Hello, My Names Are

Gabriella Donisi Luciano: my full name that only gets used by my dad's side of the family (they are traditional and Italian).  Recently I have been using this name more and more, because at AU you have to register under the name that appears on your birth certificate.  As a result, many of my teachers come to class with this name on their roster.  Because there is nothing wrong with my name, and because it sometimes sounds more mature than Gabi, I do not correct them.  This can result in an advantage because many of my teachers really like this name.

Gabi: Gabi is my given nickname.  My parents have always called me this, and it didn't have any negative affects until I entered elementary school.  I hated this name in elementary school because all of my teachers thought it would be really clever and original to say "oh, like Gabi Gabs alot".  Generally this is how I introduce myself and what I put on all my assignments.  I dislike when people blatantly mispronounce it such as "Gabe-e" or Gab-eye".  Neither of those make sense, so its very grating.  Sometimes there are also negative affects because a teacher will read this nickname and instantly assume that I will be very talkative.  You know what they say about assumptions, and the saying holds true in this situation.

Goob: This was my nickname in the beginning of high school that happened by accident and just stuck.  My group of friends still refer to me with this nickname, but it didn't carry over to college. I would associate this with some of the crazier times in high school.  This name doesn't have any type of connotation, but I wouldn't use it in more mature settings or in a professional atmosphere.  This nickname is strictly regulated to only be used in very relaxed situations.

Gab:  My best friend of 15 years calls me this, and I would say most of my friends here have used it at one point or another.  It isn't as nuts as Goob, but it isn't as boring as Gabi.  There is no negative connotation to this name because it is really only used by people close enough to me to be considered family.  Its casual so I wouldn't use this in the workplace or as a introduction.

Gabi Girl:  My trainer always calls me GabiGirl, so I associate that nickname with my horse Fanny and my riding personality.  I get really intense and focused, but the nickname helps lighten things up.  My name is an advantage here because no one else has a name similar to mine, so I never get confused as to whom my trainer is referring.  I would also say that because of my level, my name gets positive recognition and with the younger girls, admiration.




Hello, My Names are Not
Gabe- I am not a boy, my name does not sound or look like this at all.  It puts me at a disadvantage when my name is pronounced like this because it flusters me, and then I have to be the rude girl who corrects the speaker multiple times. 

Narrow Minded- I am not a narrow minded person.  While everyone makes judgements, I am very open to changing my original opinion if a person proves to be different than I expected.  I dislike people who can't see past their own biased opinions or see the other side of the story, so I strive to not foster those attributes.