Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Lovely Butterflies

Vanessa Almirante

ESL 100

September 12, 2023




Lovely Butterflies

    My name was created by the famous writer, Jonathan Swift, in the 18th century. He combined the first and last name of his lover, Esther Vanhomright, to create a nickname in a love poem called “Candeus and Vanessa”.

    I don’t think my father knew any of that, but he always wanted to have a child with this name. He used to vocalize this a lot and, years before I was born, my aunt decided to give this same name to her daughter. My father didn’t mind having two Vanessas in the family because he really loves this name, and that is why I’m the little Vanessa, Vanessinha, in the family. Even though I have a middle name, Maria, everyone just prefers to say Vanessa, Vanessinha, Nessa, Nessinha. 

    In addition, I like my name too. I have learned to like my name. I learned that there is a genus of butterfly which has the same name. I learned that my name is, somehow, a representation of love someone can hold to one another, just like Jonathan Swift had for his lover. 

4 comments:

  1. Hi Vanessa! Your experience reminds me my father who gave me a name, too. It was pleasure to read the part when you mentioned your name was borrowed from a love poem.

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  2. Hi Vanessal! My two sons names were from my husband. He told me he likes those name, he must give them to his sons. The funny think is those two name are the name of cartoon characters in England.

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  3. Hi Vanessal, your story is the same as mine because my family and my parents also spent more time thinking about my name.

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  4. HI Vanessal. I think your name is full of romance of love after I read this.

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My Second Life

  I move to the United States to pursue my studies in college. I was born and raised in Cote d’Ivoire, a country located in west Africa. Bac...