Allan wasn’t supposed to be my name. My parents had different ideas but now I am called Allan. In English my name means noble and fair. I think this is pretty accurate. It means that I am nice to people, respectful and trustworthy. When I hear my name it seems like something very redundant. Almost like something that has no value when said. Something that you respond, react, or listen to. I sometimes forget how I got my name but it is always nice to remember my roots. I constantly hear my mom saying, “Allan, come downstairs!” or “Allan, hurry up!” There's just no value when said it's almost something that has been so common in our head that we forget the importance of our name

No one shares my name in my family. It is a name that most believe is misspelled but to my family, it was said, written, and read that way on purpose. My mother and father had ideas for names but they were just too bizarre. They wanted to name me Ramses, like the Egyptian Pharaoh. That name might have been cool, but it just seemed weird.

Then, when I was born they decided on my name. Allan. Not Allen. Not Alan. Just Allan. They decided to name me this because it contains the first two letters of each of their names. The “Al” from my father, who’s original name is Alfredo, and my mom Laura, where I get the “la.” They decided with the n at the end so that my name would not be like Alla. 

I enjoy my name. I take in its meaning. I have no remorse for my name and the decision my parents took, I believe it is unique and a good name in fact. I think that the idea they had was pretty clever.

My last name and middle name come from a long line of hispanics. Jimenez comes from my mother’s Puerto Rican side and Mendoza comes from my father’s Mexican heritage. Jimenez and Mendoza are very common Hispanic last, middle, and first names

  When I think of my name I often associate it with the things I like. I associate it with soccer because I enjoy playing soccer. I associate it with red as well because of my favorite color. But of all those things I associate it with my heritage and my culture, which I embrace and am proud of.