My name is Jamilah. Which is a direct translation to beautiful in Arabic. There’s a word for beautiful in every single language and I think that’s fascinating. It’s Hermoso in Spanish, Belle in French, and Schön in German. 

When you think of the word beautiful, many things come in mind; a flower, your special someone, sunsets, mountains. 

My name is not very straightforward. It’s tough to pronounce to someone who hasn’t heard of it before. This reflects the way my life is sometimes complicated. Whether it’s drama amongst my family or friends and complications at school and at my job, preventing me from doing things I want. 

But, my names hides a bigger meaning to it than the actual translation.  I was named after my grandma. My grandmother on my dad’s side has the name Jamilah. She’s a bittersweet lady. Because of her long life she has many powerful stories to tell, but she can be a bit strict. The most prominent thing I got from her was her lack of height. 

The name Jamilah has 7 letters. It’s a decently long name and when I spell it out on paper it takes a while to write it all down. Our height directly contrasts with the length of our name. 

I don’t mind it though. I’m proud of my name. It’s unique. It’s different from your usual Sarah or Elizabeth. It is a unique trait of mine that makes me stand out from other people.