Your Name Matters
Your name has weight. Your name carries divine intention
My name is Ejirooghene Obayomi. As a Nigerian immigrant living in the United States, I struggled for years to fully embrace my name—especially once I reached high school.
Many immigrants know this experience all too well: you arrive in a new country, and the name you once wore with pride becomes a burden. Why? Because people around you choose not to learn how to say it properly. And in the quiet, unspoken desire to fit in, you compromise. You pick a nickname—not just to make it easier for others, but unknowingly, to make yourself more acceptable. In doing so, you start to lay down a piece of your identity.
But your name carries weight.
We don’t always realize this when we trade our God-given names for ones that are easier to pronounce. In high school, I did exactly that. I went from Ejirooghene—which means “Praise be to God”—to Ejiro, and eventually to EJ.
Lately, God has been stirring something in me. I began to feel convicted. I sensed the Lord saying, “You’ve forgotten who I created you to be.” I’ve always loved to sing and worship, but the meaning of my name goes beyond just the act of singing—it’s a calling to live a life that brings praise and glory to God, no matter my situation. Somewhere along the way, I lost sight of that.
When life got hard, I started shrinking back. I stopped using my gifts and let discouragement silence me.
Yet Scripture reminds us of the intentionality of names. All throughout the Bible, names are given with purpose, tied to a person’s destiny and God’s plan for their life. The name Jesus was not random—it was revealed to Mary by the angel, Gabriel:
“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” —Matthew 1:21
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).” —Isaiah 7:14
God is precise. Purposeful. And the same goes for you and me.
When the Lord reminded me to reclaim my name, I listened. I began telling friends and family that I’d like to be called Ejiro again. I thought it would be hard for people, especially strangers. But here’s what I learned: people will call you whatever you choose to be called. It’s your decision. You set the standard—and others follow.
Ironically, the people who had the hardest time adjusting were the ones closest to me. But I have continued to emphasize my name.
So, if you’ve let go of your name—if you’ve made yourself smaller just to make others more comfortable—I encourage you to reclaim it. Unless your name carries a meaning that directly opposes who God has called you to be. Your name matters. Your name has weight. Your name carries divine intention.
Don’t drop it.
With Love,
Ejiro