In a rural area like Merton, Wisconsin, a name like “Zayan” may seem a bit unusual or surprising. 

It’s the wheat crop among all the corn crops in the fields. It’s the large manufacturing building in the small town of Merton. It’s the Packers fan among all the Bears fans at Soldier Field. 

It’s an Arabic name that usually goes to males in the religion of Islam. It means graceful, beautiful.  or it can also mean hospitable and kind. It is like the Crescent Moon in the night sky during the end of Ramadan. a symbol often associated with Islam. Looking at the bright moon in the navy blue sky during a peaceful, quiet night. 

It was derived from the Islamic Holy Book, the Quran. In verse 10:24, it mentions how the life of this world was like the rain since God sent down plants that Humans and animals eat, beautifying the world like how rain does. That verse contains an Arabic word, wazzayyanat (وَٱزَّيَّنَتْ), meaning ‘became beautiful.’ Zayan comes from that word. Over time, the name became more popular. This name can now be seen often in some parts of the world.

Like many others, my parents looked for name ideas online. They looked extensively for names until they found the right one. Zayan. you kind of know what you are looking for once you see it. The story isn’t very unique and even anticlimactic to some, but names are words that are tied to a person for their entire life. So how they are chosen is monumental. A name is a permanent sharpie marker on a piece of paper.

I want to keep the name Zayan. I respect the decision of my parents to give me that name. The words ‘graceful’ or ‘beautiful’ aren’t exactly the first words that come to mind when I try to describe myself. But my name is a representation of my culture. Different from most people in an area like Merton, Wisconsin. A culture that will stick with me forever. A culture I want to study and explore for the rest of my life.