Colin. Colin. Colin. 

I repeat the name in my head trying to derive some meaning or feeling. In reality it means nothing to me. It’s not bad or good, it's just neutral. 

I think of a suburban town, deserted plains, a forest of oak trees, the color gray. Anything you could think of that is in need of something...more. When I hear my name it is hard for me to think of anything exciting. The name is spoken quickly and smoothly, but with little emotion attached.

 I would choose a name that's more unique. Like Tokyo. It signifies the unknown, a new adventure. It may seem like a simple five letters but to my ears it flows perfectly, sounding simple but prompting immediate interest. 

I find my name to be dull. As a label for me I would hope it would be interesting, like Tokyo. Ideally my name would portray uniqueness. At the very least a name that is not heard everyday. But, to another person the name Colin might sound smooth and attention grabbing while the name Tokyo may be dull or odd.

In Greek my name means “victory of the people” but in Gaelic it means “young dog.” The greek meaning is an event and the Gaelic is a label for an animal, these obviously have no significance towards me as a person whether they are positive or negative. While I could have been named after “victory of the people” I could have just as well been named Colin after “young dog.”

 The carrier of a name must decide how to portray their name. There is no reason for the name Colin to not have the same effect on my ears as the name Tokyo. It is up to me to create a reason for others, but more importantly myself, to see my name as unique, interesting, or special.