Hi, I'm Roger

     ‘What should I choose for my new English name? Which name has enough significance to overpower my original name?’ I pondered in front of a tiny sheet of paper that I had to write my new English name on. Suddenly, the name ‘Roger’ popped into my consciousness, and my right hand immediately began to scribble it as if it had been waiting for such name. Yes, my new name is Roger, a typical first name in English usage. However, being typical doesn’t degrade the significance of my dear name ‘Roger’, since the name reminds me of a pleasant reminiscence of the past and has linguistic and historical significance.                                               

     ‘Roger’ is the name that connects me to the memory of the past. From the fifth grade in my elementary school to second grade in my middle school, the word ‘Roger’ was one of my favorite vocabularies due to its frequent usage in a online FPS game, ‘Sudden Attack’, that I was once immersed in. Masculine soldiers in the online game shooting fancy guns and throwing grenades at the opponent’s headquarter enthralled my once immature spirit, imbuing me full of admiration towards my imaginary soldiers. Among splendid weaponries, strong muscles, and several other military-related factors that those online soldiers demonstrated, their military-style conversation captivated me the most. To elaborate, to increase the reality of the game, the virtual characters within ‘Sudden Attack’ communicated each other by using military jargons, such as ‘fire in the hall.’ The word ‘Roger’, which meant ‘I have received all the messages’, was the most representative and frequently used jargon in the game; therefore, the word ‘Roger’ gradually infiltrated into my everyday dictions after my long exposure to ‘Sudden attack’. Until I realized that using such words could make others perceive me as a military fanatic, I had continuously utilized the word ‘Roger’ in my daily life. When I hear or use the word ‘Roger’ today, the image of me smiling happily in front of a computer monitor flashes in my brain as a pleasant reminiscence, a great refreshment for my present life that has no joy. In other words, the name ‘Roger’ symbolizes my past day’s happiness when I could be infatuated with what I truly desired to do.  

     The name ‘Roger’ is a linguistically and historically interesting name. When I google my current English name, ‘Justin’, only Justin Bieber pops up, indicating that it has not much in-depth meaning. Nevertheless, the name ‘Roger’ indicates a diversity of meanings in different countries and survived over centuries.  For instance, ‘Roger’ in Germany means ‘famous with the spear’, and Normans interpret the name as ‘renown for his sword’. In addition, ‘Roger’ is often referred to as a black flag of pirates with white skulls embedded, a type of meaning that many boys would favor. Furthermore, ‘Roger’ is the name that has some degree of historical significance. As an example, ‘Roger’ was first introduced in England after Norman conquest, implying that it is a historical name that has endured a long period of threats of extinction. Therefore, ‘Roger’ is not a name that should not be underestimated even if it is a prevalent name in today’s society.

     In conclusion, the name ‘Roger’ is a significant name for me, since it refreshes my spirit with pleasant memories it revokes. Furthermore, its various intriguing meanings and  long history  make the name meaningful. Name is not merely a tag. It is an eternal badge of humans that has  a unique meaning  and story. When you are stressed out and need some refreshment, how about searching and thinking about what your name attempts to deliver? I can definitely assure you that you will find your name more astonishing than you have previously thought.