Today, on the 26th of July, I am having a little party. It’s La Festa di Sant’Anna, which means that it is my onomastico, my name day. I think Anne, like Anna, is a beautiful name. Simple yet melodic because it begins and ends with a vowel, a classic in so many languages – from Italian to Russian …
When I registered myself at the student association in Amsterdam ten years ago and I had to put down my full name, I got a response of disbelief and a little laughter. Sorry, what’s your name?! Now, you perhaps wonder what’s so strange about the name Anne. Well, nothing really. The amazement had everything to do with my two middle names: Godefrida Jacoba. I am named after …