Hello, my name is...

...Bella.
I always introduce myself as Bella. It is not my FULL name, but it is what I go by because... I always have. Thereafter the introducing, I get one of four response.

a) "...LIKE IN TWILIGHT!!!!" (that would be my LEAST favorite and yet most common response.)
b) "Oh that means 'Beautiful,' right?" (Uh, yes. Hello awkward conversation...)
c) "You MUST be Italian." (Yuppers, I am)
d) "Hmm. Is that short for something?" (Yuppers, it is!)

I generally like c and d as responses over a and b, although there should be an all of the above option because sometimes I get all four combined in one.

*Now, before I really get into it here, you have to know I am OBSESSED with names and their meanings. I am a name fanatic. I name absolutely EVERYTHING {car. GPS. other people's cars and GPSes. Nicknames. Instruments. Like...literally everything} and there is always a google search for meaning behind the name that precedes the naming. Etymology fascinates me as well.*

Bella does mean beautiful, in Italian and like a bunch of other languages ( although in Latin it means War and that extreme difference that makes me laugh). And sure, it is a fitting name for me, but when I say "My name is Bella." that is not what I am thinking. I never go by Isabella, save for when my dad is being very serious and wants my full attention, or when my grandmother is hugging/introducing me, but that is what my name IS.
 (*I also answer to Jacky, Jro, Aisling, Ms. Ardent, and whatever else people around decide to call me)

Most people actually don't know my name is anything but Bella. I have shocked a good many. Some people also think that the "Isabella Kiss" thing is just a fanciful sounding pen name. Nope. That's me, for real, for real, and that name is going on the cover's of books someday. My full name is Isabella Kiss *__insert Italian last name_*. No lie.

I used to not really like my name. Isabella sounded girly or like a queen's name. Kiss sounded like a verb and was also emotionally girly. And I am neither of those things. I used to ONLY go by Bella and I would make people take guesses at my 4 letter, starting with a 'k', verb middle name (and I would crack up every time because, without fail, guys would always guess 'KILL' and then 'KICK'). 
But I have come to love my name, even though I still refer to myself as just Bella.

Lets take a little look behind the meaning of it all.

Isabella means CONSECRATED TO GOD.
Kiss is my mom's maiden name.

Long story but I will try and sum it up. When my mom was pregnant my name was going to be 1 of a couple of things. Stori {which would have been SICK!} and Victoria {which would have been...not so sick} were high on the list. Then due to a very complex pregnancy and a whole lot of stuff (like perscribed meds pregnant women shouldn't have been on) came into the picture and doctors told my mom I was likely to have a lot of problems. I was going to be a very UNhealthy kid. They listed a gamut of issues and labeled me with lots of possible problems. Missing limbs, cleft palette, developmental problems, etc, etc.

That is when my name became ISABELLA.

Then and there my parents dedicated me to God. No matter what I ended up like, I was His. They placed me in His hands even before my birth. And I love that. {Kiss came from the fact that my mom's dad, who was 100% Hungarian with a VERY Hungarian last name, died suddenly right before I was born.}

Ps: I was born healthy and totally fine. I was ugly, looked like an alien boy, and had no hair until I was 2, but other than that all was well...

So when I say "Hello, my name is Bella" I am not thinking "Hello, my name is Beautiful." I am ALWAYS thinking "Hello, my name is CONSECRATED" even though I gave Bella and not Isabella as my name. Because that is just who I am.

Today I did a little Bible search for the word consecrated. It pulled up 3 pages of verses containing that word. I learned the Old Testament, Hebrew word for consecrated is QADASH and it means to consecrate, to sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate. (The New Testament Greek word is Hegios)
In the verses I pulled I saw that people such as Jesse and his sons, Aaron and all Levites, places such as the tabernacle or temple, food and sacrifices, and altars were consecrated.

And me. (well, I am not in the Bible, but you get what I am saying)

I am consecrated. From my birth (even before) I was set apart, given to God, destined to walk in His calling on my life. Despite what man said about me. Despite what the world would have told me. I was wholly set apart, dedicated to my God and His plans for me before I had even taken a breath. I LOVE that.

So, what is your name? Do you know what it means? Do you know what your name says about you? You ought to find out!
*and then you should name every possible inanimate, nameless thing around you just for the fun of it*