7 Things People With Unusual Names Will Understand

Cynthias, Yaras, and Nathalies don’t know how lucky they are. My name is Nouchka and it’s nice to meet you… if you are ever able to pronounce or spell my name with no questions asked. I grew up with a very unusual name, which led to some very usual situations – here are just a few:

1. When people don’t believe that it is actually a real name


I often get told, “Oh! ‘Nouchka’ – cute, what is it short for?” Seriously people, if you ask for my name why would I give you my nickname? And I don’t care if it’s the first time you’ve ever heard that name, just accept it and move on.

2. When it leads to a background check

People often think I’m foreign, Russian to be more specific, because of my name and my looks which aren’t typical middle eastern. And to add to it, they would ask where my parents are from, and if they thought it was a good idea to give me this name.

3. When you introduce yourself over the phone


When I have to call someone I don’t know and introduce myself over the phone, I always end up spending more time spelling it out and discussing the origins than having an actual conversation.

4. When it gets weird with the delivery guy


I can’t recall the exact number of times when I’ve ordered a lunch delivery to the office and had the delivery people searching the whole building looking for a Bouchra, Mariska, or other made-up names. Thanks for butchering mine by the way!

5. When you give up hope on souvenirs


This one is a lost battle! I don’t even look for my name on any kind of souvenir anymore. Same goes for the Coca-Cola cute name campaign with the personalized bottles.

6. When you go undercover at the coffee shop

I always tend to give a more common name to the barista in order to avoid all the confusion around the spelling and all the awkward conversations that follow.

7. When you wouldn’t give up your name for anything in the world

Deep down, I have to admit it’s always cool when people say that my name is unique. I even end up getting annoyed when someone tells me they met another person with the same name! It’s mine, you can stop now!