Those of you who have read my columns before and noticed the byline before the story, might have had a little trouble figuring out how to say my name.

For those of you who personally know me, there was a time when you couldn’t figure it out. Yes, it’s difficult for most people to say, especially those that have never met me before, but I’ve learned to live with all the silly mispronunciations.

I’ve been told countless times I have a very unique name. Little did these people know, my name actually means “unique.” Though it’s unique, it’s still difficult for others to pronounce.

Over the years, I’ve been called Tee-Jay, Tay-Uh, Teehaw, Tayhaa and even the Spanish meaning of Texas – including the “s.” Of these different names, I’ve begun to regularly be called Tayhaa. My friends and family have taken the liberty upon themselves to refer to me as this every time we’re together. Some might get irritated at the constant slurring of their name, but since my name is so unordinary, I’ve pretty much gotten used to it.

Throughout my life it’s been a common ordeal for substitutes and new teachers to call me by a different pronunciation than what my name actually is. I recall the moment telling my sophomore English teacher, Ms. Roberts, that for the past year she’d known me she hadn’t enunciated my name properly. All along she had been saying it as if the “j” made the sound the “g” in lingerie makes. The proper way to say my name is “Tay-Juh” where the “j” sounds like Jack. Of course I had to cut her some slack since nearly all my other teachers and fellow students said it the way she did.

I have not the slightest doubt in my mind that for many years to come, no matter where I am, who I meet or what I do, nearly every person who reads my name off of fine print or my own handwriting will definitely mispronounce it.

Who knows, maybe someone will come up with some new, unusual saying to add to the list. Whether they do or not, there is one thing I’m most certain of – that I will forever be proud of my unique name.