Two Names, Different Meanings?

Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel, The Namesake, has encouraged me to consider my name in a whole new light. Some people have always referred to me as “Emily” and others “Em,” without giving it a second thought. I have always responded to both names, yet noticed those few people who address me as “Em.” Recently, however, after reading about Gogol and his two names, I have paid special attention to not only the people who call me “Em” but also the times and situations when they do so. Before he legally changed his name, Gogol often used the name Nikhil when meeting new people. Additionally, he used the name “Nikhil” when partaking in actions which would not receive his parents approval, “He feels... protected as if by an invisible shield” (96). Although I typically write my name as “Emily,” I, unlike Gogol, have no real preference over which name I use, because, to me, they mean the same thing and refer to the same person. I have noticed in the past two weeks or so that only about four of my friends and two of my teachers refer to me as “Em” on a regular basis. This select group of friends includes the people to whom I feel the closest and with whom I have a very deep or long-lasting friendship.  I have also concluded that the two teachers who use “Em,” like my four friends, seem to know me the best. Through my increased focus on peoples’ use of “Emily” and “Em” in the past few weeks, I have determined that the use of “Em” likely represents a sense of familiarity and endearment. Because of this realization, I think my preference over the use of “Emily” and “Em” has changed slightly. I hope that people who feel close to me continue to refer to me as “Em” instead of “Emily” because it makes me feel somewhat special. However, I still love the name “Emily” and I do not take offense or resent the people who choose to refer to me by my real name instead of my nickname, “Em,” unlike Gogol who desires to only go by one name, “Nikhil.”