One thing we all need to see is diverse names.

Many of us with names that are a bit more unusual, usually from different countries, what to change our names to something that is easier to say, easier to spell, or simply more mainstream.

I’m here to say don’t be afraid of your unusual name, and don’t be afraid to use it in a professional capacity. I’m especially talking to authors here, but really to anyone.

My surname, Gijsbers, is Dutch. Before I published my first story as an adult, I was worried about the spelling & whether or not I should use something else. I tried different options, from using my mother’s and grandmothers’ maiden names, as well as making something up… Then I realised – it’s just as important for people to see a variety of names as it is skin colour, abilities, and so on.

So, I kept my name.

Yes, it’s hard to spell, and the J often gets put in weird places, however I didn’t see many people, or authors, with a surname like mine (I used to want to marry someone called Smith or Jones so I would have a ‘normal’ sounding name). I am hoping that other kids with ‘weird’ surnames can be proud of their ancestry and their names.

When I posted about this in a group, someone commented that my name is one of the things that helps me stand out from the other names. This was something I hadn’t thought of before.

So, don’t be afraid to use names that are uncommon. Use them proudly and show everyone there is such a wonderful variety of names out there.

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