ and my surname. So when my friends started looking at me with smirks on their faces, we all knew I needed to prepare myself.
But nothing could have prepared me for ‘Shhhhh…rab….. Shiravizzio’. I felt so embarrassed, and when everyone laughed around me, I wanted the ground to swallow me up.
And when I ran the Royal Parks Half Marathon and London Marathon, no one dared shout my name out loud as encouragement – even though it was printed in capital letters on the front of my top.
But I’ve grown to love my unique name – even though it’s a pain to have to spell out. Every single time. And as for my first name, I do love it, but I’ll never get over not being able to find my name on any fridge magnets.
