In English and French my name means “guards wisely.” In German it means mighty protection. It makes me think of the color red because they both start with the letter R. Red is the color of sweet things. Roses. Cherries. Valentines Day. Like these I am a sweet and kind person. The color red also means strength, power, and determination. When it comes time I can be a strong person. I am also very determined with some things. Skiing is one of them. When winters comes I ski every weekend to get better. When winter is over, I train in the summer and fall to get ready. Guards wisely and strength. Mighty protection and power. All of these linked to my name. Raymond.

Passed down to me from my great grandpa, we both had the name Raymond. He was a strong man. Founder of Ray’s Auto Service, it’s a garage now run by my uncle. I didn’t know much about my great grandpa and I wish I was able to meet him before he died. He must’ve been a good man. Being that he was a strong man, I have a strong name to live up to.

Just like Raymond from Everybody Loves Raymond, I am a likeable guy. All my friends call me Ray and most teachers call me Ray. When I’m talking to someone formal I use Raymond because it sounds more professional. Saying my full name gives it a sense of authority. Compared to just saying Ray, it’s a more soft and friendly approach. It’s got some other cool nicknames like Ramone or Ray Ray. Only a couple of my friends call me Ramone. They claim it sounds fancy.

I wouldn’t change my name. Being called Ray and Raymond for the past 17 years makes it hard to think of another name I could go by. The name just suits me. It’s like I was meant to be named Raymond.