National Name Yourself Day is Tomorrow. Are You Ready?

In a world where there seems to be a day for everything—be it Talk Like a Pirate Day or Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day —it’s not surprising that someone (ironically unnamed) once decided we needed a “National Name Yourself Day.” April 9th: Your chance to do more than just answer to what you’ve been given.

But how do you celebrate? For some holidays, people prepare for months. They bake, decorate, and plan. Airports overflow with travelers, and homes get transformed into mini-galleries of holiday decor. But National Name Yourself Day doesn’t exactly lend itself to all that…so what’s your move?

Instead of scrambling to send out invites or re-decorate your living room, consider this: take a moment to reflect on your name. Grab a piece of paper, draw a line down the middle, and list what you like and don’t like about your name. Be honest with yourself. What’s great about it? What feels burdensome or outdated? What privileges or challenges come with it—both the ones people assign to you based on your name and the ones you’ve created for yourself?

Think about the power a name holds. For centuries, our names have been tied to identity, family lineage, and social status. But our names also shape how others perceive us and how we perceive ourselves. Are you “Jessica” or “Jaxon” because it’s a family name, or because it’s a name that helped you fit in? Do you love it, or do you wish it could say more about who you are—or who you want to be? Everyone’s relationship with their name is different, and it’s okay to think about it in different ways—whether for fun or for more personal reasons—while remembering that for some, names are layered with far more weight than what feels comfortable.

Consider trying on a new name for a day. Go ahead—play with the idea of reinventing yourself, if only for a few hours, even if just as a thought experiment. Choose something that feels like it could represent a part of you you’ve never fully embraced. It doesn’t have to be wild or wacky, but it should feel real. Maybe “Mango” reflects your desire to break free of convention, or "Martha" ties into your sense of tradition, or “Mustang” feels more aligned with your adventurous side. The point is to experiment, not to reject the name you were given at birth, but to explore what other names might teach you in terms of identity and social acceptance.

And if you feel like taking it a step further, let people in on your experiment. Share it with family, friends, or coworkers. Tell them you’re trying out a new name for the day—not because you’re changing who you are, but because you’re curious about how a name might reflect different aspects of your identity. Maybe your parents will think you’ve lost your mind (if they do, reassure them—it’s only for a day), but it can be an enlightening exercise in self-exploration. Plus, it will challenge others to think about their own names and identities.

This brings me to a teenager I know who once decided her new nickname would be “Cupcake.” She didn’t choose it out of whimsy or for attention; she chose it because it reflected the warmth, sweetness, and effervescence she saw in herself. And guess what? It stuck—not because it was cute or trendy, but because she owned it. She exuded confidence with her new name, and over time, it became a symbol of her personal empowerment. It was hers, and in her ownership of it, she began to define the narrative of who she was.

That’s the real magic behind National Name Yourself Day. It’s not about choosing something silly or Instagrammable. It’s about claiming your identity, however you choose to define it. Names can either limit us or help us grow. When you embrace a name that feels right to you, it can unlock new confidence, possibilities, and ways of being.

So, what if you spent tomorrow living fully in your chosen name? Not just as an experiment, but as an exercise in becoming more attuned to who you are—and who you want to become. Step into it. Own it. Don’t wait for permission. You might find that your new name holds a lot more power than you ever imagined.

And whatever you do, don’t let National Name Yourself Day slip by unnoticed. Because before you know it, the calendar will flip to April 10th, National Cinnamon Crescent Roll Day, and you’ll be left wondering why you didn’t take the chance to rechristen yourself, even for just one day.