On the surface level, a name seems to be just a single word, but some encompass much more than that — an entire story. Freshmen Henry Villegas and Mariia Kovalenko are both individuals whose names carry a special meaning.

“My dad was pretty interested in soccer, so he named me after one of his favorite players,” Villegas said.

Villegas’s namesake, Thierry Henry, is considered one of the greatest strikers of all time. He has scored 51 international goals — the most in French history.

“I don’t know much about [Thierry Henry], but he went to the World Cup,” he said. “My dad really likes him, so he bought me a jersey.”

Although Villegas doesn’t play soccer himself, he occasionally watches it and feels like he sometimes embodies the spirit of his namesake.

Kovalenko’s namesake was her grandmother, who may not be as well known as Thierry Henry, but her story was very impactful to her family, friends and neighbors.

“My grandmother lived in a very poor part of Ukraine, and the village she grew up in was in a very rural area,” Kovalenko said. “[Not many] people lived near each other, but the ones she [knew] were really struggling.

“She always found a way [to help], whether that was helping them fix something in the house, cooking for them or watching their kids,” Kovalenko said. “Sometimes when we did go visit, we would go to her house and [we saw] the drawings on her wall from the kids.”

Kovalenko’s grandmother’s caring nature inspired many, including her parents.

“She meant a lot to our family, so my parents named me after her,” she said. “It’s cool that I get to carry on [her legacy].”

Her grandmother’s kind soul and creativity lives on in Kovalenko in a few ways.

“I [embody her spirit] a little bit because I feel like I have that same trait where I look after kids,” Kovalenko said. “She’s [also] very artsy.”

When it comes to naming children, Kovalenko believes that parents should choose wisely.

“I disagree with the idea of naming someone after someone who has passed, but when I was named, my great-grandmother wasn’t dead yet, but I don’t think it’s that big of a deal,” Kovalenko said.

The names parents give to their children can sometimes impact their character, but Villegas believes it is ultimately up to the child to determine their own destiny.

“It’s not really up to [parents],” Villegas said. “If they

want to, they can symbolize what they want their kids to be.”