It started with my mom’s closest cousin, who was a teacher, and my Ninang. One day, she came across a student whose name stood out because of its unique spelling of: CHRYSTEE. My mom saw it in her class record. It was a fresh take on the more common “Cristy” or “Kristy,” and that spelling stuck with her. When it came time to name me, she suggested it—and that’s how I got my first name.

As for GEM, that came from pairing a second name to complete it, and that’s what eventually became my nickname. I’ve always been more comfortable being called Gem, especially since I grew up a bit boyish and felt that Chrystee sounded too girly for me. So even today, most people know me simply as Gem. 💎

So this baby bola (that's what they used to call me because... well, look at baby me) carried the name of joy and strength. I pray that I am able to bring these meanings and origin stories to life --- highlighting the importance and strength of having joy in our lives.

The funny thing though is that when my dad was filling up on my form, he actually thought (literally) you could contract my name so I was almost a JD Sapin. Good thing the Midwife who handled my birth did add in Darell as my 2nd name.

Years have I been using "Jose Darell" as my name on writing pads, initial papers, and when I reached 4th year college, of all time, I get to see that my Jose was just a J, and a lot of my information in the file was either missing or not filled in correctly

Tawa na lang ako when it gave me a hassle on applying for a passport. XD

I prefer to be called Tope since I was 12 years old. I considered it very catchy back then. 💅

The nickname started when my favorite teacher in middle school would call me "Tope" whenever I would recite in her class or when we see each other in the halls. Ever since then, I would ask people to call me Tope and people would gladly do it. 🩷

But apparently I was mistaken on how it was pronounced. 😅

I discovered this when my photo album project for her class was returned to me. She wrote a short, heartfelt message at the end of my photo album: "Dearest Toper..." 😐

I was too stunned to continue with the message because I've been using Tope for months and even asked people to use it and even correct them when they misspelled or mispronounced my nickname. 🥹

Welp. HAPPY MISTAKE IT IS. 💁‍♂️😅

Fast forward to 20+ years, I continue to use Tope as my nickname. I stuck with it. I even use it as my pen name for my work. I guess that one happy mistake mistake is now my proudest representation of who I am. ✨️🩷

My first name, like many in Catholic and Filipino tradition, comes from the Bible. Judith. It's also a combination of my two grandmother's names - Julia and Editha. But most of you know me as Erika.

Yep—just Erika. Not exactly rare. Not wildly exotic. In fact, walk into any room and call out "Erika" and you'll probably get at least three heads turning. That’s definitely true here at TeamAsia—we’ve got Erika dL. , Erica M. , and Ericka N.. A whole Erika-verse ✨, if you will.

So what makes this Erika different?

Let’s start with the name itself.

In Old Norse or even German, Erika means “eternal ruler” (fitting). (Queue Emerson playing the random German march song, "Erika") In Japanese, depending on the Kanji, it could mean anything from brilliance to beauty to reason—basically a name doing the most. It’s also a flower—delicate yet resilient, like the heath or heather plant. So far, so poetic.

But the real kicker? According to my mom, she named me Erika because:

1. It was a pretty flower (aww),

2. It sounded nice and she really liked the name (fair),

3. And... wait for it— Because I was born in the US, and it was “easy to say in America.” Her words. Not mine.

Inspired by a little wit and a bit of “I Am Sam” logic, it was her way of making sure I’d never forget who I was—even when oceans away. “You were born in America,” she once said.

"I am Erika."

"I AmErika"

“So you’re Erika.”

Quirky? Yes.

Iconic? Also yes.

So while the name might not be unique, the story behind it sure is. And now, every time someone calls out “Erika!”—I get to decide if it’s just a name or an invitation to tell the story of this Erika. 😉

While I didn't know much about the name's history, some AI research shed light on its origins. "Jefferson" is an English patronymic surname, meaning "son of Jeffrey." The name Jeffrey itself has German roots, combining elements that signify "peace" and "power" or "rule." So, in essence, my name can be interpreted as embodying those qualities.

It's a good thing I'm not in politics, where "rule" and "power" can sometimes have negative connotations. Instead, I'm committed to being a peace-loving person. However, when it comes to leadership, I definitely believe in using my "power" to ensure rules are implemented consistently and fairly.

As a child, my Aunts and Uncles on the Martinez side call me Bokiat (since I was Chinese looking). My cruel relatives tells me that I am the child of the owner of the lumber store on the street corner and was just lent to my parents since they were too busy with their business to take care of me. When I entered Prep, during roll call, the teacher called me Lourdes so it stuck until 4th Year High School. In College, there were 2 of us who are Lourdes and we were seatmates since both our last name starts in M so my barkada started calling me Udeng. On my first job, they called me Malou since my direct supervisor's name is Lou and I am his junior. So when I get a phone call, I would know if it is friend from school, at work or a relative by the name the kasambahay will call me based the name the caller has given.

Now you know why I am always confused since I have no identity and I don't really know which persona will appear when I am talking to people.

Growing up, I did not feel any pressure with my name, as many people thought I was named after "Excellent". But in everything that I do, I make sure I excel.

Oh yes, I was a fat, fat baby.

I actually discovered the meaning of “Margaux”, my name, during my debut because a friend told me about it. For 24 years, my name has been a cherished part of my identity. It’s also one of the reasons why I chose a pearl tattoo on the back of my right shoulder to symbolize its uniqueness and of course, I wanted to get a tattoo that has a meaning. 😆

I guess the name Margaux is indeed unique; I rarely encounter others with the same name, and I'm the only Margaux here in our team. 😝

Growing up, I often felt annoyed when people mispronounced my name. I’d say "Margaux" and they would respond back and ask, "Marco?" — Of course, I’d correct them. Misspelling my name also bothered me, even on coffee cups, though I understand my name isn't the easiest to spell. Even now, a little annoyance lingers, but I suppose that's what I get because my name is unique, and I’m actually proud of it. ☺️

Even if given the choice, I wouldn't change my name. It has shaped me into the person I am today, knowing every facet of my being — the quiet, the happy, and even the sad. So yep that’s me, I’m Margaux. :>

My name and my family's are derived from my grandfather, Antonio. He named my mom Antoinette, and my uncle Antonius. And they decided to call me Toni.

I was called Toni a lot during my childhood but I was bullied for it in gradeschool. It was my best friend's older sister who bullied me the most, tho to be fair she was mean to everyone. So when I transferred schools, it felt like a breath of fresh air to call myself "Jam" for once. And it was the best decision little me could've ever done.

And speaking of names, I've always appreciated how brief "Erica" is. It was a real time-saver back in elementary when we had to write our names a million times! 🤣

Growing up (until now actually!) my family knows me as Tricia, a nickname that came from my second name. In grade school, my friends know me as Patricia — a name I hated because I didn't like how there were three Patricias in our batch of just 40! When I transferred to a bigger school in high school I decided to introduce myself as Anna and it eventually stuck. I enjoyed the third identity this decision gave me, and it eventually gave me a clear distinction of how I know people — Tricia if it's family, Patricia if it was friends from grade school, and Anna if it was friends from high school and beyond.

So how did this make me realize how cherished I was? In the summer between grade school and high school I eventually asked my mom why and she said:

Anna was a name she saw in a baby book that stood out to her because it meant "grace in strength". She wanted to instill this in me by choosing this name.

Patricia was always the name she wanted to give if she had a daughter because it was her favorite name. And boy did she really try to have a daughter since I was the fourth child!

So yes, while I go by Anna now, I don't hate my second name anymore because of my mom. But I'll still correct you to call me by Anna instead if you try! 😂

My mother's name is Editha. Her father's name was Luis.

My sister? Dawn, after my father.

My brother? Louis Don, after our grandfathers.

Well ... I think you can figure out where Edlyn came from.

Growing up in the Middle East around mostly Filipinos, Arabs, and Indians meant I never got used to just one way to pronounce my name. They called me Idlen, Edleen, Edlin — you get the gist. If you were to ask me right now what the definitive pronunciation was... there'd be no answer.

To friends, I was Eddy. To one boy in kindergarten, I was Egg. To my ate, Babygirl (my favorite!). Life went on this way...

Until I went to university, where my first professor asked for a name and a preferred nickname. "Wait a minute," I thought. "There's a whole other syllable in my name. One that I've been ignoring this whole time despite it being easier to pronounce!"

And so, Lyn was born! Nice to meet you.

In school and in work, I'm called Lynda, always with a y never with an i. Long and short of it, my papa named me after Lynda Carter, the lead actress from the popular character and show in the 70s called the "Wonder Woman."

I'm the only girl and the youngest in the family so growing up I was called Babylyn because obviously, I'm the baby + short for Lynda. Eventually, Babylyn evolved into Babes.

I was named Jiro because my dad’s old boss was named Jiro 😆 Every first day of school back in elementary school, teachers and classmates would always ask if I’m Japanese, and I’d always say no. Eventually, Jiro just stuck and became my nickname instead of "Kyle" so I just named my pet dog "Kylie" hahaha

To this day, my dad still calls me “Jiro San” 😆 And funnily enough, I actually ended up loving Japanese culture, especially Studio Ghibli movies like My Neighbor Totoro, The Cat Returns, and Spirited Away. I’m also super into collecting these cute little trinkets from Japan called Sonny Angels and Smiskis. And of course, I love Pokémon!

So I guess, in a way, all of that kinda makes me more of a Jiro :D

I first asked about my name back in elementary for a homework. My mom said she picked “Andrea” from a baby book because it means “warrior” and “brave.” Then she added “Yvonne,” which apparently also means strength and endurance ( because why stop at one power name when you can have two? ). Basically, my parents named me like they were preparing me for battle.... Either way, they raised a warrior.

If you’re wondering where the random “H” in AndreaH came from, that was the sole contibution of my dad. In his words "lagyan natin ng H para may Honor siya sa school" HAHAHA

Whether I lived up to that promise? Well… just send me a PM and we’ll talk. 😅

"Recs" came to life when there were two Andreas in our high school class. To avoid confusion (and in the spirit of fairness), we agreed to go by our last names. That’s when Recuya turned into Recuys, then Recx (yes, during the height of our jeje days), and eventually settled into Recs.

Over time, I’ve also come to embrace this unique name I’ve made for myself. And while that bravery still lives in me, I ask people to call me Recs— just because it’s cute, just like me. CHOS!

I never really asked my parents why they named me John Joseph, but I sort of got the idea that they wanted to honor the Holy Family in the hopes that we, their children, would be inspired to lead a faithful life. My sisters' names have a variation of the Virgin Mary's name (Marie/Maria), and I bet, if my parents had another son after me, they'll name him after Jesus.

Throughout my childhood, friends and teachers would call me Joseph. It is, of course, a fitting name for a kid who went to a Catholic school and an altar server. But I was still called JJ at home.

Then, in high school, a crucial period for reinvention, a classmate suggested to call me JJ, as my full name was a mouthful. Funnily enough, they didn't know that it was my nickname back at home. I took it on, wrote it in my notebooks and assignments, and never looked back. It was easier to write, after all.

P.S. Please do NOT call me Joseph, John, or John Joseph. JJ/J is cute, like me.

My Tatay named me after two remarkable women: Samantha Smith, the 10-year-old American peace activist who famously wrote a letter to Soviet leader Yuri Andropov, asking him not to start a war with the United States; and Christa McAuliffe, the American teacher and astronaut who tragically lost her life in the Space Shuttle Challenger mission in the 1980s.

I’ve always liked my name growing up. When I once Googled the meaning of “Samantha,” I was moved to learn that it means “God has heard.” It’s a comforting thought, as if I carry with me a quiet promise that God always hears my prayers.

So, here you go!

My mother's name is Mary Grace and my father's is Jonas, so they thought of a name with the initials "M" and "J" and they came up with "Michael Jackson." hee hee! (joke!!) - "Mark Jonathan."

Parent's initials + biblical reference. That's it! Haha!

Upon searching further about my name's origin, I was really surprised by some of the search results because I can't remember the last time I googled my name's origin.

Mark - is the name of one of the four Gospel writers.

Other ref:

The name Mark is derived from the Latin name Marcus. Marcus is believed to be related to Mars, the Roman god of war. (dude!!)

Jonathan - Hebrew: Yehonatan (יְהוֹנָתָן) or the shortened form Yonatan (יוֹנָתָן) Meaning: "Yahweh has given" or "God has given." Jonathan is a prominent figure in the Old Testament—the son of King Saul and a close friend of David, who later became king. He's known for his loyalty, courage, and deep friendship, especially his unwavering support for David even when it conflicted with his father's wishes. (I can relate to having loyalty, courage, and deep friendship or just being a friend in general. Because that's who I am to my close and best friends. haha!)

I can't find any secular definition of the name Jonathan. So that's about it! haha!

Thank you to my parents! hahaha!

Thank you ChatGPT and Google as well! lol

Don't ask me where John is (uy, mahahalata mga edad) or if am part of the Brady bunch because my name did not originate from any of those shows.

My name is actually a combination of my parents' name: Mario and Portia. 😍 Then added Jane so my initials are MJ because my father was a 420 boy. 🤭

Marsha has evolved to Mamarsh thanks to my younger brother who couldn't say my name properly when he was a toddler.

Other variations: Marsh, Marshy, Marshmallow.

Fun fact: Marsha is of Latin origin, linked to the God of War hence meaning is warlike or warrior. So guys, alam nyo. 😅

My father, a strong believer of Catholic Church, named both my sister and me after strong biblical women. When I was five, I asked him why he chose the name Miriam for me... He explained that Miriam is the original form of the name Mary, a name rooted in grace, strength, and deep spiritual history, which is why it remains cherished across many cultures.

You might wonder why I was so curious about my name at such a young age. It’s because my sister’s name is Marian, and we were constantly mistaken as twins. (Marian and Miriam sinong di malilito hahaha) She’s a year older, but we ended up as classmates in Kinder 2. Back then, Catholic schools followed a strict progression—Nursery, Kinder 1, then Kinder 2 before Grade 1. But because I was always present during my mom’s lessons with my Ate at home, I was accelerated and skipped ahead. (Yes saling pusa ako always). Our teachers frequently mixed us up, and we got used to explaining that we weren’t twins. (overtime napagod ako magexplain haha) Eventually, our parents would request that we be placed in different sections to minimize the confusion.

I’ve always loved my name, but during high school, nicknames became a trend. (pag wala kang nickname di ka cool haha) Some friends called me “Mi” or “Yam,” but I eventually chose to go by Mia. It’s short, graceful, and easy to say and remember—something that instantly felt like me.

Over time, I’ve embraced what Mia has come to represent: someone introspective, quietly strong, and grounded in quiet charm. A name that’s simple—yet speaks volumes.

Mama picked "Madge" as shortened form of Margaret, a name she liked because of Saint Margaret, the patron saint for childbirth and women in labor. Giving birth to me was harder than what Mama previously experienced with my older siblings. I was expected to come out on February 14 but my umbilical cord got wrapped around my neck and suffocated me. I came close to dying but according to Mama, I held on. Fortunately, the doctor and nurses were able to save me. Thus, Mama named me after Saint Margaret because I was delivered safely.

"Genele" came from my father's name, "Gene." I really don't know how it's supposed to be pronounced either since my Papa pronounces as it "Ji-nil" while Mama pronounces it as "Je-nel."

To my family and relatives, I'm just Gale. Initially, it was spelled as "Gail" because it means father's joy, so in my old toys and books, it's written as "Gail." However, when I was about four years of age, Mama changed the spelling to "Gale," which means a strong wind or storm. She thought it was more fitting for my personality because I was moody and stubborn as a child.

While I like being called Gale, I also like my name Madge as it's a reminder that even as a baby, I fought to live.

I was named after my 2 lolas - Angelita from my father's side and Fe from my mother's side. Mama & Papa both have their own entries based on this combination and THANKFULLY Mama won and entered that name in the birth certificate.

My first name is usually mispelled as Angeli (without E), Angeline, Angelic, Angela, ATBP. That's why I'm always happy and surprised when food & drink shops get it right after just one try OR when I find a ka-tukayo with the exact same spelling. When I asked Mama (just now) why she named me Angelie (with an E) instead of just Angelita or other more common variations, she said it's because she's a ✨modern mom✨so there's that haha

As you have noticed, I don't really use my second name, "Fe" because it feels so old for me (sorry Lola Fe). I still appreciate the name because it became a kind of tradition already as all my female cousins from mother's side also have "Fe" as their second names. But personally, I only ever use it in official documents.

NOW, IF my Papa was the one who wrote my name in the birth certificate, my name would've been "Felita" and omg WHO IS SHE!? CAN'T BE ME!!!

So thank you Mama for staying strong and staying awake to give my official name HAHA

This activity pressured me to reminisce and really think about my name (for essay writing CHZ) and I realized that I have a LOT of nicknames for such a straightforward name!?

I have different nicknames from family, circles of friends at different points in my life, work acquaintances. And it feels like I have different personalities attached to each nickname??? Multiple personality pala!? XD

-- So my mom told me na my dad wants to have a baby boy and ipapangalan nya is Andrew, but poof! i'm not a boy,not yet a woman! haha! kaya Blank is my real name ( makakahula may premyo Char!) I am legally adopted of my grandmother kaya ako naging Oberio pero in truth hindi joke yung nasa FB ko na "KUKI" It's my dad's surname.

And I thank you! peace!

My momma told me she combined the initials of my dad's name, 'Sabino,' and hers, 'Thelma.' Since she was a liaison officer in Immigration and already had the 'ST' initials in mind, she named me after seeing 'Stephanie' on a passport. She then added 'Joy' as a second name, feeling I would bring happiness to the family. I hope I did! Lol. 😂

My family and relatives call me 'Joy,' while my friends and coworkers call me 'Stephanie.' Sometimes people give me aliases like 'Stephy,' 'SS,' 'Loley,' Tita Steph' or 'Auntie.' Sobrang layo na. You can call me anything you want. Bow!

One day, my mom visited a church with a friend. Her friend believed in a bit of folk tradition: if you pat the statue of St. Francis of Assisi and then touch your tummy, you might get pregnant.

Which is kinda weird to me, because St. Francis isn’t actually known as a saint for pregnancy, he’s the patron saint of animals and nature. Maybe that’s why I turned out to be a party animal who thrives in wild environments chariz!🤣

But you know how stories spread in our culture. So my mama went along with it, playfully doing what her friend did, not really thinking anything of it. Not long after, she was shocked to find out she was pregnant.

Because of that unexpected twist, she decided to name me Francisco, in honor of the saint who (accidentally?) became part of my story.

It’s a name that reminds me how life’s little superstitions, mixed with humor and a dash of divine surprise, can lead to the biggest plot twists.

The story goes that the statue of the Blessed Mother with the Child Jesus on her lap was carved by St. Luke while he lived in Jerusalem in 50 AD, but was moved to Egypt for unknown reasons.  In 718 AD, it was taken to Barcelona to escape destruction by the Moorish invaders, where it disappeared until it was discovered in 880 AD by a group of shepherds watching their flocks at night who were attracted by a mysterious light and singing emanating from a cave in the mountain of Montserrat.  They tried to carry it to the Cathedral, but it became heavier and heavier, so they decided to leave it at a nearby Abbey.  The Abbey was enlarged in the 9^th century, and eventually the Monastery was built in the 11^th century.  In 1592, it was expanded into a Basilica and consecrated to Our Lady of Montserrat.

Nicknamed “La Moreneta” or the Little Madonna, the 37-inch-high miraculous statue of the seated Madonna with the Child Jesus on her lap is now blackened with age. She holds an orb in her right hand while her left hand protectively hovers over her child’s shoulder.  Meanwhile, the Child Jesus holds a fir cone in his left hand and blesses us with his right hand.

One funny story, my naughty classmates in high school jumbled up the letters of my name, and it became Monster Rat. The Rat was dropped, and I was called Monster in high school. I wonder if that’s why I had no dates then?

Funny enough, my name was not inspired by candy. My dad was a huge fan of the Hollywood actress Candice Bergen who was the star of the TV show Murphy Brown. One time my parents were watching one of her films in the cinema. As the credits rolled, my dad had a lightbulb moment and suggested to my mom, "What if we name our baby Candice after her?"

Now as for Shayne, it's complicated. But my parents always told me it was just a name they liked and wanted as the second name.

And that concludes the story behind my name xx