What's in a Name?

What’s in a Name?
A name is a book cover. You can look at it all you want, but you’ll never be able to figure out what’s really inside without putting in the effort of actually reading the book. If you just observe the outside of the book, not the inside, you will most likely start making assumptions. My name is quite an example. You can look up the meaning, stare at it all you want, but it doesn’t mean you know who I am because I don’t match my name at all.
My name is Veronica Dizon. Although “Veronica” means “Runner of Victory” or “Victorious”, a meaning that could be desirable in another’s eyes, I’ve never been very fond of it. It may be because I don’t find it very unique, seeing as everyone seems to have heard of the name before, either in a book called “Veronika Decides to Die” by Paulo Coelho or from a movie. I do like the Latin meaning more. The name Veronica comes from the phrase “vera icon” meaning true image. That makes my name an anagram, but even though true image does appeal to me, I’d rather not be identified with “Veronica”. It sends a feeling of discomfort and formality when I introduce myself with such a long name. Because of these reasons, I’ve always liked to acquaint myself with my peers as “Niqui”. Yes, people have never spelt it on their own without me telling them how and yes, people have always mispronounced my name. Although my name is spelt “Niqui”, it’s pronounced as “Nikki”.
I have had my fair share of question as to why my name is spelt in such an unusual way. Many people have reacted in different ways, some of them saying it’s ludicrous and asking me to change the spelling, and others are happy to know a new way of looking at a name they thought was only spelt as either Nikki or Nicky. Miraculously, I was able to find the meaning of my nickname. Capable. So far, my name practically “One who is Capable of Victory”. Wow. That doesn’t even tell me if I actually do win, it’s just saying I can. Is it trying to say I’m not bothered to win even though I am capable or have the potential?
In my entire life, the question I hear the most is either “How was school?” or “Why is your name Niqui when your given name is Veronica? Shouldn’t it be Ronnie or Vera?” I have answered this question countless times but the amount of times it is asked seems to build up anyways. The reason my name is Niqui and spelled with a and not a is because of my birthday. I was born on October 10th, which just so happened to be the same birthday as my great-grandmother who I just happen to be very similar to. I was originally to be named after my great-grandmother, Francesca, but said woman told my mother that I shouldn’t be named Francesca because it meant “spoiled”. That’s when my mother decided to go to her other choice of Veronica but she hadn’t given up on naming me after my great-grandmother one way or another. Before she died, my family called her Lola (meaning Grandmother in Tagalog) Quica. It must have been difficult to find a way to squeeze “Quica” into “Veronica” but she eventually came up with the name “Niqui”, leading to why my name is spelt as Niqui and not Nikki.
I may not be fond of True Image of Capability or Capable of Victory or maybe even True image of the Capable Victor, but I am without a doubt grateful of having the honor of wearing a name like Niqui or Veronica and I hope I’ll be capable of carrying my name to true victory.