Young Readers League “What’s in a Name” Writing Contest

Category 2 (Age 12-14)

2nd place

My Name and its Value

by Julieta Grane (pronounced hu-lee-eh-tuh grah-n-eh)
12 years old (Grade 7)
Polytechnic School

Your name labels you, identifies you, and binds you, but a name does not define your destiny. Everyone’s name is beautifully unique. I take pride in my name because it holds a piece of my Hispanic heritage in its flowing accents. Many of us are teased for having these distinctive names. Rump was bullied for his half name while I was bullied for my complicated name. But the sooner you learn that your name doesn’t define you, the sooner you can love your name. That is the lesson Rump learned from his journey and I learned from wikihelp.

In the book the author says “A name is a powerful thing.” A name is a powerful label that you give meaning to. I give my name the power to symbolize joy and curiosity but not the aptitude to elucidate my personality. In other words, yes the name itself has power but you are giving it its true value. You can make your name an embarrassing laughing stock or a powerful word that you say with pride.

I was given my name because it is wonderful and special. It is idiosyncratic, a fancy way of saying special, because less that 5 thousand people in the U.S. have my name.

It means Juliet in Spanish so it is Shakespearean and poetic.

My name is beautiful. It flows on the tongue and sounds like breeze.

My name represents my pride. My Hispanic blood runs through each syllable like a vein.

But beyond all else my name, bold and complicated and odd, holds an immeasurable and precious significance to me.

 

Everyone’s name is special. In the spirit of this year’s Young Reader’s League selection, Rump by Liesl Shurtliff, we are holding a writing contest focusing on the meaning of names. In 300 words or less, tell us something about your name. This could be how you got your name, what it means to you, or what it means in general. Anything about your name is fine. Winners will receive a gift card to Vroman’s Bookstore and have their entry featured on the library’s blogs. Additionally, Category 2 (age 12-14) winners will have their stories printed in the next issue of the Teen Zine.

Special thanks to our judges: Allison Hill (Vromans), Catherine Hany (Pasadena Library), Dan Mclaughlin (Pasadena Library), Judy Melton (Friends of the Library), Nick Smith (Pasadena Library), Roy Park (Pasadena Library), Tiffany Duenas (Pasadena Library)