What's In MY Name

Before marriage I am known as

Ma. Venus Chio Ricahuerta

It’s not a very cohesive name as far as I know. It’s a mix of English, Spanish and Chinese, in short it’s like chopsuey. Let's break it down.

Ma is short for Maria. My elder sister, me and the sister next to me all have that in our names. I think that was a fad at that time. My father’s side has a Spanish blood so it could also be another reason or it’s simply taken from the first two letters of my father’s name-Macario. It often causes confusion in my legal documents. My Baptismal certificate has Maria but my Birth Certificate is Ma. In school I often just drop it especially on quizzes. I really thought it has no purpose. If dropping it from my name is easy as buying a movie ticket I would have done it long ago.

According to my mother my first name Venus was chosen by my Auntie Luz, her younger sister. It was taken after the English mythology goddess of beauty. As I was told when I was born, I was so fair and so cute and beautiful (all babies are, right?) that my Aunt readily thought of naming me Venus, fresh from her mythology class I suppose. Anyway, Americans say it like “vinus”, while I often call myself ve-nus, sounding each letters. Very Pinoy.

Chio is my mother’s maiden name. She has a full blooded - Chinese father.

Ricahuerta according to my Spanish 2 teacher in college means rich orchard or garden.

So there. If I will put some kind of logic into my name it would be

"A beautiful goddess in a rich orchard."

Now that is more cohesive. Yay, me!

(written: 11/17/2008)