Chapter 5: Developments Within The Field of Student Affairs Regarding Diversity: A 30-Year Review

My first name is Terrell (pronounced tuh-REHL). I have always been intrigued by my name. In fact, I have vivid recollections from childhood of time spent puzzling over the meaning and significance of my name, its etymological origin, and from whom it came. I learned the answer to the last question at my 10th birthday, when my mother shared that her cousin, Cheryl, named me. Without that intervention, I had been destined for the same name as my grandfather, father, and older brother: Wilbur. Alas, I am Terrell. It never seemed to fit me though. Staring into the mirror, I often thought my name should be Derrick, Stefan, or Ty, but never the sevenletter word that would come before my last name for all of life. Curious about its meaning, I searched for answers. Several name books suggest that “Terrell” was related to “Thor,” a name signifying power and strength. So you can imagine my surprise when I encountered “Terrell” as a surname, spelled the same but pronounced differently (TAIR-uhl).