A Rose By Any Other Name… Still Gets To Choose What You Call It

I work at a home improvement store. The assistant flooring manager moved up, meaning we needed a person to fill the space. The only person who applied was an older lady with MANY health issues, which have caused my department to have some issues.

My name is a six-syllable name and many people ask if I have a nickname. No. I went all through school going by the shortened version of my name, and I’m done with trying to make it easy on people.

New Assistant: “Your name is too hard! Don’t you have a nickname or something? Like [First Half of my name] or [Second Half]?”

Either half could be a girl’s name.

Me: “No. My name is [My Name]. Not [First Half], not [Second Half]. Just [My Name].”

New Assistant: “But that’s too haaaarrrdddd! Too many syllables! What if I call you [My First Initial]?”

Me: “Mm… absolutely not. It’s [My Name].”

New Assistant: “ [My First Initial]?”

Me: “[My Name].”

New Assistant: “ [My First Initial]?”

Me: “You can try calling me that, but I will only ever respond to [My Name].”

And I walked away before I punched this fifty-year-old lady in the face. My name is my name. Don’t try to shorten it.