What's In A Name?
A rose by any other name? It's Vivi
Hi friend,
Let me hold your hand while I say this… I’m a bit addicted to Tiktok, and especially Tiktok trending sounds. So of course I jumped on one of the latest ones and tweeted (THREADED???) this:
But in all seriousness, names are something I think about a lot. Case in fact, I dedicated a good chunk of this Looks Like Work podcast episode (back in 2022) to name pronunciation and speciafically to Maitreyi Ramakrishnan’s tweet about hers:
As someone with a very tough to pronounce name (for many people) who’s also bestowed the gift of a CH name on her son (his name is Chanoch), I obviously relate. But recently, I’ve been thinking about names for another reason.
After 20 years of going by Chedva Kleinhandler, I officailly changed my last name back to Ludmir a few months ago. And it’s been a journey. This is something I thought a lot about, but thinking only begot more thinking and I don’t think (see?) I thought (see??) I’d do amything about it… That is, until I needed to renew my passport and just decided right there and then to change it.
It’s funny, because for 20 years I was “the ultra orthodox girl with the unpronounceable first name for Americans and the way-too-long last name for Israelis”. And all of a sudden… I was just one of those three things. Suffice it to say, my entire career accolades and SEO were also for this girl I knew once, called Chedva Kleinhandler and not for Chedva Ludmir. But what can I say? It felt right.
Why does it feel right? Why do I breathe easier and happier every time I see Chedva or Vivi Ludmir on a conference badge or my snazzy new biz cards? Why is it so expansive? Maybe it’s about reclaiming, and also… maybe it’s about my connection to my ancestors.
I’m a huge fan of Dr Jessica Wilen and Adam Grant’s way of thinking when it comes to ancestors and our commitment to them vs to ourselves and our decendants. Still, through the past 5 years, I’ve felt my ancestors guiding me hand in hand. Many people may find this questionable or even offensive given that my recent life choices have veered so wildly away from what may seem as my ancestral way of life, but to them I (give my middle finger and-) provide this past Looks Like Work episode with Dr Yakir Englander:
So here’s my question to you this week:
What’s in a name? It can be your name, the name of your business or how you’re naming or titling that thing in your life or work that may need some attention or tender loving care. Feel free to respond to this email (or comment on Substack)- I’d love to hear your thoughts, stories or follow-up questions.
And speaking of questions… If you haven’t yet tried CuriosityGPT, here’s how this exhuasted founder (me! whichever one of my names you choose) has been using it today. How would you react of someone (AI or human) asked you to look at the “texture” of time? Personally, it both resonated woth me and cracked me up.
Until next time,
Chedva x