A Boy Named Samanta

How does it feel to have a name that is not matched with your gender? I am one of a group of unlucky people who can answer that question. It is a big issue for me ever since I realized that Samanta is not a boy's name.

I felt embarrassment every time I met new people and had to introduce myself. More often than not, they laughed (especially if I had to introduce myself in front of the class). Fortunately, that was only at the beginning. As time went by, they became used to it, and didn't make fun of it anymore. But surely, my name is my biggest obstacle for me in making friends.

Just like a Johnny Cash's song:

It seems I had to fight my whole life through.
Some gal would giggle and I'd get red
and some guy'd laugh and I'd bust his head,
I tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named "Sue."

I even had a scenario in my mind to have a name change. I would like to change it to something very manly and cool like, um, Amanda.

Just kidding!

But that's true. I always search for a new name. Though the more I think of it, the more I think that that is not my name. So I think I'll use the cool names for my future son(s), and keep the one that my dad has given me as it is. Maybe he has a purpose just like Sue's Dad:

Son, this world is rough
And if a man's gonna make it, he's gotta be tough
And I knew I wouldn't be there to help ya along.
So I give ya that name and I said goodbye
I knew you'd have to get tough or die
And it's the name that helped to make you strong.

But the thing is, my dad didn't even realize that my name is a girl's name.
Go figure.