For over 20 years, I have been preferred to be called by my Hebrew name, not my Americanized name. My Americanized name is a symbol of the abuse and torture I had as a child and changing my name is a way of letting that go and being free of the trauma and abuse.
I was born in Tel Aviv and moved with my parents back to the US when I was 2. My mother’s side is from the Middle East but my father’s side is from Poland and Hungary. I had been named Aviva but my name was Americanized when we moved here.
If you had been reading my blog, you will know what horrible people my parents were. They named me after two miserable people that were related to my dad. Both of his grandmothers. I had been treated like I was a burden and I wasn’t good enough for them for as long as I remember.
As soon as I had the opportunity to go to college, I did. In fact, I went to the farthest state school away from home to be free of them. Once I arrived there and my mother left, I was FREE. I was really given to opportunity to find out who I really was, not who my parents wanted me to be. It was truly freeing. That journey was hard but I am happy I had the opportunity to have it.
People had been calling me Aviva for a long time but lately I decided to make it official. I already filled out paperwork through the Florida court system and I am just waiting for a court date to make it official. This is very exciting.
I am told that it is very common for Jewish people to reclaim their Jewish identity by making their Hebrew name their legal one. I am taking my name back. I am changing my middle name because I am not going to be associated with anyone who treats people terribly.
My name is Aviva Meira Seigler.
אב׳בה מ׳רה ס׳גלר
My husband has been calling me Vivi as a nickname. Yes, its after Vivi the black mage.
As soon as it is official, I can change it on Facebook. They are being a pain so I just have to wait.
Fierce Autie 