In English and Spanish my name means Sawtooth Mountains. Has geographical meaning, like the Sierra Nevadas. It’s a shy name, yet mysterious. Like a forest on a foggy day. Not knowing what you might get next. It’s blue. The name sounds like someone you want to know.  

How did I get my name? I was given my name because of the way it sounds. It sounds like other family members names. Serena, Sarah, Tera, Sierra. How can a name be so unique and uncommon if it was just given to me because of how it sounds?

    I wonder if my parents knew the meaning of my name when they chose it for me. My mom told me she chose it because she liked it. One and done.

Most people tell me that I do not look like a Sierra. They all tell me I look like an Emma or someone generic. They may see me as generic. But crack the hard shell on the outside, you see that I am not generic. With curly q’s like mine I’m anything but generic. Sierra is like Sierra Mist. A bubbly drink that’s always around a fun time.

    My last name means very little to me. It is linked to so many things. Like a man who was never deserving. In a perfect world, my name would legally be Sierra Rose Smith. But that calls for difficult times. I think I’ll just leave it as is. Do I like my name? Yes. I like my name. But Sierra Rose Smith is just more fitting.

    I’ve always wanted to change my name. I never liked the way it sounded. I never liked how I didn’t share a name with other girls. I hated how it was different. But I could never decide what I wanted to change it to. There already was a Sarah, multiple actually, and Hailey’s and an Emma. I didn’t like any of those names. I could not find anything better than Sierra. Sierra is unique. Different. My name fits me. I don’t know why I had doubts. I think I’ll keep my name after all.