I have two authentic names or orthonyms. Neither of my names is a pseudonym. Both are authentic. My names are all equally important.
About the name tree
tree is a mononymous name: in other words, it is a one-word name. I spell tree lowercase. It is my Buddhist ordination name. I am an upāsikā/upāsaka, or a Buddhist who has taken lay vows. In the Buddhist language of Pali, vrksākā means tree. Upon taking lay vows as an upāsikā, I selected the English translation of vrksākā because the accent markings in Pali were sometimes difficult to render on American governmental forms. An upāsaka/upāsikā pledges to adhere to the five precepts (pañcasīla), which are the following: not harming others; not stealing; being open (and not misrepresenting); not mistreating others in terms of unwanted intimate relations; and not abusing intoxicating substances. To learn about my Buddhist contemplative practice, click here. To learn more about Buddhist understandings of animal spirits and plant symbolism click here, here, and here. Along with its spiritual implications, my Buddhist lay vow name is an homage to a beloved childhood friend named Tiny. During our games, she would call me turtle and I would call myself tree. We argued about what I would be called until she let me call myself what I wanted to be called. tree is my legal name. turtle is my last name for governmental forms, human resources, and other matters that require a legal last name.
About the name Cleis Abeni
I use Cleis Abeni for some business relations, including my work as a professional editor, and (sometimes), the name is the byline for my writing. As a writer and editor who works on problems of justice, health, wellness, trauma, and marginalization, I face ongoing problems with online and face-to-face harassment, stalking, and abuse. I began to use Cleis Abeni for some business relations around 15 years ago for safety purposes. "Cleïs" is the name for the child of the ancient poet Sappho. "Cleisthenes" was an ancient Greek populist leader who helped usher in a profound period of democratic egalitarian prosperity in Athens. "Abeni" is Yoruba for "we asked for this person, and behold, the person came." Cleis Abeni deliberately signifies the marriage of African and European resonances (and other multiplicities) that has always fueled my lifework.
Deadnaming
Avoiding the trauma and violence of deadnaming is a part of the story of my names. Feel free to click here to learn more about the problem of deadnaming.
Pronouns
My main pronoun is tree—meaning, I use my name as a pronoun. My second pronoun is she/her.
- tree
- Cleis Abeni
About the name tree
tree is a mononymous name: in other words, it is a one-word name. I spell tree lowercase. It is my Buddhist ordination name. I am an upāsikā/upāsaka, or a Buddhist who has taken lay vows. In the Buddhist language of Pali, vrksākā means tree. Upon taking lay vows as an upāsikā, I selected the English translation of vrksākā because the accent markings in Pali were sometimes difficult to render on American governmental forms. An upāsaka/upāsikā pledges to adhere to the five precepts (pañcasīla), which are the following: not harming others; not stealing; being open (and not misrepresenting); not mistreating others in terms of unwanted intimate relations; and not abusing intoxicating substances. To learn about my Buddhist contemplative practice, click here. To learn more about Buddhist understandings of animal spirits and plant symbolism click here, here, and here. Along with its spiritual implications, my Buddhist lay vow name is an homage to a beloved childhood friend named Tiny. During our games, she would call me turtle and I would call myself tree. We argued about what I would be called until she let me call myself what I wanted to be called. tree is my legal name. turtle is my last name for governmental forms, human resources, and other matters that require a legal last name.
About the name Cleis Abeni
I use Cleis Abeni for some business relations, including my work as a professional editor, and (sometimes), the name is the byline for my writing. As a writer and editor who works on problems of justice, health, wellness, trauma, and marginalization, I face ongoing problems with online and face-to-face harassment, stalking, and abuse. I began to use Cleis Abeni for some business relations around 15 years ago for safety purposes. "Cleïs" is the name for the child of the ancient poet Sappho. "Cleisthenes" was an ancient Greek populist leader who helped usher in a profound period of democratic egalitarian prosperity in Athens. "Abeni" is Yoruba for "we asked for this person, and behold, the person came." Cleis Abeni deliberately signifies the marriage of African and European resonances (and other multiplicities) that has always fueled my lifework.
Deadnaming
Avoiding the trauma and violence of deadnaming is a part of the story of my names. Feel free to click here to learn more about the problem of deadnaming.
Pronouns
My main pronoun is tree—meaning, I use my name as a pronoun. My second pronoun is she/her.