*Hint hint* I’m a girl. 

In the 21 years of my life, nothing about me has stood out more than my name. Go ahead, check out the by-line again to see what I’m talking about. Don’t get it? 

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I’m sure there are some (I hope?) out there like me, living with a name that can easily be a boy or a girl’s. And I’m sure, just like me, you too are tired of hearing the same ol’ things.  

1. *meets for the first time* ‘Oh! I thought you were a boy!’ 

Me and my X chromosome are here to disappoint you. 

2. Hi, can I speak to MISTER Raunaq? 

I’m sorry, Mr. Raunaq can’t come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, cuz he don’t exist. 

3. Oh, I have loads of friends named Raunaq, but none of them are girls. 

Congratulations on your many raunaqs. 

4. You must be from Punjab na, waha toh Dilpreet ladka-ladki dono hote hai! 

Punjab really seems to be the pioneer for gender-equality. 

5. But Raunaq is a boy’s name, na? *cue in-depth explanation of why it is a female-gendered Hindi word*

Watch me morph from an English writer to a Hindi professor in 2 seconds. 

6. My father thinks you’re my boyfriend because we hang out a lot. 

7. Imagine dating someone named Raunaq also! 

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Oh, the horror.

8. Did your parents not love you enough to give you a pretty name? 

9. But why Raunaq????? There are so many other names you could have had!

Well I didn’t have much of a choice at 3 days old!!

10. Wow, that’s such a unique name. 

*joins Unisex Names Anonymous* ~gender no bar~