Name The Poet - The Chicago Poetry Center

Name The Poet

Ms. Manning’s 4th and 5th graders are a bright bunch with names that tell great stories. We spent this week getting to know each other more through the names that we carry. To warm us up, we first read Jacqueline Woodson’s poem “a girl named jack” about how her family chose her name. After some of us shared out stories about our names, we wrote our own poems about them. Some people were named after their family members. Others had names that came from their parents’ favorite books or music. It was great seeing students share the special meanings of their names with each other. We left knowing much more about each other. Check out these gems from our poets:

4th Grade

Major B.

My name means a big thing or something happened that was big.

And my mom named me because it was a big word.

And I don’t think I’m a Major because nobody ever says you look like a Major.

And what I don’t like about my name is a lot of people call me Maj and I don’t like that.

And another thing I like is nobody has the name.

Jamia H.

My dad named me after his name. My mom also named me but I still wonder why he named me Jamia. My name means gathering.

My name was going to be Jana. Everyone calls me Mimi. I tell them to stop. My uncle is a pastor so I’m Christian.

Ariyona G.

I like my name because some of my friends call me Ariana Grande but I don’t mind. I love my last name too because my dad last name is Goddis too. And. my grandma. I think my dad named my last name Goddis because his last name is Goddis.

5th Grade

Kaleb R.

My name came from the Bible

I love when I go to church with my grandma and

hearing my name come from the pastor.

I love my name because it shows how I am.

I love my name because I love myself.

My name shows smartness. I love my name because it is me.

Daylon K.

My mother named me. My name is Daylon.

It’s 6 letters long and short like me.

Both me and my mother’s name begin with D.

It matches me because in length, I am 5-7 feet long.

I know it’s unique because I never seen anyone else with it.

Shannen S.

My mom named me like her name since Shaundra sounds like Shannen.

We look alike and do the same things. We looked alike so she named me similar.

I like my name because it sounds like my mom’s. I love my name because I never met anyone with my name.