I am different. Unlike people here, I posses two different names, two different stories. One story remains in the making, while the other remains as a piece of history, a souvenir from my past. My American name, Kaitlyn Rose Cooper, was given to me by my mother. Kaitlyn, a very common name here, means pure. However, that’s not the reason my mother named me that; instead, she named me after another child in my orphanage who was also being adopted. My middle name honors my grandmother, Rose Cooper. The name Rose reminds me of the sweet- smelling flower. It reminds me of beauty, gentleness, kindness, youth, and love, all of which are qualities I hope I exude towards others. Finally, my last name- Cooper. A Cooper is strong, intelligent, enduring, generous, humorous, and God- …show more content…
It was the name people used to call me before I came here. Unlike American names, Chinese names are formed backwards; therefore, my first name is Yu. Yu, means pleasant and delightful; it is somewhat similar to my sister’s name, Ya, which means elegant and graceful. I have yet to learn the meaning of my middle name, Guan; I have, also, yet to learn the meaning of many aspects of myself. My mother actually neglected my middle name when deciding what my American name would be. I am glad she neglected my middle name; if she hadn’t, my name would have been too long, too different. My last name, Shang, I share with everyone at the orphanage. That name may be uncommon here, but it was the most used name around me whenever I was in China. The name corresponds with the province the orphanage resides in, Shanggao. Here, people find my name interesting, unique, and different. People, including myself, chuckle and find my name amusing because it sounds very similar to “shame on you.” However, I find no shame in my name. Instead, I take pride in my name, for it is one of the few things that connects me with my