“I was expecting a boy!” is the typical response I get from someone when they realize that I, a seventeen year old girl, have the name Chase. Almost every time I introduce myself, I receive a comment on my name. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t get annoying. When I was younger I used to dream about the day I could legally change it. 

My name was inherited from a character in a movie. The character in the movie was male, and at the time my parents were hoping I would be too. When they found out they were having a girl, they decided to stick with their idea because they liked the uniqueness of the name Chase for a girl. 

Growing up, I always wished I could have a nickname that my friends would call me, but with the shortness of my name, there was no way of doing so. Sometimes my dad will randomly call me “Chay-dog”, but for obvious reasons,  I never let that get repeated outside of the house. 

 In English, ny name means to hunt or to pursue. The word Chase is generally a verb. It implies activity, motivation and desire. I like this perception of my name and think it makes a good reflection of who I am. I have faced many challenges throughout my life but from those challenges I have become stronger and more compassionate. Every obstacle or difficulty I have faced, has only driven me to strive for success and pursue the things that I love.

As a kid, everyone I knew had “normal” names that suited their gender. I felt unordinary. Like I didn’t fit in. But slowly and gradually, when I realized it was rather unique, I started to like it. I think I always hated my name because I wanted to be the same, but I am different, and I’ve learned that there’s nothing wrong with that. I like that I am never one of several in a group. My name helps me stand out. I have finally come into myself enough to be comfortable in that spotlight. I’ve learned to love how different my name is for someone like me.