"What's in a name?"

My full name is Angela Buenaventura. Both my first and last name have interesting stories behind them, which I will get to after I explain my business name “AB Celebrancy”. It is probably already very clear to you that the “AB” stands for my initials. I made a very conscious decision to use the word “Celebrancy” instead of “celebrant” as when put together, “AB Celebrancy” kind of sounds like a rhyme or the alphabet, “A-B Celebran-Cee”. 

After having created my website, searching for my website via Google, I have started to become increasingly frustrated as “AB Celebrancy” is not coming up. In fact, when I search for my business name, it is sending traffic to different existing businesses with similar names. However, after having paid for my business name registration and domain name, it is a decision I will have to stand by. I am hoping my transparency will resonate enough with potential couples that they are able to find me as I continue to try to find them.

Now, the story behind my first name will have to be told with a little story about my family. I am an only child to Roberto and Marie who have a love story for the ages. They were very young and naive when they met each other, then they left each other, then they got back together then despised each other and now? They are the very best of friends. It is very much giving à la Ross and Rachel as they even have a “we were on a break” story that rivals Ross and his photocopy girl story. But, it is not in my place to air their dirty laundry – which I probably have already said too much. 

Back to the story of my name, Angela. My mother was 21 when she fell pregnant with me. Reflecting on where I was at with my life at 21, I can now truly appreciate how difficult it would have been for her. At 21, I was still at home, collecting toy elephants, with my whole life ahead of me as I was at university studying to be an English teacher. To have to be in charge of a whole-ass little person at 21 would have been all too much for me.

My mum’s whole pregnancy, my dad insisted that I were a boy. He had the name Raphael lined up for me. Yes, it is giving very renaissance-y and in a sense, it was inspired by the artist… in the form of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. My dad was a bit older than my mum but they both enjoyed watching cartoons. So, after my mother’s 21 hour labour, imagine how my dad felt when after 9 months of waiting to meet his little Raphael, I came out a girl. He was very disappointed and asked the midwife to double check my gender. There was no mistaking me for a Raphael. 

When I fell pregnant with my first, my dad was so sure my daughter was going to be a boy. My partner is one of four sons, his father of four sons who themselves had sons also. Again, disappointment at our gender reveal party when the balloons and confetti were pink and not blue. 

My maternal grandmother, or Lola in Tagalog, was present for my birth. She was protective and attentive, fearful that I was going to be mixed up with another baby. Whilst I was referred to as “Baby Girl Buenaventura”, she lovingly referred to me as “angel”. Her little angel. It has been nearly 17 years since we lost her but I am certain that her referring to me as her angel was a foreshadowing, as I am so sure that she is mine. But I digress. I think it is clear how I became Angela.

The story behind “Buenaventura” is not as long winded but that is a challenge I am willing to face head on. It is more the meaning of the name as well as a little history lesson. In pre-colonial Philippines, the filipino people did not bother themselves with last names. People had one name which was usually thought through by an event that occurred in that person’s birth. So, for example, if you were born during a storm, your name might be “baguio”. Or, using the example from my own son who was born solid, his nickname is “bato” which means “rock” in Tagalog.

So when the Spanish colonists came to the Philippines, they wanted us to be more orderly. They made us pick a surname from a book and that’s how my family were bestowed with the name Buenaventura which means good adventure. 

So what is in a name? I hope my name AB Celebrancy, lost in a sea of similarity, is thrown a lifebuoy by a newly engaged couple who resonate with transparency, genuinity and loquaciousness.