Ashanti Felt Alienated Due To Her African Name

Ashanti is certainly one of the most established female singers in the music industry right now. She also has a very dedicated and passionate fan following who keeps track of everything she is doing. Growing up, Ashanti felt alienated because of her distinctive name.

The singer’s mother named her after the Ashanti Empire in Ghana. She recently sat down for an interview with E! News. Ashanti talked about how it wasn’t always simple to go to school with an unusual name.

Ashanti said that as an adult pursuing a career in music, having a memorable name helped her. Before becoming a well-known musician around the world, Ashanti however recalled her struggles with her name.

Growing up having a very unique name, there were moments. I remember there was circle time, and the teacher would call out names. The kids would go, ‘Why doesn’t her name sound like this or that?’ I want this to resonate with kids who don’t necessarily have a unique name, so they know not to make fun of a person that has a unique name and to know it’s okay if that name doesn’t sound familiar to you. Don’t make fun of it. Embrace it. When I would go for my auditions – and I had three failed records deals, so it wasn’t easy – the one thing people liked is that I had one name.

Advertising

Advertising

Ashanti has used “My Name Is A Story,” a children’s book, to write about her experiences. The book honors the strength of names and uniqueness. It is currently available for purchase.

What’s your take on this story? Sound off in the comments!