hello, my name is

In this episode, I chat with someone whose presence is nostalgic, warm and affirming. Olivia is an artist and storyteller who has lived with — and through — multiple names: the name on her passport, the English name her parents chose to protect her, the home name reserved only for family, and the artistic name she stepped into. We explore the complexity and beauty of naming — how names can hold id...

In this episode, I talk to someone whose presence radiates warmth and light — a true joy container. Tanto is a content creator and business owner who has gone by many names over the years — twenty-one, to be exact. We explore how naming can be a tool for rebuilding confidence, beginning again, and stepping into new versions of yourself. My guest talks about reclaiming power through her names, pres...

In this episode, I talk to someone who has been in my life for a very long time — my best friend of over 20+ years. On this episode, we explore how the meaning of names can shape faith, relationship with family and self. My guests talks about reclaiming power, and about the intimacy and pride she has found in her name over time. We also get into family nicknames, and our thoughts about name pronun...

In this episode, Mofi B talks to someone I’ve known for a few years now, who she was curious to unpack more of his story. On this episode, we talk about how naming is deeply tied to lineage, identity, community, resistance, and care. The guest shares how naming is a ceremonial, communal, and spiritual process in his culture. One that involves elders, ancestors, clan identity, and the individual. A...

In this episode, Mofi B shares her personal journey and the significance of names in shaping identity. She reflects on her own names, Mofiyinfoluwa, and so many others and their connection to family, community and heritage. The conversation explores the cultural importance of names, the transition from her childhood name Fiyin to Mofi, and the broader roles of naming in preserving culture and hist...

Names are a window into who we are. They carry stories about where we come from, our life experiences, and who we are becoming. For many of us, Especially Africans, names hold cultural, spiritual, and historical weight. And sometimes, we’re made to wrestle with them. Do we shorten them to be understood? Modify them to belong? Hold onto them in resistance? Change them to affirm who we are? However...