Band 6.5 sample answer
My name is Oluwaseun, but most people call me Seun, it's shorter. It's a Yoruba name, from the south-west of Nigeria, and it means something like "thank God" or "we thank God".
The person who chose it was my grandmother, my father's mother. In my family, like in many Yoruba families, the grandparents and the parents all give names to the baby, so actually I have three names, but Oluwaseun is the one everybody use.
The reason she choose it is a little bit emotional. Before I was born, my mother was very sick during the pregnancy, and the doctors in Ibadan told my parents that maybe the baby will not survive. My grandmother was praying every day. So when I was born healthy, she said the only right name is to thank God. My father told me this story when I was maybe twelve, and before that I didn't know, I thought it was just a normal name.
How I feel about it? Mostly I like it, especially because of the story. When I tell people the meaning, they always ask more questions, so it's a good way to start a conversation. But I have to say, when I moved to the UK for my studies, it was difficult. People couldn't pronounce it, or they said it very wrong, and some teachers just avoided saying my name. So I started to introduce myself as Seun, because it's easier for them.
Now sometimes I think I should insist on the full name, because it's part of who I am. My grandmother passed away last year, so the name is even more special to me now.