daeun

 최다은

Origins:

많을 다 (多): Plenty of; Much of; Many

은혜 은 (恩): Grace

.................................................................

Daeun: 

    My name; easily mispronounced by those who lack the native Korean tongue. For this, I've learned to respond to many variations: Dawn, Don, Dean, Day-oon. Once, I even heard a tentative "Dee?" 

    ...

    I find it annoyingly necessary to triple check to make sure I'm not picking up a stranger's drink (“DON --Iced Americano, > Ice”)  at the counter. 

Daeunie: 

    My nickname; often used as an endearing term by my close friends.

    ...

    Also becomes a grammatically correct way of referring to me in a sentence in Korean. 

Choi Daeun: 

    My full name; I carry my family name with pride (even though it's shared with numerous families in Korea, even China.) My family's "Choi" traces back to the Gyeongju Providence, nearly 3000 years ago.

    ...

    This variation has the ability to break cold sweats along my back. I begin to clam up when I realize I must have done something to upset my parents again.

Daeun-ah: 

    Another grammatically correct way of referring to me in a sentence in Korean. 

    ...

    I know to expect a lecture from my mom. 

Tiffany: 

    I don't go by this anymore.

"우리 사랑하는 손녀 딸 공주"("My princess granddaughter whom I love very much"): 

    The only thing I could never get tired of hearing. My grandfather's special nickname for me. Used religiously in the morning and night. Reserved for the moment I step into the kitchen for breakfast, rubbing sleep out of my eyes as I reach a hug. And for precisely 7:30 PM, before he says his "goodnight" and he reaches for my embrace.