Inclusivity in action: Reflecting on the significance of our names

On July 2, the University of Alberta launched the primary-affirmed name functionality in Bear Tracks which enables all university faculty, staff and students to identify themselves by the name that they wish to be recognized as a member of the university community. This functionality empowers every member of the university community to equally enjoy what many may take for granted — the simple use of their name.

To celebrate the introduction of this functionality and the opportunity to be identified by the name that reflects their true self, we reached out to members of the university community to understand how they got their name and what their name means to them.

What is your name and role?

My name is Alexandra Marshall (though I usually go by Alex), and I am the EDI strategic initiatives officer for the College of Health Sciences.

My name is Renson Alva and I serve as the vice-president, Student Life at the Students’ Union (SU).

My name is Deeptha Trigunayat, and my title is manager, Enrolment Systems & Planning in the Enrolment Systems & Service Innovation (ESSI) unit.

What is the background of your name?

“I’m a trans woman, and Alex actually used to be my middle name (it’s Emily now!). When I first started my transition, there were times I would be making appointments or meeting new people and I wasn’t always able to present as myself, so I thought if I used a name that was relatively gender neutral, I’d feel a little more comfortable/safe in those situations. I got used to it pretty quickly though, and when I eventually changed my name legally, I was happy to keep it!”

- Alex

“My name is very special to me as it is an amalgamation of sorts of both of my parents' names. My dad's name is Nelson and my mom's name is Renita and that is how Renson ended up being my name.”

- Renson

“My name originally comes from Sanskrit and means shining." 

- Deeptha

What does your name mean to you?

“That’s an interesting question. I think having a name that feels right is a little bit like having air to breathe — you probably don’t even think about it when it’s there, but you definitely notice when it’s gone! In my day-to-day life, I don’t think about my name anymore, but the journey of getting to that place is one that I can say makes me appreciate and love my name all the more!”

- Alex

“Being named Renson signifies my parents legacy and their teachings being present in me. I carry a part of them in the work I do as I navigate university. My name is the first piece of information a student learns about me.”

- Renson

“My name is important to me because it carries a special meaning and heritage. My family has a tradition of having the elders (grandparents) and parents name the newborn, so I technically have six names. 😆

My mom was the one who chose “Deeptha” and that is special to me. My name connects me to my cultural roots: I was born in India but never really got a chance to live there, so I greatly value the connection to my birth place through my name. Also, I have yet to meet another “Deeptha” with the exact same spelling, which makes me proud of its uniqueness.”

- Deeptha

Interested to share what your name means to you? Email The Quad team at blog@ualberta.ca to have your story featured.