Students reflect on the significance and impact of their given names on their lives
Joseph Ellien Berry Wyne
Joseph Ellien Berry Wyne, a senior from Maryland majoring in secondary education, said parts of his name came from one of his ancestors, Joseph Barry Lindsey, who fought in the Civil War. Wyne said his father named him after their ancestor for him to remember his family history and to bring good fortune.
According to his father, Lindsey was shot in one of his legs but miraculously survived, Wyne shared. He said the bullet went through Lindsey's leg and he survived the infection. Wyne said he has been fortunate in life and he has witnessed many protections living up to his ancestor’s name.
Wyne said his middle name, Ellien, is his grandfather’s last name. He said his grandfather’s original last name was Ajay, but because his family could not pronounce Ajay, his grandparents changed the name to Ellien, a famous name in his family’s immigrant heritage.
“My grandfather is a very important person to me because he sacrificed so much for my family,” Wyne said. While experiencing extreme poverty from immigrating out of Syria, he said his grandfather ate “half a can of beans to sustain himself [for breakfast and lunch].”
Wyne said having a Middle Eastern origin from his immigrant Syrian grandfather and European immigrant background from his Italian grandmother helps him connect and relate better to international people.
Taotaotuaaleamomuaaletuiatua Ipu Moafanua Sanerivi
Her second name, "Ipu" means a dish or a cup and her first name is inspired from a well-known chief’s daughter from the village Lotuamiu in Upolu, Samoa, said Taotaotuaaleamomuaaletuiatua Ipu Moafanua Sanerivi, an alumna of BYU–Hawaii. Sanerivi said she was born in Oahu but grew up mainly in Samoa.
When she was young, Sanerivi said many people called her "Ipugi," which means a teacup. She said she originally hated it at first, saying, “I am not a teacup!” Once she grew older, she said she thought it was cute and wondered, “Who would care?”
Sanerivi said Ipu is a simple, short name but it represents where she is from, her background, her family and her ancestors. She said the chief’s daughter was very loyal to her father and followed him everywhere, whether he was attending meetings and visiting villages. Through seeing her course of life events, Sanerivi said, “I see why [my parents] named me after that.”
Sanerivi said she learned how important it was to be with her family during the COVID-19 pandemic. She said she continued to participate with and work near her family despite the heartbreaking adjustments to her plan of pursuing a career in California. However, she said, “I knew Heavenly Father had a better plan for me.”
After completing her master’s in graphic design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California, during the pandemic, Sanerivi said she returned home, supported her father’s calling as a church bishop and helped serve BYUH students. “All the accomplishments that I have done was to remember my roots and remember my family and our struggles,” she continued.
Sanerivi recalled a memory of feeling sorry for the elders who once gave her a blessing. She said while serving as a missionary in the Tegucigalpa Honduras Mission, she got sick and asked for a blessing. When preparing to give her one, the elders asked her to write her name and she wrote her full name on the blackboard for them.
Chit Pyone Hninsi Shin
Chit Pyone Hninsi Shin, a sophomore majoring in information systems from Myanmar, said her name, Chit Pyone Hnisi, means love, smile and rose.
Shin said her mother chose her name one-by-one, according to what she felt about her. After she was born, she said her parents took the time to decide what to name her. She said according to her mother, whenever she hears her mother’s footsteps, she would smile.
Her smile reminded her mother of a rose, leading up to naming her love, smile and rose in Burmese, Shin explained. Coincidentally, after a year of giving her name, Shin said her mother heard a song play on the television singing her name in the same order.
As part of the Buddhist culture in Burma, Shin explained it is more common to request a child’s name from the monks, who determine the name according to astrology, aligning the name to the day of the week. “If the child was born on Monday, they [follow] the specific alphabet which aligns with the day.”
However, she said her family is not part of the Buddhist belief. “[My parents] want me to be who I am,” she continued.