essay about your name example

How to Write an Essay about Your Name

Are you looking for an easy and quick way to write an essay about your name? Then this is the perfect tutorial for you!

I’m Constance, and in this tutorial, I will show you how to write an essay about your name in six simple steps. I will also give you an example of such an essay as we go through the process step by step.

Let’s begin!

Step 1: Choose your main idea.

If you want to organize your thoughts and present them clearly and concisely in an essay, you need to choose your thesis — a main idea for your essay. Simply take a stand and write it down as a simple sentence.

What do you want to say about your name? Do you like your name? Do you think it’s interesting? Whatever you think of will act as your thesis .

For example, you can say, “I love my name.” Note that we kept it really simple. By doing so, we can clearly think of the next things we need for the essay.

Step 2: Think of three supporting ideas.

Trying to write an essay on only one undivided idea or thesis will get you stuck.

So, you need more than one idea. Two ideas are better than one. Three is even better. But four may be too many because you’re just writing a simple essay.

So, coming up with three supporting ideas is the best method. Why? Because three is the perfect number the brain can handle. And it works all the time! We call it the Power of Three.

So, let’s use the Power of Three to keep our ideas flowing.

The Power of Three is a three-part structure that divides your main idea into three distinct supporting points. It helps create your body paragraphs.

Let’s apply it to an essay about your name.

Ask yourself – “why do I love my name?” And write down three answers. Here are mine:

I like its Latin origin .
I like how my parents came up with it.
It sounds great .

Using ideas that are too similar to each other may cause writer’s block. So, note that our three supporting points are totally different from one another.

Keep them distinct and simple to avoid running out of things to write down the line.

Step 3: Write your thesis statement.

Now that we have a clear picture of the essay’s structure, we can write a thesis statement.

When writing a thesis statement, take your main idea and its supporting points and write them out as a sentence or complete sentences in a single paragraph.

Once you’ve written your thesis statement, you have a nice outline for your essay.

Here’s an example of a thesis statement:

“I love my name because I like its Latin origin, the story of how my parents came up with it is pretty cool, and it sounds great, too.”

Note how clear the statement is. We started with our thesis, and the three supporting points sound like great ideas to back it up. So, it works.

Great! Now, we’re ready for the next step.

Step 4: Write the body paragraphs.

After dividing our main idea into three distinct points, we can easily write three body paragraphs for our essay.

When writing a body paragraph , you should start with a topic sentence summarizing the entire paragraph. Then, briefly explain it and illustrate it using examples .

Note that your paragraphs should go from general to specific.

In a body paragraph, your topic sentence (the first sentence) is the most general statement. After writing your topic sentence, you will unpack it by writing more specifically, using an explanation and examples.

Here are examples of body paragraphs for our essay:

Paragraph 1

One of the few things I like about my name is its etymology. It has a Latin origin, rooted in the word “constantem,” which means “faithful” or “steadfast.” It is a name that represents perseverance and dedication regardless of the challenges ahead. I could not be more proud and grateful for my name’s origin. It reflects my determined personality and my loyalty to the people I love.

Paragraph 2

I also love that I was named after my grandmother Constancia. I appreciate my mom and dad naming me after her – someone I loved so much. My grandmother was an amazing woman. She raised eight kids despite her humble status in life, which highlighted her steadfastness. And she was faithful to her family and supported it however she could.

Paragraph 3

My name has a certain sonorous quality to it with its consonants that roll off the tongue. I am thankful for the sound of my name. It has a beautiful melody to it that I always love to hear. Every time I hear it, it brings me a sense of warmth and joy and puts a smile on my face.

Note how each paragraph proceeds from a general statement to more specific points.

Now that we’ve written our body paragraphs, we are ready for the next step.

Step 5: Write the introduction and conclusion.

Introduction.

An introduction can be just one more general sentence, after which you should simply proceed to your thesis statement, which includes your thesis and three supporting points.

Here’s an example of an entire introductory paragraph:

Many of us may not think much about it, but our names are a part of our identity and can have a lasting impact on us. I love my name because of its Latin origin, the story of how my parents came up with it, and its cool sound. My name means “constant” or “steadfast” in Latin, which reflects my determined personality. It came from my grandmother’s name, Constancia, whom I loved so much. And it just sounds amazing, even if I only say so myself.”

If you want a time-proven, easy, and quick way to write a conclusion for your essays, I recommend restating what you stated in your introduction using different words.

Here’s an example of a conclusion for our essay:

My name is an important part of my identity and has a special place in my heart. It has a meaningful linguistic origin from the Latin word constantem, meaning “steadfastness.” It is a special reminder of my grandmother, Constancia. And it has a nice ring to it that brings me joy.

Now, we’re ready for the final step.

Step 6: Proofread.

The final step in writing an essay is going back and proofreading it. Look out for:

Misspellings
Grammatical errors
Irrelevant material (stuff that doesn’t belong in the essay)
Contradictions (make sure you don’t contradict your own points)

And we are done writing an example of an essay about a name.

I hope you learned a lot in this tutorial. Now go ahead and write an essay about your name!

Tutor Phil is an e-learning professional who helps adult learners finish their degrees by teaching them academic writing skills.

Essays About Names: Top 5 Examples Plus Prompts

Your name is an important part of your identity; if you are writing essays about names, you can start by reading our top essay examples and prompts.

What is a name? Our names are words or groups of words by which we humans, other living organisms, places, things, and ideas are referred to. Everything has a name, from ourselves to our pets to the neighborhoods, cities, and countries we live in. It identifies us, separates us from others, and forms a crucial piece of our identity.

Our names are often regarded as the outermost layer of who we are, as it is how we are known and introduce ourselves. But, at the same time, our names can form the core of our being. Each of us is given a name for different reasons, and if we find those reasons to be significant, we may plan our lives in a way that lives up to our beliefs about our names. Writing an essay but need some help? Check out our guide packed full of transition words for essays .

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5 Essay Examples

1. embracing the mystery: the story of my name series by maría schindler, 3. what’s in a name reflections on who we are and what we are called by haleema shah, 4. the importance of names by chris giovagnoni, 5. how i changed my name by ellen kittle, 1. the importance of names, 2. the story behind your name, 3. the impact of a name, 4. if you could change your name, 5. how to name a child.

“So in a way, my middle name represents safety, survival and chosen family. Now, as an adult with a chosen family of my own, I understand the importance of finding familial bonds in others who make you feel safe, who feel like home when the world is hostile. I also like that Mikkol resides between my first and last names, that act as buffers, returning the favor of protection that Mikkol provided for my mom.”

Schindler writes about the story behind her middle name, Mikkol. She was named after her mother’s best friend since middle school; Mikkol was always there for her mother when she needed it, and when things got chaotic at home, Schindler’s mother would go to Mikkol’s house for safety and comfort. Perhaps Schindler’s mother recalled these feelings when naming her daughter. Schindler is proud of her name and what it means, giving her safety and protection.

2. What’s Your Name, Girl? by Thelma Austin

“All in all the story was able to capture many views on how the idea of names goes deeper than just the words. Our experience with interaction counts on us to remember our names and in the story it showed a dark side of human engagement where feelings aren’t mutually shared. The author’s job was seen to be very encouraging because it contained the abilities to allow the reader to develop a position and find supporting evidence to back up claims.”

In her essay, Austin analyzes the significance of names in Maya Angelou’s short story, “What’s Your Name, Girl?” In particular, the story emphasizes how names can contribute to our personality. The story, taking place in the segregated South, sees black women’s names being changed by their white employers. Just as their rights are being taken away, so are their names. You might alos be interested in these essays about your name .

“Others may choose to make a statement by retaining the name they have grown comfortable with. After rejecting the institution of marriage for most of her life and throughout her career as a leader of the second-wave feminist movement, Gloria Steinem wed David Bale in 2000. Steinem kept her last name though, while Beyoncé, an icon of the current wave of emancipated femininity, fused her name with her husband’s, becoming a Knowles-Carter in 2008.”

Shah reflects on the importance of our names to our identities and gives several examples of celebrities who exemplify this idea, such as basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who changed his name to reflect his African heritage and culture. She also discusses activist Gloria Steinem and singer Beyoncé, whose status as feminist icons is reflected in their married names; Steinem kept her maiden name while Beyoncé fused her last name, Knowles, with that of her husband’s, becoming a Knowles-Carter.

“When Yudea gave birth to her daughter, “she couldn’t buy milk or vitamins to boost her daughter’s health, so her daughter got sick easily.” After enrolling in the CSP, this changed. She received nutritious food, vitamins, milk and a lot of information that supported her as a pregnant mother. She also was able to go to regular pregnancy checkups at the doctor without having to think twice about what she and her husband would have to pay. So when she gave birth to her second child, a healthy son, Yudea showed her thankfulness to God by naming her son Cisipi.”

Giovagnoni discusses the meaning and importance of names from a more religious perspective, explaining the religious reasoning behind his name, which means “Christ-bearer.” Names can tell us a lot about who we should be if that is something we desire. He also recalls a story about a mother named Yudea, who enrolled in the Compassion Survival Program and got access to food, clean water, and medical care. Her life changed dramatically for the better, so when she gave birth, she named her son Cisipi, which means “grateful to God.”

“My name has never felt like something I can shed easily, putting on a new one; not like going off to college and deciding to tell all your new friends your name is Liz rather than Beth. Were it not for this cosmic wallop to the head, I would still be on the fence. I do know now that for me it’s the right thing; for Cam and I to share the same name.”

Kittle recalls the struggle she and her husband Cam had with cancer and the internal struggle she experienced simultaneously with changing her last name. She had always been proud of her name; she felt it was entirely hers- not her father’s or his family’s. However, after all, they had gone through, Kittle eventually decided to change her last name out of love for her husband.

5 Writing Prompts On Essays About Names

Essays About Names: The importance of names

Our names are important, but why exactly is this the case? Discuss why it is essential to be thoughtful in naming and the role a name plays in our identities. You can also describe what someone’s name can tell you about them. Delve into your own opinions on the importance of names to create a compelling essay for your readers.

Everyone’s name has a meaning and backstory. Explore the reasons behind the name you were given, and explain what your name means to you. Describe how your parents decided on your name and its significance. Perhaps you are named after a loved relative, or maybe your name represents a certain personality trait. Whatever your name is, describe why it is special to you.

A name has many implications; someone’s name may affect how others perceive them. For example, some names might evoke strength, power, and dominance, while others may give others a more laid-back impression. In your essay, consider the impact a name may have on how others see you- base your writings on research. You can also connect this to the importance of a name, as the impact/s you write about should be considered when giving someone a name.

For a fun, engaging essay, think of a name you would like to give yourself if given a chance to change it. Explain why you chose it and what significance, if any, it has to you. If you really can’t think of any name, you can write about your name and explain why you would not change it. However, go beyond simply explaining its importance and history: what makes it better than others? Discuss this fun question for an exciting essay.

Essays About Names: How to name a child?

When deciding on a name for their child, parents consider many factors. Research common naming conventions, for example, naming after religious figures or relatives, and discuss each in detail. Be sure to give examples of names under each category, and explain these examples in context. If you’re still stuck, check out our general resource of essay writing topics .

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How to Write an Essay About My Name: Structure and Useful Tips

Updated 26 Apr 2022

This type of assignment is a short piece of writing that includes a subjective point of view of the writer. Today it is an important part of academic education, and students are taught to write an essay from the very beginning. One of the most interesting topics offered by teachers to young people is an essay about name.

A work with such topic is an interesting task, in which the annotated bibliography writer should speculate on the topic of his own name. This might be the origin it, importance from the historical point of view, you can also mention who else was called this way including some famous people like actors, scientists, inventors, models and other, it will be also nice to find the translation and its pronunciation in different languages.

The topic may seem a little too narrow. But there are numerous ways how to make my essay about name really exciting.

Common Mistakes in Writing an Essay about Name

Incomplete sentences that start from the preposition or conjunction;
Spelling, grammar, punctuation, and stylistic mistakes;
Absence of a catching title;
Plagiarized pieces;
Use of colloquial language;
The absence of personal viewpoint etc.

These are the most common mistakes students make writing an essay about my name. They do not wish to invent something and have found some information about their name they put the whole piece into the text. And even if there any efforts to analyze anything or express the opinion, it appears to be incomplete and with some poor mistakes.

How to Write an Essay about My Name?

There is nothing special in writing this work as it has the same structure as most of the others.

Start your paper with a powerful introduction representing the topic and mentioning why you decided to write it.
The main body should consist of several paragraphs (usually 3). In these paragraphs, you can indicate the reasons why your parents had decided to call you this way, tell the story of its origin, and talk about its popularity or rarity in the modern world.
The third part of each work is a conclusion. It usually has a more personal point of view, for example, you can express your attitude to it; here you should summarize everything and accentuate your positive or negative relation to it.

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Here Are a Few Useful Tips on How to Write an Essay About My Name

Read a few different templates to get inspiration and take some useful experience.
Before you start writing make an outline of the future paper.
Write a thesis statement.
Use conjunctive words and ones to develop an argument to make the text more coherent and smooth.
Don’t avoid telling readers other people’s thoughts on your topic.
Prefer to express your opinion using short but full of sense sentences.
Opt for active voice for better perception.
Put aside a ready-made text for some time to re-read it later.
Use a plagiarism detector Ca.EduBirdie.com and spelling check software to avoid mistakes.

The list of such tips can be incredibly long. These are just a few most important points to keep in mind. These practical hints from EduBirdie experts on how to make your “my name essay” more efficient and custom can help you to create an outstanding work, so follow our reflective essay writing services if you have a similar objective.

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The learning network | what’s the story behind your name.

What’s the Story Behind Your Name?

Questions about issues in the news for students 13 and older.

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An article today about a man who did not officially have a first name until he was 19 asks the question, “What’s in a name?” Do you like your name? How did you get it? How has it shaped you? If, like this man, you had to officially name yourself now, would you keep the name you’ve had all your life, or take another? Why?

Erik Eckholm writes about cartoonist Max Pauson and how life without a name shaped him:

…this promising art student’s strong sense of self was hard-earned. It was forged in an unstable, emotionally wrenching childhood and, in an odd detail that might serve as a metaphor for his struggles, it comes after 19 years of life without a legal name. His birth certificate read only “(baby boy) Pauson.” Name to come. His father had disappeared. His mother — in his words, “a pack rat who takes a really long time to decide on anything” — did not pick a first name at the hospital in San Francisco in 1990. And she never followed up, leaving him in a rare and strange limbo. While Mr. Pauson was long aware of the blank spot in his identity, he never quite had the time or means to correct it. He lived with his mother in a house that sometimes lacked electricity. He spent time in foster care and returned to live with his mother in homeless shelters and in public housing. Finally, at 15, he ran away to live with friends’ families. In an era when identities and backgrounds are scrutinized more than ever, he still managed to get into schools, though he never tried to obtain a driver’s license.

Students: Tell us how you got your name, how it defines you, and whether or not you would keep it if you could rename yourself now.

Students 13 and older are invited to comment below. Please use only your first name. For privacy policy reasons, we will not publish student comments that include a last name.

Teachers: Here are ten ways to teach with this feature.

Comments are no longer being accepted.

i would keep mine i would never change mini

Kelly Fortunato is a name that I have answered to multiple times. It has appeared on bills, on my college transcripts, and has been called out loud at the DMV. Unbeknownst to me, it has changed my gender countless times, and prompted me to explain myself on several occasions. People are suprised when I actually introduce my self as Fortunato Kelly. I know that it sounds like the pen name of a 18th century ex-pat, hints at luck, or even passes as regal, but it’s entirely mine, and of varied construction. The latin roots shine through, but I’m blessed to be named after my mother’s father, who was of Filipino, Chinese, and Malay blood. The Kelly roots come from my father, who lools like his Irish, German, and Portuguee roots suggest he should. In analyzing my personal genealogy, I find myself compelled to get others to seek comfort in their individual histories, know where they come from, and live up to the standards set by our lineage in the American experience. In these capricious times, one constant is the safety and security of knowing yourself, and being comfortable with it. Cheers for reading, Fortunato Kelly

So, if he didnt have a name until he was 19, what was the name that people were calling him up until then? was it hey you? or wat? im just wondering because how would people get his attention if he had no name.

If I had to pick out a name for myself, I would have to choose from five names: 1) Isabella 2)Stella 3)Aila 4)Katherine 5)Theresa I would choose one of these names because they are pretty and just roll out of the mouth, much better than mine.

i was named after the arabic word for perfect but people are constantly mispronouncing it. if i cud change my name, id change it to Zoey

I love my name. It’s really pretty, and it has a nice ring. It’s plain, but I’m not plain, so I kind of like that. And I have neat nicknames, like Em, Emmie, Ems and a whole bunch other! Emily.

I got my name from brian because my mom and dad wanted a boy but when i came out they hurry and put an A at the end to make briana. A lot of people have my name and i have always wanted to have a rare name but i dont think i would change it. even if i wanted to i wouldnt know what to change it to.

I like the names GIRLS: 1. Abigail 2. Hannah Marie 3. Bri Ann BOYS: 1. Johnny 2. andrew 3. Dom

I have liked the girls names from when I was 3 and i still do. I like abigail because i use to be a saftey when i was in 5th grade at my school and one of the girls name was abigain and i fell in love with the name.

I like the name johnny because that is my boyfriends name, i like andrew because it is my boy friends brothers name and i just think dom is a cool name

I officially have 2 names. one is Kathleen and one is Hak Young. Hak Young is the name that my parents gave me and Kathleen is just my english name. I love my english name but sometimes i don’t like my korean name. It kinda sounds like boy’s name in korea, and i do want to change my name to something else but that would be too complicated. Thus, i chose not to change my name after all.

I’m a Rebecca after my grandmother Rebecca and straight from the torah, Rebecca. My name connects me to my family, to my history, to my faith, to myself. I’ve always loved being named after my grandmother; loved not being a Becky or a Becca; loved what my name means to me.

My name, Meris, comes from a classmate of my Mom, at the University of Rhode Island, who had a daughter, Meris. I love it, and I couldn’t do so well, as to give myself this name! I would keep; it for sure.

The story behind my name is actually quit funny. I was suppose to be named Alexandra Sarah S[.] untill my dad realized my initiales were gonna be A.S.S. Alexandra was my great grandmothers first name and my mom wanted me to be named after her but she also liked the name Sarah. So now im Sarah Alexandra S[.]

My name is very common in the way it is originally spelled Christine. But my mother decided to be unique and spell my name Kristine. Plenty of times i have had to correct people because they may spell it incorrectly, and i have always been happy with my name because it is just a part of me. When researching my name i had found that it is of Scandinavian descent and basically means christian which is what i am. I am proud of my name and i would never want to change it because it is what my mother named me and it has become me too.

Your name is the one part of your life that society cannot strip away. Even the most destitute people, those living on the streets, do have one thing to cherish– their identity. A name is only as special as one makes it throughout their life, and is a reflection of how well one lives their life. On the one end of the spectrum, you have those who have ended up making their names known for the wrong reason, aka the FBI Ten Most Wanted Criminals. On the other end, you have those people whose names are to be revered because of the good they have done or the influence they have. And then there are those whose names have been stamped into history. If one is capable of doing something extremely remarkable (or extremely terrible during a critical period) history will remember your name long after you have died and impress upon you legacy. Names are an essential tool, without which one cannot hope to fathom working in the modern world.

My name in particular, Zahra, is derived from Arabic origins meaning “starlight.” I find my name to be a bit out of tune with other people, but generally I am quite fond of it. I sometimes feel queer about it though because I feel that people find it a bit odd to say, but I don’t mind in the least. Originally, my mother wanted to name me Aisha, but a few days after I was born, I became very sick. My grandmother suggested that the name “Aisha” didn’t “suit me very well” and was the cause of my illness. Of course that was not true, but my mm reconsidered and changed my name to Zahra.

My middle name came from my grandmother’s name. I was named after her because my mother is very close with her, and the name has a good message. I got my first name because my mom liked it. It’s Italian, and I am Italian. My mom was going to name both my brothers my name if they were girls.

My name means Rival Torch, from some What Does My Name Mean website. Otherwise, my mom liked Emily and my great grandma’s name was Lena. Emily Lena. ~Emily Lena

I was born named Baby Girl Medrano

I love my name. Amanda- one who is lovable or one eho loves. ^(^

My name is Melissa. I love my name exactly the way it is. My name means honey bee. My mom liked the name Melissa because when she was little her job was to take out the honey for the bees. So she thought to name the youngest a name that means honey bee.

My first name I don’t think describes me, boring normal story my mom read a baby book and found Laura and fell in love with it but my father thought that Lauren sounded better with my last name. I think my middle name is what really defines my personality and is strongly connected to my roots. My middle name is Keating. My mom noticed that my grandma’s maiden name would not be passed on to anyone because her brother never got married. So she decided to carry on the semi-lost family name she passed it to me. I think this defines me because I’m traditional and strongly connected to my roots. Also because Keating is different and I love being unique. Though it is still traditional.

I was born in Vicenza, Italy, on the army base. My mom and other women on the base would pick Italian or Latin names. So I was named Mercedes. Many people compare my name to the car, but I tell them this; Benz, the car maker, got the name Mercedes from the daughter of a friend of his, who was a French Financer. I love my name, not because it is named after the car, but because its’ meaning. Mercedes drivesa latin word that means merciful and I love it!!!

My name is Chrysanthi. I love my name and i would never change it. It means ”golden flower”.

My name is Samantha , and I don’t think I would want to change my name because I can be called by short nick names. Like sammy, or sam is fine with me. My mom and dad thought of the name, but this was going to be my middle name but my dad liked the name Samantha better. I think my name fits me well, and I wouldn’t want to change it at all.

I have been called Mickey, Mickey Mouse, Rob, Robbie, Robinarama. Don’t mind nicknames if they are from good friends or family. Another insulting use of general nicknames for females is, “sweetheart, honey, babe, etc. by men with whom you are NOT familiar. I will always correct them by telling them, “My name is not honey,” or ” I have a name, address me by it.” You don’t hear men being called babe or honey by strangers. Absolutely unacceptable.

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Example of a great essay | Explanations, tips & tricks

Example of a Great Essay | Explanations, Tips & Tricks

Published on February 9, 2015 by Shane Bryson . Revised on July 23, 2023 by Shona McCombes.

This example guides you through the structure of an essay. It shows how to build an effective introduction , focused paragraphs , clear transitions between ideas, and a strong conclusion .

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Other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about writing an essay, an appeal to the senses: the development of the braille system in nineteenth-century france.

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

Lack of access to reading and writing put blind people at a serious disadvantage in nineteenth-century society. Text was one of the primary methods through which people engaged with culture, communicated with others, and accessed information; without a well-developed reading system that did not rely on sight, blind people were excluded from social participation (Weygand, 2009). While disabled people in general suffered from discrimination, blindness was widely viewed as the worst disability, and it was commonly believed that blind people were incapable of pursuing a profession or improving themselves through culture (Weygand, 2009). This demonstrates the importance of reading and writing to social status at the time: without access to text, it was considered impossible to fully participate in society. Blind people were excluded from the sighted world, but also entirely dependent on sighted people for information and education.

In France, debates about how to deal with disability led to the adoption of different strategies over time. While people with temporary difficulties were able to access public welfare, the most common response to people with long-term disabilities, such as hearing or vision loss, was to group them together in institutions (Tombs, 1996). At first, a joint institute for the blind and deaf was created, and although the partnership was motivated more by financial considerations than by the well-being of the residents, the institute aimed to help people develop skills valuable to society (Weygand, 2009). Eventually blind institutions were separated from deaf institutions, and the focus shifted towards education of the blind, as was the case for the Royal Institute for Blind Youth, which Louis Braille attended (Jimenez et al, 2009). The growing acknowledgement of the uniqueness of different disabilities led to more targeted education strategies, fostering an environment in which the benefits of a specifically blind education could be more widely recognized.

Several different systems of tactile reading can be seen as forerunners to the method Louis Braille developed, but these systems were all developed based on the sighted system. The Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris taught the students to read embossed roman letters, a method created by the school’s founder, Valentin Hauy (Jimenez et al., 2009). Reading this way proved to be a rather arduous task, as the letters were difficult to distinguish by touch. The embossed letter method was based on the reading system of sighted people, with minimal adaptation for those with vision loss. As a result, this method did not gain significant success among blind students.

Louis Braille was bound to be influenced by his school’s founder, but the most influential pre-Braille tactile reading system was Charles Barbier’s night writing. A soldier in Napoleon’s army, Barbier developed a system in 1819 that used 12 dots with a five line musical staff (Kersten, 1997). His intention was to develop a system that would allow the military to communicate at night without the need for light (Herron, 2009). The code developed by Barbier was phonetic (Jimenez et al., 2009); in other words, the code was designed for sighted people and was based on the sounds of words, not on an actual alphabet. Barbier discovered that variants of raised dots within a square were the easiest method of reading by touch (Jimenez et al., 2009). This system proved effective for the transmission of short messages between military personnel, but the symbols were too large for the fingertip, greatly reducing the speed at which a message could be read (Herron, 2009). For this reason, it was unsuitable for daily use and was not widely adopted in the blind community.

Nevertheless, Barbier’s military dot system was more efficient than Hauy’s embossed letters, and it provided the framework within which Louis Braille developed his method. Barbier’s system, with its dashes and dots, could form over 4000 combinations (Jimenez et al., 2009). Compared to the 26 letters of the Latin alphabet, this was an absurdly high number. Braille kept the raised dot form, but developed a more manageable system that would reflect the sighted alphabet. He replaced Barbier’s dashes and dots with just six dots in a rectangular configuration (Jimenez et al., 2009). The result was that the blind population in France had a tactile reading system using dots (like Barbier’s) that was based on the structure of the sighted alphabet (like Hauy’s); crucially, this system was the first developed specifically for the purposes of the blind.

While the Braille system gained immediate popularity with the blind students at the Institute in Paris, it had to gain acceptance among the sighted before its adoption throughout France. This support was necessary because sighted teachers and leaders had ultimate control over the propagation of Braille resources. Many of the teachers at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth resisted learning Braille’s system because they found the tactile method of reading difficult to learn (Bullock & Galst, 2009). This resistance was symptomatic of the prevalent attitude that the blind population had to adapt to the sighted world rather than develop their own tools and methods. Over time, however, with the increasing impetus to make social contribution possible for all, teachers began to appreciate the usefulness of Braille’s system (Bullock & Galst, 2009), realizing that access to reading could help improve the productivity and integration of people with vision loss. It took approximately 30 years, but the French government eventually approved the Braille system, and it was established throughout the country (Bullock & Galst, 2009).

Although Blind people remained marginalized throughout the nineteenth century, the Braille system granted them growing opportunities for social participation. Most obviously, Braille allowed people with vision loss to read the same alphabet used by sighted people (Bullock & Galst, 2009), allowing them to participate in certain cultural experiences previously unavailable to them. Written works, such as books and poetry, had previously been inaccessible to the blind population without the aid of a reader, limiting their autonomy. As books began to be distributed in Braille, this barrier was reduced, enabling people with vision loss to access information autonomously. The closing of the gap between the abilities of blind and the sighted contributed to a gradual shift in blind people’s status, lessening the cultural perception of the blind as essentially different and facilitating greater social integration.

The Braille system also had important cultural effects beyond the sphere of written culture. Its invention later led to the development of a music notation system for the blind, although Louis Braille did not develop this system himself (Jimenez, et al., 2009). This development helped remove a cultural obstacle that had been introduced by the popularization of written musical notation in the early 1500s. While music had previously been an arena in which the blind could participate on equal footing, the transition from memory-based performance to notation-based performance meant that blind musicians were no longer able to compete with sighted musicians (Kersten, 1997). As a result, a tactile musical notation system became necessary for professional equality between blind and sighted musicians (Kersten, 1997).

Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind people were treated and the opportunities available to them. Louis Braille’s innovation was to reimagine existing reading systems from a blind perspective, and the success of this invention required sighted teachers to adapt to their students’ reality instead of the other way around. In this sense, Braille helped drive broader social changes in the status of blindness. New accessibility tools provide practical advantages to those who need them, but they can also change the perspectives and attitudes of those who do not.

Bullock, J. D., & Galst, J. M. (2009). The Story of Louis Braille. Archives of Ophthalmology , 127(11), 1532. https://doi.org/10.1001/archophthalmol.2009.286.

Herron, M. (2009, May 6). Blind visionary. Retrieved from https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2009/05/blind-visionary/.

Jiménez, J., Olea, J., Torres, J., Alonso, I., Harder, D., & Fischer, K. (2009). Biography of Louis Braille and Invention of the Braille Alphabet. Survey of Ophthalmology , 54(1), 142–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.survophthal.2008.10.006.

Kersten, F.G. (1997). The history and development of Braille music methodology. The Bulletin of Historical Research in Music Education , 18(2). Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/40214926.

Mellor, C.M. (2006). Louis Braille: A touch of genius . Boston: National Braille Press.

Tombs, R. (1996). France: 1814-1914 . London: Pearson Education Ltd.

Weygand, Z. (2009). The blind in French society from the Middle Ages to the century of Louis Braille . Stanford: Stanford University Press.

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